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Old 10-18-2010, 10:28 AM   #1
m109rrider
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5th wheel hitches and 6ft beds

I've read a bazillion posts all over the web about 5'er hitches and short bed trucks. I'm looking at brand new trailers of all makes. They pretty much all claim to be short bed friendly because of the nose shape. I can get a screaming deal on a non sliding hitch but will buy a slider if absolutely necessary...... so my question is: With all the hub-bub about turning radius on new trailers are they still really necessary???? TIA
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Old 10-19-2010, 12:53 AM   #2
briarwood
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I have a 32 foot '04 mountaineer and a 6 foot bed. i have never had a problem with turning and hitting the back of the cab with the camper. I have gotten them at a 90 degrees from each other and they have never hit. It is tight but has never touched. I would say that it is tight enough that it would be possible to hit if you had the truck and the camper on slightly different grades when making an extremely sharp turn. Like if the truck was facing slightly up hill and the camper slightly down but I have had mine for six years now and have not encountered that "perfect" scenerio yet. I did have a 2000 fifth wheel before this with a sliding hitch and forgot to slide the hitch when backing it into a tight space one time and did have a nice rear window explosin from that but I guess they are making them differently now with that rounded nose. Hope this helps
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Old 10-19-2010, 03:51 AM   #3
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I have a 318SAB Cougar built and bought in 2010, with the extra clearance front end. I believe Keystone advertises that the camper can turn 88 deg of center with this design. I am towing this with a 2008 Dodge Mega Cab and this has the 6.5 box from Dodge. I still use the slider hitch when backing into my drive way and into camp ground camping sites. This is the only time I will slide the hitch back into the maneuver position. The rest of the time the hitch is in the tow position when towing the camper.

I too have pulled a different 5er with my older Chevy short bed truck and forgot one time to extend the hitch when backing into my driveway. I dented the the truck and blew out the rear window also. This was with a 2006 Ameri-Camp Summit Ridge model. I also never used the slider option when turning in town or turning in to a gas station. I only needed to extend the hitch when backing into a tight space.

I believe the peace of mine is worth the extra cost of the slider hitch, knowing that you can slide the hitch back when needed. As they say is priceless.
Jim
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Old 11-02-2010, 09:20 PM   #4
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I have 2010 Sydney Outback and a 2005 Ford F350 Crewcab shortbox. Started out with a Reese slider but had lots of problems getting it to move. I purchased a Pullrite Superglide and love it. Recently completed a 9000km trip without any concerns with turns or tight spots. Worth the extra dollars
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Old 11-03-2010, 01:00 AM   #5
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I have 2007 Cougar with a Chevy shortbed. No slider and have never hit the cab.
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Old 11-03-2010, 02:51 AM   #6
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Nice to have but not necessary, I have a Husky 16k slider, used it once when I first bought the camper, haven't had the need since. But its nice to know that if I need to use to get into a tight campsite I can slide it back for peace of mind.
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Old 11-03-2010, 05:27 AM   #7
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Guess I'll find out for my self on Friday. I picked up and installed a 15K non slider from CL a couple weeks ago. I pick my New Prime Time 320RLT on Friday. It claims to be short bed friendly...we'll see
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Old 11-03-2010, 06:27 AM   #8
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I have the reese slider but have trouble getting it moving. Therefore, I have not used it. However, a couple of trips ago, I got too close to the truck and put a dent in the metal. Thank God I caught it before it popped the back glass. I will try to free up the slider, but I am looking to purchase the auto slider like super glide.
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Old 11-17-2010, 02:44 PM   #9
miller8179
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My 34' Sprinter Copper Canyon is on an auto slider in my dodge and it gets within an inch of smashing the cab. I cannot imagine it without a slider.
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Old 11-19-2010, 07:37 PM   #10
Tigertracks
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My truck has a 6.5' bed. My dealer told me I didn't need a slider hitch. He said I could turn at least 80 degrees, just watch when backing. So far I have not had any problems(fingers crossed).
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Old 01-21-2011, 10:41 AM   #11
caberto
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I have a 6.5' bed and a slider... have only used it once, just for piece of mind while backing into a tight spot on a really unlevel ground... but have backed into some really tight spots without having to use it - it comes close without the slider, but on level ground, I've come very close to 90 degrees without issue... just be aware of the possibility of it hitting, keep an eye on it, and you'll be fine.
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Old 01-21-2011, 11:25 AM   #12
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I guess it would be insurance, sort of like having a Bed Saver. You hope you never need it but glad you have it if you do. Part of the reason I prefer Long Beds, no problems, but yes a little more space needed to park
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Old 01-21-2011, 11:30 AM   #13
tlittle2
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Unhappy

If you have a short bed and don't have a slider, or don't remember to put in the maneuvering position, it helps to have window film on that rear window.

That way it's easier to clean up the glass.

Got the t-shirt.
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Old 01-21-2011, 01:52 PM   #14
antiqfreq
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We have the automatic pullrite slider hitch and glad that we have it.
No problems at all with it or our camper getting into the tightest
of sports.
Jo
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Old 01-21-2011, 05:49 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by antiqfreq View Post
We have the automatic pullrite slider hitch and glad that we have it.
No problems at all with it or our camper getting into the tightest
of sports.
Jo
I have the same hitch, it is more expensive but one back window and it paid for itself.
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Old 01-23-2011, 04:42 PM   #16
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I installed the pullrite superglide and have been 100% satisfied. With 36 feet behind me I can concentrate on just the trailer and not what is happening in the box especially when backing in camp sites etc. Pullin in my circular drive is a snap no worries when making the curve. I had the rails installed and picked the hitch up in a box. Took me about an hour to install the rest. Heavy hitch to take in and out so I just leave it in all camping season and just take out for winter.
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Old 01-27-2011, 01:33 PM   #17
easternshorebilly
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I'd have to agree with the members that have dropped the extra nickle to get the Superglide slider. Simple peace of mind during backing, even or uneven terrain. Has come on handy in some of the smaller campground that we frequent.
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Old 01-27-2011, 05:55 PM   #18
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Talking craigslist

Found my Super Glide on craigslist and it came off the same year and model truck that I own, $700 complete.
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Old 02-04-2011, 12:51 PM   #19
Smitty
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I'm a little late on commenting to question but I'll add to it anway. I have a dodge with a 6 ft bed, (its actually a few inches under 6 feet) and have installed the PullRite 15K Superglide hitch. It is heavy to put in and out of the truck bed so I only do it twice a year whereas when I had my B&W hitch in my other truck I would always take it in and out when not using th fifth wheel. The superglide works just like advertised. When you corner in anyway, other than the free range which I think is about 10 degrees, the fifthwheel moves back and forth automatically within the bed. You never have to worry when backing up and making or making a sharp corner. I have a tight circular drive and can pull around it with 36 feet behind me without having any concern. It's really nice when your in a tight campground and you have to back into a tight site. You can actually go 90 degree's without it touching your vehicle. The only thing is that I have to have the trailer fairly striaght behind me to unhook or I cannot get the tailgate opened on my truck. If I'm at any shart angle the corners of my tailgage would hit the fifthwheel. Even if the tailgate was off of the truck and I was at an angle, the fifith wheel does not ride high enough above the sides of the vehicle to clear them for disconnecting at a 90 degree angle or less. So the bottom line is that you have to be pretty much straigh in line with the trailer so the tailgate will go down, then you can disconnect and pull away. All I can say, glad I bought it and have been very satisfied so far.
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Old 02-12-2011, 05:44 AM   #20
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I traded off my 08 1/2 ton chevy with a 5'8" box off last fall for a 6'6" box 3/4 ton (not because of the box, the wife wants a bigger fifth wheel). I had a reese slider and never used it slid back. If I did I had to take the tailgate off (that's how short those boxes are) With an extended pin box and some common sense backing it up..ie, you can almost "always" get less of an angle backing in if you start turning your camper in the spot a little sooner, then you can straighten it up if need be by pulling back out and backing back in. There's no shame in not getting it perfect the first time in the spot. Too many times you'll see people trying to hairpin it in just to stay on the gravel, those are the guys who break windows. Not to mention it puts tremendous stress on your torsions and equalizers in your tandems when you start passing that 60 to 70 degree radius backing up. Most all new fifth wheels have a rounded nose cone and extended pin box that in my opionion makes it pretty safe for short boxes in almost all situations. Take a cruise throught the park and see which sites are more camper friendly for your rig, some of the campgrounds around my area are pretty old and people in those days had little campers so some spots are pretty tight even for a 28' fifth wheel (I swear some places put the 4" by 4" site markers in those spots on purpose), anything bigger would be a no-go. I put a B&W Companion in the new truck, and have a Resse Slider with rails and all for sale if interested let me know.
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