Is a slider hitch worth the extra money?

[SCCamper]

I have a Chevy 2500 short bed and will be towing a 27' 5th wheel. I've towed travel trailers for years but never a 5th wheel hitch.

Is the slider hitch worth the extra money? The previous owner has basically the same truck and used a non-slider with no issues. The hitch comes with the trailer so all I would need is the rails.

I always thought the slider was the way to go with a short bed...

Will this work? Thanks

[shadows4]

A slider hitch is only good if you use it.I have dents on both sides of the cab. (I'm a slow learner) I have a Reese manual slider and while it slides fairly easily you have to get out and engage it. If my 5er had the radius corners I would have been fine. Good luck, OP'er.

[Flapper]

RustyJC wrote:
Extended pin boxes do not change the width of the 5th wheel. If 1/2 the width of the 5th wheel is greater than the hitch kingpin bore centerline to cab distance, then contact is a given at (or possibly before, depending on front cap configuration) 90 degrees. The slider moves the hitch kingpin bore centerline rearward, so it provides additional clearance at 90 degrees that the extended pin box does not.

Rusty

Some may be confusing extended pin boxes, which just move the 5th back, but retain the same pivot point at the hitch, with extensions like the Sidewinder that actually move the pivot point. With the first Rusty is right on. With the second, it's like your bed is longer and the hitch was further from the cab.

What is bad is to get crafty and install your hitch further back to give you the space - all sorts of bad things effecting load carrying and rig handling will result, so don't try it.

[pbar34]

I have a slider for the last 11 years with SB Chevy 2500HD and have not used it once. In my driveway, I have to load and park the 5th wheel at near 90 deg angle and have to be very attentive. It will take out my back window if I'm not careful but I'm careful.

I have the Reese manual slider and it is a pain to use. For mine, you effectively have to drop the legs to remove some weight from the hitch when at extreme angle (when you realize you may need the slider). I've experimented with backing into my driveway with the slider extended and the trailer definitely responds quicker to the maneuvering, which can be helpful in tight spots.

I like the idea of the auto sliders but for their price, I've elected to just get really good at being attentive while backing my rig.


Phil

[Wood_chip]

You can see with extended pin boxe and rounded cap, it is very difficult to hit the cab.

[illinoiswoodwor]

I have the Pullrite Superglide and yes it does cost a little bit more but there has been several occasions that it surely saved my back window. You can always say just be careful when making a corner if you don't have a slider but it is the situations that you make quick decision that is going to be the trouble. I missed a corner once and decided at the last minute to turn around in a small parking lot and if I had not had my Superglide which is an automatic slider I would have definitely knocked my back window out. The cost for 1 rear window repair would justify the additional expense up front.
The excellent part of the Pullrite Superglide is it is TOTALLY AUTOMATIC you don't have to do anything.

[afishinado]

I have a Dodge Megacab, super short bed, now with two big dents in the cab! Finally, I replaced the pinbox on my 5er with a SWINGER by Reese.. Moves the pivot point back about 23" on my rig. Can't recommend it enough, I can go beyond 90 degrees with it.

[slomark]

SB Dodge Mega cab, Heartland trailer, fixed hitch. Never an issue.

[Hannibal]

With our relatively lightweight 5th wheel, I installed a second set of rails putting the pin 52" behind the cab and 12" behind the rear axle. I know it goes against the recommendations of the manufacturer and I don't recommend it to others but for us, it works. I can't tell the difference towing and squat is the same. Quite a few welders with welding rigs in their trucks do this to give clearance to their welding rigs.

[rsbabson]

2013 F250 SB 2015 Montana Mountaineer 356TBF B&W Companion (non slider) 5th wheel hitch. No problems backing up

[valhalla360]

C-Bears wrote:

valhalla360 wrote:
If he has the same truck ask him to hook it up and see how sharp he can turn.

Actually, I would have posted this same thing a year or so ago. But now I have to say that is really bad advise.

I got a slider with my "short" bed because a RV mechanic told me to. Then after visiting over 26 states and never using it I felt I had wasted my money.

Until backing into a site in Florida this December. I had it cranked pretty far, but not nearly as far as I have had it in the past. A guy in another site yelled at me to watch my cab. I stopped, got out and looked, my FW was actually touching the corner of my cab!

The ground in the site was a little soft and caused my FW to lean a little too far into my cut. It was hard to see the lean from the driver's seat. So, you may be able to cut it really hard around and never touch as long as your TV and FW are pretty level, but if you FW gets to leaning you will wish you had a slider!

The point is if it's the same truck he can see how far it will turn. If he can turn 80-90 degrees, it's a non-issue. If he can only turn 45 degrees, he needs a slider.

In between it's his comfort level.

[htowners]

Check out the Sidewinder.
While the hitch plus S/W is no cheaper than a basic slider, it's lighter, takes no additional bed space, and does not require any manual intervention.
I'm able to back past 90, drop the gate and pull away, which makes wagon circle type camping sites easy

[3ares]

I have had two different fithwheel Rv's that I have towed with my Dodge shortbed PU. One trailer with a flat front and one with a rounded front.Never any prolems-I don't even think about contacting truck and trailer anymore. I feel the money was well spent for the peace of mind. One bad incident and you could pay for at least one hitch.

Happy Camping

[boiseidaho]

For me and my luck a must. Cheap insurance is the way I justified it .

[Dtank]

.

It's worth every penny if you needed it - but didn't have it..:(

However it appears pennies are tight, soooooo.....

Buy a set of rails for the hitch, mount it and try a few slow speed
test turns, backing etc. - with a spotter...:W

Then *YOU* will know which advice you received on a Internet forum applies to your p/up and trlr..:C

.