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

[JIMNLIN]

nmdriver wrote:
I think you will find the pin extension does the same thing as the slider. It moves the "centerline" (front edge of the 5er) back from the cab. Now whether or not it is enough for your particular rig depends.

Good point.... Before the hitch industry gave us a sliding hitch for our short bed trucks we could change from a zero pin box up to a 30" extended pin box.
I had new 1984 26' 5th wheel with a zero pin box on a '82 2500 chevy. Very close attention was required as it had a very short turning angle before contacting the cab. This unit pin was about 8-9" behind the front of the overhead.
I Found a Atwood 30" extended pin box which increased my turning angle to the point it simply wasn't a worry anymore.
I like a manual slider as it places the pin 11" behind the trucks rear axle for quicker response to steering input while backing in tight conditions.

[phillyg]

It's only worth it when you need it. I thought my SB signature truck plus the rounded front of our new FW would not require a slider; it does.

[RustyJC]

NMDriver wrote:

... that the extended pin box does not.

I think you will find the pin extension does the same thing as the slider.

Not at a 90 degree angle. At 90 degrees, the 5th wheel is moved farther outward from the longitudinal centerline of the truck by the extended pin box, but not farther rearward from the cab. That distance is determined, as I stated, by the distance from the hitch kingpin bore centerline to the rear of the cab. If you have a 102" wide 5th wheel, then if the distance from the hitch kingpin bore centerline to the rear of the cab is less than 51", the side of the 5th wheel will contact the cab when the two are at a 90 degree angle.

It's basic geometry.

Rusty

[NMDriver]

... that the extended pin box does not.

I think you will find the pin extension does the same thing as the slider. It moves the "centerline" (front edge of the 5er) back from the cab. Now whether or not it is enough for your particular rig depends.

Easy test is to take a 2"x4"x4' and put it over the pin to see where the edge would be if you turn. Actual width is less than 8ft but you can get a good idea with that test.

[RustyJC]

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

[JIMNLIN]

When comparing slider and non-slider stories you need to know what rig also had a pin extension and how long it was.

Good point.
I would add other considerations is pin placement and especially the 5er front corner profile.

Pin placement on a short bed works better zero over the rear axle for max clearance....or max sliding length.

So just because your cousins nephew or some guy in a campground had contact doesn't mean much.

As MFL says GM trucks have a longer dimension from the back of the cab to the trucks rear axle. Now add the longer hitch pin boxes along with proper pin placement over the rear axle and especially if the trailers front corner profile is the newer rounded/notched profile a slider isn't needed.

One size don't fit all in this case so do your homework for your combo.

[NC_Hauler]

NMDriver wrote:
When comparing slider and non-slider stories you need to know what rig also had a pin extension and how long it was.

A hitch extension can take the place of a slider. If the 5er has an extension it may not need a slider and IF you do not have an extension you may need a slider.

A Reese slider moves the front of the 5er back 14 inches, which on most rigs will allow a sharp angle between truck and trailer. A long enough hitch extension will do the same thing.

If your 5er does not already have the extension they can cost as much as the slider rails so you might as well buy the slider.

IF your 5er came with an extension then you need to measure the distance it moves the pin out in front of the corners.



14 inches clears my 2500 6.5 bed cab but it is close.

You would also want to ask the manufacturer about adding an extension hitch to a 5er if it doesn't come with one. I had an 04 coachmen Somerset that came with a short hitch. I called Coachmen to see if I could put an extended hitch on the 5er and was told by them that I could void some of the warranty if I put a longer (extended) hitch on it..so I didn't add one and stayed with my slider...

Only cost a phone call if one wants to add a longer/extended hitch to their 5er and it's still under warranty, call and ask what the manufacturers take is on adding an extended hitch if 5er didn't come with one. That way you got information, "straight from the horses mouth".

[C-Bears]

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!

[NMDriver]

When comparing slider and non-slider stories you need to know what rig also had a pin extension and how long it was.

A hitch extension can take the place of a slider. If the 5er has an extension it may not need a slider and IF you do not have an extension you may need a slider.

A Reese slider moves the front of the 5er back 14 inches, which on most rigs will allow a sharp angle between truck and trailer. A long enough hitch extension will do the same thing.

If your 5er does not already have the extension they can cost as much as the slider rails so you might as well buy the slider.

IF your 5er came with an extension then you need to measure the distance it moves the pin out in front of the corners.

14 inches clears my 2500 6.5 bed cab but it is close.

[kaydeejay]

whistlebritches wrote:
We have a 2500 HD short bed and definitely wanted the slider. It will save your cab among other things when you are making a sharp turn. It's definitely worth the money.

Same here. My flat front fiver would be 11" INTO my cab at 60 degrees.
THAT is why I have a Superglide.

[NC_Hauler]

I had an 01' Chevy 2500 extended cab/short bed towing a 27' 5er and had the Reese 16K slide hitch in the back...ONE time, ONE time, I opted NOT to use it, and the 5er hit the upper part of the drivers side back side of the cab, ....Thought it would have done something to the 5er, but it didn't, only put a dent where I stated above, cost $250 to make it looked like it never happened....IF the front of the 5er' had the indentations in it, probably wouldn't have happened...BUT, it DID happen.

My philosophy is better to have one and NEVER need it, then to NEED one in a pinch, and not have it...could get more expensive by NOT having one....unless, again, the front cap of the 5er has the indentations on the lower sides which gives more clearance to make sharp corners.

[valhalla360]

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

[laknox]

BB_TX wrote:
Good friend knocked out his back window on his short bed Chevy with no slider. Did not go buy a slider, but he was far more careful after that.

Did that on an early trip...while backing up. Even a slider wouldn't have saved me that day. 😞 Just damn lucky that it was =only= the glass.

Lyle

[0rion]

I have a slider in my 2500 but never need to use it so for me it was a waste of money. It does give me some flexibility when I purchase my next truck as I won't have to worry about clearance if I want a dodge short bed or something like that.....I'll have the slider to fall back on.

[whistlebritches]

We have a 2500 HD short bed and definitely wanted the slider. It will save your cab among other things when you are making a sharp turn. It's definitely worth the money.