Hitching a 5.0TA alone

[AK Blue Bunny]

I am a retired women traveling alone currently driving a 98 21” Stratflyte with a tow car. Now interested in upgrading to a 5.0TA fifth wheel but worry I may not be able to hitch up by myself. Any advice?

[Donna D.]

I can do it! I've been retired for three years, have owned Ten Forward for 5-1/2 years and travel solo. Just like anything new, just takes some practice. Slow and methodical gets it done. And a ladder


Welcome!

[Chris R]

Originally Posted by AK Blue Bunny

I am a retired women traveling alone currently driving a 98 21” Stratflyte with a tow car. Now interested in upgrading to a 5.0TA fifth wheel but worry I may not be able to hitch up by myself. Any advice?

Practice with someone knowledgable. It will also make a difference whether you use the standard kingpin/hitch or the Anderson ball hitch.

We use the Anderson and hooking up myself, I found a small backup camera useful, not to use backing up, but temporarily placed underneath the hitch in the truck bed where I could see when the ball is in the correct place.

[AK Blue Bunny]

Thanks so much. That’s very reassuring. May I ask what tow vehicle you use? Still researching that part.

[HLynnH]

I’m also going it alone. 5.0TA completion date is TOMORROW! Not sure when it will be delivered but once it is, I’m hitting the road. Most of my travel will be in the US southeast.

[Mark James]

I hitched up our 5 TA alone last week. Do it occasionally just to demonstrate to myself that I can do it and just in case my wife was ever not able to help. Took my time, followed my checklist and it went smooth as silk. Two pieces of advise: don’t rush and develop a checklist for hitching and decoupling. Always always use it. No exceptions. I was amazed at how quickly things can go wrong when I think I know it all. Easy to miss a critical step.

[Brian B-P]

I've rarely had any assistance hitching any trailer, and while it can be handy to have someone providing alignment guidance, another person should never be necessary. A fifth-wheel should generally be easier, because the trailer stops the truck when the hitch engages. Commercial truck drivers hook up their trailers by themselves.

The worst part of a fifth-wheel, or the Andersen ball system that you can use with a 5.0TA instead of the fifth-wheel, is likely reaching in to whatever you need to engage (when hitching up) or disengage (when unhitching)... because the box sides are so high on recent pickup trucks (which is why Donna uses a ladder).

[HLynnH]

Would you be willing to share your checklist with us?

[Mark James]

Yes just rewriting it to make it flow a little better. I also get it laminated. Will send it to you by weeks end.

[padlin]

I find hooking up mine easier by myself, it gets easier with experience. Backing into a site is easier with 2, as long as you get along.

[C&G in FL]

I have found a 5th Wheel tailgate such as the ones made by Stromberg Carlson makes it much easier to hitch alone. While backing up to the 5.0TA absolutely straight leaves a small amount of clearance, coming in at an angle could result in tailgate/fiberglass contact and dropping/raising the tailgate after the kingpin is over the bed can result in several ins and outs of the truck to check alignment and height. It is even easier with a helper because they can concentrate on alignment rather than tailgate issues. And there are battery powered magnetic cameras such as the iBall (warning, $$$ for this one). I do have a magnetic camera and I mount it on the pin box when hitching alone as depth perception in a rear view mirror is not what I would consider great. I can see when the hitch is almost touching the pin box so I can stop and check alignment of the hitch and kingpin and height of the kingpin in relation to the hitch plate, so that when connection actually occurs, the pi box slides slightly upward. Most of the time I only have to get out of the truck once to make minor height adjustments with the landing gear. And SLOW and easy are the keywords. Fortunately, I am not often alone when it is time to hook up!

[Ian and Sue]

Originally Posted by AK Blue Bunny

I am a retired women traveling alone currently driving a 98 21” Stratflyte with a tow car. Now interested in upgrading to a 5.0TA fifth wheel but worry I may not be able to hitch up by myself. Any advice?

I often hitch my 5.0 TA alone. I have a mark on my back window for a centerline to get lined up and also have a set of those magnetic hitch alignment balls. One goes on the hitch and one on the Anderson, when the balls are lined up you are all set.
This is one:https://www.amazon.com/Camco-Magneti...21613888&psc=1

The main thing is move slow and methodically, use a written or mental check list and you should be fine. If you are doing it right there should be nothing that takes special strength, just patience and a bit of climbing and bending. You can do it!

[emers382]

I, as Donna, usually hook up by myself. With our former truck I had no tonneau cover and could see the kingpin entering the hitch (standard fifth wheel hitch). Now with a cover a simple piece of tape helps line up and usually have to get out just once to check the level and as has been mentioned as long as straight on I don't have to lift the tailgate. I do have a small aluminum ladder to reach the near centre of hitch to insert locking pin along with the breakaway cable.

[padlin]

Originally Posted by emers382

I, as Donna, usually hook up by myself. With our former truck I had no tonneau cover and could see the kingpin entering the hitch (standard fifth wheel hitch). Now with a cover a simple piece of tape helps line up and usually have to get out just once to check the level and as has been mentioned as long as straight on I don't have to lift the tailgate. I do have a small aluminum ladder to reach the near centre of hitch to insert locking pin along with the breakaway cable.

This us how I do it too, just don't need a ladder.

[emers382]

Originally Posted by padlin

This us how I do it too, just don't need a ladder.

Guess you're taller than I am

I didn't need a ladder with our previous F150 2wd.

[GimliGuy]

We got our 5.0 last May and to date have logged over 10,000 miles using the Pullrite 2400 super lite. It works great. I hook up my myself all the time. You do not even need to lower the the tail gate. This also allows us to have a storage box between the hitch and tailgate.
Towing with a Chev Silverado with a 61/2 foot box

[wamomof3]

Hi, we would like a copy of your checklist as well.

[barry]

I always hook mine up by myself, it's easier. Wife language and waving hands never computes with husband language and thought input.
Barry

[barry]

Originally Posted by wamomof3

Hi, we would like a copy of your checklist as well.

Some of the newer trucks have checklists built into the brake controllers, specific for 5th wheel, goose neck and pull behind. My 2017 F150 does.
Barry

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by barry

I always hook mine up by myself, it's easier. Wife language and waving hands never computes with husband language and thought input.
Barry

I agree wholeheartedly about waving hands. When hooking up, I open the driver’s window and have her to stand beside the bed and tell me to stop when there is a small gap between the hitch and the pin box. Then I get out and check the alignment myself before making the final connection. And pretty much for the same reason, when backing into a campsite I tell her to just watch so that I don’t inadvertently hit anything.