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Sidewinder 5th wheel pinbox4/8/2023 The same stresses that affect the tow vehicle are also being exerted on the trailer’s frame and structure. Without a specialty pin box, this movement can transfer into the tow vehicle producing a jerky ride and eventually causing wear to the chassis of the vehicle. Many of the ride quality issues associated with fifth-wheel trailers come from the uneven road surfaces that can translate into movement in the trailer. Reese’s Sidewinder approaches the issue from another angle using a capture plate that moves the pivot of the trailer from the hitch point back to the trailer mounting area, giving you more room and freeing up space you’d have to leave clear in the bed with a normal-style hitch and pin box setup. PopUp offers a bolt-on pin box extension gaining you 10 inches of reach with the kingpin and is suitable for use on many fifth-wheels and with most hitches. An extended design helps the pin box reach out further from the frame of the trailer or by some other creative means. Fortunately, there are pin box solutions designed to help you achieve the clearance you require. If you have a shortbed pickup then clearance to the cab of your pickup is at a premium. For example, Lippert Components, which builds RV chassis, has endorsed specific Reese pin boxes as replacements. Make sure a change of pin boxes doesn’t affect the warranty coverage of your trailer and its frame. When you’re shopping for pin boxes, knowing the make, model and serial number of your trailer is important. If you already have air bag suspension in your truck but are experiencing the fore and aft jarring known as chucking, you can use a pin box designed to address that very annoyance. A pin box can help without having to replace the entire hitch. For example, your slider hitch allows your short-bed pickup to tow a fifth-wheel, but you could use some improvement in ride quality. Premium pin boxes can also be used in conjunction with different styles of hitches to address issues not solved by the hitch. They can improve ride quality, increase control, create a tighter turning radius and create more room in your pickup bed. This is where aftermarket pin boxes come into play. The box design also allows for some interesting options in terms of reach, pin placement, cushions, tilt plates, shock absorbers and air bags. The term “pin box” is the industry standard and describes the most common design, which is a box frame because it is a good way to make flat steel strong enough to handle the loads much like the truck manufacturers are now building frame rails. Its most important characteristic is structural integrity, creating a strong connection from the trailer frame to the kingpin. The primary function on the pin box is to fix the kingpin at a certain location and angle in relationship to the front of the fifth-wheel trailer. Now it’s time to explore the trailer half of the fifth-wheel connection equation, the pin box. ![]() In a recent article (“5th And Go Forth,” September 2012 Trailer Life) we explored the available options for fifth-wheel hitches, which can accommodate short-bed pickups or can improve ride quality and ease of use for your trailer and tow vehicle combination. There are two sides in the truck-to-trailer connection that are critical to the fifth-wheel towing setup. The hardware that connects your truck and trailer can make a big difference in how they behave on the road. And since the towing position of the arm of the pin box is locked in line with the truck, you can make full use of the truck bed space, giving you extra storage space for fuel tanks, toolboxes and cargo.If your idea of a good time is climbing onto the back of rodeo stock bred and raised to throw a rider, you can expect a good deal of bucking, but when it comes to towing a fifth-wheel trailer, it’s the last thing you expect or want in your ride. The pivoting pin box makes hook up possible at any angle. Sidewinder also offers faster steering wheel response, making backing up easier than ever before. This reduces the need for extra-wide turns and allows short bed pickups to jackknife with no fear of contact. By moving the pivot rearward while keeping the load centered over the axles, the trailer tracks more closely to the truck. This enables Sidewinder to handle up to a 90 Degree turn effortlessly. Sidewinder’s kingpin locking mechanism moves the pivot position 22 Inch rear of the coupler’s attachment point. Now you can make up to 90 Degree turns without exiting the truck. The nimble and quick design automatically eliminates turning and clearance headaches. Sidewinder is the premium pin box coupler designed specifically for short bed pickups.
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