When to use the slider?

[rbrand]

So far I've never been in a situation when I needed to use the slider. So I'm not sure under what circumstances you should use it.
I would really appreciate some advice from anyone who does use theirs.

Thanks

[bobx2]

dancoppins wrote:
Spend the money and get an auto slider.....then you don't have to worry about whether you should have or should not have used it......YOU WILL KNOW!!! If you needed it and did not use it.....IT WILL COST YOU.

He already has a slider hitch. Why would he want to spend the money to buy another??? A manual slider works just as well as an auto slider to keep the 5er out of the rear window. Just pay attention when turning, and if it starts to get close to the cab, it's really simple to get out and release the slide. The thought process these days that everything has to be automatic is just amazing.

[dancoppins]

Spend the money and get an auto slider.....then you don't have to worry about whether you should have or should not have used it......YOU WILL KNOW!!! If you needed it and did not use it.....IT WILL COST YOU.

[JIMNLIN]

Common folks he already has a manual slider and a simple question of when to use it. Posting about your Superglide doesn't have anything to do with aswering his question.
I'll repost the OP question as some seem to think its a auto slider vs manual slider thread.

rbrand wrote:
So far I've never been in a situation when I needed to use the slider. So I'm not sure under what circumstances you should use it.
I would really appreciate some advice from anyone who does use theirs.

Thanks

[glazier]

After you get the trailer over 45 degree to the truck, the tires and wheels are in a bad bind. To answer the question, I would slide the hitch while backing on an incline or decline if your clearance is close on flat surfaces. A SB truck will get into a fifth wheel if you don't pay attention, any trailer will hit at some point in a turn backing up. I never understood the needing to jack a RV trailer to 90 degree, commercial trucks need to at times to get in tight spots.

[C-Bears]

I have a newer Montana and a F350 short bed (6'8"). I went with the Reese manual slider and have never slid it. I have jacked the trailer backing up with a dip and never came closer than 3 inches from my cab.

Much depends on what length short bed you actually have and what configuration the front of your fiver is. For example if your bed is actually 6'6" or less and your fiver is pretty squared off in the front you will probably be using that slider a lot. Also don't forget you want a minimum of 6" or 7" clearance between your truck bed rails and the underneath cap of you fiver.

[TurnThePage]

I think I read in another thread that the Pullrite Superglide can be difficult to hitch up at odd angles. Is that the case? I don't have a 5er yet and and am a complete neophyte when it comes to the various hitch options. I occasionally drag my current trailer into some pretty tight and unlevel places. Would I have to give up that kind of camping?

[musicman54]

Coach-man wrote:

Njmurvin wrote:
Pullrite Superglide = Never have to think about it

Seriously, there are so many things to remember and think about when maneuvering your trailer. Why not eliminate one of the potentially costliest ones? For me, I look at it as cheap insurance.

That is exactly why I also purchased the Pullright Super Glide hitch! I am new to FW and did not want to put myself into the situation of "do I back, or do I push the slide back"! Yes it is a little more expensive, but it one less thing to worry about when backing into a camping space!

same here pull rite makes look i know what im doing

[dpam]

I have a Reese manual slider in the GMC 3500- 2011 regular box (6.5ft) and I tow a 2010 Montana, and so far I have not needed the slider. Plus, if I needed the slider I can't use it because the Mor-Ryde pin on the trailer will hit the top of the tailgate. I would have to take the tailgate off in order to use the slider. I believe Reese indicated that their slider can not be used with GM trucks(I found out this after buying the Reese slider).

[danojeno]

I have a manual slider and have had the trailer damage the cab twice. Once was backing out of a gas station, up a hill and through a dip. Bad combination. The other time I tried to pull a u-turn on a dirt road and was looking forward so I didn't drive off a cliff instead of back at the rapidly approaching trailer cap. The bottom line is that under ideal conditions, manual sliders are fine, but ideal conditions are rare. Get an auto-slider.

[Coach-man]

Njmurvin wrote:
Pullrite Superglide = Never have to think about it

Seriously, there are so many things to remember and think about when maneuvering your trailer. Why not eliminate one of the potentially costliest ones? For me, I look at it as cheap insurance.

That is exactly why I also purchased the Pullright Super Glide hitch! I am new to FW and did not want to put myself into the situation of "do I back, or do I push the slide back"! Yes it is a little more expensive, but it one less thing to worry about when backing into a camping space!

[mileshuff]

I too spent the money for a Pullrite Superglide. Never have to worry about it since it automatically slides back during a turn.

While it hasn't been needed for most RV parks there have been times when tight backing has required it. Having an auto-slider takes the worry out.

[JIMNLIN]

rbrand wrote:
So far I've never been in a situation when I needed to use the slider. So I'm not sure under what circumstances you should use it.
I would really appreciate some advice from anyone who does use theirs.

Thanks

I only use mine if a 80-90 degree jack knife is required. However I have a old '97 5er with a very flat square corner front profile on a Dodge short bed truck.

Many GM owners report they never use their sliding hitches as GM trucks have a longer dimension from the back of the cab to the trucks rear axle. I see some GM owners selling their auto Superglide hitches as their simply not needed.

As suggested find a big parking lot and crack the wheel all the way in one direction while backing up and see how close your combo gets. You may have several inches or you may make contact.
One size don't fit all here as many details determine how close the trailers comes to the cab.

[Njmurvin]

Pullrite Superglide = Never have to think about it

Seriously, there are so many things to remember and think about when maneuvering your trailer. Why not eliminate one of the potentially costliest ones? For me, I look at it as cheap insurance.

[JohnBoyToo]

We weren't sure if we needed one, but got an auto slider anyway...

and glad I did as I've been in some tight spots and having to go 90 degrees sometimes...

and that hitch has gone into 3 trucks now...

it's like 4wd...
better to have it and not need it then to need it and not have it 🙂