Short bed - 5th wheel - busted rear window

[MTPockets1]

A short bed GMC backing Montanna into space yesterday, turned a bit tight and just touched his rear window with his 5vr nose and broke out the rear window. I've heard this before and am glad to have my long bed. My first truck was a short bed and never had a problem as I was always very careful. Also, Ford short bed is 6'9" while I believe others are a couple inches shorter. Could make a difference.

[blofgren]

45Ricochet wrote:
Real trucks have 8 lugs, no plugs, a 8' bed and 6 tires :B Anything else is merely a grocery getter with a hitch for popping sliding windows, and starting weight debates :W
There I said it, but you know I'm kidding guys. Well kind of :E

LOL, I don't think my truck would start much of a weight debate with 14k lbs GVWR and the clearance issue for me is a non issue now with our new to us fiver with rounded front cap. Oh, but it does get used as a grocery getter at times though!:B

[Dave_H_M]

WeBeFulltimers wrote:
If you put your rig in the position of hitting the back glass of the truck you are putting WAY TOO MUCH STRAIN on the axles of the fiver.

Agreed.

Also I think this thread needed more info up front. Like what kind of front on the camper, where the hitch was installed in the bed, angle of the turn, etc

[WeBeFulltimers]

If you put your rig in the position of hitting the back glass of the truck you are putting WAY TOO MUCH STRAIN on the axles of the fiver.

[rhagfo]

hbillsmith wrote:
My 2016 GMC 2500 double cab has the standard 6.6ft bed. My 5er has a sharply sculpted nose and I tow safely with a no slider Andersen Ultimate.

Well yes you can tow a 5er safely without a slider, no real sharp turns, and lose of space in the front closet.

If the 5er has a less sculpted nose you will be very limited on turn radius with the short bed, and no slider.

There are many on the forum that tow a 5er with a short bed, and a 5er designed for SB, without issue.

That said I am a long bed type also, I like being able to get to 90 degrees plus, and have that extra space in the front closet. Our front closet floor is full width and 18" deep side to side.

Just my opinion, by the way, I am sure there are plenty of cases of Long beds that have pushed too far and dented the cab, or busted a window with too sharp of a maneuver.

[time2roll]

Bigfoot affair wrote:
My Grandfather was towing a fifth wheel with his GMC 1500 cc 5.5' box. Didn't work out to good for him when he turned it too tight...

Pulrite has a solution. Fast U-Turn is no issue on my 5.5' bed.

[hbillsmith]

My 2016 GMC 2500 double cab has the standard 6.6ft bed. My 5er has a sharply sculpted nose and I tow safely with a no slider Andersen Ultimate.

[Sport45]

Uh-oh, a lot of trucks out there are going to have to saw off a couple lugs on each wheel now to feel "real". 🙂

[45Ricochet]

Real trucks have 8 lugs, no plugs, a 8' bed and 6 tires :B Anything else is merely a grocery getter with a hitch for popping sliding windows, and starting weight debates :W
There I said it, but you know I'm kidding guys. Well kind of :E

[kw_00]

It can happen but rarely have I heard or seen it, just goto pay attention. Now the short 1/2 ton 5.5 bed trucks are definitely easier to damage the rear window for sure. In all the time that I have pulled with my short bed trucks I have never had the issue.

[transamz9]

Bionic Man wrote:

BB_TX wrote:
I know there are a lot of people here who say "I have been towing with short bed and no slider for X years and no problem". But this is just reinforcement that, yes, it can happen.

I kind of think the same thing. I always chuckle at that response. I know I needed a slider when I had my short bed. Sounds like the guy you saw did too.

Or he needs to pay attention.

[tegu69]

jbarkley wrote:
Correct me if I am wrong but dont you use the slder only when in a tight spot and not towing?

Not sure why you would need slider when not towing.

[schlep1967]

jbarkley wrote:
Correct me if I am wrong but dont you use the slder only when in a tight spot and not towing?

Depends on the hitch. On the pullrite It slides every time you make a fairly sharp turn. Fully automatic. So if you are trying to access the elusive fuel pumps at a tight gas station you do not have to get out and manually unlatch the sliding mechanism, then get back in and pull front to slide the hitch, so you can turn sharp. The pullrite just does it with out you even thinking about it. Of course you can "not" think about it with a manual slider or non slider also. That is when you replace the window like above.

[MTPockets1]

Bigfoot affair wrote:

MTPockets1 wrote:
A short bed GMC backing Montanna into space yesterday, turned a bit tight and just touched his rear window with his 5vr nose and broke out the rear window. I've heard this before and am glad to have my long bed. My first truck was a short bed and never had a problem as I was always very careful. Also, Ford short bed is 6'9" while I believe others are a couple inches shorter. Could make a difference.

Was the GMC a 1/2 ton? My Grandfather was towing a fifth wheel with his GMC 1500 cc 5.5' box. Didn't work out to good for him when he turned it too tight...

no, it's a 3500.

[jbarkley]

Correct me if I am wrong but dont you use the slder only when in a tight spot and not towing?