Reese SideWinder pin box

[6Gun]

I'm getting my first 5th Wheel trailer (Dry Weight 7,500 LBS) and wanted to get some feed back on The Reese Side Winder Pin Box. I installed a 16,000 Pull Rite hitch (Non Slider) on my 2012 2500 Ram Maga cab.
I can find a lot of dealer information on the Side Winder but very little feed back from the people that have them.
Do you like the Side Winder, is there any bad points or things I should be aware of?
My new trailer will be here in about two weeks and I look forward to some good times. I have pulled TT with sway bars and that was enough to make your butt pucker on windy days crossing a bridge. I'm really hoping the 5th. wheel will pull a lot better but the suspense is killing me.
Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[Dayle1]

flyinjake wrote:

My concern is moving the pivot point back 22 inches. One of the benefits of the fifth wheel is having the weight and pivot over the axle. Has anyone noticed a debit in stability?

Thanks

Weight remains over the axle, only the pivot point moves.

[flyinjake]

I will be purchasing a fifth wheel in the near future and I have been researching the different hitches that provide extra clearance for short bed trucks. I plan to buy a trailer where the nose is designed to provide more relief to the cab but would still like a hitch that provides more.

My concern is moving the pivot point back 22 inches. One of the benefits of the fifth wheel is having the weight and pivot over the axle. Has anyone noticed a debit in stability?

Thanks

[Flapper]

I'm new to all of this too - took my first trip this spring. Jayco with a Sidewinder - so I have little to compare to. I too have issues hitching up. To get the hitch to lock, you have to back in to the pin almost perfectly straight on. And that means straight on to the Sidewinder, not the trailer! Even two or three degrees off is asking for trouble. And if the sidewinder is angled right or left a bit, watch out for punching the trailer with your tailgate corner! My repair looks pretty good.....
Releasing also is a challenge, but one made easier by following directions. Read the manual about where to grease the pin. Mine came ungreased, and it was horrible - but after getting it lubed correctly, things got easier.
That said, I do like how it tows and backs very much. I'm sure it has already saved me from a crunched truck at least twice. And the weight/cost savings as opposed to a slider is a big plus.
So, as I get time, I'll play a bit with the adjustments and see if moving the wedge back a hair will alleviate the problems above.

[6Gun]

N-Trouble wrote:
Curious why many of you guys went this route as opossed to a slider hitch (either manual or auto)? I would imagine the cost of the sidewinder combined with a standard non-slider hitch is going to cost just as much or not more than a even an auto slider.

For me its because the sidewinder comes standered with the new rockwood.

I would like to thank everyone for the feed back. I should have my new trailer next week and will be sure to make sure it's set up corectly before hitting the road.
6Gun

[DHCamper]

Shadow_Grey wrote:
For half ton trucks it really is the only whay to go because the weight of a slider will eat payload up real fast.

X2... And it's a no brainer

[Ark235B]

This is the third season with my Sidewinder. It's been from the Black Hills to Myrtle Beach and I wouldn't want to be without it. As you can see by the photos, I had no issues getting it level.

[Shadow_Grey]

For half ton trucks it really is the only whay to go because the weight of a slider will eat payload up real fast.

[N-Trouble]

Curious why many of you guys went this route as opossed to a slider hitch (either manual or auto)? I would imagine the cost of the sidewinder combined with a standard non-slider hitch is going to cost just as much or not more than a even an auto slider.

[greenflyingdrag]

I installed a sidewinder and used it for three years/16,000 miles of towing with no problems. It is a simple, cost-effective way of ensuring that you have maximum turning capability while towing your 5ver with a short box truck.

I just traded for a long box truck and swapped over to a standard pin box setup. I was able to sell the Sidewinder for what I paid for it new.

I do agree that hitching up is a bit more of a challenge, due to the need to properly align the "key" with your hitch. Minor angle corrections can be made by simply moving the pin manually left or right, but only a few degees. In actual practice, I did not find this to be a problem.

[riflegunbuilder]

I've had my Sidewinder for two-three months. I love it. Pulled about six times, no hitching issues.

[challeno]

6Gun wrote:
I'm getting my first 5th Wheel trailer (Dry Weight 7,500 LBS) and wanted to get some feed back on The Reese Side Winder Pin Box. I installed a 16,000 Pull Rite hitch (Non Slider) on my 2012 2500 Ram Maga cab.
I can find a lot of dealer information on the Side Winder but very little feed back from the people that have them.
Do you like the Side Winder, is there any bad points or things I should be aware of?
My new trailer will be here in about two weeks and I look forward to some good times. I have pulled TT with sway bars and that was enough to make your butt pucker on windy days crossing a bridge. I'm really hoping the 5th. wheel will pull a lot better but the suspense is killing me.
Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

All good points from my end on the SideWinder , can't comment on the AB SideWinder , never owned one , BUT have used my SideWinder and hitch on 2 different 5ers with NO PROBLEMS ( towing or hitching up ) .

I jack-knifed both units in the dealers parking lot before leaving the lot , I did have him lower my hitch to it's lowest level before leaving because the nose was a little high on the Cougar , ya got to double check most dealers installations of anything , 90% just throw and go , AKA : Don't really give a rats butt after the sale OR either don't know what they are doing in the first place !

Wouldn't have one where I had to remove the wedge before hitching up , if it don't line up , your either backing in with your landing gear to high OR to low , I always measure my king pin or some point on the side of it from the ground after I raise my landing gear to the right unhitching/hitching height and write it down .

Mine hitches/unhitches and tows Good . >>>>>> PICS

[Shadow_Grey]

Beaker wrote:

There are many hitching discussions on the Forest River forum about hooking the Reese hitches.

I think I will wander over and check it out.

Something definitely wrong when I can drop the trailer, pull away 2 ft., back up, and can't rehitch.

SOP now.
Take off wedge.
Hookup.
Reinstall wedge.
Luckily, I can get both bolts in this way.

Much easier than backing up 20 times.

Maybe the problem is my hitch is 11 years old.

Maybe it is your hitch, as I bought both new and only one season on them now with no problems hitching. My trailer is a lot lighter and maybe the truck can push the trailer around to get it lined up just right too. I do lower the pin some as to let the truck get pushed down a bit when I back under the trailer to prevent high hitching issues.

[DHCamper]

kopy kat wrote:
DHCamper-be aware that if you have a factory revolution pin box you cannot change to a sidewinder because the sidewinder is wider than the 10" revolution- so it will not fit the Lippert hanger that the factory installed-

I have been all over this in the last week due to a shop damaging my revolution- and it's at least two weeks to get a replacement revolution pin box...

Arrgh... I was really looking forward to the 5TH AB. Good luck with your replacement!

[C_Schomer]

"You can tell him to just buy the pinbox to fit his new one instead of the whole thing. You both could work out the deal between yourselves. Thanks, we thought about that but the 08 is an early design and won't mix/match any of the new 5AB/SW products. He hoped to get the SW to fit the Bighorn and possibly reuse the 5AB pinbox but Reese said it doesn't work that way anymore. He hasn't got the oem box so I need to buy the whole thing with the 5er. I will figure it out once I have it home. Either sell the whole thing and buy just what I need or adapt the 5AB box to the 5er (I don't think it would be hard to do) and save the SW for the day I sell the 5er in case that buyer has a SB truck. Craig