Guides

Short Bed Fifth Wheel Towing

Yes, you can tow a fifth wheel with a short bed. Here's what you need to know.

The Short Bed Problem

When you turn sharply with a fifth wheel trailer, the front of the trailer swings toward your truck cab. With a long bed (8'), there's plenty of room. With a short bed (5.5' - 6.5'), the trailer can hit your cab.

This isn't a dealbreaker — millions of people tow fifth wheels with short bed trucks. You just need the right setup.

What Counts as a Short Bed?

Measure from bulkhead to tailgate

5.5'

Short bed

Slider required

6.5'

Standard bed

Slider recommended

8'

Long bed

Fixed hitch works

Most crew cab trucks come with 5.5' or 6.5' beds. Extended cabs often have 6.5' or 8' beds. Measure yours to be sure — don't guess.

Your Options

Three ways to solve cab clearance

1. Sliding Hitch

The hitch slides backward when you turn, creating clearance. Slides forward again for highway driving. Can be manual or automatic.

Best for: Most short bed owners. No trailer modifications needed.

2. Rotational Pin Box

Replace your trailer's pin box with one that pivots. The trailer rotates around the pin instead of swinging into your cab. Lets you use a fixed hitch.

Best for: People who want a fixed hitch or already have one. Requires trailer modification.

3. Extended Pin Box

Moves the kingpin further back from your trailer's front cap. Gives more clearance without a slider, but shifts weight forward.

Best for: Mild clearance issues. Check your truck's payload before adding pin weight.

Sliding Hitches Explained

Manual vs automatic

Manual Slider

  • • Pull a pin to unlock, slide by hand
  • • Must remember to slide before turning
  • • Lower cost ($800-1,500)
  • • More moving parts to maintain

Auto Slider

  • • Slides automatically when you turn
  • • Nothing to remember
  • • Higher cost ($1,500-2,500+)
  • • More complex mechanism

Important

With a manual slider, you MUST slide the hitch back before making tight turns (like gas stations, campsites, parking lots). Forgetting can damage your cab. Some people put a reminder sticker on their dash.

Rotational Pin Boxes

The trailer-side solution

A rotational (or articulating) pin box replaces your trailer's standard pin box. Instead of the trailer pivoting around the kingpin in your hitch, it pivots at the pin box itself — further from your cab.

Pros

  • • Use any fixed hitch (more options, lower cost)
  • • Smoother ride (less chucking)
  • • Often includes air-ride cushioning
  • • Nothing to remember when turning

Cons

  • • Requires trailer modification
  • • Expensive ($1,500-3,000+)
  • • Adds weight to trailer
  • • If you sell the trailer, it stays with it

Popular brands: Reese Revolution, PullRite SuperGlide, MORryde Pin Box

How Much Clearance Do You Need?

Test before you buy

The magic number most people aim for: at least 6 inches between your cab and trailer at full turn.

How to Test:

  1. 1. Hook up to your trailer in a big empty lot
  2. 2. Have someone watch the gap
  3. 3. Make a full lock turn both directions
  4. 4. Measure the closest point

If you're buying a new trailer, ask the dealer to let you test with your truck before committing. Different trailer front caps have different angles.

Find Short Bed Compatible Hitches

We'll show you sliders and fixed hitches that work with your truck.

Find Hitches for My Truck