Reese Sidewinder

[magic43]

I finished the install yesterday and did a "road test" today. Quite frankly I was impressed. It tracks more closely to the TV's tracks, will turn 90+ degrees, and has a much quicker response when backing.

The install was straightforward and everything fit as described in the instructions. Since my pinbox is 12 1/2" it took the model #61410.


This short bed F250 can now jackknife a full 90 degrees with plenty of cab and bumper room.

[magic43]

The "hinge" in the Sidewinder pin box is horizontal only, not vertical, therefore the force on the hitch is the same as a solid pin box, even when turning.

Think about pushing down with your hand while extending and retracting your elbow. Of course your elbow is only 90 degrees, but you get the idea.

[twopetes]

I looked at the Reese Sidewinder on the Reese site. Doesn't that put a lot of torque on the frame because of stretching the connecting point further from the frame / pin box? No frame warranty issues?

Just wondering?

[SkiSmuggs]

I used one for almost 4 seasons, 3 seasons with my 5'7" bed F150. It is important to check the torque of the turret bolts every few tows as they tend to loosen. This summer, the back two turret bolts sheared off and I had to take have a machine shop drill them out. I replaced all four with slightly longer grade 8 bolts as they missed a thread or two from going all the way through the nut.
To be fair, the sheared bolts may have been due to an accident where I dropped the fiver's passenger side wheels off the road on a narrow trail and that tipped the fiver about 15 degrees.
I finally had to replace it with a MorRyde as it kept the fiver nose too high with my new F350.

[TomHaycraft]

It is a good options for short bed trucks. I used mine in that configuration for almost 3 years. Current truck, with long bed, I've pinned the Sidewinder for conventional 5th wheel hitch operation. Money well spent.