Endcap for Short Bed Trucks

[datedd]

With the discussions going on about long bed vs short bed for maximum turning (90 or so degrees) or expensive automatic sliding hitches, I would like to know more about 5vers with endcaps designed for turning instead of purchasing automatic sliding hitches; in which case standard hitches can be used.

Does anyone out there have any experience with these types of 5vers? I have looked at models like the Keystone Mountaineers which are designed for that purpose. Are they what they say they are?

Thanks!

[therink]

I have a 2010 Sydney Outback 5er and a shortbed Chevy HD. I have a manual slider hitch and have never found out he need to use the slider for menuevering. I think have been in some tight spots. My fiver has the a contoured front cap. I have had times where it has come within an inch or two and I just watch it real closely. I bet I can achieve about a 75 degree turning angle before I am ever concerned with touching. I hope this helps.
Steve

[Movin' on]

Our 2011 Silverado has the 6 1/2 ft (standard) bed. I pull our 318 Cougar which has the "Max Turn" sculpted corners without a sliding hitch and have had no problems at all. I try to be careful not to get into situations where it's necessary to make such sharp turns because of the stress it puts on the wheels & tires.

[jsmith948]

X3 - Our Cougar has the "Max Turn" front cap and we have never had to slide the manual slider for normal maneuvering. Good to know we can slide if we ever find ourselves in a really tight spot (gas station, etc.)
I agree with the previous replies regarding avoiding super tight maneuvers in order to avoid the stress on the suspension and tires/wheels

[PerryB]

Most trailers with radius end caps and an extended pin box will be fine without a sliding hitch. I have the Max Turn cap on mine and never came close to needing to slide when I had my shortbed. You should be able to make 75 degrees (as Steve said above) without a problem. I've never needed to bend it that hard anyway and try to avoid it for all the reasons previously stated (stress to the tires/wheels/suspension components).

[JRTJH]

Our trailer front cap is undecut above the truck cab height, but the corners are not radiused (contoured). We tow with a 6.5 ft (now called "standard bed) without a sliding hitch. I've been in some very tight situations in gas stations, etc and never felt I needed a sliding hitch. I'm able to get about a 65 to 75 degree angle backing and am about 2 or 3" from the cab at that angle. Like others, I'm much more concerned about what I'm doing to the tires/wheels and axles/bearings at that kind of angle than I am about the truck cab. Granted, to hit it would be expensive, but to bend a spindle or torque a bearing would be just as expensive or even more expensiive should the axle come apart from the unseen damage some miles down the road. Last documented repair job on this forum that I recall was for a tire separation and the repair cost was better than $9500. I'd prefer to stay away from twisting my suspension and running gear if possible.

So far, I've felt no need for or "wished I had" a sliding hitch.

[datedd]

Thanks. My apologies. I should have mentioned the subject TV, which is a '12 F 350 SRW SB since the bed characteristics of the BIG three are different.

Perhaps like was mentioned, a manual slider (for insurance) in case a turning situation my look bleak I would have the option as I have heard in other forums with people who have this combination. I agree, I had seen the Reese Revolution YouTube video, where the guy is spinning the coach like a top. I can hear the tires screaming from my home! I think one also has to think about the "swing" when doing that to keep the back end of the coach from hitting something.


Hopefully would like to hear some more dialog. And once again thanks for your opinions on this!!

[mhs4771]

In a perfect world you should be fine, BUT not all camping spots are on the level and while you may have clearance when level, twist the TV one way and the 5er the other and you may find Contact. I think as mentioned a manual slider would provide you with that level of insurance. Search on other forums and there are stories of the folks that tempted fate and were fine until that fateful day when they were watching that tree and not giving the TV/5er contact area the normal attention and heard that crunch or pop of a rear window. We can only advise, you must make the decision. Myself, I prefer the Long Bed, then don't have any worries.

[PerryB]

Be sure you decide if you want a manual slider or not BEFORE you mount the bed rails, as the sliders have their rails located further aft. If you mount the rails for a non sliding hitch, and then put a slider on them, the hitch will be too far forward in the normal towing position.

[SteveC7010]

Originally Posted by PerryB

Be sure you decide if you want a manual slider or not BEFORE you mount the bed rails, as the sliders have their rails located further aft. If you mount the rails for a non sliding hitch, and then put a slider on them, the hitch will be too far forward in the normal towing position.

Perry,

The Reese rail kit I just installed in the new truck only had one possible mounting location. There was no mention of different mounting for slider versus non-slider usage.

Installation instructions: http://reeseprod.com/content/downloa.../N56002-53.pdf

Product Info: http://reeseprod.com/content/product...&part=56002-53

Do you have any additional insight or more specific information to offer regarding your info?

[JRTJH]

It's the same with the Curt Hitch frame adapters and hitch rails. There is only one possible position on the frame and one possible position to install the bed rails. The installation indicates specifically that the "rear edge of the front hitch rail is to be 54.094" from the rear of the truck bed (short or long box) and when any hitch is installed, whether it is a sliding hitch or a stationary hitch, the hitch head will then be positioned 2.5" forward of the axle centerline.

On older (prior to 2003) hitches, there may have been a difference in mounting positions, but on the newer hitches, the roller assemblies are designed to fit the same hitch rails as the stationary hitches, at least with Curt hitches and apparently with Reese hitches as well.

Here is the installation sheet for the Ford SuperDuty Hitch kit:

https://www.curtmfg.com/masterlibrar..._16443_INS.PDF

The Curt R20 Roller Hitch mounts to the "standard industry bedrails" per the instruction sheet for the hitch:

https://www.curtmfg.com/masterlibrar..._16550_INS.PDF

When I bought our hitch I was concerned if I might need a roller hitch and asked the question about installing a stationary hitch and possibly needing to upgrade. The installer told me that if I found I needed a roller hitch, all I needed to do was change out the hitch, the rails in the truck remain the same. He did say that they might need a slight adjustment so the tabs on the new hitch fit well (meaning a 1/8" adjustment to align the holes if needed).

[PerryB]

My last hitch was a Draw-tite slider and the rails were installed about 4" aft of the non-slide location due to the hitch head being ahead of center when in the towing position. The result was the kingpin being in the proper position of 1-1/2" to 2" ahead of the axle. If the sliding hitch head sits centered between the rails as the non slider does then this becomes a non-issue, but it sure seems like that would make for a very limited range of travel.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by PerryB

My last hitch was a Draw-tite slider and the rails were installed about 4" aft of the non-slide location due to the hitch head being ahead of center when in the towing position. The result was the kingpin being in the proper position of 1-1/2" to 2" ahead of the axle. If the sliding hitch head sits centered between the rails as the non slider does then this becomes a non-issue, but it sure seems like that would make for a very limited range of travel.

Perry,

If you look at the Curt hitch (the second site I listed) on the 5th page, it shows how the roller rails attach to the bed rails in the truck. The very front of the roller rails attach to the front bedrail but the rear of the roller rails over ride the back bedrail by about 6". So, when the hitch is installed, it sits "centered" over the bedrails, and when it is the back position, it sits behind the rear bedrail by a few inches. It makes up the "limited travel" since it rolls over the back bedrail and continues rearward.

I do believe (might be wrong) that since about 2003, all the bedrails have been pretty much standard distance apart and pretty much the same distance from the rear of the PU bed to the rear of the front bedrail. So, pretty much any hitch will fit in any truck (with the exception of the new hitches without bedrails).

What I was told when I had my hitch installed was that if I found I need a sliding hitch, all I need to buy would be the roller kit and the head adapter. They would then take my hitch off the stand and mount it on the roller adapter assembly and it will pin directly to my installed bedrails. They told me that the bedrails are installed exactly the same for either hitch.

[PerryB]

After my last post I looked at the links you posted and I see the Curt is centered when towing. This makes a lot more sense than the arrangement I had. Also, it's been a while since I owned this type of hitch and forgot that the slide rails are above the mounting rails and my remark about limited range of travel was illogical. Kind of makes you wonder what they were thinking when designing the older Draw-tite (purchased new in 2002). I haven't looked at any of the Cequent products yet (Reese, Draw-tite and Hidden Hitch are all theirs, I think) but can only hope they saw the error of their ways. FWIW, my old slider was on a standard rail spacing pattern, just an unusual aft location. I now have a longbed with a B&W/Companion set-up so I don't need a slider anymore. ** To the original poster, in the summer of 2010 I towed my Mountaineer 345DBQ from N.California to Alaska and back (with a shortbed) on a 5 week trip and never needed to slide the hitch.