To slide or not

[riverss]

2015Ram CC SB 2500 do i need a B&W 5th wheel slider or companion for my turnover ball thàt is installed in my truck?

[riverss]

this is good info about the difference. have not been comparing apples to apples it looks like so i will investigate.i would think that this would apply to the Andersen ultimate hitch also. an inch is an inch is an inch Right? Looks like the slides are needed on the Ram.

[Timay]

I had a Reese manual slider when I first got my 5er...it would never work, so I broke down and bought a Demco Hitchhiker Autoslide. It gives a person (me) a whole different feeling when towing, in that I no longer worry about getting in a bad situation and not being able to turn as sharp as I want. I can, and have, gone 90° with room to spare...the thing is, when I am maneuvering in reverse there are many things to watch out for, but now, one of those things is not watching how close the trailer is to the corner of my truck. Much better!

Tim

[BBFD]

Allworth wrote:
It is far better to have a slider and never need it than to need it once and not have it!

Yup! Did not think I would ever need to slide my Companion but I made a wrong turn and got into an area with homeless folks so went for it without sliding...truck is in the shop as we speak with $2,400 damage because my rounded corner TH 'kissed' the cab....

[JIMNLIN]

Its best to not have a slider if the trailer has the notched/rounded front corners that is designed for short bed trucks.

Now if the trailer is a older square corner very flat front profile like my old '97 5er then by all means your short bed Ram/Dodge will need a slider.

Don't be confused by GM owners claims of a slider not needed as the GM has a longer cab to axle dimension than the Ram/Dodge or Ford which gives more cab to front corner clearance.

[Allworth]

It is far better to have a slider and never need it than to need it once and not have it!

[Hvyhauler]

IMO... I would go with the slider, I've seen several cabs dented and rear windows cracked due to the trailer hitting the cab in extreme turns.

[glazier]

You wont need the sliding hitch most of the time at all. I did get into a tough situation one morning when leaving a campground. We had to leave early on a Sunday morning of a very busy holiday weekend. I drove my truck up the road to the turn loop, it was very crowded and trucks were parked all around the edges of the turn. I drove back to my site and moved my hitch back before hooking up, no way I could have made that turn without asking someone to move. I will keep my sliding hitch as long as I own a SB truck.

[csamayfield55x]

we just installed an Anderson Ultimate on my FIl's truck and he no longer needs a slider EVER!!

I did a test on it and it went over 85 deg. without coming close to the cab. He had dented the cab in 3 other spots with his old Reese slider that he would never pull the lever to move it back.

Just another option

Chris

[laknox]

riverss wrote:
2015Ram CC SB 2500 do i need a B&W 5th wheel slider or companion for my turnover ball thàt is installed in my truck?

The combo in my sig will NOT hit, going forward, at full lock left or right, and my Komfort is very square front. ALL FW's will hit when backing up; a slider gives you more space before you DO hit. Yes, some will hit going forward; I suspect that most 2wd trucks will, depending on setup. Also, I have my Companion as high and as far forward as it will go and have an extended pin box. A lot of guys with sliders will tell you that they have never used them then, on the day that they really =need= to use it, it's rusted tight to the rails.

Lyle

[cmeade]

X2 what old biscuit said. I have a 2010 Ram 3500 SRW 4x4 megacab 6'4" bed towing a 2014 Keystone Alpine 3500RE with rounded corners (88 degree they call it) and a B&W companion with sideplates bolted for 4" behind axle center and have not needed a slider in over 10 k miles towing. I keep watching but not really close the way I back and maneuver. Just sayin....

[Old-Biscuit]

Depends on what 5rv you are towing...front cap design/pin box length/distance from center of hitch to truck cab