5th wheel to gooseneck adapter, RAM, w/ RAM BOX?

tazzerblue · 07-03-2020, 11:12 AM

Ok so I had a regular adapter, not enough clearance for the sides of the bed. Box is 20" deep. So I thought an Anderson Adapter would work being it's ball is adjustable. WELL IT DOESN'T! Almost no clearance.
What do guys do?
I'm ready to chop off the 5th king pin box and add a 4" box to extend it, then weld it all together again.
I thinks I got some photo's attached..

**chuckster57** · 07-03-2020, 11:20 AM

Have you looked at the “goosebox”?

tazzerblue · 07-03-2020, 11:38 AM

yeah,Not real close, didn't want to spend that kind of money. I'm cheap. Only use camper once a year for last 3 years... Should just sell it.. Always have dreams...

CedarCreekWoody · 07-03-2020, 12:48 PM

You can raise the ball on the Andersen a bit more if that doesn't make your camper too "nose high." Other than that you may need to look at other pin boxes. I wish I had more clearance on mine but don't want to be nose high.

Edit: can you reverse that adapter and put the camper closed to your truck cab? That will increase clearance. This would obviously reduce turning clearance but will give you better pin box clearance. You have have to experiment to see which is best.

**JRTJH** · 07-03-2020, 12:59 PM

What about the sidewinder pinbox extender? It might have enough vertical height to clear the sides of the bed....

Northofu1 · 07-03-2020, 01:05 PM

Can you post another picture of a level side view. It looks ok from the first picture, but not sure because of the angle.

**sourdough** · 07-03-2020, 01:59 PM

I'm not sure if I'm seeing an issue from that pic either. Just measured my truck and it is 20 3/4" from the bottom of the bed to the top of the bed rail. My Andersen is in the middle hole and I have maybe 8" clearance over the bed rails with the trailer. The hitch and adapter are oriented as yours are. I have a 6' 5" Ram short bed - no Ram box.

wiredgeorge · 07-03-2020, 02:27 PM

If your pinbox is closer to your bed height wise (from sides of bed to pinbox) raise the goose ball atop the Andersen Ultimate. If you are a couple inches higher doubt it would make a difference towing. I have tried mine at all possible ball heights and the lowest provided no chucking and the highest a little but no danger in towing with the ball pin in the highest position.

roadglide · 07-03-2020, 05:17 PM

Have you got an extended pin box on your camper? The camper I gave my son is a 2003 the pin box is made for a short bed truck . The Anderson ultimate hitch extends 9 1/2 inches to the pin box. This allows the short beds from slamming the cab. You need to have some kind of mat underneath the pyramid it looks like you have wedged boards to keep it from sliding and keeping the Pyramid straight and proper torque is critical. Appears you have not accomplished any of recommendations for insulation on The Anderson hitch.

GilaElkHunter · 07-03-2020, 05:27 PM

What length bed on that truck? Looks like an 8' long bed. I don't see the fender wells in the picture and am wondering if you are sitting to far back. Try turning your Andersen around.

roadglide · 07-03-2020, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GilaElkHunter

What length bed on that truck? Looks like an 8' long bed. I don't see the fender wells in the picture and am wondering if you are sitting to far back. Try turning your Andersen around.

I thought of that. I think the OP is using an extended pin box .The funnel for the Anderson hitch will extend that pin box out. Not having the pyramid secured Square is a problem.

tech740 · 07-03-2020, 08:09 PM

Turn the Andersen adapter. It will pull it in 8 inches closer to the cab. That how I run mine all the time on a short bed Ram.

rhagfo · 07-04-2020, 08:03 AM

The issue is not bed length but bed width! The Ram Box is narrower than a regular bed. The inside wall comes up flush with inside of the wheel wells. Need to get a very short pin box.

**JRTJH** · 07-04-2020, 08:25 AM

Russ nailed it. The RamBox option "narrows the truck bed WIDTH" dramatically. A typical pin box will "crush the inside of the bed walls (where the RAMBOXes are located.

There isn't (to my knowledge) any pin box that will clear the RAMBOX. The back of the pin box, when it swings to the side in a curve or turn, will crush the inside of the bed sidewall.

GilaElkHunter · 07-04-2020, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JRTJH

What about the sidewinder pinbox extender? It might have enough vertical height to clear the sides of the bed....

A sidewinder will not work with a gooseneck or Andersen type hitch, only a traditional style fifth wheel hitch as your pin box swivels and not at the hitch.
I had one on my previous fifth wheel and loved it, hated to let it go with the trailer.

I am not familiar with the Ram Box so I am out of ideas.

**sourdough** · 07-04-2020, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rhagfo

The issue is not bed length but bed width! The Ram Box is narrower than a regular bed. The inside wall comes up flush with inside of the wheel wells. Need to get a very short pin box.

I had never looked at a Ram Box and did not know that was how they accomplished that extra storage. After looking at pictures of a Ram Box bed I would agree that my pin would take out the side of the bed if it were constructed that way. It was my initial concern in the first place without the Ram Box.

**JRTJH** · 07-04-2020, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GilaElkHunter

A sidewinder will not work with a gooseneck or Andersen type hitch, only a traditional style fifth wheel hitch as your pin box swivels and not at the hitch.
I had one on my previous fifth wheel and loved it, hated to let it go with the trailer.

I am not familiar with the Ram Box so I am out of ideas.

Yeap, I guess I should have asked, "Have you considered changing from the Andersen hitch to a conventional hitch and a Sidewinder extension ?

Even at that, I'm not sure that there would be enough clearance to prevent crushing the bed walls.

ADDED: I just "googled" this: Can you tow a fifth wheel with a truck equipped with RAMBOX? and I got this response (along with over a million other hits):

Can you put a gooseneck hitch in a Rambox?
The only option (as of October 2019) confirmed to fit your 2019 Ram 3500 with Rambox with both a long or short bed, is the B&W Turnoverball Underbed Gooseneck Trailer Hitch # BWGNRK1320. This just so happens to also be the very best gooseneck hitch option on the market.

I'm not sure I agree with the "very best gooseneck hitch" claim, but it does give a starting point for looking at what is supposed to work with Rambox trucks....

GilaElkHunter · 07-04-2020, 10:29 AM

A sidewinder would work if he could get the hitch high enough because the pin box doesn't move, the trailer will pivot above it.

**JRTJH** · 07-04-2020, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GilaElkHunter

A sidewinder would work if he could get it the hitch high enough because the pin box doesn't move, the trailer will pivot above it.

I thought the same thing, but I'd be afraid to tell him, "go spend close to $800" and then find out in his next post, "Hey, you told me .... and I wasted my money".... So, it may work, with some "if's" involved...

Surely, someone is towing a small fifth wheel with a Ram 1500, ram boxes, P rated tires, no brake controller and 6 kids in the back seat.... Maybe they will tell him how to do it without loading above the payload....

The last paragraph was added "in jest" not as a suggestion.....

rhagfo · 07-04-2020, 12:28 PM

So this is an issue brought about by the "I want to tow a 5er with a SB truck" group. Before the big push for being able to tow a 5er with a SB there weren't any "Extended" pin boxes, they pretty much came straight down from the frame. I have added two pictures of our 1986 King of the Road 28' 5er. I can't believe I don't have any better pictures of the pin box, one coming home from the coast in the snow, the other when I was flipping the axles to get it level.

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