Just purchased our first 5th wheel. TV is a '16 Ram 3500 SRW short bed (completely stock). Pin weight is approx. 2500 lbs. Temporarily using a non-slider 5th wheel hitch that's adjusted to its lowest position (13"). The 5th wheel is slightly nose-high with about 6" clearance above the truck's bedrails. The pin box is in its lowest position.I've looked everywhere online and called etrailer, but it appears no one makes a 5th wheel slider hitch lower than 14 1/2". Some of the head units are advertised as 13", but when used with a slider they cannot be adjusted to their lowest position. In any case, I'd prefer not bring up the nose of the 5th any higher, but it looks like I may be forced to. Are there any other options (or 13" high 5th wheel slider hitches) I may have overlooked?Was lucky enough to find a large empty parking lot to practice turning and backing up on our way home from the dealer. This unit has very scalloped corners. Was very surprised how far I could turn before getting close to the cab. Curious how many folks with short bed trucks pull a 5th without a slider?Thanks!

You said "The pin box is in its lowest position" Did you mean highest???If it's in the lowest that means it can be raised to accommodate a higher hitch.MeAgain uses a Demco picture frame adapter and B&W slider that works well with his SRW RAM.To do the above you need the pucks. They are easy to install if you don't have them.

otrfun wrote:Was lucky enough to find a large empty parking lot to practice turning and backing up on our way home from the dealer. This unit has very scalloped corners. Was very surprised how far I could turn before getting close to the cab. Curious how many folks with short bed trucks pull a 5th without a slider?I got a sliding hitch in case I ever wanted to switch to a non extended pin box. It was a Reese square tube unit. I was able to cut off the bottom of the crossmember in order to use the highest set of holes (lowest position). This might help.I never really used the slider and now with a notched front cap fiver, it certainly isn't necessary. So, I've ditched the slider and gone back to a fixed position hitch. Pull two pins and the head comes off, pull 4 more pins and the hitch assembly comes off. Back to a simpler setup.

otrfun wrote:Just purchased our first 5th wheel. TV is a '16 Ram 3500 SRW short bed (completely stock). Pin weight is approx. 2500 lbs. Temporarily using a non-slider 5th wheel hitch that's adjusted to its lowest position (13"). The 5th wheel is slightly nose-high with about 6" clearance above the truck's bedrails. The pin box is in its lowest position.I've looked everywhere online and called etrailer, but it appears no one makes a 5th wheel slider hitch lower than 14 1/2". Some of the head units are advertised as 13", but when used with a slider they cannot be adjusted to their lowest position. In any case, I'd prefer not bring up the nose of the 5th any higher, but it looks like I may be forced to. Are there any other options (or 13" high 5th wheel slider hitches) I may have overlooked?Was lucky enough to find a large empty parking lot to practice turning and backing up on our way home from the dealer. This unit has very scalloped corners. Was very surprised how far I could turn before getting close to the cab. Curious how many folks with short bed trucks pull a 5th without a slider?Thanks!How much is "slightly nose high"? IMO, up to about 3" is not a problem; 5-6" and you could have issues with axles/tires as well as the fridge. You really don't want any less than 6" bed clearance, so you have only 1 option, and that's to raise your FW. Post a couple pics of your FW's suspension and you'll get lots of opinions on how to do so.Lyle

otrfun wrote:This unit has very scalloped corners. Was very surprised how far I could turn before getting close to the cab. Curious how many folks with short bed trucks pull a 5th without a slider?I do, RAM 3500 SRW, standard bed (6'4") with a Montana 3590RD. I have the hitch set so the pin is directly over the rear axle, no slider needed.

Hello, We used to tow our 40' fifth wheel with our 2012 Mega cab which had the very short bed of 5'7". We installed a slider because we were new to the fifth wheel world and told you won't be able to back up without it. Two years with it and in and out of tight spaces and never used it. Our grandfather on his short bed truck bolted his so it won't move because it made a clunking noise and he never used it either. We recently upgrade to the 2016 Crew Cab Cummins short bed with 6'5" bed but haven't had a chance to tow with it yet. But if we could do it with the Mega Cab should be a charm with the shorter truck now.

13" High 5th Wheel Slider Hitch?? | Good Sam Community

Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Apr 08, 2016
You said "The pin box is in its lowest position" Did you mean highest???

If it's in the lowest that means it can be raised to accommodate a higher hitch.

MeAgain uses a Demco picture frame adapter and B&W slider that works well with his SRW RAM.

To do the above you need the pucks. They are easy to install if you don't have them.
Dayle1
Explorer II
Apr 08, 2016
otrfun wrote:

Was lucky enough to find a large empty parking lot to practice turning and backing up on our way home from the dealer. This unit has very scalloped corners. Was very surprised how far I could turn before getting close to the cab. Curious how many folks with short bed trucks pull a 5th without a slider?

I got a sliding hitch in case I ever wanted to switch to a non extended pin box. It was a Reese square tube unit. I was able to cut off the bottom of the crossmember in order to use the highest set of holes (lowest position). This might help.

I never really used the slider and now with a notched front cap fiver, it certainly isn't necessary. So, I've ditched the slider and gone back to a fixed position hitch. Pull two pins and the head comes off, pull 4 more pins and the hitch assembly comes off. Back to a simpler setup.
laknox
Nomad
Apr 08, 2016
otrfun wrote:
Just purchased our first 5th wheel. TV is a '16 Ram 3500 SRW short bed (completely stock). Pin weight is approx. 2500 lbs. Temporarily using a non-slider 5th wheel hitch that's adjusted to its lowest position (13"). The 5th wheel is slightly nose-high with about 6" clearance above the truck's bedrails. The pin box is in its lowest position.

I've looked everywhere online and called etrailer, but it appears no one makes a 5th wheel slider hitch lower than 14 1/2". Some of the head units are advertised as 13", but when used with a slider they cannot be adjusted to their lowest position. In any case, I'd prefer not bring up the nose of the 5th any higher, but it looks like I may be forced to. Are there any other options (or 13" high 5th wheel slider hitches) I may have overlooked?

Was lucky enough to find a large empty parking lot to practice turning and backing up on our way home from the dealer. This unit has very scalloped corners. Was very surprised how far I could turn before getting close to the cab. Curious how many folks with short bed trucks pull a 5th without a slider?

Thanks!

How much is "slightly nose high"? IMO, up to about 3" is not a problem; 5-6" and you could have issues with axles/tires as well as the fridge. You really don't want any less than 6" bed clearance, so you have only 1 option, and that's to raise your FW. Post a couple pics of your FW's suspension and you'll get lots of opinions on how to do so.

Lyle
boshog
Explorer
Apr 08, 2016
otrfun wrote:
This unit has very scalloped corners. Was very surprised how far I could turn before getting close to the cab. Curious how many folks with short bed trucks pull a 5th without a slider?

I do, RAM 3500 SRW, standard bed (6'4") with a Montana 3590RD. I have the hitch set so the pin is directly over the rear axle, no slider needed.
Nicholsfamily05
Explorer
Apr 08, 2016
Hello,

We used to tow our 40' fifth wheel with our 2012 Mega cab which had the very short bed of 5'7".
We installed a slider because we were new to the fifth wheel world and told you won't be able to back up without it.
Two years with it and in and out of tight spaces and never used it.
Our grandfather on his short bed truck bolted his so it won't move because it made a clunking noise and he never used it either.

We recently upgrade to the 2016 Crew Cab Cummins short bed with 6'5" bed but haven't had a chance to tow with it yet. But if we could do it with the Mega Cab should be a charm with the shorter truck now.
hbillsmith
Explorer
Apr 09, 2016
Check out the Andersen Ultimate.
blofgren
Explorer
Apr 09, 2016
The 2500/3500 Megacab has the same 6'4" bed as the crew cab shortbox; they are NOT shorter. The only Ram truck that has a shorter bed is the 1500 with the 5' something bed.
valhalla360
Navigator
Apr 09, 2016
Can you flip the axles? You are nose high at the lower limit of the space you should have between the bed rails. Pick up 4-5inches with an axle flip and you can get the trailer level and get up to a more generous bedrail clearance.
otrfun
Explorer II
Apr 09, 2016
Cummins12V98 wrote:
You said "The pin box is in its lowest position" Did you mean highest???

If it's in the lowest that means it can be raised to accommodate a higher hitch.

MeAgain uses a Demco picture frame adapter and B&W slider that works well with his SRW RAM.

To do the above you need the pucks. They are easy to install if you don't have them.
Sorry, I didn't word that very well.

The king pin assembly is currently mounted in its upper/highest most position, bringing the king pin closer to the body of the 5th wheel. If I adjusted the king pin assembly to its "lowest" position it would increase the king pin's distance from the body of the 5th wheel and raise the front of the 5th wheel higher in relation to the truck's bed rails.

I would buy a Demco or B&W slider in a heartbeat if they would adjust down to 13". I believe the Demco goes down to ~15" and the B&W ~17"
otrfun
Explorer II
Apr 09, 2016
valhalla360 wrote:
Can you flip the axles? You are nose high at the lower limit of the space you should have between the bed rails. Pick up 4-5inches with an axle flip and you can get the trailer level and get up to a more generous bedrail clearance.
Good idea. However, the axles are already bolted to the bottom of the leaf springs (i.e., flipped) from the factory.