I know it's been covered before.

[lappir]

Not all trailers are made the same. 

The regular 5th wheels have the pin in front of the trailer or just under the  front. Most semi trailers have the pin 2 to 3 feet back (My Guess). My Semi trailer was built when I still had a 14 foot box, long stinger on the frame and an ET Senior hitch way at the back. There was ALMOST enough room, but the first real test proved that things were too close. 

Several things happened between 2013 and now and one more (and hopefully the last) hitch placement is up in the air. 

55 inches from the center of the pin opening has been the suggested setting and I think I believe it's sort of a "standard". The issue I'm thinking of is my pin placement on the trailer is just 12 inches from the front of the trailer. A foot or almost two feet from the usual Semi Placement. While I "Think" I might try and put the new to me truck to work, will I really??? Doubt it. Too many hoops to jump through or regulations to learn. 

My hitch is a slider so it has almost 2 1/2 foot of movement I think. On my Gold truck it was all the way to the front of the slide and I had ZERO Clearance Issues, I sometimes think it's too far back. I could jack knife and still have plenty of room. I don't like to get into that situation, but it happens. 

As I said I want this to be the last time I think about the hitch placement. I don't think I'll ever have another Semi Trailer built, so the pin will stay where it is. Removal of the 7 foot drom box would I'm sure allow the truck to hook up to any semi trailer on the road and be fine, but a "Farmer Friend" of mine indicated I might have a little trouble loading the front axle if I wanted to haul scale at 80,000 of grain hauling capacity. Don't know have never tried. He does it for a living so I'm sure he's correct. 

I know I've seen the diagrams and such, but never really understood them and hence having the previous trial and error. 

Suggestions, comments, and criticisms  appreciated. 

 

Rod

[ddm502001]

Semi-Trailer pin Placement is technically Industry Standard, Campers OTOH is their own standard much as a 7 pin round is DOT Color coded but the RV flat pin is NOT, neither the six pin round.   Semi Trailers have to place a dispersed weight to the tractor in a prescribed method for Bridge Law, RVs are not heavy enough where they are generally even completely garbed out, LESS than the weight of a empty Semi-trailer.

 

When owned my own and driving for others, the Pin was usually carried at three to four slider pockets UP from center of tandems or if fixed, around 6-8" ahead of a single drive axle to shift enough weight onto the steering axle to satisfy equal distribution.

My own HDT the OEM Fifth wheel is 52" to end of frame to pin center, at outermost interference point we are a little under 6 feet as to clearance for a drop body area.

Edited May 31, 2023 by ddm502001

[Steve from SoCal]

There are a lot of flat bed semi trailers with 12" pins.    36" is a default for most vans but, flats and tanks are not as standardized.    I know a fellow that hauled a reefer with a 48" pin.     Once you get out of the major carrier fleet the pin could be anyones guess.    Using 55" is enough for most, the worst case is at the closest point in a turn with a sharp incline like a steep ramp.    I like to figure 5 degrees of tilt to the top of the sleeper.

 

Steve

[lappir]

Thanks for the comments. Got information that the plate had to go where they placed it. Too many things in the way to move any more forward. They also admitted that they couldn't get the "Slide" to release either. It worked once when I first pulled my trailer with it, but just not in a controlled manner. I moved it again in a controlled manner a few days later, but haven't moved it for several years. Will probably take a bit of soaking, maybe some gentle heating and a big chain and immovable object some day, but certainly not for a while. 

 

Rod