Question on truck bed rail height

**DCGD2023** · 01-02-2023, 09:54 AM

Good morning all, and Happy New Year.

A question on the height of the towing vehicle. Is an F350 DRW which has a bed rail height (with the truck unloaded and no hitch installed yet) of 58" suitable for a Solitude, in particular a 310GK? Does that leave enough of a gap between the top of the truck bed and the bottom of the fifth wheel? Thanks.

**jkwilson** · 01-02-2023, 09:59 AM

Duallies are normally a little lower than SRW since they usually have smaller wheels, but bed height is a problem on a lot of trucks. Does yours have factory tires and wheels?

**xrated** · 01-02-2023, 10:12 AM

Originally Posted by DCGD2023

Good morning all, and Happy New Year.

A question on the height of the towing vehicle. Is an F350 DRW which has a bed rail height (with the truck unloaded and no hitch installed yet) of 58" suitable for a Solitude, in particular a 310GK? Does that leave enough of a gap between the top of the truck bed and the bottom of the fifth wheel? Thanks.

You didn't mention what year F350 Dually, but one of the members here @Second Chance has a 2021 F350 Dually and the same trailer that you do. You might contact him and get some info on his setup.

**Second Chance** · 01-02-2023, 10:16 AM

Originally Posted by xrated

You didn't mention what year F350 Dually, but one of the members here @Second Chance has a 2021 F350 Dually and the same trailer that you do. You might contact him and get some info on his setup.

Unfortunately, you transposed a couple of numbers... my truck is a 2012. It is also DRW but rear wheel drive only - not 4WD. As a result, it sits much lower than newer and 4WD truck. I had to raise the hitch to get the trailer level!

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Rob

**xrated** · 01-02-2023, 10:22 AM

Originally Posted by Second Chance

Unfortunately, you transposed a couple of numbers... my truck is a 2012. It is also DRW but rear wheel drive only - not 4WD. As a result, it sits much lower than newer and 4WD truck. I had to raise the hitch to get the trailer level!

Rob

Oops, temporary dyslexia I guess.......or I can blame it on my double cataract surgery!

**Second Chance** · 01-02-2023, 10:23 AM

Originally Posted by xrated

Oops, temporary dyslexia I guess.......or I can blame it on my double cataract surgery!

Funny!... but can you change my truck into a 2021, please?

Rob

**xrated** · 01-02-2023, 10:40 AM

Originally Posted by Second Chance

Funny!... but can you change my truck into a 2021, please?

Rob

Well, I was going to go ahead and just do that, but then I thought....nah, all it would do is cause you a lot of extra work adjusting the hitch, maybe having to raise the trailer, so I decided against it.........You're welcome!

**Gronk1** · 01-02-2023, 10:44 AM

I have a 310GK & '15 F350 DRW, 4x4, long bed, crew cab. With the B&W Companion. 7 inches from top of bed rail to bottom of overhang. Don't remember from ground to bedrail.

**Tom Traveler** · 01-02-2023, 01:03 PM

Originally Posted by DCGD2023

Good morning all, and Happy New Year.

A question on the height of the towing vehicle. Is an F350 DRW which has a bed rail height (with the truck unloaded and no hitch installed yet) of 58" suitable for a Solitude, in particular a 310GK? Does that leave enough of a gap between the top of the truck bed and the bottom of the fifth wheel? Thanks.

Happy New Year to everyone also.

The height of the truck bed rails above the ground doesn't matter.

The gap between the bed rails and the bottom of the 5th wheel is only affected by (1) the height of the bed rails above the bed, (2) the height of the truck hitch plate above the bed, and (3) the distance between the bottom of the 5th wheel and the bottom of the 5th wheel hitch plate. Until you know those three distances, you can't determine how much clearance you will have. You should be able to get 1 and 3 from the respective dealers if you don't already have the truck and/or the RV and you can get 2 from the hitch manufacturers websites.

Many truck hitches have a height adjustment to help with this gap issue. Mine, a Pullrite puck mount slider, doesn't but I wound up with a 7" gap so it worked out OK. Some 5th wheel pin boxes (hitches) also have height adjustments.

**Second Chance** · 01-02-2023, 01:13 PM

Originally Posted by Tom Traveler

.. The height of the truck bed rails above the ground doesn't matter.

I'll have to disagree with you on that. The height of the truck bed rails above the ground has everything to do with whether or not you can get adequate clearance with the trailer level.

Rob