Manual Sling Hitch vs. auto Sliding hitch

[allen8106]

So I'm looking at getting a new truck which will require a new sliding hitch. I understand most if not all auto sliders require in the neighborhood of a maximum of 10-16 degrees angle between the truck and 5ver in order to hitch and unhitch. Do manual sliders have this same requirement or can you hitch/unhitch at greater angles? How often are you hitching/unhitching where greater the 16 degrees would be required? If you have a manual slider what drawbacks have you seen?

[dapperdan]

Friends of our just bought a new Jayco Pinnacle and RAM short box. They are very pleased with their auto slide Pullrite that they had installed from the get-go. I watched it in action and I'm impressed with how well it works!

However they're trailer tows pretty nose high now, IMHO they're going to need to raise the suspension on the Pinnacle. When we were leaving the same campground together their trailer scraped as they were pulling out. NOT good but that's just my 2 cents.

The hitch works great and my buddy is extremely pleased that he doesn't have to be concerned with clearances when focusing on navigating in a campground.

Dan

[Njmurvin]

Another Pullrite owner who has never had an issue with the hitch angle and never worried about trailer to cab contact.

[MFL]

JIMNLIN is correct, if you are getting a new GM truck, you should not HAVE to have a slider. Otherwise, I think most manual sliders would work for you.

Jerry

[JIMNLIN]

My son has a 2018 GMC 2500 Dmax shortbed and uses a ancient old rusted 16K Reese manual slider. He bought the hitch used and slide part has never worked/nor needed. The hitch has been on 3 different shortbed 2500 GM trucks of his with two different 5th wheel trailers.
Short bed GM trucks have the longest CA (cab to rear axle) dimension than Ford or Ram. Now add the new gen trailers with a rounded/notched front corner profile eliminates the need for a sliding hitch.

The only hitch I'm aware that has the narrow hitch angle you mentioned is the Superglide.
My '97 16k manual slider will hook and unhook at any angle...even 90 degrees

[Bob_Sue]

Only takes one problem, and there goes your back window. Been using the Pullrite Auto slide for years. Never give it a thought, because it always does it for me.

[Dayle1]

Simple, dont use a slider. 4 different SB trucks, 6 different fivers, almost 30 yrs and never a problem.

[Me_Again]

We have a B&W RVK3270 manual slider and a SB RAM. Because the king pin lock handle will not clear our front bed box in the forward position we always slide the hitch, which greatly decrease the chance of a 5th wheel to cab contact. I really like the B&W head and how it captures the king pin.

Works for us. Chris

[azdryheat]

I had a slider hitch on my last truck. Never used the slider.

[southernsky]

Same here little to no problems with our Pullrite.

[pyoung47]

Manual sliders do not require "straight-on" hitching since the fifth wheel hitch turns with the tow vehicle independent of the trailer pin.

The Pull Rite does require a relatively straight hook up angle, but I've not found that an issue in my eleven years of owning one. I would certainly recommend the Pull Rite, but this is an often debated topic on this forum, and I'm sure that a search will return a number of threads devoted to this argument.