short bed - sliding hitch vs sidewinder?
Newbie to 5th wheel arena. I'm in the throes of figuring out my next rig. I'm planning to go with a short bed "half-ton" (nay-sayers, please hold your tongue this time...already hashed that out ...
Forum Discussion
My 5er came with a SW/5th AB but I have a LB so I removed the SW and reused the 5th AB and moved it back 10.5" to do away with the ext. pin position. I towed it home 1000 mile with the SW and I couldn't tell any difference from a solid pin box. After removing the SW, I still couldn't tell any difference.
My hitch is 3" in front of the axle and the pivot point of the SW was 9" behind the axle. The pivot point of a bumper pull is about 4', maybe even more, with a WD hitch sticking out farther. I'll take the 9" behind the axle any day over a bumper pull! That little bit was undetectable even when I went back and forth with the SW and the pin positions. I have friends who put their regular 5er hitches 6"- 8" behind the axle, on their SBs, so they wouldn't need a slider and that also worked fine. A heavy slider would be the very last resort for me. I'd find a SB friendly 5er and mount the hitch farther back if I needed a little more. Craig
My hitch is 3" in front of the axle and the pivot point of the SW was 9" behind the axle. The pivot point of a bumper pull is about 4', maybe even more, with a WD hitch sticking out farther. I'll take the 9" behind the axle any day over a bumper pull! That little bit was undetectable even when I went back and forth with the SW and the pin positions. I have friends who put their regular 5er hitches 6"- 8" behind the axle, on their SBs, so they wouldn't need a slider and that also worked fine. A heavy slider would be the very last resort for me. I'd find a SB friendly 5er and mount the hitch farther back if I needed a little more. Craig
