I've looked everywhere! I'm going to purchase a Scamp 19 5th wheel and want an appropriate gooseneck installed in my 2018 Tacoma before I pick one up. The problem is that I can not seem to find the height of the tow ball in relationship to the ground. Seems like every 19' Scamp trailer tow ball/or receiver should begin life the same height and then go up as larger tires are installed, axles are spaced up etc... WHAT IS THAT MAGICAL NUMBER?
I'm guessing its somewhere around 40"/center of ball, but installing a tow system based upon a guess seems silly. I'm planing to install 5th wheel rails in the bed and am looking for a rail mount hitch (ball) that is height adjustable, does such a set up exist?
Thanks for any help!
I assume that the 2018 Tacoma still has the same Sheet Molding Compound (SMC) bed, so the installation of the rails would be the same. Here is how I did it:
Sorry, I do not have the info on how high the ball coupler is from the ground. It also depends on whether the Scamp has the axle lift. The Scamp people (Eveland's) should be able to provide that information, it may even be posted on their web page. My Scamp has the axle lift and the adjustable Reese bracket is on the lowest setting.
-Paul
2004 Scamp 19 Deluxe,
2021 Tacoma, Double Cab, 6 cyl. 4WD
Colorado
Thank you so much for the priceless information, The install you described in such great detail Is very much like the factory install except you take it one step further by grabbing 4 bed mounts giving the hitch 4 steel connections to the frame. The factory claims that even without these they have had no problems installing directly to the composite bed.
The factory was kind enough to measure a new 19 and the receiver measured 40-41 inches AGL with 14" tires. They estimated 43" with 15" tires and I understand that the new trailer they were measuring from all have axles lifts to accommodate the larger tires. I will begin my install soon and may have some .dwg files for water sawing the brackets, if anyone has a short bed, gen 3 Toyota they would like to install rails in.
Thank you again,
Ron