April 23, 2026

How to Store a Fifth Wheel Trailer: The Complete Guide

Fifth wheel trailers are some of the most capable and livable RVs on the market — but they come with storage challenges that don't apply to travel trailers or motorhomes. The high-mounted pin box, the lack of a front bumper hitch, and the size of modern fifth wheels (many run 36 to 45 feet) all create specific requirements that many storage facilities can't accommodate.

This guide covers everything you need to know about storing a fifth wheel: what to look for in a facility, how to prepare the trailer for storage, and how to keep it secure while it's sitting disconnected from your truck.

Why Fifth Wheel Storage Is Different

A few characteristics of fifth wheels create storage considerations that travel trailer owners don't face:

The Pin Box and Landing Gear

Fifth wheels don't have a front A-frame or tongue like travel trailers — they have a pin box that extends down from the front of the trailer and connects to the fifth wheel hitch in the truck bed. When unhitched, the front of the trailer is supported by the landing gear (the front stabilizer legs).

This means fifth wheels must be stored with the landing gear fully deployed and supporting the front of the trailer. The landing gear pads must rest on a firm, level surface. Soft ground, loose gravel, or uneven surfaces can allow the landing gear to sink or shift, putting stress on the front cap and structural frame.

Length and Height

Modern fifth wheels routinely run 36 to 45 feet in total length. Combined with the height of the raised front section — the part that sits over the truck bed — many fifth wheels stand 13 to 14 feet tall at their highest point.

This combination of length and height eliminates many covered and enclosed storage options that work well for shorter travel trailers and Class C motorhomes.

No Bumper Hitch for a Lock

Travel trailers can be secured with a coupler lock that clamps over the ball hitch socket. Fifth wheels don't have this — their kingpin is designed to mate with a fifth wheel hitch in a truck bed, not a ball. This means security for a stored fifth wheel requires kingpin-specific locks, which are a different category of equipment.

What to Look for in a Fifth Wheel Storage Facility

Adequate Space Length

Your fifth wheel needs a storage space at least as long as the trailer — with additional clearance at each end for the landing gear at the front and any hitch hardware at the rear. For a 40-foot fifth wheel, you're typically looking for a 45-foot or longer space.

Some facilities advertise space length without accounting for the landing gear foot position at the front, which extends slightly beyond the trailer frame. Measure your trailer from the front of the pin box to the rear bumper — including any bike rack, cargo carrier, or hitch-mounted equipment — before calling facilities.

Surface Quality and Levelness

This matters more for fifth wheels than for any other RV type. The front landing gear concentrates significant weight (often 2,000 to 4,000 pounds) on two relatively small pads. On soft or uneven ground, those pads sink — sometimes unevenly, stressing the frame.

The best surface for fifth wheel storage is level, solid pavement. If the space is gravel, ask whether the base is compacted and confirmed to support the landing gear weight. Bring landing gear pads (large hockey-puck-style stabilizers) to distribute the load, regardless of surface type.

Also verify the space is reasonably level side-to-side. A fifth wheel stored on a significant cross-slope will stress the frame and make slideout operation more difficult.

Height Clearance (for Covered Storage)

The front cap of a fifth wheel — the raised section over the cab — is typically the highest point of the trailer. Measure from the ground to the top of this section, including any rooftop AC units or vents on the front cap.

Many fifth wheels stand 13 to 13.5 feet at the front cap. Covered structures need at least 14 feet of clearance, and ideally 15 feet, to safely park a fifth wheel without risk of contact.

Ask for the actual clearance height measurement — not an estimated “maximum vehicle size” — and verify the entry clearance is not lower than the interior clearance. Many covered structures have lower I-beams or roof supports at the entrance.

Interior Road Width and Turning Radius

Getting a long fifth wheel in and out of storage requires more than just a space that fits the trailer. The interior roads need to be wide enough for your truck-and-trailer combination to maneuver into and out of the assigned space.

A 40-foot fifth wheel behind a full-size pickup adds significant length and turning complexity. Storage facilities with pull-through spaces — where you drive in from one end and exit from the other — are the most fifth-wheel-friendly. Back-in spaces are workable but require wider access roads to allow for the backing maneuver.

Ask the facility about their road width and whether they have pull-through spaces available. Some facilities have specific sections designed for large trailer storage with wider lanes and pull-through access.

Securing Your Fifth Wheel Against Theft

Fifth wheel trailers are harder to steal spontaneously than travel trailers — you need a properly equipped pickup to tow one. But that doesn't make them immune. A determined thief can arrive in the right truck, back up to your trailer, and drive away in minutes if there's no deterrent.

Kingpin Locks

A kingpin lock is the most effective physical deterrent for a stored fifth wheel. It's a hardened steel device that clamps over the kingpin — the protruding pin on the pin box that mates with the fifth wheel hitch. With a kingpin lock in place, a truck with a fifth wheel hitch cannot engage the kingpin and tow the trailer away.

Quality kingpin locks from brands like Andersen, Trimax, or Proven Industries are heavy enough that defeating them requires a grinder — which attracts attention. For stored fifth wheels, a kingpin lock is strongly recommended regardless of the facility's security features.

Wheel Locks and Boot Devices

Adding a wheel boot to one of your fifth wheel's tires adds a second layer of protection. Even with the kingpin lock defeated, a thief would need to remove the boot before the trailer could be towed safely.

For very high-value fifth wheels, some owners combine a kingpin lock, a wheel boot, and a GPS tracker — making theft exponentially harder to execute and recovery much more likely if it does happen.

GPS Tracking

A hidden GPS tracker is inexpensive insurance against the worst-case scenario. Modern cellular trackers cost $50 to $150 upfront plus a small monthly subscription. If your trailer is stolen, law enforcement can recover it in hours rather than days — or not at all without a tracker.

Install the tracker in a non-obvious location and make sure the cellular connection works from inside your trailer's storage bay. Test it from the storage facility location before relying on it.

Preparing Your Fifth Wheel for Storage

Level and Stable Positioning

When you unhitch, use leveling blocks or chocks under all tires to ensure the trailer is stable and will not roll. Lower the landing gear onto firm ground (use pads if the surface is gravel or asphalt that could dent under sustained load). Verify the trailer is level side-to-side with a bubble level.

If your space is not naturally level, use tire leveling ramps to achieve level positioning. An unlevel trailer causes refrigerator cooling issues (for absorption fridges), door misalignment, and long-term stress on the frame.

Slideout Position

Store slideouts in the retracted (closed) position. The seal stress and weather exposure of extended slideouts during storage typically outweighs the structural benefit of keeping them open. For a detailed discussion of the arguments on both sides, see our guide to slideout storage position.

Plumbing and Systems Prep

The plumbing prep for a fifth wheel is identical to other RVs: drain all water, bypass and drain the water heater, and winterize the lines if freezing temperatures are possible. See our full RV storage checklist for a complete step-by-step walkthrough of systems preparation.

Pin Box and Landing Gear Maintenance

Before leaving your fifth wheel in storage, clean and inspect the pin box area — remove any accumulated grime and check for wear on the kingpin itself. Apply a light coat of grease or lubricant if the kingpin shows surface rust. A kingpin in poor condition can cause hitch engagement problems when you return.

Similarly, clean and lubricate the landing gear screw mechanisms or hydraulic components. Landing gear left in one position for months can become stiff or corroded, making future adjustments difficult.

Tire Protection

Inflate all tires to the maximum PSI listed on the sidewall and install UV-blocking tire covers. Fifth wheel tires typically carry substantial loads and age faster with UV exposure. Replace tires that are more than 5–6 years old before they sit in storage — an old tire that flat-spots over winter is a safety risk when you're back on the road.

Finding Fifth Wheel Storage Near You

The largest challenge is usually finding a facility with spaces long enough for a modern fifth wheel. Many facilities that say “we accommodate large RVs” have spaces maxing out at 40 feet — which works for most fifth wheels but not the larger luxury models pushing 44 or 45 feet.

Search for RV storage near you and contact facilities directly with your trailer's exact length, height, and whether you need pull-through access. Facilities that regularly store fifth wheels will know exactly what you're asking and can confirm compatibility quickly.