A Different Fifth Wheel Hitch? - Page 2 - Escape Trailer Owners Community
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×

Go Back   Escape Trailer Owners Community > Escape Tech > Towing and Hitching
Click Here to Login
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 06-13-2015, 03:15 PM   #21
Senior Member
 
cpaharley2008's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central, Pennsylvania
Trailer: Escape#5 2022 E19
Posts: 26,268
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian B-P View Post
Just a note about those in-bed ball hitches: they are at bed floor level, so much lower than a typical fifth-wheel - that's going the opposite direction from shotgun's "over the cargo" proposal.
Whereas I envision a flat tonneau cover with a stitched hole in the center for the gooseneck attachment, thus allowing the use of the entire bed under the cover.
__________________
Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
cpaharley2008 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-13-2015, 03:47 PM   #22
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
Posts: 14,935
Quote:
Originally Posted by cpaharley2008 View Post
Whereas I envision a flat tonneau cover with a stitched hole in the center for the gooseneck attachment, thus allowing the use of the entire bed under the cover.
Okay, that's an interesting idea, and it would work. It would require lifting the tongue very high to pull the coupler all the way up from the bed floor to clear the tonneau cover, and lining it up to hitch up would be difficult. A tall ball mount (such as the current Scamp offering or the Andersen Ultimate like Havaiian Escapees have), with the ball just under the top of the box, would be easier to hitch and unhitch, and still not require the clearance through the rear part of the box that a fifth-wheel does.
Brian B-P is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-13-2015, 05:20 PM   #23
Senior Member
 
cpaharley2008's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central, Pennsylvania
Trailer: Escape#5 2022 E19
Posts: 26,268
or just leave the cover attached to the coupler and remove it from the truck, cover and all would remain as one.
__________________
Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
cpaharley2008 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-13-2015, 09:11 PM   #24
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
Posts: 14,935
Quote:
Originally Posted by cpaharley2008 View Post
or just leave the cover attached to the coupler and remove it from the truck, cover and all would remain as one.
That would take care of clearing the tonneau, but I think the original idea was mount the hitch high so the entire box can be filled with cargo. With cargo behind the hitch, there either needs to be a path left down the middle of it for the trailer tongue, or the trailer needs to be lifted clear of it... tonneau or not.

Also, the lower the ball, the bigger the space needed over it so the tongue can tilt side-to-side and front-to-back as the tug and trailer move in turns and over bumps.
Brian B-P is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-14-2015, 09:39 AM   #25
Senior Member
 
C&G in FL's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Tampa Bay Area, Florida
Trailer: 2015 Escape 5.0TA (Little Elsie) Extensively Personalized
Posts: 2,945
I have an aluminum diamond plate toolbox in the front of the bed AND IS 6-inches higher than the bed rails. No problem with clearance with the 5.0TA. I use a cargo bar behind the hitch and can fit two Rubbermaid Action Packers behind it. My lawn chairs slide under the toolbox and I can put a 5 gallon bucket with lid on either side of the hitch (Curt 16K). Loss of bed space is not really a problem.
__________________
What a long strange trip it’s been!
C&G in FL is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-17-2015, 09:53 PM   #26
T&R
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Medford, Oregon
Trailer: "Olaf" 2015 21'..... 2015 Tundra CrewMax
Posts: 109
If you have a 5.0 and want nothing in your bed when you're not towing use a gooseneck turnover ball with a gooseneck to fifth wheel adapter.





Of if you're worried about trailer to cab clearance get an offset adapter...

T&R is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-18-2015, 08:28 PM   #27
Junior Member
 
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Sedona, Arizona
Trailer: 2008 Bigfoot 25B21FB
Posts: 15
Some interesting creative ideas!

Thanks everyone for all the input on my original concept for towing a fifth wheel while using the full dry pickup bed. Someone raised a good point about a high hitch transferring more force to the tug. I think it all got too complicated for me, so I'm back on the 21 footer for now ...at least until I get to the factory and see a 5.0TA in person and can measure the hitch height. It would be relatively easy to install an elevated gooseneck hitch, but one might have to modify the towing arm on the trailer (whatever that's called) so that it was more horizontal and didn't drop so far in order to clear the top of the bed sides and tailgate by 4-6 inches. That would be a hassle. Anyhow, it's been a fun creative exercise for conspiring minds!
shotgun is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-18-2015, 09:03 PM   #28
Site Team
 
Donna D.'s Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Portland, Oregon
Trailer: 2014 Escape 5.0 TA
Posts: 11,023
I think you should buy the ETI build/layout that works best for you. Screw the truck bed problems When you're out camping, making memories and having a ton of fun... so what if you can't lay down a full sheet of plywood in the bed of your truck.

I've had the hitch in the bed of my truck for almost a full year, hasn't been a problem.. ever. If it is.. I'll rent a utility trailer from U-Haul. YMMV
__________________
Donna D.
Ten Forward
2014 Escape 5.0TA
Donna D. is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
5.0ta, fifth wheel, gooseneck, hitch

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off




» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Escape Trailer Industries or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:30 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright 2023 Social Knowledge, LLC All Rights Reserved.