Best sliding hitch recommendation

[speediq99]

Hello,

What is the best sliding 5th wheel hitch out there?

2022 F350 crew cab diesel 6.5ft bed

Towing 14k 40ft 5th wheel

Side question, are these things easy to install if you have the holes in the truck?

Thank you

MC

[ford_truck_guy]

MFL wrote:
The OP has a number of threads started, but posted early morning, that he is getting DRW, took SRW back. So long bed, lots of available pin wt.

Jerry

Its settled.... Yet another Happy B & W owner out there ..Hopefully! ! !

[MFL]

The OP has a number of threads started, but posted early morning, that he is getting DRW, took SRW back. So long bed, lots of available pin wt.

Jerry

[Cummins12V98]

“Hey it tows just fine” until it doesn’t..........

[rhagfo]

TXiceman wrote:
I seriously question a 40' 5er and weighing 14,000 lb. What is the GVWR on the trailer. Estimate the loaded pin weight at 20 to 25% of the trailer GVWR (on sticker at fest front corner or in an interior label).

I would think your GVWWR to be over 16,000# which means your loaded trailer pin weight will be over 3200#.

Sounds like the OP needs to fully understand the tow ratings for trucks and trailers.

Ken

Iceman, he said his researched this very well, the 5er dry is 14,000# his truck is rated to TOW 22,000# so he is golden, isn't that all the research he needs to do??? :S :S :S :S :S

[TXiceman]

I seriously question a 40' 5er and weighing 14,000 lb. What is the GVWR on the trailer. Estimate the loaded pin weight at 20 to 25% of the trailer GVWR (on sticker at fest front corner or in an interior label).

I would think your GVWWR to be over 16,000# which means your loaded trailer pin weight will be over 3200#.

Sounds like the OP needs to fully understand the tow ratings for trucks and trailers.

Ken

[thomas201]

With a modern 5er you don't need a slider. However, a slider does have one big advantage that most don't mention. It moves your pivot point back just a little bit. This gets your tail swinging just a little quicker, which can get you in a tighter spot.

I have been backing into a wide driveway from a single lane road since 2012 and a slider sure helps. Gets the tail swinging quicker. Installing a culvert across the road with a neighbor's permission has now made it easy.

[JIMNLIN]

Do people go by rear Axle weight rating or vehicle weight rating?

You bet.
You see those one ton drw trucks with dot numbers on their door pulling heavy GN trailers. We legally/safely load our trucks or trailer up to the vehicles gawrs/tire load ratings if need be.
We don't face a DOT overload violation or a lawsuit for exceeding the gvwr based payload number.

Ford may give a F350 srw a 22000 lb trailer tow rating but that doesn't mean all type of trailers.
I haul cattle/other stock with a 36' triaxle GN trailer with 7k axles. I load the young stuff up front over the truck and heavy stock over the trailers axles or just aft of he axles. This allows me to load the trailer so it doesn't exceed my 2500 Dodge/Cummins rawr.
You can't do that with a fixed hitch weight from a rv trailer...especially a 22000 lb 5th wheel rv trailer.
You have the truck so drop by your local CAT scale and weigh the trucks separate front and rear axles.
Simply subtract the rear axle number from Fords 7230 rawr. From other Ford owners weight reporting your trucks rear axle may weigh in the 3400-3500 lb range leaving around 3700 lbs for a max in the bed payload.
Some with heavy trailers or a heavy truck camper with one ton srw trucks go with 19.5" tires and wheels and rear suspension help.

Anywayz get those axles weighed.

[speediq99]

Ruse,

Do people go by rear Axle weight rating or vehicle weight rating?

I don't need to do the aux tank. I would like to but if that is a deal breaker and forces the dually, it is out.

If I am at 3300 hitch, wouldn't that leave plenty of room for the rear Axle to handle it. At 7200 lbs Rear GAWR, I am below the have point. I would gave to put a ton of stuff back there to even approach it.

Can you defeat the lawyers with the rear Axle rating?

What confuses me is the other sticker on the door that states the passenger and cargo cannot exceed 3340 lbs. That is way below the rear and front Axle ratings.

MC

rhagfo wrote:

speediq99 wrote:
This makes a lot of sense.

I think I did my homework on the truck. My truck can carry up to 22k 5th wheel and I max out at 16800. That leaves me some room and I am comfortable but I don't want to be ignorant either. Dually was an option, actually cheaper that what I got. It is just too much truck for me as a daily driver and has its limitations as I learned here. Perhaps one day...

I have seen a few pics of 90 degree action and it looks extreme. While I probably won't intentionally do that w/o correcting, it is the unintentional that I want to cover.

It is still unclear whether a sliding hitch is necessary to fully avoid cab damage with a 6 3/4 bed and a new Solitude 378. I am leaning towards the Pullrite however a comment on Pullrite maintenance is throwing me off a bit.

I am buying a new hitch so if there are better options than Pullrite, this is the time to find out 🙂 I want something easy to maintain, easily to hitch on and off even in uneven terrain, easy on the towing and above all safe for a short bed SRW F350.

Thank you

schlep1967 wrote:
Funny how you ask about a sliding hitch and the weight police show up....
I've been using a Pullrite Superglide since 2010. I have never had a problem with it. I did make sure to read and understand the instructions that came with it. Those that don't read and understand are the ones that have problems with them.
Since I bought mine there are other options out there. If I were to be looking for another auto-slider, Pullrite would be at the top of the list but I would also be looking at what else is available.
The biggest issue I see is people not taking the time to learn how to properly back the fifth-wheel. If you are getting anywhere close to 90 degrees when backing, you either are not doing it right or you are trying to get into a spot you shouldn't be.

Well your truck can't Carry 22,000#, it can Pull 22,000#. Our 2016 Ram DRW is rated to pull 25,210# with 3.73 gears.
It is what you can carry that becomes the question. Two schools of thought, on this within all ratings, or by Rear axle rating.
So by all ratings your going to top out your 11,500# GVWR, I believe that your need a long Bed to get the 12,400# GVWR.
I don't have your rear axle rating likely about 7,200# your loaded pin will likely be around 3,200# based on dry pin to dry 5er.
you want a slider hitch and an aux fuel tank each about 300# so add to your pin and your are at 3,800# on the rear axle, before any passengers and other stuff.

Good camping you will be over payload for sure, and possibly over rear axle weight rating.

I was in your boat a while back, and there way too many hungry lawyers out there for me to be comfortable being over GVWR and pushing GVWR.

[rhagfo]

speediq99 wrote:
This makes a lot of sense.

I think I did my homework on the truck. My truck can carry up to 22k 5th wheel and I max out at 16800. That leaves me some room and I am comfortable but I don't want to be ignorant either. Dually was an option, actually cheaper that what I got. It is just too much truck for me as a daily driver and has its limitations as I learned here. Perhaps one day...

I have seen a few pics of 90 degree action and it looks extreme. While I probably won't intentionally do that w/o correcting, it is the unintentional that I want to cover.

It is still unclear whether a sliding hitch is necessary to fully avoid cab damage with a 6 3/4 bed and a new Solitude 378. I am leaning towards the Pullrite however a comment on Pullrite maintenance is throwing me off a bit.

I am buying a new hitch so if there are better options than Pullrite, this is the time to find out 🙂 I want something easy to maintain, easily to hitch on and off even in uneven terrain, easy on the towing and above all safe for a short bed SRW F350.

Thank you

schlep1967 wrote:
Funny how you ask about a sliding hitch and the weight police show up....
I've been using a Pullrite Superglide since 2010. I have never had a problem with it. I did make sure to read and understand the instructions that came with it. Those that don't read and understand are the ones that have problems with them.
Since I bought mine there are other options out there. If I were to be looking for another auto-slider, Pullrite would be at the top of the list but I would also be looking at what else is available.
The biggest issue I see is people not taking the time to learn how to properly back the fifth-wheel. If you are getting anywhere close to 90 degrees when backing, you either are not doing it right or you are trying to get into a spot you shouldn't be.

Well your truck can't Carry 22,000#, it can Pull 22,000#. Our 2016 Ram DRW is rated to pull 25,210# with 3.73 gears.
It is what you can carry that becomes the question. Two schools of thought, on this within all ratings, or by Rear axle rating.
So by all ratings your going to top out your 11,500# GVWR, I believe that your need a long Bed to get the 12,400# GVWR.
I don't have your rear axle rating likely about 7,200# your loaded pin will likely be around 3,200# based on dry pin to dry 5er.
you want a slider hitch and an aux fuel tank each about 300# so add to your pin and your are at 3,800# on the rear axle, before any passengers and other stuff.

Good camping you will be over payload for sure, and possibly over rear axle weight rating.

I was in your boat a while back, and there way too many hungry lawyers out there for me to be comfortable being over GVWR and pushing GVWR.

[Cummins12V98]

MFL wrote:
SWB dually maybe?

YES! Oh man that was a good one.

[Cummins12V98]

schlep1967 wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
RAM makes a SRW Dually

What is a single rear wheel Dually?

I know weird thigs happen. I even had a ducted split ductless A/C system installed in my house.

HAAAAAA, thanks for pointing out my brain phart. 😉

[MFL]

SWB dually maybe?

[schlep1967]

Cummins12V98 wrote:
RAM makes a SRW Dually

What is a single rear wheel Dually?

I know weird thigs happen. I even had a ducted split ductless A/C system installed in my house.

[MFL]

Above poster is correct, you need to more understand your trucks axle/tire limits. You will be at the very limit, or just over. You will need a lighter hitch than the Superglide.

While your truck could easily tow a 22K FW it could not carry that wt.

No one backs their boat, or TT to 90 degrees, and a FW is no different. A little common sense, and awareness, is your friend. That FW is tall, need to be aware of above. When turning in continuous arc, or backing tight, awareness is key. These things are learned quickly, and most know to pull ahead, straighten a little, then continue backing, no matter what you are towing. 90 degrees..NOPE

Jerry