Conversion of Scamp 5th Wheel Hitch

[Nita F.]

When we purchased our 2006 Tundra Double Cab Truck DH decided to install a slider hitch to prevent crunching the cab in sharp turns with the 1997 Scamp 5th wheel. He wanted a standard 5th wheel hitch so he could pull his parents sticky 5th wheel camper if needed. We purchased a Reese 16K Model 50008 Slider Hitch and rails. As a temporary hitch he used a heavy piece of channel iron bolted to the slider hitch with the gooseneck ball. After many discussions on the best way to convert our gooseneck hitch to a king pin hitch he had his welder do the deed this weekend.

The welder removed the gooseneck hitch and a small section of the box tube. DH had previously ground off the top hump from the top of the king pin for a flat surface. Next the king pin was welded to the bottom of the 3/4" x 4" steel plate. He then welded the plate to the bottom of the box tube. For reinforcement a 1/2" x 3" wide steel plate gusset was welded between the 4" plate and the box tube. In the 4th picture titled "King Pin Bottom" I drew a line to the shoulder on the pin. DH used 2 lube plates to clear the shoulder so it wouldn't affect the pin.

Once everything had cooled we took it for a trial run. DH couldn't tell a difference in pulling. But he did have a much easier time of hitching and unhitching. Backing up to park seemed to go easier on the hitch also.

Afterwards I primed the new steel and started painting it with black Rustoleum paint. Out of no where our area was invaded by millions of termites and guess what. At least a hundred of them are stuck in my new paint! So after this rain my next project is to sand and repaint.

Hope to see you down the road.

Nita





Temporary Gooseneck Hitch on Slider with new Reese 5th wheel hitch behind.




Original Gooseneck Hitch with cut markings.




Gooseneck hitch removed and a small amount of box tube.




King Pin top with hump ground off.




King Pin bottom. Note shoulder on pin. 2 lube plates used to clear this shoulder while hitched.


Continued in next post

[Nita F.]

King Pin welded on 3/4"x4" steel plate




King Pin with 1/2" x 3" steel plate gusset for reinforcement.




King Pin conversion completed.







King Pin in Reese 5th Wheel Slider Hitch.

[Phil Underwood]

nice post with good photos...

[Frederick L. Simson]

That's a good looking mod.

Myself being a somewhat ignorant trailerite on the topic of "5th wheel" style couplings, is there someplace I could study up on the reasons a manufacturer like Scamp would use a "Gooseneck"?
Are King Pins more common?

Does your mod place the Scamp farther back in relation to the truck than the old hitch did?
(It looks longer in the photos to me)

[Pete Dumbleton]

Scamp's connector is unique, almost being a Gooseneck, but using a standard trailer coupler and a smaller ball than a Gooseneck. The usual complaints about it are aimed more at the mounting hardware remaining in the bed of the truck than the system itself.

Goosenecks can also be found with king-pin couplers, but the usual one just comes down over the ball:

http://www.tjtrailers.com/store/gooseneck-couplers.html

King-pin 5W couplers are by far the standard in the RV world; Goosnecks in the agricultural/stock trailer world.

[Nita F.]

Frederick,

The Scamp hitch is unique in the RV industry. Lining up the ball and hitch are challenging, similar to a bumper hitch. The standard 5th wheel king pin and hitch seem to be somewhat easier to meet up.

Our new hitch is in the forward position of the slider when traveling. Measurements were made to allow the truck and Scamp to ride at the same distance as with the original gooseneck hitch. When backing up to park DH puts the hitch in the rear position of the slider for easier maneuvering.

Nita