Slider Hitch

[Bill-N-Donna]

I’ve always had a long bed but after reading this forum if I needed a slider I would want to get the Superglide if I could afford it.

[bsmeaton]

I think the original poster is long gone on this one, but as the discussion continues - it would probably be fair to point out the disadvantages of the Superglide -

• It has a fixed height which may conflict with aftermarket pin box height requirements
  
• It requires a capture plate to operate so you can't tow other rigs, or have yours towed by other hitches unless you remove the plate
  
• You can't manually move the hitch back, which means on my truck I could never open the front cabinet when hitched, at any angle.
  
• You can't add a Bed Saver, so I guess when you start to get forgetful you're going to have to decide if it's less costly to fix the back of the cab or the bed of the truck.

Sometimes the best insurance is insurance.

[sreigle]

I had the Reese slider for several years and many thousands of miles. It's a good one. It's not the hitch that's the problem. It's the operator. I got complacent and was lucky this is all the damage I had -


Now we have a Pullrite SuperGlide automatic slider and no longer worry. We just turn as if we had a longbed truck. But the Reese is perfectly good. Just look out for that operator.

Brad made some good points about drawbacks of the SuperGlide. Fortunately, the first two points have easy solutions. As Brad noted, the height of the hitch is fixed. Our hitch installer just lowered the pinbox one notch on the Montana and that solved that problem. 7 1/2 inches clearance over the bedrails.

We have the newer capture plate, easy on / easy off. It is held on by a single setscrew and locknut. Some pinboxes have four setscrews but those for the Montana have one. Pullrite says the capture plate does not have to be real tight, just tight enough it won't fall off. It's pressed between pinbox and hitch when hitched up so it's going nowhere. I can remove it in about 15 seconds if necessary. This capture plate is a $95 item (cheaper than the adapter for the permanent capture plate) and could easily walk away, so I be sure to use a pin lock when unhitched so the capture plate cannot be removed. If someone has the permanent capture plate they can purchase an adapter to allow the rig to be towed by a standard hitch.



As for the bedsaver, I do not have one and have no desire to have one. I check for full hookup before I raise the landing gear. But if someone wishes to have a bedsaver, then the superglide isn't going to work. If there's a workaround, I do not know of it.

I can manually move the hitch back but not when hitched, which is what Brad mentioned. I can open my crossbed toolbox just fine. Brad must have a larger one or a different style but for mine and most I've seen it would work fine. I don't know without seeing Brad's but maybe if he turned the truck on an angle he'd have clearance? Or maybe not. In any case, make sure the hitch will still allow access to the toolbox.




Also, mine includes the option for the flat floor when the hitch is removed. Pull the pins and lift off the hitch. Twist and remove the pins. Flat floor.

[bsmeaton]

Steve, I don't have a toolbox. I was talking about the front cabinet on the Monty.

[sreigle]

My mistake, Brad. I can open the front locker door on our Montana when hitched with no problem. I am not positive but I think maybe you have the longbed? Isn't most or all of the extra bed length behind the axle and thus behind the hitch, making the rear bumper closer to the front locker of the Montana? Since the locker can be opened (on mine, at least) without sliding the slider in my shortbed truck, do you think the problem is the cabinet cannot be opened when hitched to a longbed truck? Does that make sense?

[bsmeaton]

Steve, we have the shortbed. Its the pinbox that represents the difference I believe. Ours has the higher GVWR so the Lippert pinbox (1116) is shorter by nearly 5.5 inches than the one you have (1621 I'm guessing?). When we went to the 5th airborne, we lost another 1.5 inches. I cannot open the front cabinet with the truck in any position, but if I slide back the hitch I can get everything open.

[sreigle]

I didn't realize (actually, just forgot) you have a shortbed. We have the same pinbox. 1116, 19,000 lb rating. But, Brad, now I'm beginning to question my memory. It's been awhile since I raised the front locker door while hitched. I may be thinking of the prior Montana, with the older body. Next time we're hitched I'll try to remember to lift that door and see what happens. Meanwhile, disregard my comments as my memory may be failing me here.

Do you recall if you had the same problem prior to the 5th airborne?

[jwedell]

Had the reese 16K slider and still hit the cab (thought I could clear it). Gave it away and got the Super Glide. Never had a worry since. May cost more but you never have to get out pull the handle (even in the rain). I now have a Super Fifth 20.5K on a long bed and installed it myself in about 30 minutes with the custom bracket. I guess they have a custom bracket for the slider (the company can answer any questions). Just measure several times to be sure of the hole locations. I highly recommend the Super Glide.

[bsmeaton]

Steve,

Prior to the 5th airborne, I could open the front cabinet, but the truck had to be perfectly square up or it would hit the tailgate. With the loss of the additional 1-1/2", it won't open at all. In fact, now the tailgate is within 3/8" of hitting the Monty when it's down. I can't risk being crooked, so I now get out and close it before I finish backing up.

Strange that your Monty has the 1116. TLightnings 2007 3400 actually had the extended box with a 13,500 rating. Oh well, guess they used whatever was in stock.

Either way - doesn't change my situation. The Superglide has enough disadvantages it wouldn't be worth the cost to me. I find it hard to believe someone would hit in a U-turn on the highway. Even as close as mine is, I cannot hit driving forward. My turning radius is not tight enough. I've done several donughts in the Camping World parking lot to get it to hit. The only way I could hit is backup up, or if both vehicles were at different vertical angles.

[sreigle]

Yes, that is strange. I was a little surprised at the heavy duty pinbox when we took delivery but then just assumed all the 3400's were coming with that same pinbox. It doesn't extend as far as the box on our 2003 3295RK did. I again made an assumption, this time that they went with less extension, and thus less leverage pressure on the frame, because of the problems with frame flex on the overhang of earlier models. But those were just uninformed guesses.