Short Bed Pickup

Non slider B&W for me. I wouldn't trade it for a manual slider. If I felt the need for a sliding hitch it would be an automatic one such as the pull rite. Sliding hitches are heavy and use up a lot of box space.

guidry wrote:
Before you decide may I suggest you go to test drive both. 2 feet isn’t that big a deal as for parking. A big shortbed is the same parking but deficient in towing comfort compared to a long bed. Test drive both and if you get comfortable backing into parking spots you won’t see a difference.

Hmmmmm - my "test drive" of a long bed, 1T SRW, CC - lasted about
ten years.
By then (2005) I decided I didn't need that extra two feet, so the next one was/is a Short Bed, as above, except the CC is a Quad Cab.

Stock factory fuel tank is 35 gallons.
The ride is fine! - All the "bedroom" (pun) I want/need.
Pleasure to park in shopping centers, etc.
(The "preferred" parking places in shopping centers with a LB, is where you can back in and hang that extra 2 feet over a sidewalk, LOL)

Will never have a long bed again!!

I prefer a slider, which for me was/is a PullRite SuperGlide since '05. It's been flawless.
I'm sure there are other hitches which would do just as well.

Have friends who "thought" they didn't need a slider, but paid the price in repairs to windows/cab. At least one of whom is/was a commercial big rig driver - who *knew* he could get r done backing into a tight spot, but didn't quite make it....(had long wait for a back window in Alaska).

Kinda like the 4x4 folks who say, "Better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it".

I don't miss my (previous) long bed.
I don't need/want a dually but - *if* I ever own a heavy enough trlr, the "dually" will be a singled HDT (see Escapees HDT forum).

......decide whatever works best for you and go for it!..:W

:C

Some urban legend that you need to question but it always touted up front on this forum is:

Long beds ride better --not entirely so, as stated my short bed crew cab has a wheel base comparable to most long beds.

Short beds have tiny fuel tanks. The world changed years ago. My short bed 2012 has right at 37 gal fuel tank.

I have towed fifth wheels for over 18 years now and always with a short bed. Never a slider hitch or one of those air ride ones. A regular ole Reese gets me down the road and going forward I cannot turn sharp enough to get the trailer into the cab.

A lot of it depends, but most of it are folks stating their preference for what ever reason.

My advice is to look at the specs of the vehicle and get what you need, not what I think you should have.

Have fun out there.

I've pulled GN and 5th wheel trailers with short and long bed trucks. I don't prefer one over the other as far as ride comfort or handling or maneuvering.
My current 5th wheel rv is a '97 old very flat/square corner front profile so yeah I have a old '97 manual sliding hitch for those very few times where its needed.
As others say the new gen trailers have the rounded/notched front corners that eliminates the need for a slider.

Check out the Anderson and the PullRite Superlite hitch system.....or the Reese Goosebox system.

Njmurvin wrote:
If you have a good reason to go with a short bed, then by all means don't let that stop you from enjoying a fifth wheel. For peace of mind towing, consider the Pullrite Superglide hitch. It costs and weighs a bit more than conventional hitches. But, I think it's well worth it. There are so many things to think and worry about when towing. Hitting the cab with your trailer doesn't need to be one of them.

I agree.... this is the hitch I use, in my LONG bed... and its great. it slides autmatically when you make sharp turns so that the kingpin moves rearward 14 inches.... and the 25lb weight increase is negligable. the system you use to connect it to the pickup will make a bigger difference in weight than the actual hitch does.

I have it because I have side rail boxes mounted along the sides of my bed, and I didnt want the tail end of the pin box contacting the corners of a side rail box on a sharp turn... it all works great.

and I do know that a short bed pickup is a few thousand dollars cheaper than a long bed. and they have sales and discounts on them more often than they do longbeds... so I can understand why some people go for the short bed trucks. but my vote is STILL for the long bed.

I have used both short and long beds to tow fivers. I much prefer the long bed. One reason is it seems like you have twice as much storage in the bed! and better ride. But you certainly can get by with a short bed. I think a short bed for just for parking and being out and about is possibly over thinking it. A person definitely gets used to a long bed and doesn't even think about it. JMHO

Never had anything else but the CC long bed dually. The tail does not wag the dog. Stability is confidence. We do the SPs & NPs wherever we can. Sometimes the backing is challenging. Not often. Getting around without the trailer with the big truck, you get used to it. You have to park an extra few seconds walk from the door of the market. Big deal. Exercise is good for you.

If you have a good reason to go with a short bed, then by all means don't let that stop you from enjoying a fifth wheel. For peace of mind towing, consider the Pullrite Superglide hitch. It costs and weighs a bit more than conventional hitches. But, I think it's well worth it. There are so many things to think and worry about when towing. Hitting the cab with your trailer doesn't need to be one of them.

I use a rail mount Andersen flipped to the rear and it works great in my short bed. I think I lost a whopping 1 gallon of fuel capacity compared to the long bed version of my truck. It tows our fifth wheel just as well as a long bed would. I do give a little up on cargo space but as my daily driver that's a very worthwhile tradeoff. It is most certainly easier to park and maneuver in tight spots compared to a long bed.

Get a slider hitch. Cost more than a non-slider but worth it so as not to worry on sharp turns. Even better, one that slides automatically as needed so that you don't get caught having to get out of the truck and manually activate the slider surrounded by traffic. Embarrasing.