Greetings!In the research stage on our next RV and have been watching and reading everything I can about fifth wheel hitches. Manual sliders, auto sliders, Sidewinder, etc etcBut, I stumbled upon this video posted a few months ago concerning a Reese slider sliding back and forward while in tow!Here is the link to the video Reese Fifth Wheel Slider- ProblemHas anyone else had this problem?I know that there are probably hundreds of thousands of Reese Sliders out there but this concerns me. Is there anything about the Reese slider design that would lend it to unlocking like this?There is a comment on this video about excessive weld present on the bottom of the roller tube which may have something to do with this or not? Thanks!Jeremiah

I had the exact same hitch a few years back but never had any of unwanted sliding problems he mentions. It was VERY difficult to slide at times but would generally work. Being the first and only 5th hitch I've ever used I'm not sure if there was something wrong with mine or if that's just the way they all are.

For a basic slider the B&W patriot is hard to beat and it's well priced too.

I've never based my opinion about a product/brand based on you tube or one or two persons experience with it pro or con. My '97 Reese 16k manual square tube slider has been flawless. The hitch has been on three trucks with two different trailers with around 230k towing miles. I'm a mechanical person so it has been serviced once a year since it was new. And a tear down R&R every 5-6 years. A 5th wheel hitch, especially a sliding hitch, requires proper maintenance and lubrication to work properly long term. Hope you get some "actual experience" feed back before the B&W crowd derails your thread.

I agree with Jimnlin.My 16K square tube was installed in 04 and has worked perfectly ever since.

Two things about the post seem to be missing. First, there is no tow vehicle listed that could handle a 5th wheel trailer. Second you are putting the cart before the horse worrying about something that you probably will not need in the first place. Find the trailer you like, determine what it takes to tow it then pick up a TV that will match the specs of the trailer. At that point you will know if you need a slider hitch or not.

Reese Slider- Sliding While Towing!!!! | Good Sam Community

sele
Explorer
Dec 27, 2015
jalichty wrote:
I have a Reese manual slide hitch and have had it in three different trucks since 2002 and it has never slid while towing. Sometimes it's a little hard to get it into the "far back" position, but it has never slid when I haven't tried to make it do so. I think the guy might not have "locked" the hitch when he put it in the towing position, but don't know for sure.
same here although proper maintaince has made it easier to slide when I wanted it slid. I would think that a pull test would have caught the issue of not being latched correctly and the only way I can see this happening is to not be latched correctly
cummins2014
Explorer
Dec 26, 2015
azjeffh wrote:
Cummins12V98 wrote:
I think Jerimiah is just stirring the pot! He already knows what hitch to buy!

Yep, a Curt ;)

No No No ! Its the Andersen :p
jerem0621
Explorer II
Dec 26, 2015
azjeffh wrote:
Cummins12V98 wrote:
I think Jerimiah is just stirring the pot! He already knows what hitch to buy!

Yep, a Curt ;)

My dad does have a Curt slider he isn't using anymore....hmmmm

Naa, it's going to be an auto slider if shortbed or a B&W if long bed.

Thanks!

Jeremiah
azjeffh
Explorer
Dec 26, 2015
Cummins12V98 wrote:
I think Jerimiah is just stirring the pot! He already knows what hitch to buy!

Yep, a Curt ;)
WE_CAMP2
Explorer
Dec 26, 2015
I have a Husky 16k slider and have had mine do this when something has got itself between the rails not allowing the hitch to travel the full distance to the other locking position. I know this is not a Reese slider but this is the only way I could see this happening.
Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Dec 26, 2015
I think Jerimiah is just stirring the pot! He already knows what hitch to buy!
cummins2014
Explorer
Dec 26, 2015
ggardne2 wrote:
If the lock pin is in place you would have to shear the pin in order for the hitch to slide on its own. My Reese slider similar to others in this post usually needs most of the pin weight taken off of it before it will slide when I want it to slide. How often you slide is somewhat based on the design of the fifth wheel you buy. The first fifth wheel I had (Sabre) I would slide every time I backed up as the front cap was not cut back enough to clear my F-350 cab. My new fifth wheel is a Heartland Gateway and I have never slid the hitch, even when backing into a 90 degree spot as the front cap is cut back enough to clear the cab unless you try to turn >80 degrees or so.

No lock pin on the one in question, 16K Reese Slider. Reese 18K Signature slider has a locking pin ,but not the one in the video, had one
ggardne2
Explorer
Dec 26, 2015
If the lock pin is in place you would have to shear the pin in order for the hitch to slide on its own. My Reese slider similar to others in this post usually needs most of the pin weight taken off of it before it will slide when I want it to slide. How often you slide is somewhat based on the design of the fifth wheel you buy. The first fifth wheel I had (Sabre) I would slide every time I backed up as the front cap was not cut back enough to clear my F-350 cab. My new fifth wheel is a Heartland Gateway and I have never slid the hitch, even when backing into a 90 degree spot as the front cap is cut back enough to clear the cab unless you try to turn >80 degrees or so.
azjeffh
Explorer
Dec 26, 2015
11 years towing with a Reese 16K slider and no issues.
Me_Again
Explorer III
Dec 26, 2015
I like my B&W RVK3270 manual slider so far. Great head, and a very good slider mechanism. Chris