Short beds and Wide body 5th Wheels

[FFL8N]

I was wondering who is pulling a wide body 5th wheel with a short bed truck? What hitch are you using? Do you have any problems with putting the trailer 90 degrees with the truck? Any into you have would be helpful. I am looking at getting a 5th wheel, but am running into problems with hitches. The only hitch I can find to make the trailer work is the 24,000 lb slide rite auto sliding hitch. (Read very expensive) Also I know some trailers have the corners rounded off to help with the cornering problem. I want to get a toy hauler and am looking for suggestions. Thanks

 

[icman95]

Any sliding hitch should do. I have the Reese Signature Series with the slider. It's available in different weights, but I chose the 18K. Granted, I have a longbed truck, so it's not a problem for me. I actually didn't order the hitch with the slider. It was an ordering error on the part of the dealer, but what's done is done and now I have it.



|| REESE PRODUCTS ||



This is their site. Search for the fifth wheels and also the Signature Series. I don't know how they compare to the Slide Rite for price, but nothing in this catagory is cheap. If it is, you probably don't want it. Too many things to go wrong. Get the best that your wallet will allow and you'll be that much more confident and secure with your rig.



Good luck.

 

[JeffJackson]

I've got an '05 with an 8 1/2 ft wide 5th wheel. I put on the 24k Superglide as I had seen a chart somewhere that the smaller Superglide hitches wouldn't allow 90 degree turns with an 8 1/2 ft wide trailer. I've had the trailer at about a 60-70 degree angle while backing into my driveay and there's still a couple inches of clearance, but it's close.

 

[icman95]

I guess I missed the point of 90 degrees. I imagine it's a pain with a shortbed even with a good hitch. I'm not sure what angle mine is rated for. I never thought to look it up.

 

[FFL8N]

Its tough... . 102" in wide trailer has 51" on both sids of the kingpin

6'6" bed is 39 inches to center of bed. . (located over axle.

51-39=12 inches... . most manual sliders are 11"

The 16K superglide I bought off ebay does 14" (they state on their website it is not enough)

The 24K superglide slides 18". On the website it states this will work if the kingpin sticks out at least 2" from the front of the trailer...

 

[FFL8N]

Anyone have a 24K superglide they want to sell??

 

[icman95]

Perhaps you've hit upon a helpful hint. No matter what hitch you get maybe you can get an extended pinbox for the trailer. Many models come with the pinboxes sticking out(mine) rather than directly under the trailer which helps. Maybe you can look for a model that has this and see if it's possible to put on an even longer pinbox to push the trailer back just a bit more. This will change the handling and weight distribution of the trailer a bit but if it's possible maybe it can help.

 

[EricBu12]

This is the Hitchbox I use on my old 01. . The fifth airborne sidewinder

I now have a 09 long bed but I still use this box...

I was able to do a 90 deg turn on it with room to spare as you can see in the pic. The advantage to this box is you use a regular hitch and it has an air ride built in.

/webdata/photopost/data/573/medium/IMG_5345.JPG#ad


/webdata/photopost/data/573/medium/IMG_5369.JPG#ad


/webdata/photopost/data/573/medium/IMG_5370.JPG#ad


/webdata/photopost/data/573/medium/IMG_5352.JPG#ad


The wedge here locks out the pivot of the fifth wheel so the turn is done by the turret at the trailer mount

/webdata/photopost/data/573/medium/IMG_5349.JPG#ad

 

[FFL8N]

I looked at that extension, but I don't think it will extend far enough with the megacab. . not sure why. Like I said, even a 14" slider won't work. I think that only extends like 11" if I remember right??

 

[Jim W]

I am towing a 2006 Ameri-Camp 96" wide 5er with a 2008 Mega Cab. The truck has a Reese 16K slider and a extended pin pox. When I am backing in and leaving the campsite or the drive way. I have the hitch in the maneuver position which is all the way back. Making normal turns I do not extend the hitch there is enough clearance between the truck and 5er.

I found out the hard way on my 2001 Extended cab 3/4 ton chevy SB to ensure the hitch is always in the maneuver position when backing up. I dented the rear cab corner and broke the window, on this truck.

I do place my wife by the side of the truck when backing in and one of her jobs is to watch the rear corner of the truck and warn me if it is getting close.

 

[EricBu12]

The fifth Airborne is not an extention... It is a different way for turning. your megacab has a 3" Shorter bed than my old 2001.

The turret back by the mount is where it turns. . the front part stays solid with your truck... it is 20" from the turret to the kingpin... So take 20" off the measurement from the kingpin to the side of your trailer, then take that measurement from your hitch to the back of your cab. . you will have more inches than the measurement you just did on the trailer... Thus you will be able to do a 90 deg. turn

 

[BrianJ]

I used an 18k Pullright Superglide Hitch for our recently sold widebody (8. 5') 5th wheel. I was able to get to 90 degrees with an inch or two of clearance. Never had any problem getting in a camp spot, and we got into some pretty tight spaces (dry camping in the mountains).



As long as the pin is at the front of the trailer (not set back at all) and there is at least a bit of a curve to the sides you will be ok with an 18k.



As we sold our toyhauler our 18K Superglide is for sale and listed in the classifieds.

 

[BrianJ]

Anyone have a 24K superglide they want to sell??

As noted in my post above, I have an 18k superglide for sale which worked perfectly fine with our widebody toyhauler.

 

[FFL8N]

I already own the 16K with 14" inches of slide. I don't believe the 18 is any different... thanks though

 

[Thunderbolt]

I've got a couple of scars on the back of my cab. I have a 102" wide toy-hauler in my signature. She will not come close to 90* with my SuperGlide. I found out too late that the 24K had more travel and the mounts are different. SO I decided to stride on and take my time in tight spots. I'll know better next time. The SuperGlide is great for most turns just a little scary on the really tight ones.

Good luck.

TBolt

 

[Barry]

Icman has a good point. An extended pin box is an excellent alternative to expensive sliders.

I have always run LWB, long box trucks, not only for the room I need but also for the extra wheel base on slippery roads. Trust me, if you have never had a trailer wanting to pass you and take the lead, it is not a pleasant experience. It takes almost half and hour just to get the upholstery out of your butt once you get stopped.

 

[EricBu12]

In my Humble opinion, The choice is either a long bed truck or the hitch box I have above, the 5th Airborne Sidewinder. . . You can get only the sidewinder style without the air ride bag but this helps the ride so much it is worth it to have... I look in my mirror and see the trailer bouncing up and down on the bag and not the truck. . much better ride.

The 20" or so of swing when turning is much longer than any slide I have seen. . With the shorter short-beds nowadays, this is even more of a necessity.

 

[MLee]

Some time you might get into a bind where you would need a a 90* turn, But the scrub you put on your tires on pavement is so severe that you might roll the belts in the tires and weaken the side walls of the tires. I just don't do it.

As for the hitch, a Super glide, being automatic is a slick way to go. Or an extended hitch, if it will do the job.

 

[THerber]

Icman has a good point. An extended pin box is an excellent alternative to expensive sliders.



I have always run LWB, long box trucks, not only for the room I need but also for the extra wheel base on slippery roads. Trust me, if you have never had a trailer wanting to pass you and take the lead, it is not a pleasant experience. It takes almost half and hour just to get the upholstery out of your butt once you get stopped.

I have had that happen to me also Berry, Had a 95' Dodge 2500 Ext. cab LWB with a V10, was helping a friend move back from Wyoming, had a 26' TT with a 12' popup behind it, hit black ice west of Larimie on I-80, I saw that little popup out both sides before I got her shut down facing westbound in the eastbound lanes. I still don't know how I kept it all on road but the first thing I had to do after getting her facing the right direction was change my shorts.

 

[ScottLewis]

I'm pulling my 102"+ wide fiver with a short bed '06. I have a Valley manual slider that I took off my '98 short bed. I towed My old 96" wide fiver about 70K miles and now have about 15K on the new wider one. I never touched the cab with the RV although it did get real close a time or 2. The new coach (a Open Range) has reverse curves at the front corners to allow sharper turns than the old rig. I've extended the slider only twice in the last 20 months, don't need to unless I get in a real bind.



Dan