2012Coleman wrote:
Here's my 2 cents:
Why the mega cab? I have the crew cab and there is more room than my kids and dog need back there. The mega cab gives you the ability to recline the back seat and takes away bed length.
I didn't have the factory installed pucks, so I bought them from the dealer and had a custom welding/hitch shop install them - same guy has done this for me twice. He installed the in bed plug. The good news on that is that you don't have to splice any wires - its plug and play. After drilling the hole for it.
I read all the comments of those who say "I have a short bed and have never had to slide". Or - "If you are aware of your surroundings - blah blah". Well, I bought the B&W companion slider from ETrailer.com. Brought the new fifth wheel home and proceed to back up into the driveway on residential street without sliding. Didn't take long to hear the sound of breaking glass. And you can pay attention all you want, but you just can't see the corner of the trailer through the back pillar - unless you have X-Ray vision. Slid the trailer back and was amazed at how much easier it was backing. Went on the shake down trip with plastic over the back window. Sure, there are situations where I don't have to slide but every camp site I've been to has required it - with the exception of the one pull through site, and backing into my driveway - well, lesson learned.
So if you have a big piece of land and don't ever expect to be in a situation where you are backing at a sharp angle, by all means, get the non sliding hitch with your short bed (even shorter with mega cab) pickup.
The auto sliding hitches I researched required that you back up straight into the hitch - not at an angle. If you get the wheel to wheel side steps, you won't need a step stool or to hop on the tire to release the handle for either the jaws or slider. The B&W is a great hitch - compare to the others. Etrailer will drop ship it for free.
Too be fair, the B&W slider is heavy. I have to remove the tail gate and remove it with an engine puller. They make a gizmo that you lock into the jaws. You can then hook to it and lift the whole hitch at once. But I can do that myself. Unless you have a couple of friends at hand.
Good luck.
First,lets get the bed lengths straightened out. Its apparent you are not aware of the lengths. The short bed Crew cab Ram truck is 6'-4" in the 2500, 3500. The bed length in Ram megacab is the exact same length 6'-4" in the 2500,3500. So if its a Megacab you wanted, but thought the bed was shorter , you messed up .
Megacab is not offered in the long bed 8', although it can be done aftermarket.
So as far as bed length you lose NOTHING with the Megacab over the crewcab, but you do gain some extra wheelbase, as well as storage in the back seat. NO the bed in the Megacab is NOT SHORTER then the crewcab
I too have a slider, and blah blah blah, I have never "HAD" to slide it back in the 11 years that I have towed the same fifth wheel with two different trucks, same hitch. The one thing I do, its the same as you, I slide the hitch back to back into my RV pad at home. It seems to turn, and respond better doing it that way, has nothing to do with hitting the cab, have backed in with the hitch in both positions, and having it back seems to be easier.
You seem to be contradicting yourself , I agree there is somewhat of a blind spot with part of the front of the fifth wheel, sure you can't see all of it, but you sure can see the part thats going to take out your back window. I have no doubt people do these things, but sorry there is situational awareness.
