Have a new 2015 Ram Dually short bed on the way to pull our 1990 Jayco 38'er. Currently have a 08 Dually with a Highjacker slider in and a 7920 pin box. I am letting the Highjacker go with the truck and getting a new hitch.My plan was a SuperGlide with the Ram picture frame adapter and probably switch to a 7910 air ride pin box.Then I got to looking as the air ride Sidewinder and it is a neat idea. My real like of it is a lighter hitch in the truck and no need for the picture frame adapter. My biggest problem is with the extra stress I could see it putting on the trailer. Probably not a big deal on a new trailer made for it but my 1999 Jayco originally had a straight down pin with no extension to the front at all. I can see the stress the 7920 pin I have on it now does, that is why I want to switch to the slightly shorter 7910. I worry about the stress from a Sidewinder, but I can see it's advantages.I have actually taken off the under belly of my Jayco to check on the pin box support. It is very beefy on the rear but the front of the box just has a C channel over the top for support. This is what I can see flexing going down the road with the 7920 pin box on it.

I'll be reading responses to your questions with great interest, as we are contemplating moving from a TT to a Fifth Wheel, and also have a short bed.I've been researching this and the arrangement I am contemplating installing is a Trailer Saver BD3 Air Hitch, and a plain Sidewinder (no air), as opposed to the 5th Airborne Sidewinder. The difference in cost between the Sidewinder and the Airborne Sidewinder is so great that I can buy a new Sidewinder plus plan to pick up a slightly used BD3 hitch and will come out spending less. Plus I feel that the BD3 will give me more air cushioning than the 5th Airborne Sidewinder.Good luck, and please let us know what you decide on and how it works for you.

I don't have any experience with the Sidewinder, but am very happy with the Demco glide pinbox and Superglide hitch combination.

I too was toggling all over the place on this decision 5 years ago. The heavy weight and price was hard to swallow of the SuperGlide, so I ended up getting a basic slider hitch, and I'm here to tell you that with 5 years of towing, I have never once needed to slide the hitch back to get out of a tight situation, not even close. So before you invest in a heavy, expensive hitch, I would first consider a simple slider hitch. Take it from someone who has backed into some tight campsites over and over.

MNRon wrote:I don't have any experience with the Sidewinder, but am very happy with the Demco glide pinbox and Superglide hitch combination.X2, I have the superglide and think it is the best. A simple slider, you have to know in advance before the situation requires it. With the superglide,it automatically slides you back on tight turns, either backing on turning. I donot have to think about it. And while most of the time I do not need it, it is there and no wories! As for the weight, I kind of appreciate the "extra" beef on the hitch, gives me a warm fuzzy feeling!

I have never used one, but saw the revolution pinbox by Reese and was impressed. Like the slider you don't have to do anything as it takes care of itself. I also like the idea that the fiver will react much like a trailer in that it will track the same as the vehicle instead of tracking inside. If I get in the market for a new unit I wil definitely consider it.

SuperGlide or Sidewinder | Good Sam Community

Shadow_Grey
Explorer
Jan 03, 2015
Bowti wrote:
Shadow, Your second picture shows you still have the yellow bushings in the Reese hitch. You should check them for wear and possibly upgrade them to the new bushings. I think Reese still sends them to you free of cost.

Thanks for the heads up.
I had the first set replaced after they egg shaped. The new ones are also yellow but made out of harder material.
Bowti
Explorer
Jan 03, 2015
Shadow_Grey wrote:
Bowti wrote:
Shadow, Your second picture shows you still have the yellow bushings in the Reese hitch. You should check them for wear and possibly upgrade them to the new bushings. I think Reese still sends them to you free of cost.

Thanks for the heads up.
I had the first set replaced after they egg shaped. The new ones are also yellow but made out of harder material.

The new bushings they sent me were orange along with, if I remember right, different bolts and washers. Hopefully they didn't just send you another set of the soft yellow bushings. I would check into it.
tsetsaf
Explorer III
Jan 03, 2015
Hvyhauler wrote:
Mopar,

I now have the Pullrite SuperGlide in my 2006 Dodge Dually long bed,previously had it in my 06 Dodge short bed.The hitch has been in service since September of 2006.

I have observed as the hitch slides back on the rails while backing very slowly into a site that the sliding action is actually turning the trailer a few degrees making manuerving into a site easier with a long bed dually.

Enjoy your new hitch.

Hvyhauler - if you have not already fully disassembled and inspected your hitch I recommend doing so now. We had a 2006 16k sg and the rocker assembly cracked and egged. It is not a part you can see unless you remove the rocker.

With the new trailer we upgraded to a newer 18k. The build and material size is noticeably better.

I guess that brings me to another point to consider... slider hitches due to their nature do wear out. Read the warranty and you might be surprised, I was, at how limited it is.
vinr
Explorer
Jan 03, 2015
I have a 2013 Ram 2500 Diesel with a standard 6 foot bed. I have a B&W Companion hitch which is really slick. I'm pulling a 2015 Palomino Columbus and it works great together. good luck with your new ride!
Mopar_Mudder
Explorer
Jan 03, 2015
Dtank wrote:
SOP for most (short bed) hitch owners fall into 2 categories:

1. Happy, and recommend the one they have.

2. Only had one brand of slider.

Sooo - *if* posters have had *more* than one brand of *auto* slider, pay attention!

#1 applies to me.
PR SuperGlide - and yeah - have seen it do it's thing.
*If* I had a manual in those instances - and not re-positioned it, I would have a dented cab and/or broken read window.

Auto -vs- manual slider:
Better to have an auto slider and not need it, than to "cheap out" with a manual - and not have done what the auto slider would have done.
"It was raining and cold - I was sure I could make it without moving the slider".

But, hey - it's only down time and some bucks your insurance didn't cover to repair your TV.
Easily offset by the money you saved by not getting an auto slider.:R

BTW - this subject has been on here many, many times.
Use the search feature (and the archives) for lots more experiences, opinions....and some "wish I would have" posts!..;)

.

Well when I get the new Superglide I can say I have had both that and the Highjacker (Demco now I guess). Be interesting to see the difference.
RollandB
Explorer
Jan 03, 2015
As far as the weight of a Superglide there are a lot of good ideas on this forum what others have done. It was a factor I also considered before finding mine. I haven't done it yet but plan to use a manual hoist I used with a convertible hardtop I used to have on a roadster.
navy80to04
Explorer
Jan 03, 2015
grey shadow your old pen box is sitting in my shed with your camper, you mean that old pen box is not scrap metal. haha, its not take Up any room, it can sit there under my work table for years, I use it as a step, works great..
Dtank
Explorer
Jan 03, 2015
Linked thread: Scroll down a a few posts to the one by - "my996duc1".

He had some interesting observations on manual -vs- auto sliders, as well as the comparisons of the hitches he was considering (although not all his "pros and cons" are correct):

Thread: "5'er Hitch Recommendations?"

Errors for SuperGlide:
You can "unhook" at more than a 16 degree angle.
Simple to keep head from "flopping" when driving "unhitched".
Also very easy to padlock the hitch if desired.

(Don't know if his pro & con for "HighJacker" are correct.)

.
Shadow_Grey
Explorer
Jan 04, 2015
navy80to04 wrote:
grey shadow your old pen box is sitting in my shed with your camper, you mean that old pen box is not scrap metal. haha, its not take Up any room, it can sit there under my work table for years, I use it as a step, works great..

We did put them inside for the winter together...
powderman426
Explorer
Jan 04, 2015
N-Trouble wrote:
powderman426 wrote:
I have never used one, but saw the revolution pinbox by Reese and was impressed. Like the slider you don't have to do anything as it takes care of itself. I also like the idea that the fiver will react much like a trailer in that it will track the same as the vehicle instead of tracking inside. If I get in the market for a new unit I wil definitely consider it.

It's not going to track the SAME as the TV. Your only moving the pivot point back a couple of feet. It will still track inside just not quite as much as with a traditional pin box.

On a short bed truck that couple of feet puts the pivot point very close to the ball on a trailer hitch. Although its not exactly the same, it is very very close as per observation and talking with the owner who came from a TT background.