A fifth wheel slider hitch makes all those dreams of on-the-road
adventure come to life when you purchase a fifth wheel trailer.
It's well worth the time to take your time to install it
correctly.
Remember, if you are not confident in your engineering ability
it is usually better to call in the professionals. Better safe
than sorry. A few dollars could save your life.
Before starting:
* Make sure you have the correct hitch for both your vehicle and
the trailer being towed. * Review the instruction sheet provided
with the hitch. * Check the hitch attachment area of the
vehicle. Do not attach a hitch to a vehicle which shows
excessive corrosion or damage in the hitch attachment areas. *
Take the appropriate safety precautions. When elevating the
vehicle on a hoist or ramps, ensure that the vehicle is properly
secured and blocked such that it will not fall or roll off its
supports. * Be sure you have the appropriate tools and wear
safety glasses when drilling holes. Installation Tips 1. Prior
to installation, it is good practice to loosely assemble the
hitch, install the drawbar, pin and clip and hold the hitch up
into position. This will allow identification of any
obstructions to the installation, verification of drawbar
position on the vehicle and also give an idea of how the hitch
is to be installed.
2. A scissors jack or floor jack can be very useful in holding
the hitch up in place. In many cases, clamps can be used to
clamp the hitch to the frame during the installation procedure.
3. It may be necessary to temporarily loosen the exhaust system
and/or slightly reposition it to clear the hitch during
installation. This is particularly true where an exhaust system
has been replaced prior to installing the hitch, as all hitches
are designed using vehicle original equipment Do not forget to
reattach any exhaust clamps, hangers etc. after hitch
installation.
4. In some cases, it may be necessary to adjust the bumper on a
vehicle, or the brackets which mount to the bumper, in order to
properly install the hitch. Most bumpers are mounted to the
bumper brackets using bolts in slots. Find the appropriate bolts
and adjust the bumper accordingly.
5. Wherever possible, hitches are designed to use existing
holes. In cases where appropriate holes are not available, holes
must be drilled in the frame. Once the hitch is accurately
positioned and clamped in place on the vehicle, holes can be
drilled in the appropriate places using the holes in the hitch
as a guide.
6. In cases where the holes must be drilled without using the
hitch as a guide, hole locations can be permanently identified
by spraying black paint through the hole locations. Remove the
hitch, center punch the hole positions and drill a pilot hole.
This can then be followed with the appropriate drill size for
the hole required.
7. Drill holes that are either the same size as the bolt or at
the most 1/32" larger. Clearance holes or slots are provided in
the hitch for adjustment.
8. When drilling, be extremely careful to avoid drilling into
vehicle components which are located behind where the hole is
being drilled. Slacken off pressure on the drill just prior to
breaking through.
9. When installing the hitch, be sure to use the reinforcing
plates supplied with the hitch where appropriate. These plates
reinforce the frame and spread the load to the frame edges.
10. The hitch must have solid metal to metal contact with the
vehicle attachment points. Excessive undercoating or weld on the
vehicle should be removed.
11. All hardware, with the exception of tab nuts ( thin nuts
welded to a wire used on some hitch applications) and U-bolts
are grade 5 (Imperial sizes) or 8.8 (metric sizes).
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