Hi All,Long time lurker, first time poster... ;)Tried a search, but evidently my "search-fu" needs some Sensei help. Are any of you pulling a wide body 5th wheel (100" to 102"), with a short bed truck? If so, I would sincerely appreciate your input regarding hitches, towing issues, areas you couldn't go, etc.. Sincerely appreciate your experienced input! :)Currently looking at three new 5th wheels. Two of which are wide body. The tow vehicle is an '07 Dodge Ram Crew Cab Short Bed 4x4. Previously pulled a 30' 5th wheel with no slides. Looking to move up in the world. :)

I have pulled wide body 5th wheels with short bed trucks since about 2005. I've always used the B&W hitch and never used a slider. I am extremely comfortable pulling trailers and have never had a problem. The best and safest is an auto slide hitch.....I would either be careful with a standard hitch or go full auto slide...don't bother getting a hitch that needs to be unlocked to slide. The other possibility would be to go with a Sidewinder. There is a slight chance something could go wrong with a Sidewinder.

While I have been towing several FWs, with several different 6'9" bed Fords, since 99, with standard hitches, without issue, they were not WB FWs.Two things...the Ram has a shorter distance from rear axle center to cab. The other thing, the shape of the WB front cap, and length of pin box can make it work/or not work. Hope you can hear from Ram owner, with that setup, to give best answer.Jerry

We have a '14 Ram 3500 short box 4X4. Pull '13 Arctic Fox 27-5L, 102" wide, just under 30' long. Use B&W non slider hitch. 5er does have 5th AIRBORNE pin box. This combination pulls better than any other 5er we've had.

Thanks for the great input! Sincerely appreciated. :)Yeah, the 3rd gen Ram at 140" wheelbase is a short trip to the back window... lol It's only about 29"-29-1/2", based on the center of the wheel wells. Before laying down the cash, I am going to contact the two mfgs of the wide body units (Keystone - Montana, and Alpine) to ask about The arc distance needed from the center of the pin. Would absolutely love to have an air bag pin box. :) I was watching some YouTube videos of the Pullrite auto slider (I've spent a lot of hours Youtube-ing different hitches... lol). Very cool concept, but seemed a bit loud and a bit loose. I'd like to find someone where I could get a good look at it in person. The ones I saw on YouTube may not have had the latching mechanism adjusted up taunt.

I've only got one season under my belt (5 trips, 1800 miles) with my rig: 6'4" box with an auto-slide hitched to a 100" wide Open Range that's 31' long. I'm mildly surprised at how easily it tows without getting blown around and I managed to get into one state park site that was at a fairly tight angle. JK

Anybody Towing A Wide Body 5th Wheel With Short Bed?

DSteiner51
Explorer
Dec 28, 2017
Steakman wrote:
"..Don’t worry about the PullRite SuperGlide, it’s the golden standard of auto sliders. We’ve used one very happily for the last 3+ years. It’s not loud, or loose. It just works, I (and many) highly recommend it. Good positive wrap around on the kingpin too..."

What he said. Pullrite is simply awesome....
can literally jacknife your rig well past 90 deg and no issues whatsoever.

Cheers,

Stk

My manual warns to not go more then 90 degrees or damage WiLL result and on my Pullrite it WILL do damage because going past 90 degrees will bend or/and break things.
cummins2014
Explorer
Dec 27, 2017
Steakman wrote:
"..Don’t worry about the PullRite SuperGlide, it’s the golden standard of auto sliders. We’ve used one very happily for the last 3+ years. It’s not loud, or loose. It just works, I (and many) highly recommend it. Good positive wrap around on the kingpin too..."

What he said. Pullrite is simply awesome....
can literally jacknife your rig well past 90 deg and no issues whatsoever.

Cheers,

Stk

My friend ,and neighbor just sold his Superglide, and bought the Andersen, he got tired of having to be fairly straight to hook or unhook, just too sensitive for a fifth wheel hitch, been much happier with the Andersen.
Steakman
Explorer
Dec 27, 2017
"..Don’t worry about the PullRite SuperGlide, it’s the golden standard of auto sliders. We’ve used one very happily for the last 3+ years. It’s not loud, or loose. It just works, I (and many) highly recommend it. Good positive wrap around on the kingpin too..."

What he said. Pullrite is simply awesome....
can literally jacknife your rig well past 90 deg and no issues whatsoever.

Cheers,

Stk
cummins2014
Explorer
Dec 26, 2017
Ram and 5ver wrote:
Merry Christmas!

Lots of great feedback from Anderson hitch users. No doubt.

Definitely the mfgs have done amazing things with the new fiberglass front caps.

Thanks again for sharing your experiences.

I'm kind of suprised how infrequent slider hitches are actually engaged. I really expected to read more posts of something like... "yeah, we've used the heck out of our slider, to manever around."

In all honesty, other then pulling the slider back to give a littler longer pivot, seemed to turn a little quicker to get into a tight RV pad beside my house, never used it.

12 years normal towing with a short bed truck, not once did I have to pull the slider back, or get into a situation where I had to. One of a few reasons I switched to the Andersen.
Ram_and_5ver
Explorer
Dec 25, 2017
Merry Christmas!

Lots of great feedback from Anderson hitch users. No doubt.

Definitely the mfgs have done amazing things with the new fiberglass front caps.

Thanks again for sharing your experiences.

I'm kind of suprised how infrequent slider hitches are actually engaged. I really expected to read more posts of something like... "yeah, we've used the heck out of our slider, to manever around."
GHop
Explorer
Dec 25, 2017
We are currently towing a 35, wide body Arctic Fox with 2014 Ram 3500 dually, short bed with a Husky slider hitch for several years. Prior we used the same truck to tow a 32 Fox M. We have never had to engage the slider for either. I think it depend on the front cap on the fifth wheel. Happing camping, be safe and Merry Christmas.
cummins2014
Explorer
Dec 24, 2017
Ram and 5ver wrote:
So many great products out there.
Seems like an excellent time to be purchasing. :)

Really appreciate your thoughts and experiences. This kind of feedback is priceless.

Do yourself a favor ,and look into the Andersen hitch. In addition a MorRyde pin box, which comes stock on a number of fifth wheels or ordered when buying ,and the Andersen hitch, you would be set. No need for a slider with these new rounded corner fifth wheels.

I switched this year from a manual slider to the Andersen, and couldn't be happier. I tow with a Ram 3500 short bed ,with no clearance problems . I went with the rail mount style , already had the the picture frame adapter that fit the factory fifth wheel prep.

I am assuming you have bed rails, which would not require any additional purchase ,the Andersen rail mount connects to them. Its worth looking into.
Ram_and_5ver
Explorer
Dec 24, 2017
So many great products out there.
Seems like an excellent time to be purchasing. :)

Really appreciate your thoughts and experiences. This kind of feedback is priceless.
nevadan660
Explorer
Dec 24, 2017
Duramax, Curt , Artic Fox 295T
Splashers3
Explorer
Dec 23, 2017
Ramand5ver - I forgot to mention that it is easier to maneuver our 34' trailer with our longer dually - especially when backing...the trailer reacts faster...which is better....but we did fine all the years with our 2500.

Mike