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Choosing a Hitch for Your Fifth Wheel

Sep. 30 2022 Accessory Buying Guide By Schwab's RV World

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The large size and plush interiors of fifth wheels make them one of the most luxurious recreational vehicles on the market. They’re an excellent choice for big families and for long and fun camping trips. One of the main reasons for their popularity is the stability offered by their unique coupling system, which makes them safer to haul and allows them to be bigger than other campers. However, there are many 5th wheel hitch styles for you to pick from and it’s essential for you to get the right one.

How It Works

The fifth wheel hitch is designed to securely lock into a coupling installed in your truck bed. The coupling extends over the rear axle of your truck, which makes it easier to reverse and navigate tighter turns, and also allows a higher towing capacity as compared to other bumper-pull hitches.

Buying Tips

When you start shopping for a fifth wheel hitch, consider the weight of your camper and make sure you choose one that can comfortably handle the weight. If you use a hitch that isn’t strong enough, it can damage both your rig and your towing vehicle.

Different Types of Couplings

Generally speaking, there are three types of hitches: pivot heads, rail hitches, and jaws, with two varieties of each. Pivot heads come in two-way and four-way styles, offering you either front and back pivoting or front, back, and side-to-side pivoting. Rail hitches can be universal or custom. Both can be used with any type of trailer and won’t require you to drill holes into your truck’s frame.

Custom rails are simply customized to your particular towing setup, while universal rails suit any trailer type. Jaw hitches consist of a single grab jaw that connects simply and is extremely secure. They come in single or double, with double jaw hitches offering twice the strength of the single jaw style.

We hope this guide helps you to choose the correct style of hitch for your needs. If you still haven’t found the perfect fifth wheel yet, visit Schwab's RV World in Leduc, AB, to see what we’ve got for sale. We proudly serve all those coming from Edmonton.