Required hitch for 6 3/4' bed

Have towed this 5vr with this truck for at least 4K plus miles without incident! Made a too sharp turn at a fuel stop and POW, there goes the rear window! Now I am super self conscience of my turns. That is why we changed to Pullrite Superglide Auto Slider. You make the call, but I just was to gun-shy after breaking the window!

Thanks so much. That's a big help.

Cummins12V98 wrote:

tomllamas wrote:
I just traded my 8' long bed truck and bought one with a 6 3/4' bed.
Can I use the same hitch or do I need s sliding hitch?

I have to ask why go backwards? Also why not ask that question before buying a short bed truck?

I don't think he cared about the so called going backwards. You know as well as I do ,there are more short beds out there towing then long beds .

tomllamas wrote:
Thanks all for your help. I don't travel with it often as I have a lot on the water in Florida. I just hate to invest in a new hitch for such infrequent use.

Just be careful, I have NEVER towed a fifth wheel with a long bed ,and NEVER will.

I watched a friend of mine on a hunting trip with a short bed ford , and wondered when we went off road just a half mile to a camp spot why he even had a slider. I could not see when we were backing in to the spot he could hit the cab. Lots of clearance. His hitch is positioned two inches forward of the axle, but with the rounded nose of his Montana fifth wheel not a problem.

I experienced pretty much the same with my Superduty, now with the Ram, and of course the shortest of the short beds I am a little closer with my fifth wheel, but still no issues, and I have never HAD to slide my slider back.

Use your existing hitch , and be aware, no different then if you were towing with a long bed.

To the OP: Many hitches will allow you to just buy the slider, use your old head and rails. We find the manual slider to be the best compromise for money and convenience. Any spot that we think needs the slider, the land guide (wife) and I usually get out, look and plan. Sliding the camper just takes another 30 seconds.

Happy camping.

tomllamas wrote:
I just traded my 8' long bed truck and bought one with a 6 3/4' bed.
Can I use the same hitch or do I need s sliding hitch?

You can use the same hitch but just be aware of a cab strike depending on your combo.

No info on your combo so we have no idea if a slider is needed or not.

Many GM short bed owners find a sliding hitch isn't needed as GM has the longest C/A (cab to rear axle) dimension.

Other posters have brought up the point about some trailer have the notched/rounded front corners for towing with short bed trucks.

I use nothing but short bed trucks for towing RV trailers. I would recommend installing the hitch with the pin zero over the trucks rear axle. That way you get the trailer the farthest possible from trailer/truck cab contact.

If you find the trailer can contact the trucks cab then sell the hitch on craigslist and by a hitch type that doesn't allow that contact.

I'll bite and I have posted before:

Short beds meet the 22 foot rule in places like Toroweap/Tuweep. The 22 foot rule is just an extension of the shorter, the easier to turn around.

Short beds save money on ferry crossings without the camper, like Newfoundland. Just back from a moose hunt.

Short beds give a slight edge with sliders in tight spots, even with a notched 5er. You move the pivot behind the wheels, kinda like a conventional trailer. Slider in an 8 foot bed does the same thing, but the front sticks out 2 more feet.

If I only towed, 8 footer all the way, but I don't. I would just get a towhauler. I do medium 4 wheeling after I drop the tail, plus hunting, fishing, hauling wood, apples and so on. A compromise.

For people like me, SRW, club cab and short bed. Its taken the 5er to 48 states and explored mud holes, back roads, sand and slickrock the best a pick up can do. It also tows the 48 CJ2 for more interesting work.

tomllamas wrote:
I just traded my 8' long bed truck and bought one with a 6 3/4' bed.
Can I use the same hitch or do I need s sliding hitch?

I have to ask why go backwards? Also why not ask that question before buying a short bed truck?

Thanks all for your help. I don't travel with it often as I have a lot on the water in Florida. I just hate to invest in a new hitch for such infrequent use.

I have a short bed GMC crew cab, I've never had a slider hitch, and I've never had any problems. But the front of my Arctic Fox fifth wheel 27 – 5L is cut away on the front to give more clearance when you're jackknifed.

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