Pin Box Height Adjustment

[Kamper Dave]

Pin Box Adjustment.



Have you ever made a pin-box height adjustment?



I noticed that our Cruiser rides a few inches high in the

front. There is 8� between the pickup truck box and the 5^th wheel. I

was considering raising the pin-box. I could go up two holes if need be, that

would be 2 inches but then there would be only 6� between truck box and 5th

wheel. Is this enough spacing?



The last time that I lowered the Reese Hitch I ended up

damaging the pin-box cowling while backing up. I moved the hitch to its

original height.



Thank you in advance.

Kamper Dave

[mdk1982]

We had the same problem. We chose to adjust the hitch, rather that the pinbox. Much easier solution and it did the trick.

[Retired02]

Have not made pinbox adjustments but have looked into height adjustment issues.Been advised by several dealers that 6" clearance between the pickup box siderails and underside of fifth wheel nose is the desired dimension.









On the internet, there are some photo sequences on changing pin box height. Some support pin box in hitch when unbolted as they are quite heavy.Otherwise, definitely a two man job. Besidesbasic tools, the only specialty tool was atapered"drift" punchto align bolt holes whenremounting. Once secured with a couple bolts, a heavy hammer and block of woodto"tunk" the bolt holes into alignment may serve the samepurpose.



One concern if you have a tonneau cover. As you raise pinbox, the trailer and the frame flanges to which the pinbox is bolted are lowered.With many tonneau covers, thesiderailsfor the tonneau cover are mounted inside the P/U siderails. The lowered frame flangescould impact the tonneau siderails when making tight turns.

[danskool]

I would move the hitch first.. Just easier.

But if you want to move the pin box, that would be easy also. I wouldn't hesitate doing so if i had to. 6" is ok. Just have to keep an eye on it. I have 6" and never came close to hitting the bed, But i do have a short box and a slider.. Even though i have never came close, I still keep an eye on it.

[martinstwopopfarm]

We have always used 6" of clearance between bed rails and trailer eand has worked good on all our 5th wheels. If you end up moving the pin box prior to moving it I would hook up the trailer and put all the weight on the hitch to see how much clearance there is between the pin box and the trailer cap after the hitch flexes from the weight of the trailer. I could move my pin box up too but it would get into the trailer cap once hooked up due to the flex. I agree with others it would be easier to adjust the hitch in the tv

[Retired02]

Kamper Dave,



About your cowling - "The last time that I lowered the Reese Hitch I ended up damaging the pin-box cowling while backing up. I moved the hitch to its original height."



Just where and howwas the cowling damaged? By pin-box cowling, you are talking about the piece that covers the pin-box and continues up to the underside of the fifth wheel nose?



Thinking that if you were impacting this cowling during a tight turn after you had lowered your hitch, you may have the same problem by raising your pin box.

[Kamper Dave]

Retired02,
The cowling is the white plastic pin-box cover. It is much wider than the pin-box. So during a tight turn it touches the truck box any tighter and it gets pinched between the truck box and the pin-box.
I took another look at the pin-box. It doesn't look as though the pin-box can be raised and still keep the cowling. Seeing as I really like the looks of the cowling, I am now thinking about changing the suspension leaf springs to the next hole down. This should raise the entire 5th wheel.
Kamper Dave