5th Wheel Towing and a Short Bed

[jeffshafer]

Later this year my girlfriend and I will be in the market for a Camper. Hoping some of my TDR brothers can educate me about 5th wheel hitches. Lots of info on the net and many different options to chose from. Shoot you can spend as little 350 and as much as 1200-1500 bucks. Looking at towing a camper w/ length a of 24-27ft long, weight could very from as little as 6k to 9k total. Depending on what we buy

Any and all suggestions and info is appreciated- note I drive a 07 2500 4x4



Thanks

Jeff

 

[ScottLewis]

Suggest you fill out your "Sig" so we can see more about your truck when you sign on.

I've towed a 31' fifth wheel for about 8 years with first a '98, now a '06 short bed truck. I had a manual slider hitch from Valley installed as soon as I bought the fiver. I've gotten into places where I needed to use it perhaps 20 times in that period but when I did, it was a Godsend.

A few companies make automatic sliders and they would be great but cost quite a bit more.



In my view, the sliding hitch isn't critical but certainly makes life a lot easier.

An extended pinbox will help but not resolve sharp turn problems.





Dan

 

[jeffshafer]

thanks for the Info- updated my sig- truck is 2months old no mods to speak of other than a electric brake controller

 

[DDrees]

5Th Wheel installtion

5Th wheel hitch when installing the Reece hitch I place it centered over the rear axle and with a long box pin on my 32’ have had no problems! You do just need to remember when turning make it wider look out. Or backing the only problem, if you’re not on level ground then it gets to close at the cab! This has worked just fine for four years



2001 white 6spd SB, white mudflaps, leather. Love my Dodge

Doug

 

[RustyJC]

Something to think about as the angle between truck and 5th wheel becomes more acute - an extended pin box doesn't make the trailer any narrower. This is especially important if your RV is nominally 102" wide instead of the standard 96"!



Rusty

 

[JJPage]

I purchased a 16k Reese manual slider, I should have saved my money and purchased a fixed unit. I'll tell you why, with the extended pin box that came on my toy box, when I slide my fifth wheel back, I'm within an inch of my tailgate, that's ok until you decide to turn, then its bye bye side rails.



I understand every single application is different, and if I would have done more research ahead of time, I would have saved myself some dollars. I was under the impression the slider would keep it away from my cab while turning, which is sometimes a problem with short boxes like mine. Because of the style of my fifth wheel trailer and the extended pin box, I have no clearance issues at all with my hitch locked in the forward position.



After being a professional OTR driver for more than 15yrs. I felt foolish not doing better research ahead of time, and listening to some dumb*** RV salesman just trying to sell me the most expensive unit he had.



Do yourself a favor, thoroughly research the trailer and do a "mock" hookup ahead of time, before you buy! Because, every application is DIFFERENT.

 

[stevelauer]

I purchased a 16k Reese manual slider, I should have saved my money and purchased a fixed unit. I'll tell you why, with the extended pin box that came on my toy box, when I slide my fifth wheel back, I'm within an inch of my tailgate, that's ok until you decide to turn, then its bye bye side rails.



I understand every single application is different, and if I would have done more research ahead of time, I would have saved myself some dollars. I was under the impression the slider would keep it away from my cab while turning, which is sometimes a problem with short boxes like mine. Because of the style of my fifth wheel trailer and the extended pin box, I have no clearance issues at all with my hitch locked in the forward position.



After being a professional OTR driver for more than 15yrs. I felt foolish not doing better research ahead of time, and listening to some dumb*** RV salesman just trying to sell me the most expensive unit he had.



Do yourself a favor, thoroughly research the trailer and do a "mock" hookup ahead of time, before you buy! Because, every application is DIFFERENT.

Good information, JJ; I was considering a MegaCab with a slide for a new 5er I recently replaced, but will definitely stay with a LWB QC now.

 

[GaryCarter]

In general-

Cheapest hitches only have one motion- rock front to rear.



Next up the ones with both F-R and side-to-side motion. Benefit is less stress on unlevel ground and easier hookup or disconnect when the truck & camper are not on the same plane.



After that there are manual sliders. This is for the short bed and adds front to rear motion. You stop, pull a lever, get back in the truck, pull ahead.



Top of the line are auto sliders. Moves back automatically as you turn.

Sliders may or may not be needed on short beds depending on trailer nose shape and how aggressively you will maneuver.

--------------

Then there's mounting.

Least expensive in general is rails mounted permanently sticking above your bed.

For a little more you can get systems that mount all the permanent hardware below the bed and all the upper stuff is removeable.

You can also get hitches that attach to a gooseneck ball that flips down flush in the bed.



Lots of options.



Gary

 

[Schlickenmeyer]

I have a reese 16k slider, and it does have the side to side tilt. I have taken it off road without hitting the side rails at all. I have not used the slider yet, but I did kiss the glass once, so I know I will use it sometime. It was a few bucks extra for the slider, but it tows better than on my pals rig, which does not have the side tilt.

 

[jeffshafer]

great info Guys- keep it coming- admit to knowing very little so each thread I read increases my knowledge base- this will help the decision making process - thanks for all the responses and opinions



Jeff

 

[JimBob24]

You CAN get by with just a regular, non-sliding hitch. A lot of people do. You just have to be very careful when maneuvering in tight places.



You probably SHOULD get at least a manual slider for the occasional times that you will need it. Even so, you still have to be very careful not to forget to use it in tight places. One mistake can be very costly.



If you plan to tow a lot or really want worry-free towing you might consider the automatic sliders. I have had all types and finally took the plunge and bought the Pullrite SuperGlide automatic slider. It is quite expensive but it was worth it to me not to have to worry about forgetting to slide. I can do a 90 degree jackknife and still have a few inches of clearance. (My 5th wheel is 8' wide. ) I also can remove the hitch from the truck and have no obstructions in the bed. The only drawback I can think of is that you have to keep the slide rails greased which can be a little messy and attracts grime, so they need to be cleaned occasionally.



With any slider you might need a V-notch tailgate because the rear of your pinbox assembly might take a bite out of your standard tailgate when the hitch is slid back. I say this from personal experience



It really is a matter of personal preference because you can make any of them work. How careful and cautious are you? How well do you plan ahead? How important is it have a worry-free setup vs. how much do you want to spend?



Good luck and have fun!



Jim

 

[RonCar]

I am on my second 5er with my shortbed. First I had a 16k manual slider, and a 33ft. Now I have a 40ft. and an 18k manual slider, both have been Reese and I have had no issues with either hitch. I use mine less with this new trailer because the front cap is designed different than my last trailer, but I still use it when fueling up sometimes, I would stay away from a non-slider hitch with our Dodges, beds are to short! gOOd lUcK...

 

[JERRYKAM]

I didn't see any responses in this thread from anyone using a pullrite superglide so I'll give you a bit of insight into this auto slider. I tow a 30ft fifth wheel with my 2500 CTD 4x4. This is my first 5th wheel but I have had several different RV trailers in the past. First, in my opinion a slider hitch of some type is essential if you are towing with a short bed. Now I'll qualify this statement such that if you are not doing any boondocking or similar type camping then you might do OK without a slider.



In any event when I purchased my 5th wheel the dealer advised me to look into purchasing a pullrite superglide. My dealer dealer does not install hitches. He refers his customers to one of the major truck accessories dealers who sell and install all brands of hitches. Thus he has no self interest in recommending one hitch or another. He went on to say that he has had several customers who have purchased 5th wheels and elected to have a standard slider installed. Some did fine but others have not. In the past year he has had two customers come back with their 5th wheels for repair due to hitting the cab while making a tight turn.



Bottom line. The pullrite is a set and forget hitch. By set I simply mean hook up, check the lock and off you go. I can make a full 90deg turn without even giving it a second thought. Backing into tight spaces is a piece of cake. But perhaps the best thing about the hitch is that I can be confident when traveling. In the event that I need to make a tight turn while navigating a parking lot or gas station entrance, especially when traffic is heavy I can get in and outwith worrying about getting my 50ft plus rig stuck in a tight spot.



Is the hitch expensive? You bet it is. My dealer offered to order one for me at his cost and I installed it myself. My total cost was approx $1900. Like I said not cheap. But neither was the $5000 I paid for the CDT and the $40K I paid for my 5th wheel. Taken in context the hitch was not really that expensive.

 

[GaryCarter]

Jerry pretty much nailed it. I too use the Superglide. Deliberately chose a SWB truck after previous 8' bed because I wanted better maneuverability.

I like the hitch because when I get in a tight spot I can get around without the delay a manual slider would cause. Don't want to be stopping and getting out and holding up traffic.

Some trailers with rounded front noses and/or extended pin boxes can turn pretty sharp without a slider. Ours is not one of those, it's a full 8' wide right at the front. YMMV.



I put the superglide in the same category as Honda generators. People that don't own them will say they cost too much and there are cheaper alternatives (true). People that do own them say it was money well spent. I have not personally seen any report of a dissatisfied superglide owner or heard an owner say they would not do the same again. That's a pretty good track record.



Gary

 

[jeffshafer]

Thanks again for all the info TDR brothers- Gary and Jerry your responses are noted and based from all of the reading I have done my choice will end up being a SuperGlide. Sounds Like this will be $$$ well spent and the cost of hitch is really nothing compared to 40k truck and 30k camper.



Thanks

Jeff

 

[BDeMartile]

Here's my . 02. I have a longbed quadcab 2500 4x4 and my fiver has flipped axles(see sig) I have a valley hitch that has both fore/aft and side to side gimbaling. My toy hauler is 102 wide I can turn beyond 90 degrees with no problem. I know this doesn't necessasarily apply to you but hear me out. I have 2 friends with simnilar rigs and shortbed trucks (both have dents in cabs ) one has a slider but forgot to slide it other didnt have a slider (he does now and an automatic one not sure of the brand)

Both of these guys are commercial drivers with lots of experience hauling and yet it is so simple to think there is enough room and then oops. I know that I would have hit the cab with my setup if I didnt have unlimited clearance as I do. As was suggested do a mock lashup before you buy and research research research. If you tow off road at all you definately want to have a hitch with 2 axis motion as it eli=minates so much strain on truck and trailer. Good luck.

 

[esibcy]

Pull-Rite slider vote here!! Pics in my album of my Megacab and 5ver. A couple of close-ups of the hitch if you want to check it out. Another suggestion is to get your best price on your fiver,and then try to get the dealer to throw in your hitch to seal the deal... . Eric

 

[jeffshafer]

^^^^^^^^^^^ thanks for the pics in your gallery - they gave a pretty good idea and how it might look- the pic of hitch also was cool- thanks Bub

 

[ACerf]

Since you have not purchased a 5th wheel yet you have a couple of options.

First off there are many companies out there that have models made for short beds. Hartland (Landmark & Big Horn) and Keystone are couple, but I know there are more. Second option is going with a 5th Airborne Sliding pin box. This way you can purchase any hitch you want with out the expense of Slider hitch, and the pin box slider actually works better in my opinion.

 

[Loren]

Jeff,



My justification for buying the expensive SuperGlide was that if I hit the cab of the truck just once (because I forgot to manually slide a different type of hitch), that single accident would cost more than the cost of the SuperGlide hitch.



Yes, it's really expensive, but you can keep the hitch for several trucks. I still have my Reese equalizer hitch that I bought for the trailer I lived in when I graduated from college in 1970. They don't go bad.



I also strongly recommend the SuperGlide by Pulliam.



Loren