5th Wheel Campers

How to install a trailer

Safety is always first - improper setup can result in potentially deadly situations for you, the people you're traveling with, and others on the road.

Before attaching 5th wheel campers to your truck, always ask for a live demonstration of how to attach them to your hitch once it's been installed.

All manufacturers should provide safety documentation on how the trailer should be attached. Read this, as well as documentation from the manufacturers of both your hitch and vehicle.

If you're working with older equipment, most manufacturers have been good about uploading their information to their web pages. Google's the manufacturer's name, and the information is usually well marked on their web page.

Always follow manufacturer's instructions before this or any other publicly available information.

First Step

If you have a hitch locking handle, pull it out to unlock the hitch. Pull down the tailboard.

Second Step

Back up your truck to the camper just short of its king pin. Ensure that the king pin is a bit lower than the plate on your hitch. (Backing into the king pin will make the hitch lift up).

Third Step

Back the truck up so that the king pin ramps up along the plate and slides into place.

Fourth Step

Lock the hitch.

Ensure that you have a flush connection.

Fifth Step

Double check to ensure that the locking handle is closed.

If there is a locking pin present, put it into it's place.

Sixth Step

Connect the electrical system to your truck.

Seventh Step

Close your tailgate

Eighth step

Test with a double tug.

When connecting 5th wheel campers, it's always important to test to ensure that they are properly connected.

When you think that you have your camper properly connected:

- Lift the landing stilts about 2 inches off the ground - not completely up
- Start the truck, hold down the truck's brake, and shift into drive
- Hold the brake for the camper in - usually this is a separate, hand controlled module.
- Let go of the truck brake, putting force on the trailer.

If the trailer is not properly connected, it will slide off the truck hitch.

Stop the truck, reinspect the trailer

Perform a second tug test on the trailer, completely running through the above process

Ninth step

Attach safety chains

Tenth step

Raise the landing stilts all the way and drive away!

See 5th-WheelCampers.com for more information involving everything with 5th Wheel Campers!