RVH Lifestyles Short Pin Box with Weights

[Chad Heiser]

I ordered one of the short pin boxes RVH Lifestyles has for DRV's several months ago.  I have mentioned this in previous posts and I will repeat some information in this post as a review of the pin box and also to update my weights with the new pin box.  Let me say I am not getting any compensation for this overview/review.  I am simply a customer providing a review based on my experiences.  I just pulled up the on line information about the pin box (to get the weight rating for the pin box) and see that my rig photo has been added as an installed example.  Jack Mayer asked my permission to use that photograph (which I posted here on the HDT forum) some time ago and I agreed, but did not receive anything in return for that either. 

I really liked the Mor/Ryde pin box that came with my DRV with it's rubber spring action.  This was very nice for hitching with the HDT (it gave a little when the truck hit it rather than the whole trailer getting jarred), but I decided to go with the straight down pin box for two reasons. 

First, I wanted to shorten up my overall length as much as possible.  I didn't need the extended pin box that came on my DRV because of the hitch placement at the rear of my T2000.  My DRV is 42'4" long (front cap to rear cap measured by me).  DRV's website lists it at 40'10", but I believe that is interior length (I have a 40KSSB4).  My old 5th wheel was a Montana Big Sky and was 37'4" (front cap to rear cap measured by me) overall length.  So the new DRV is 5' longer than my old 5er.  I was 61' overall length with my old 5er and my HDT.  There are some campgrounds we go to that length is an issue, so I wanted to keep my length as short as possible.  I also double tow my Jeep on occasion behind my 5er, so again I wanted to keep my overall length as short as possible.  With the new "straight down" pin box and the different placement of the pin box further under the 5th wheel overhang on the DRV, my overall length with the DRV connected to my HDT is only 61'4".  This was a gain of only 4" in overall length with a 5' longer 5th wheel.  This made me very happy.

Second, I wanted a pin box rated for a higher capacity because, as I mentioned, I sometimes double tow my Jeep.  The Mor/Ryde pin box that came with my DRV was only rated for 24000 lbs.  This was fine for just the DRV, but when I add a 5000 lb Jeep behind the DRV, I wanted a king pin with more capacity.  The RVH Lifestyle pin box is rated at 32000 lbs.  This easily handles the weight of my 5er and the Jeep when I am double towing. 

Before I ordered the RVH Lifestyles pin box, I tried to get Mor/Ryde to build me a straight down pin box but they simply would not do it.  I then thought about cutting up my pin box and making it a straight down pin box, but then I had the weight issue to deal with.  Ultimately I decided to go with the RVH Lifestyles pin box instead.  It didn't offer the cushioning that the Mor/Ryde box did, but it had everything else I wanted and was reasonably priced.

I have now had the pin box on my trailer since July.  The pin box is very sturdy and went onto my DRV quite easily.  I have towed the 5er and double towed the Jeep with the pin box since July and have had no issues with it.  It has held up very well and I am happy with the purchase.

I was also curious what the short pin box would do to my pin weight.  I assumed it would go up a little bit, but I wasn't sure exactly how much it would be affected.  Jack Mayer has also been curious.  I finally got close enough to a cat scale in one of my trips to get some new weights with the new pin box.  To be fair, this is not an exact apples to apples weight comparison.  We were not packed exactly the same as we were when I weighed the first time (we always keep the same basic things in the trailer except for food and clothes, but the difference in how much food and how many clothes we had in the trailer at each weigh in is anybody's guess).  I have also added a couple of things to my trailer since the last time it was weighed.  The accessories I have added to my trailer since the last time I weighed it are:  Different pin box (obviously), Steady Fast stabilizers, Wastemaster waste hoses and carrier, schedule 80 PVC storage tube (8'x10") with metal ends and mounting brackets for additional waste hose and waste accessory storage and a few other miscellaneous small accessories in the basement of the 5er (some chairs and the like).

The truck had full fuel and one passenger and the 5er had full propane and full fresh water at each weight.  I never carry full fresh water in the tank unless I have a reason to, but getting a max weight is a good reason.  Here are the numbers:

Weight with stock extended pin box (from March 31, 2017)
39920 lbs – Truck and 5^th Wheel Combination
18520 lbs – Truck with full fuel and one passenger total weight
21400 lbs – 5^th Wheel fully loaded with all our stuff, full fresh water, full propane (minimal clothes and food) total weight
16880 lbs – 5^th Wheel axle weight (loaded as described above)
  4520 lbs – 5^th Wheel pin weight

10720 lbs – Truck steer axle weight – no 5^th wheel (loaded as described above)
  9940 lbs – Truck steer axle weight – with 5^th wheel (loaded as described above)
  7800 lbs – Truck rear axle weight – no 5^th wheel (loaded as described above)
13100 lbs – Truck rear axle weight – with 5^th wheel (loaded as described above)

Weight with aftermarket short pin box (from November 25, 2017)
40240 lbs – Truck and 5^th Wheel Combination
18460 lbs – Truck with full fuel and one passenger total weight
21780 lbs – 5^th Wheel fully loaded with all our stuff, full fresh water, full propane (minimal clothes and food) total weight
16940 lbs – 5^th Wheel axle weight (loaded as described above)
  4840 lbs – 5^th Wheel pin weight

 10700 lbs – Truck steer axle weight – no 5^th wheel (loaded as described above)
  9880 lbs – Truck steer axle weight – with 5^th wheel (loaded as described above)
  7760 lbs – Truck rear axle weight – no 5^th wheel (loaded as described above)
13420 lbs – Truck rear axle weight – with 5^th wheel (loaded as described above)

My overall combination weight went up by 320 lbs.  This is probably close to how much weight I added in accessories between weigh ins (also accounting for the slight variations in what we had packed in the trailer). I probably had a little less water in the trailer on the first weigh in than I did on the second one due to slosh.  I traveled 100 plus miles with my tank full before the first weigh in and I traveled about 1 mile with my tank full before the second weigh in.  The vent tube on the fresh water tank in my DRV is on the side of the tank at the top and tends to spit some water out on turns when the tank is full.  The truck was 60 lbs heavier at the first weigh in.  I'm not sure exactly why, but it was.  Both weigh ins happened on the same scales at the same truck stop after filling the diesel tanks right next to the scales (just 8 months apart).  I'm sure there was a slight difference in the exact amount of fuel in the truck, but not 60 lbs worth and I know I haven't lost any weight, so that can't be it. 

The axle weight on the 5th wheel went from 16880 lbs to 16940 lbs, a gain of 60 pounds.

The pin weight went from 4520 lbs to 4840 lbs, a gain of 320 lbs.

The extra pin weight did also unload my front axle a little more - from 9940 lbs to 9880 lbs, a difference of 60 lbs (very minor in the grand scheme of things).

Somehow the trailer axles gained the 60 lbs the truck lost and the 320 lbs in overall weight gained went to pin weight.  I know this isn't exactly what happened, but it is funny how the numbers came out.  Overall my pin weight did go up (as I expected it to).  I'm sure some of that is attributable to the additional items I installed on and added to the trailer and some of it is as a result of the change in pin location.  Exactly how much is specific to the pin location change, I can't say for sure but I would say it would be a high percentage of that number.

Overall I am very pleased with the results and am very pleased with the pin box.

[HERO Maker]

Chad, very good write up!  We all like to see the numbers.  And I know Jack will.  I too wanted to go to their drop down pin box, but at the Rally it was determined that I would need to move my hitch back maybe 6 more inches in order to have clearance for the smart.  I don't remember now exactly what the measurements were, but there was a difference between the back of the drom to the center of the hitch by maybe 11 inches.  Upon Marc leaving the Rally, I watched carefully as he made a left turn for me, and yes, I would have been ramming my DRV about 3 inches into the (folded) mirror of the smart.  He had about 8 plus inches of clearance.

Hey, could you shoot me a picture of that 8" tube you used for the sewer junk?  Or was that a 6" pipe?  Would love to add something like that to mine and get it out of my basement.  Also, maybe a pic of where you attached it.

Thanks,

 

[Chad Heiser]

15 minutes ago, HERO Maker said:

Hey, could you shoot me a picture of that 8" tube you used for the sewer junk?  Or was that a 6" pipe?  Would love to add something like that to mine and get it out of my basement.  Also, maybe a pic of where you attached it.

Thanks,

 

I’ll take some pictures of it tomorrow and get the information for the brackets and ends I used, along with the Wastemaster hose system I installed.

[HERO Maker]

Thank you sir.

[NoDirectionHome]

Couple of (engineering) thoughts:  Do you know the component weight difference between the Mor-Ryde and the RVH?  Have you considered that the DRV may not have the structure to support anything more than the Mor-Ryde's 24K and that's why it was considered more than sufficient for the trailer?

BTW, Great write up, thanks!

[GlennWest]

How does a straight down pin box shorten Smart clearance?  I know straight forward it does but I have lots of clearance then. In the turn, up to 90 degrees, it is determined by radius of fifther, not pin box.

[Jack Mayer]

Thanks for the excellent writeup, Chad. 

Will you take a check or just cash?   (JUST kidding....   ) And, no, we did not ask him for a writeup or anything else...

 

[rickeieio]

1 hour ago, GlennWest said:

How does a straight down pin box shorten Smart clearance?  I know straight forward it does but I have lots of clearance then. In the turn, up to 90 degrees, it is determined by radius of fifther, not pin box.

Glenn,

You're correct, at 0 deg, and at 90 deg, you would have little to no difference.  It's in between where the issues may arise.  You would be much closer at 45 deg.

I wish Henry would drop bye with one of his excellent cad images.

[GlennWest]

I since posting researched the Drv pinbox. That box is way back on it. Mine comes out on 45 degree and is close to front of cap. Nothing like the Drv. 

[Big5er]

Chad, would you create a post for the sewer hose carrier and stuff?
Thanks.

I also wanted the straight pin box but like Rocky, I don't have the clearance  Oh well....

[GlennWest]

X2. 

[Av8r3400]

Now, if they would just get off their duffs and make a straight box for us common folk with Lippert rigs...

 

[Jack Mayer]

3 hours ago, Av8r3400 said:

Now, if they would just get off their duffs and make a straight box for us common folk with Lippert rigs...

 

Every rig is different....or at least somewhat different hole patterns. So it is difficult to dedicate the time, CAD layouts, and insurance to a one-off. If there was enough demand  for a certain layout it would be something to consider. But even if there was one available for any rig, as we discovered with ROcky and Phil it simply may not work because of clearance issues with the car.

[HERO Maker]

I really was liking the idea of that drop down pin box.  It was going to take care of another problem I have with the DRV pin box.  I've thought about sliding my hitch aft a little bit, but then it would cover access to a nice storage area I have.

[Big5er]

Rocky, If Jack REALLY liked us he make two special ones just for us 

[Chad Heiser]

12 hours ago, Big5er said:

Chad, would you create a post for the sewer hose carrier and stuff?
Thanks.

Since you asked so nice, here you go.