Patent ID: 8801036

Claim:
A fifth wheel mounting assembly for mounting a fifth wheel hitch plate to a vehicle frame assembly including a first frame member having a substantially vertically extending mounting portion with an outwardly facing surface and an inwardly facing surface, and a second frame member having a substantially vertically extending mounting portion with an outwardly facing surface and an inwardly facing surface, the fifth wheel mounting assembly comprising: a first rail member adapted to couple to the inwardly facing surface of the mounting portion of the first frame member of the vehicle frame assembly; a second rail member adapted to couple to the inwardly facing surface of the mounting portion of the second frame member of the vehicle frame assembly; a first support member adapted to be slidably coupled between the first rail member and the inwardly facing surface of the first frame member; a second support member adapted to be slidably coupled between the second rail member and the inwardly facing surface of the second frame member; a cross member extending between and coupled to the first support member and the second support member; a first mounting bracket coupled to the first support member and including an inwardly exposed aperture adapted to receive a mounting pin therein for pivotably coupling a fifth wheel hitch plate to the first mounting bracket; and a second mounting bracket coupled to the second support member and including an inwardly exposed aperture adapted to receive a mounting pin therein for pivotably coupling the fifth wheel hitch plate to the second mounting bracket.