5th wheel hitch

Readog wrote:
What's is the best recommended 5th wheel hitch for a 2014 short bed chevy 2500 duramax

you'll probably want a slider hitch of some kind. My buddy had a 2005 6.5' box Chevy Duramax with a Pullrite Superglide. He never used the slider with his 5th wheel and never had a problem. Last fall he upgraded to a 2010 6.5' box GMC Duramax and it had a B&W slider hitch installed. On his 1st trip out he turned too tight and exploded the rear truck window.

It is possible the B&W hitch could be adjusted to the rear-most position to provide a little more clearance. However, there was no change in the 5er but for some reason the new truck makes it ride closer to the cab. 'Tis better to have the slider and the option to give yourself more room rather than worrying if you can make it.

KJ

I've used a Fifth Airborne Sidewinder on my 7000 lb fifth wheel there was no chucking and no turning/cab concerns. The best advice I ever took was trying the Sidewinder over the slider.

Manual slider B&W, auto PullRite. Compare to others side by side.

Short bed 2500/3500 srw GM trucks has a long CA (cab to rear axle dimension). Longer than the Dodge or Ford.
This enables many short bed GM owners to use a non sliding hitch. If your 5th wheel trailer has the new rounded/notched front corners then a slider may not be necessary.

Of course pin placement when installing the hitch is important. If the hitch places the pin forward of the trucks rear axle 2-4 inches then a slider may be necessary. If the pin is located zero over the trucks rear axle you have gained 2-4 inches of clearance.

There is no best sliding hitch brand other than in the owners mind. Let google be your friend and look at all sliding hitch brands and the Andersen system.

Second Chance wrote:
We pulled our fifth wheel for a year and a half with our 2013 2500HD, 6.5' bed, and an Andersen Ultimate Fifth Wheel Connection (steel rail mount version). Great combo.

Rob

Ditto albeit in a Ram. Totally solid with no chucking or movement, and it weighs about 40 lbs so taking it in and out is a piece of cake. Rail mount so it's a very solid connection.

Any hitch designed to prevent the trailer from hitting the cab. If you decide on the sliding type I would recommend an auto slider over a manual slider. Sometimes while on the road or even getting fuel at a tight station you have no choice but to turn sharp. With the auto sliders you just do it and move on. With the manual sliders you have to stop in traffic unlock the hitch, get back in the truck and pull forward to slide the hitch and then you can do your maneuver without breaking out your back window.

On thing to consider is weight (and cost). While an automatic slider is the cat's meow, if you are approaching your payload max, consider getting a Reese Sidewinder/Revolution/5th Airborne (concept is the same, just slight variations in the application). Pin box moves the rotation point back 22", using a conventional hitch. So saves $$ and usually a lot of weight.

They do have some quirks to get used to for hitching up, and unhitching, which can be pretty well resolved by getting accessory parts made specifically for your hitch, rather than the generic it ships with. A couple hitch mfg's (B&W, for one) do not warranty their hitch with a Sidewinder. But do a little searching, and you will find many who have been using them for a pretty long time, and are very satisfied.

I'm on my 2nd truck and 2nd CURT hitch. Works great. I say it is the best.

I had a regular BW hitch in my 2013 Chevy 3500 short bed and loved it so much it is now in my 2016 Chevy 3500 long bed!

We pulled our fifth wheel for a year and a half with our 2013 2500HD, 6.5' bed, and an Andersen Ultimate Fifth Wheel Connection (steel rail mount version). Great combo.

Rob