Pulling 5th wheel camper trailer with big truck

No problem do it don't worry about brakes just lights Volvo brakes are all you need

 

Not recommended to drill thru the frame rail top and bottom flanges at any time. The center bridge is fine. Look at the way any 5th wheel is mounted on a class 8 truck you will see what I mean.

 

OK Studebaker Hawk, That opens a whole new can of worms, from a design standpoint.

The Fountain air slide I found bolted to 2 sections of 2.5 in 1/4 web formed angle, with 1/2 inch Hauk bolts. This was on a Volvo Class 8 OTR. I assume this design is Kosher?

Early on I had planned to bolt the Reese rails to 4 pieces of 5/16 X 4 X 6 angle, 4 bolts to the rail, on the 6 inch leg, 2 bolts thru the exiting holes in the vertical wall of the frame channel.
The upfitter blessed this design. When I wanted to add the slider, I decided to put the bolts in shear, rather than tension, IE, thru the top rail of the frame channel. I planned a 1/2" X 2 1/2" cold rolled steel spacer to distribute the load along the top frame rail. I haven't run this by the upfitter yet, but I expect he'll OK it. (I'm going back to him for the "weld on "
4 link/bags conversion anyway.)

This seems a much simpler design, rather than bolting the slider to an angle and then, in turn to the vert. of the frame channel. My load limit is 20,000 not 80,000 lbs
Comments?
Thanks, RED

 

I just realized that with my last post, I drug this thread WAY off track. Would Admin fix my screw up? Create a new thread, so we can all play nice?
Thanks, RED

 

You made a camper 5th wheel mount to a deck with a class 8 king pin below that wasnt welded?

 

The reason holes are not drilled in the top and bottom flanges is they are heat treated to a different specification than the center section between. The holes would crack almost immediately when put in service. I am sure your upfitter will not let you make the mistake. And I think we are still within the limits of the thread. Lots of good information is being passed around here.

 

Let me try that again. I will bolt the Air lock slider to the frame, remove the class 8 table, pin the Reese hitch to the bridge of the slider. (very similar to how the hitch would pin into the bed/frame of a pickup) If I ever needed to (don't think I ever will) I could pull the Reese hitch off and reinstall the class 8 table on the slider.

Clear as mud ain't it?

RED

 

Why would you do that though? The kingpins are the same.
It sounds like you will be keeping the camper and class 8 5th wheels the same distance from the back of the truck correct? Just slide the camper on the class 8, and the mechanics will "just work". Keeping in mind clearance of mudflaps (and frame) of the tractor.

 

Why is he redesigning the wheel?

It is human nature to fix something that doesnt need fixing just so a person can slap their name on the job and say "I did that".

 

one more time
Again, the slider BASE is attached to the truck frame, the Reese DOUBLE OCCILATING table is pinned to the slider bridge. (so I can also pin on a GOOSENECK receiver) this rig is, by design, a very versatile tow rig, TAG BALL reciever, GOOSENECK BALL base as well as a DOUBLE OCCILATING 5th wheel, REESE 20 k.(double oscillating IE tilts in 2 axis, fore and aft as well as side to side. Extra protection against binding on "off angle" surfaces.) The Fountain slider/ class 8 plate, only tilts/moves fore and aft. The class 8 fountain table is not needed in this application, it is also too low, as it only rises 7 inches above the top of the frame.

This proposed setup setup allows the pin / gooseneck ball to adjust from ~ 15 inches ahead of axel centerline to ~20 inches behind it.
I don't see this as "reinventing the wheel" I'd call it a gathering of good designs.
In the end, I think I'll have a short turning, smooth riding, adequately powered, economical, versatile tow rig that just happens to be a bit outside conventional thinking. Oh yea, the paint color is changing to Bright chrome yellow, with LED light bars and fog lights, I want this rig to be SEEN, at night, in the fog, rain and snow. If you guys want to swing at any of that low hanging fruit, have at it.

RED