Slider Hitches with Shortbed Trucks

[Glenn and Lorraine]

I would not own a short bed without a sliding hitch. I have seen way too many trucks and trailers damaged from short bed trucks NOT equiped with a slider. Way to many back seats full of broken rear window glass.

Here is my answer I use everytime this subject come up.....
If you look at my signature you will see my 3485SA Montana is hooked to my short bed GMC using a PullRite 16K SuperGlide Automatic Sliding hitch.
I am firmly convinced that the PullRite SuperGlide automatic sliding hitch is the only hitch for short bed trucks. Although an automatic sliding hitch may cost a little more up front, it has some decided advantages.
First, it rules out the possibility of forgetting to slide the hitch rearward before turning. To me this peace of mind of never having to remember to get out of the truck and manually push or pull some lever to activate the slide mechanism is worth every penny of the difference in price. Not to mention the temptation of leaving a manual slider in the potentially unsafe rearward position during highway driving. Also, there are times when manually operating the hitch is virtually impossible, such as during emergency U-turns or when the trailer jackknifes on icy roads. Under these conditions, the extra cost of an automatic sliding hitch could easily be recouped in damages prevented.
Just forget to pull that manual lever one time and take out the rear window, like this guy did, or do body damage to either or both the truck and trailer and I promise you will wish you had that automatic slider. The SuperGlide has an automatic rearward travel of up to 14" while making a turn, going forward or in reverse, that's 50% farther than the manually adjusted "slider" designs. In most all cases, turns as tight as 90 degrees are possible.
The SuperGlide also features the unique, gear driven, automatically locking, latching mechanisms. You won't be dropping the trailer accidentally on the bed rails because there is no safety lever, pin, or locking handle to mess with. The way it works is the SuperGlide wraps 140 degrees around the king pin totally enclosing it into the latch. There is no "clam shell" closure that might open if you forget to lock the release handle in place. The reason the clam shell hitches have potential of dropping the trailer is all the force is pulling against the opening of the latch. When you back into the SuperGlide you can watch the release handle slide close at which point you are locked in. You can also get out and look directly into the opening where the king pin slides into place and see the silver latch totally wrapped around the king pin. This positive locking mechanism is as close to foolproof as you can get. If the release handle is all the way in, the hitch is locked, period. Unlike the "clam shell" mechanism, a pull test to be sure you are locked in is unnecessary.
Another plus is when the hitch is out of the truck "everything" is out of the truck. Absolutely nothing, no rails, no nothing left in the bed to interfere with whatever you want to haul.
You almost have to see it to believe it, either go to your RV dealership and take a look at the display model or contact PullRite and request their FREE video showing the hitch in action. In the mean time read this PullRite Article in RV Lifestyle.
When you consider the total overall cost of the your 5er, your tow vehicle and a manual slider what is another few hundred bucks for the safety, security and peace of mind of a PullRite SuperGlide hitch?

And NO I do not have any financial interest in PullRite other than being a 200% happy user/owner in a SuperGlide.