I have a long bed truck with 16k reese slider hitch. When hocking up the tailgate will hit trailer. Will a non slider fix my problem.

Years ago I had a Jayco Designer XL 3610RLTS with a vertical pin box - the truck's tailgate would hit the trailer if I tried to hitch with the tailgate down. The simple fix is to make hitching up a 2 step process:1. Back toward the trailer far enough to connect the trailer umbilical (I've always had a 2nd 7-pin Pollak-style receptacle in the bed) and close the tailgate.2. After connecting the electricals and closing the tailgate, continue backing until the kingpin seats in the 5th wheel hitch.If your trailer manufacturer will allow it due to trailer frame strength considerations in the pin box area, an option you might consider if the above is not acceptable to you is a longer extended pin box on the trailer. In my case, Jayco would not approve an extended pin box on that particular 5th wheel.Rusty

You probably need a longer pin box. The pin is centered over the rear axle with or without a slider.

If you can turn sharply w/o the 5er smacking the cab, I'd rather take the tailgate off or get a V 5er gate rather than put on a longer pin box. I buy LBs and I always go the other way around. I do surgery and turn the long pin boxes into short ones. The 5er frame flexing goes way down! Craig

Will a non slider fix my problem. No, if anything it will make it worse. The slider should move your hitch head to the rear of the bed. A non-slider, correctly installed, would put the hitch head over your axle, in the same place your slider has it when it is in the travel position. I think removing the tail gate is your best option, but if you need it to keep stuff in the bed, then maybe a non rigid tailgate.

You could go with a 5er tailgate or remove yours.

tailgate hits camper | Good Sam Community

GrumpyandGrandm
Explorer
Mar 02, 2015
You probably need a longer pin box. The pin is centered over the rear axle with or without a slider.
RustyJC
Explorer
Mar 02, 2015
Years ago I had a Jayco Designer XL 3610RLTS with a vertical pin box - the truck's tailgate would hit the trailer if I tried to hitch with the tailgate down. The simple fix is to make hitching up a 2 step process:

1. Back toward the trailer far enough to connect the trailer umbilical (I've always had a 2nd 7-pin Pollak-style receptacle in the bed) and close the tailgate.

2. After connecting the electricals and closing the tailgate, continue backing until the kingpin seats in the 5th wheel hitch.

If your trailer manufacturer will allow it due to trailer frame strength considerations in the pin box area, an option you might consider if the above is not acceptable to you is a longer extended pin box on the trailer. In my case, Jayco would not approve an extended pin box on that particular 5th wheel.

Rusty

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