OK this may sound elementery but i am trying to learn all I can before I buy a 5r. Most important question is. Do I have to buy a sliding 5th wheel hitch for a short bed PU or do they make 5ers that will compensate. 2. are there slider hitches for underbed hitch mounts.

Thanks,
Jerry H.

 

I can almost guarantee you will be sorry if you do NOT buy a slider hitch. Some try extended kingpins, but most fivers cannot handle the additional stress on the frame with the extenders, and many times the kingpin framing will hit the bed rails in a tight corner.

Don't know about any sliders for underbed hitches.
Bob

 

I've talked to a few Titanium owners that say there is no need for a slider.
Glendale makes them and there's an owners forum in Yahoo for more info.

I'd say go with a slider for peace of mind.

 

I have a slider hitch because my first truck was a shortbed 2500. Never used the sliding feature one time. I just got used to the restriction I guess you could say when backing up. It was nice when I had the long bed 3500 backing up, but now I have a shortbed again and I'm looking for a hitch that mounts under the rails and I don't really care if it's a slider or not.


Tony

 

I also had a 1500 gaser first short box and a Wilderness 27' 5er. It had an extended pin box and just cleared cab by 1/2" or so. Never broke the rear window or dented the cab in 2 years of use. Now have a 2004.5 Shortbed and upped to a 33' Cardinal 5er with a very short pinbox. Could drive down the road but backing up got scary. Looked into a slider but decided that if I forgot to slide I would still damage cab, so instead went with the extended pin box. If you are buying new order it that way, if buying used change it. I gained 13" inches of additional length and now can do normal manuvers without worring. Probably loose less than 20 degrees of turning radius over the slider, but I don't have to leave the truck and release slider to back up, then re-slide it prior to going down the road. Also that is only the extreem turning and so far I haven't found a site I can't back into. No problems at all. Like someone asked me prior to my making the decision, how would I handle it if I found I had to slide to make it into a fueling station or another situation where going down the highway had to make a turn. Wouldn't have time to slide the hitch and they deffinatly don't recoment driving down the road slid back.

As a PS there is an automatic slider that senses your need to move the hitch but it is quite costly, $1200 or so. My new pinbox was $175 and 1/2 hour labor to install.

Look in my photo gallery and you can see my setup ready to go.

 

Not all 5th wheels can use an extended pinbox. Check with the manufacturer before you assume that the 5th wheel you're considering can be converted.

Rusty

 

Were looking to upgrade to a 5er. And I have a shortbed 2500 with the towing and camper package. I'm also looking for more info on a slider. Like how many types, auto/manual and how much money $$. One of my concerns is with the camper package, the truck sits higher, and clearance might be an issue. What about having to use the bed when not using the 5er?

Thanks!
67HotRod

 

Visit RVnet and you will find all the info you could ever
want on this subject! [Use the search feature]

PullRite Superglide! Pricey - but so is the cab repairs.
That's an auto slide. If too pricey - go with a manual
slide. Either way - cheap insurance!
JC

 

We have a 2004 35-foot Hitchhiker Premier that came with the extended pin box. It works great. I could turn a corner with the tailgate down and not touch the Fifth Wheel. This Hitchhiker is the best Fifth Wheel we've ever had. Absolutely no problems.

 

Jerry,
This gets argued many times. Do you NEED one? No.
I would not be without one. You will find many times you will not have to move the slider to get around your larger campgounds, but the one time you need it to get into a spot it will more than pay for itself. Without it you can get pretty close to the cab during normal backing and if you forget to watch the cab because you are trying not to hit the tree behind you it was too late

 

This is a statement I agree and disagree with. I'm not against the sliding hitch,,,, just 90 degree jack-knifing! When my Dad switched from long-bed to short-bed, I advised him to get the slider "just incase". Not for getting into a spot, but for getting out of a spot. My only reason for this statement is "If you need to jack the trailer to that degree(90 degrees) in order to get into a spot,,,, You need to find another approach or find another spot." JMO,,, but I feel it's way too much stress on tires, axles, suspension parts and pinbox of the trailer, not to mention the stress it puts on your hitch itself. One axle set of wheels sliding sideways on level ground is bad enough, but toss in possible unlevel ground, a tree root or two, and the situation gets worse. Below is a picture of the wheels on Dad's Cougar during a lock-lock turn while moving forward with the Reese sliding hitch in the forward position. The tires looked like they were ready to pop off the rims.

You can view more of his photos HERE which show some of the pictures we took in a testing session. I would also like to note that operating the slider will take some practice and even then,,, it doesn't appear to be as slick as one would be led to believe. I'm sure that the different brands and models may be more user friendly, with the Pullrite Superglide being the "King".

This is with the hitch in the forward towing position, in a lock-lock forward moving turn, on level ground.
Very true and as Mike stated,,,,, one time of NOT paying attention could cost big bucks in repair to both the truck and trailer. I have towed two different 5ers with two different short-bed trucks and never had a problem by not having a sliding hitch. I feel confident in my set-up which I've become accustom to. However, if I move to a bigger 5er in the future, which will probably have the shorter factory pinbox, I'll need to research my options again.
Note what RustyJC had to say; "Not all 5th wheels can use an extended pinbox. Check with the manufacturer before you assume that the 5th wheel you're considering can be converted." and the advice of checking out RV.net and some of the other RV forums to get more opinions.

I think all will agree that getting a slider for those "Just incase times" is worth the added cost even though you may never use it. Dad and Mom traveled from the east coast to the west coast and back and never had to use it,,,, but it was there "JUST INCASE"