Measuring Fifth Wheel Hitch Height
The short answer: Getting your hitch height right is critical for safe towing. Here's how to measure and adjust it.
In This Guide
Why Does Fifth Wheel Hitch Height Matter?
↗️
Too High (Nose Up)
Trailer's rear axle carries extra load, rear tires wear faster
✅
Level
Balanced weight, stable handling, even tire wear
↘️
Too Low (Nose Down)
Less bed-rail clearance, trailer's front axle overloaded
How Do I Measure My Truck Bed Height?
Before hooking up
What to Measure:
Measure from the ground to the bed floor at the spot where your hitch will sit — the middle of the bed, between the wheel wells. While you're there, also measure from the ground to the top of the bed rails; you'll need that number for the clearance check below.
- • Park on level ground
- • Truck should be loaded as it will be when towing (gear, passengers, fuel)
- • Write down both numbers
Typical range: On a stock 3/4-ton or 1-ton pickup the bed floor sits roughly 35" to 39" off the ground, and the tops of the bed rails about 20" to 21" higher — somewhere around 56" to 60". Lifted trucks and bigger tires sit higher.
How Do I Find My Trailer's Pin Box Height?
Measure the pin box plate, not the kingpin
What you actually need is the pin box height: from the ground to the underside of the pin box plate — the flat plate the kingpin sticks out of, which rides on the hitch's skid plate. Don't measure to the tip of the kingpin; it hangs below the plate inside the jaws, so it doesn't set your ride height.
How to Find It:
- 1. Park trailer on level ground
- 2. Chock the wheels, then use the landing gear to level the trailer front-to-back
- 3. Measure from the ground to the underside of the pin box plate
- 4. Measure from the ground to the underside of the trailer's front overhang, for the clearance check below
Typical range: There isn't a standard one. Tires, suspension and the pin box setting all move it, so measure yours rather than going by a brochure number.
How Do I Calculate the Right Hitch Height?
Calculate your hitch height
Hitch Height = Pin Box Height - Bed Floor Height + Squat
This is how tall your hitch needs to be, measured from the bed floor to the top of the hitch. Squat is how far your truck's rear drops once the pin weight is on it — Reese uses 2" as a starting estimate and says it can run 1" to 5". CURT's version leaves it out, so treat the result as a starting point and fine-tune after you hook up.
Example:
- Pin box height (trailer level): 52"
- Truck bed floor height: 38"
- Squat allowance: 2"
- Hitch height needed: 52" - 38" + 2" = 16" above the bed floor
How Much Bed-Rail Clearance Do I Need?
Check it before you tow
Once you're hooked up and level, you want about 6" between the top of the bed rails and the underside of the trailer's front overhang. Reese and PullRite both use 6"; CURT's minimum is 5-1/2". Allow more if you tow on rough or uneven ground.
Estimate it before you hook up: overhang height - bed rail height + squat. Example: 63" - 59" + 2" = 6" — just enough.
How Do I Adjust My Fifth Wheel Hitch Height?
Most hitches are adjustable
Most fifth wheel hitches have height adjustment built in. Look for:
Pin/Hole Adjustment
Multiple holes in the legs or base. Remove the bolts, move the head up or down, re-bolt and torque to spec. Steps are usually 1" to 2".
Leg Height
Some hitches have adjustable legs that change the overall height. Check your manual.
Important
After adjusting, always verify the locking mechanism still engages properly. The kingpin must fully seat in the jaw.
How Do I Fine-Tune My Hitch Height After Hookup?
After you're hooked up
Once connected, check that your trailer is level front-to-back. Use a long level on the trailer frame, or measure from the ground to the frame at the front and rear.
What to Look For:
- • Nose-down means your hitch is too low — raise it. Nose-down also closes the gap between your bed rails and the trailer's overhang
- • Perfectly level is ideal
- • Nose-up means your hitch is too high — lower it, as long as you keep about 6" of bed-rail clearance. If you can't get level without losing that clearance, keep the clearance: a trailer sitting slightly nose-high is better than one that can hit your bed rails
Related Guides
GM's Gooseneck/5th Wheel Prep Package (RPO Z6A) gives you the pucks, the under-bed platform and an in-bed 7-way — but not the ball or the chain loops.
Read guide →Everything you need to know before you hook up and drive away the first time.
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