best 5th wheel hitch for std. bed 2500HD Chevy

2012Coleman wrote:
I use an engine stand and lifting bracket bought from etrailer.com to get it out when needed.

...because everyone has an engine stand just laying around the garage. :)

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Why can't we call it what it is? "Standard Cab" ??? It's either a SB or a LB.

Rant over!

Anything B&W, pick your hitch you can't go wrong.

I think the manufacturers at least GM calls them standard beds and long beds.

I have the B&W Patriot slider (rail mount) and it's a very well built hitch. I may look into getting a non sliding Patriot 18k hitch in the future though. The only time I ever use the maneuvering position is when I back it down a steep hill into my barn. I never came close to needing to use the slider when camping. Modern fifth wheels with the rounded caps makes it much more maneuverable, but not saying it's not possible to hit your cab though.

Dan

Thanks everyone!

Look into the Blue Ox Super Ride. It pivots instead of sliding. Unlike all other sliders, it has air cells that cushion your ride. It breaks down for easy removal, an innovative latch, and an imbedded lube plate.

If you are trading your truck in for a 2020 GM, you may not need a slider. Their standard bed is 3" longer plus their gooseneck ball sits 3-4 inches aft of the rear axle.

SDcampowneroperator wrote:
Dont limit your self to an auto slider that requires your tow to be perfectly straight and level to the towed to hook/unhook.

This is bad information from someone that obviously does not own an auto slider.
For the Pullrite you can be off center either direction 10 degrees. The hitch head pivots both front to back and side to side so "level" is not required any more for this hitch than it is for any other.

What you do gain with an auto slider is, you do not have to worry about hitting your cab when you invariably end up in that tight maneuver when not backing into a campsite. When you are going into a tight gas station and need to make a sharp turn, are you going to stop with your trailer out in traffic, get out to release your slider, get back in to get to the fuel island, fuel, maneuver out of the gas station and then stop in traffic again so you can slide the hitch back to travel position? NOPE. Your going to try to do it without all of that. And that is when you will dent your cab and or break your back window out.

At that point you will figure out how much cheaper it would have been to buy the auto slider the first time.

Yeah... GM calls their 6' 6" bed a std bed so it is what it is. I have no idea why they want to be different and cause confusion.

As mentioned GM has the longest (C/A) cab to rear axle dimension which can eliminate the need for a slider especially with a newer trailer with rounded/notched front corners made for short bed trucks.

Best 5th wheel hitch for a short bed chevy ??
Of course answers will be what ever the person replying has just like which truck is best.

There are several good fixed 5th wheel hitches on the market for a 10k lb trailer. Of the top brands .....one isn't better than the others. Some are more popular than others depending on which website we look at.
I like the larger Reese/Pullrite/B&W/Curt. Each of these mfg has more than one hitch to choose from. Your choice there.

I would check with the rv dealer....hitch installer or mfg.....other same GM truck and same trailer for their input if a slider is actually needed.
I've seen more than one short bed GM owner buy the heavy SuperGlide then sell it after one summer cause it simply wasn't needed. A non slider had much less maintenance which they said was important to them.
Check your combo out

With a 6’6” bed a slider is a waste of money.

Thanks some more!
Curly