Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 

Go Back   Keystone RV Forums > Keystone Fleet | Keystone RV Models > Fifth Wheels
Click Here to Login

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 01-21-2021, 02:03 PM   #1
LT Dan
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: West Milford
Posts: 15
5th wheel hitch recommendation

Hello Guys,
I just placed an order for a 2021 Ram 3500 with short 6.4 bed with factory pucks. I have a 2015. Montana 375 FLF. I currently have a ford with 8 ft bed with a B & W setup. I have come to appreciate their quality. However with a short bed I need a slider. Please forgive my ignorance but with a manual slider will I need to activate it when driving city streets or pulling into gas stations for fear i will do damage? If so I can see the necessity for an auto slider. However I have heard that you cannot disconnect from auto sliders if the truck is at an angle to the trailer. This would be an issue at my current tight seasonal site. Also the trailer has a morryde pinbox which may be an issue as well with auto sliders. Can someone with a similar setup with more experience than I please help & advise!!!
Thanks Dan
LT Dan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-2021, 02:20 PM   #2
Happycamper2018
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: derry
Posts: 26
i have 6' 4" bed and i have the anderson hitch with B&D turn over ball works great , lots of turning radius and easy to remove if i want to use the bed i think it weighs about 35 pounds
Happycamper2018 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-2021, 02:25 PM   #3
jasin1
Senior Member
 
jasin1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Upper Chesapeake Bay
Posts: 4,804
Quote:
Originally Posted by LT Dan View Post
Hello Guys,
I just placed an order for a 2021 Ram 3500 with short 6.4 bed with factory pucks. I have a 2015. Montana 375 FLF. I currently have a ford with 8 ft bed with a B & W setup. I have come to appreciate their quality. However with a short bed I need a slider. Please forgive my ignorance but with a manual slider will I need to activate it when driving city streets or pulling into gas stations for fear i will do damage? If so I can see the necessity for an auto slider. However I have heard that you cannot disconnect from auto sliders if the truck is at an angle to the trailer. This would be an issue at my current tight seasonal site. Also the trailer has a morryde pinbox which may be an issue as well with auto sliders. Can someone with a similar setup with more experience than I please help & advise!!!
Thanks Dan
I purchased a manual Reese slider for my 6.5 bed on a ram 2500 I just sold,I used it at first but stopped after I realized I didn’t need it other then a extreme maneuver. If your careful it won’t be a problem. Streets won’t be a problem unless for some crazy reason you try a u turn on a tight street. Unless you were taken down a dead end that prob wouldn’t happen..it doesn’t take much to activate the slider at a campsite but it’s somewhat of loud clunky unrefined maneuver. Always draws attention at least how I was performing it lol.
Auto sliders are VERY heavy. Once they are installed that’s prob a where they will stay. Maybe try a Anderson ultimate or a goose box Both give you access to the bed as a benefit
__________________
2020 Cougar 315 RLS
2020 Ram 3500 6.7HO 4.10 Dually Aisin
jasin1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-2021, 03:01 PM   #4
sourdough
Site Team
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: W. Texas
Posts: 17,598
Quote:
Originally Posted by Happycamper2018 View Post
i have 6' 4" bed and i have the anderson hitch with B&D turn over ball works great , lots of turning radius and easy to remove if i want to use the bed i think it weighs about 35 pounds
I use the above combo as well and it has worked well.
__________________
Danny and Susan, wife of 56 years
2019 Ram 3500 Laramie CC SWB SB 6.4 4x4 4.10
2020 Montana High Country 331RL
sourdough is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-2021, 03:25 PM   #5
wiredgeorge
Senior Member
 
wiredgeorge's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Mico, TX
Posts: 7,392
LT Dan, You are going to hear which hitch each individual uses as it is a reflection of their good taste, intelligence and well, just what they heard was a wonderful hitch. This becomes sort of a poll. Any hitch that will work on a short bed will be fine. I personally have a long bed but do use an Anderson Ultimate with a turn over ball in the bed but that doesn't make my selection the only one. Good luck.
__________________
wiredgeorge Mico TX
2006 F350 CC 4WD 6.0L
2002 Keystone Cougar 278
2006 GL1800 Roadsmith Trike
wiredgeorge is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-2021, 03:35 PM   #6
tech740
Senior Member
 
tech740's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Hemlock
Posts: 816
I have the Andersen also on a 2019 Ram 3500 short bed with the pucks. Works great for me. You may consider a goosebox though and not need a hitch at all. I know that is what I would do looking back.
__________________
R.J. and Ginger

2019 Ram 3500 6.7 HO, Aisin Trans 3:73
Reese Goosebox
2019 Sandpiper 379FLOK
tech740 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-2021, 04:09 PM   #7
CedarCreekWoody
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: Trinidad,TX
Posts: 968
Quote:
Originally Posted by tech740 View Post
I have the Andersen also on a 2019 Ram 3500 short bed with the pucks. Works great for me. You may consider a goosebox though and not need a hitch at all. I know that is what I would do looking back.
Also looking back here and I think the Goosebox has a lot of merit. Only the Goose neck ball in your truck, and that is removable. I've never use one but I like the concept. I should add that I've had no problems with my Andersen.
__________________
Woody
Cedar Creek Lake, Texas
2019 Laredo 290 SRL
2019 Ram 2500, 4x4, Cummins diesel
Andersen hitch
CedarCreekWoody is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-2021, 05:18 PM   #8
LT Dan
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: West Milford
Posts: 15
Thanks You Guys,
Im glad to hear that there is no need to utilize the slide feature for normal road maneuvers. I really didn't like the alignment issues with the auto sliders. I realize over the last few years there is great respect for anderson hitches. I can respect that but I am just one of those guys that likes substantial steel. Sorry!!! I am incline to stick with B & W just get their slider version with pucks. There are so many options and costly ones. I just want to buy once with what I feel is quality and tested by others with similar rigs. I am getting the impression that an auto slider is not a necessity until making sharp maneuvers at certain campgrounds. If that is true I have no problem pulling on a manual slider release handle.
LT Dan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-2021, 05:25 PM   #9
jasin1
Senior Member
 
jasin1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Upper Chesapeake Bay
Posts: 4,804
Quote:
Originally Posted by LT Dan View Post
Thanks You Guys,
Im glad to hear that there is no need to utilize the slide feature for normal road maneuvers. I really didn't like the alignment issues with the auto sliders. I realize over the last few years there is great respect for anderson hitches. I can respect that but I am just one of those guys that likes substantial steel. Sorry!!! I am incline to stick with B & W just get their slider version with pucks. There are so many options and costly ones. I just want to buy once with what I feel is quality and tested by others with similar rigs. I am getting the impression that an auto slider is not a necessity until making sharp maneuvers at certain campgrounds. If that is true I have no problem pulling on a manual slider release handle.
Did you sell your old hitch? I kept my slider hitch because it was only a few months old.I bought a set of fixed legs for it and took the slider off. It was a cheap conversion. I still have the slider in case I get another shortened truck in the future. With your b&w you may be able to by the ram slider base for it.
__________________
2020 Cougar 315 RLS
2020 Ram 3500 6.7HO 4.10 Dually Aisin
jasin1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-2021, 05:29 PM   #10
LT Dan
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: West Milford
Posts: 15
No I still have the companion hitch. It is the set up for the turn over ball setup. I think I would only be able to utilize the top removable 5th wheel plate off of it. I don't think the base can be converted over to a slider with pucks
LT Dan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-2021, 05:37 PM   #11
LT Dan
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: West Milford
Posts: 15
I see what you are saying Jason. I have to see what buying the base costs vs selling used pristine one with less that 2000 miles on it then purchasing a new slider.
LT Dan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-2021, 05:51 PM   #12
jasin1
Senior Member
 
jasin1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Upper Chesapeake Bay
Posts: 4,804
Quote:
Originally Posted by LT Dan View Post
I see what you are saying Jason. I have to see what buying the base costs vs selling used pristine one with less that 2000 miles on it then purchasing a new slider.
Good luck with it...I was gonna go for a b&w when I got the new truck last month.. I still might do that,I also have been looking for a ram factory hitch on Craigslist but no luck so far.I think curt makes the factory hitch. If I could find a factory used one in good shape I may go for it. With my Reese I had to have the puck adapter base and it has a lot of play in it.
__________________
2020 Cougar 315 RLS
2020 Ram 3500 6.7HO 4.10 Dually Aisin
jasin1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-2021, 06:04 PM   #13
jasin1
Senior Member
 
jasin1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Upper Chesapeake Bay
Posts: 4,804
Quote:
Originally Posted by LT Dan View Post
I see what you are saying Jason. I have to see what buying the base costs vs selling used pristine one with less that 2000 miles on it then purchasing a new slider.
Congrats on the new truck
__________________
2020 Cougar 315 RLS
2020 Ram 3500 6.7HO 4.10 Dually Aisin
jasin1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-2021, 07:15 PM   #14
LT Dan
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: West Milford
Posts: 15
Thanks for all your advise!!!
I do hope the truck gets delivered by March
LT Dan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-24-2021, 02:47 PM   #15
ewbldavis
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2020
Location: Canton
Posts: 289
I'll throw a suggestion out here since you already have the B&W hitch.

Is it puck compatible? Can you throw it in the truck and see how tight you can turn without a slider? Some folks on this forum seem to get by without a slider, or without ever "sliding" it. You could evaluate in a parking lot and make a decision before replacing hitch.

We have Andersen. I love it. I've considered Reese Goosebox. I like that it drops on the ball like a TT. Seems easier and I know it's on and locked without doing a "pull test". The Andersen seems to give plenty of room for my shortbed, though I haven't yet tested just how tight I can go.
__________________


Eddy

2019 GMC Sierra 2500HD 6.0L
2020 Cougar 32BHS
ewbldavis is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-24-2021, 06:22 PM   #16
LT Dan
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: West Milford
Posts: 15
Yes I have heard that folks don't use the slide feature much. Thats sort of why I was asking on this forum being we all have the same trailer manufacturer. I was sort of hoping that a member would have the same short bed truck and see if they had issues with a standard 5th wheel hitch. I am not considering an Anderson at this time. The base on my current B & W is for the turnover ball not the puck system which I ordered.
LT Dan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-28-2021, 08:17 AM   #17
jimmyg
Junior Member
 
Join Date: May 2020
Location: florence
Posts: 15
New 5th wheel hitcj

For what's it worth. Try looking for someone selling used. People are always trading up and down with trucks and rv types. Got my b&w non-slider that way from 5th wheel to motor home trader
jimmyg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-28-2021, 10:20 AM   #18
ewbldavis
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2020
Location: Canton
Posts: 289
Quote:
Originally Posted by LT Dan View Post
Yes I have heard that folks don't use the slide feature much. Thats sort of why I was asking on this forum being we all have the same trailer manufacturer. I was sort of hoping that a member would have the same short bed truck and see if they had issues with a standard 5th wheel hitch. I am not considering an Anderson at this time. The base on my current B & W is for the turnover ball not the puck system which I ordered.
If you ordered the prep setup with puck system, you should be good to go using the turnover ball and current hitch. The puck system also includes goosneck ball mount.
__________________


Eddy

2019 GMC Sierra 2500HD 6.0L
2020 Cougar 32BHS
ewbldavis is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-28-2021, 12:58 PM   #19
Mikelff
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Keller
Posts: 258
Quote:
Originally Posted by LT Dan View Post
Hello Guys,
I just placed an order for a 2021 Ram 3500 with short 6.4 bed with factory pucks. I have a 2015. Montana 375 FLF. I currently have a ford with 8 ft bed with a B & W setup. I have come to appreciate their quality. However with a short bed I need a slider. Please forgive my ignorance but with a manual slider will I need to activate it when driving city streets or pulling into gas stations for fear i will do damage? If so I can see the necessity for an auto slider. However I have heard that you cannot disconnect from auto sliders if the truck is at an angle to the trailer. This would be an issue at my current tight seasonal site. Also the trailer has a morryde pinbox which may be an issue as well with auto sliders. Can someone with a similar setup with more experience than I please help & advise!!!
Thanks Dan
Dan, Keep your current B&W hitch. Put it in your new truck (it WILL fit) and take your truck and 5er to a large parking lot and see how far you can turn without hitting your cab or rear window, SLOWLY! LOL. I have a 2017 Chevy short bed and a B&W slider hitch. Used the slider one time in the last year, and that was only as a safely precaution. Really didn't need it. I have a 2018 41' Montana HC and I can get pretty far past 90 degrees without hitting anything. At 90 degrees you are dragging your rear tires and putting a huge stress on your suspension. I find 90 degree turns are rare. Once you determine how much turning radius you have, you can decide if you need a slider hitch. I doubt you will need one. If I had it to do over, I would skip it. You can always buy a new hitch if need be, and easily sell your old one. I have an AirRide Pin box but It did not move me forward any from the OEM. You might have to wait for a new hitch anyway as suppliers are behind on their orders, so you might as well try what you have first. I think you will be fine.
Mikelff is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-28-2021, 02:31 PM   #20
notanlines
Senior Member
 
notanlines's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Germantown, TN
Posts: 6,308
Dan, what you heard "However I have heard that you cannot disconnect from auto sliders if the truck is at an angle to the trailer" is not true with the Demo auto-slider we have...no problem. It comes with a plate that attaches to the bottom of your pin box and it handles the movement. The pieces on the plate of the hitch are simply removed so it isn't necessary to back up between these guides anymore. The plate costs $99.00 and installs in about 20 minutes.
__________________
Jim in Memphis, Wife of 51 years is Brenda
2019 F450 6.7 Powerstroke
2018 Mobile Suites 40RSSA
2021 40' Jayco Eagle
2001 Road king w/matching Harley sidecar
2021 Yamaha X2 Wolverine 1000
notanlines is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
5th wheel, hitch

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Keystone RV Company or any of its affiliates in any way. Keystone RV® is a registered trademark of the Keystone RV Company.


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 05:22 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.