Slider Hitch ???

[alboy]

We have ordered a 08 3000RK,THE FRONT HAS BEING modified to increase turning radius,we have a 06 Dodge 3500 QC 6.5 FT. BOX ,does anyone know if we can get away without a slider,i hate to wreck my bedliner??

[Sunnyside]

Is it worth even the chance of hitting you cab not installing a slider? Look into the Superglide 18k. With the Superrail kit, it is installed with 4 holes in the bed, and when removed, the holes are ALL that is left. It is also automatic, removing the chance for damage.

Jim

[Glenn and Lorraine]

Gotta go with Sunnyside on this one. I do have the 07 3485SA with the newly designed front cap and although it looks like I could get away without the slider while maneuvering on a nice flat surface I seriously doubt that to be the case on any uneven surface where the trailer may pitch forward. With a slider I have no concern about that situation and with the Superglide it is put entirely out of my mind.

Here's my pat answer to most slider hitch questions....

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.

[Ozz]

I bought one, a nice heavy duty Husky (Valley) slider, I have recently completed a trip just short of 8,000 miles with my Ford shortbed, jackknifed my truck probably 30 times or more into very tight places in the 6 month's we were travelling, never had to use it once...
Now I am not saying you don't need one, my set up was really too high, I just lowered the hitch, this may give me problems, but it would be bed rail, not cab..I think.
I would feel better suggesting you get one, BUT you may never have to use it.
Ozz

[Glenn and Lorraine]

quote:Originally posted by Ozz

I bought one, a nice heavy duty Husky (Valley) slider, I have recently completed a trip just short of 8,000 miles with my Ford shortbed, jackknifed my truck probably 30 times or more into very tight places in the 6 month's we were travelling, never had to use it once...
Now I am not saying you don't need one, my set up was really too high, I just lowered the hitch, this may give me problems, but it would be bed rail, not cab..I think.
I would feel better suggesting you get one, BUT you may never have to use it.
Ozz

Much like a life insurance policy or extended warranty. Great peace of mind to have but we hope we don't have to use them, especially the life insurance.

[Ozz]

Hear hear!!

[Connorsmom]

Well, I have the Reese 16K slider hitch, and a short bed truck. I have used the slider many, many times already. The one time I didn't even think I needed it, I put the corner of my brand spankin' new Monty right into the rear window of my brand spankin' new truck. My black lab suddenly became a lap dog, and I used words I forgot I knew. My reasoning is that after spending this kind of money on the "toys", whats a little bit more to ensure they stay nice? I say go for it with the sliding hitch.

Jan

[JH Sechelt]

I also have a Reese 16K slider hitch.

Never have slid it back, but I should have once...."ouch".
Put a dent in the right rear cab post.

J&D

[sailer]

I have the pullrite on a 06 ford f250 shot bed with a 06 3000rk montana and never worry about making a u turn on the highway i just do it , its worth every penny

[sgtpp214]

Let's see I pay about $1600 for insurance on Van, 2 trucks and the Monty and pray I never have to use it. I paid $2100 installed for the Pullrite and don't worry whether I need it or not; it just does it. To me the Pullrite is a no brainer.

[rames14]

My brother-in-law bought a new Cougar last year. He saved money by not getting a slider hitch to go with his new Dodge truck. He hit both sides of the cab on the very first trip. I believe he would pay the little extra, even for a manual slider hitch. I have the Reese manual slider, and have not had any issues with it at all. I will definitely look at the Superglide for my next Montana in 2012.

[jchw]

There is no doubt that you should get a slider. I have a Reese 16k slider, and frankly at times, I'd love to get my hands around the throat of the engineer that designed it (and I am an engineer too). The difficulty comes when one is trying to get the locking pin through the holes after sliding it either way and it "snaps" in to place. Sometimes the pin just doesn't see the hole on the other side of the slider fitting. Jostling is required, but ALWAYS be sure you set your chaulks in front of and behind one tire before you pull up on the slider release handle. The only thing that's going to stop your fiver is when it gets to the other end of the slider. Yes, a bit of a PITA, but you really do need to have one.

I would recommend that after you get your manual slider installed, take your rig to the place that installed the slider and ask them to demonstrate the proper and easy way to slide the slider and lock it in position. Because I have a 4x4 Dodge 2500, I have to have a step stool in order to manipulate the locking pin. But have the installer show you how to do it, preferably not on a level parking lot.

Once you do get it installed, find an empty parking lot, and with your trusted navigator, make turns and find out how tight of a turn you can make with the slider installed in both the maneuvering and road-towing positions.

We were on our way back to San Antonio from Florida and had to make a premature fuel stop (strong head winds), and went to a fuel station that was not as big as a truck stop (i.e.: turn radius in the fueling area, and you WILL get in to one of these stations at some time in your towing lifetime). Didn't slide the fiver back when trying to negotiate around a fuel island and wound up having the front of the fiver touch (1.5") the headache rack I have in the 6.5 bed of my truck. Fortunately the black from the headache rack was easy enough to "wash off", but there is a bit of a scrape there.

Without the slider (automatic or manual), you are going to be in the catagory of "Those that have" soon enough of the old expression "There are those that will, or those that have..."

Regardless, safe travels.

John

[alboy]

Thanks for all the replies,i think from what i am hearing, i may just spring for a auto slider,anyone used the Hijacker auto slide???
John ,how much clearance do you have ,curious as we have a 3500 4x4,it would seem to me if you have more bed clearance,you would increase your turning radius with the new design??
thx AL

[sreigle]

Is the new Mountaineer nose the same contour as the new Montana?

First of all, I've been towing with a shortbed since 1995. I have used my slider exactly four times. We have had Montanas since January 2001. One of those four times was with one of our early Montanas. They had a rounded nose that gave me a pretty good turn radius but a slider was still needed. The other three times I used the slider was with other brand fifthwheels.

We now have the 2007 Montana with the new nose and still tow with a shortbed. I tested my turn radius and feel I will never need the slider with this trailer. However, it is still possible to crash cab to trailer if I turn too far. And that's enough for me to keep the slider installed.

I feel I could easily get away without the slider with this combination. However, there are a couple of factors you need to consider before making your own decision.

One is that my hitch is mounted directly over the axle. That is the best position on a shortbed and is what the Reese mounting instructions said for my hitch. Do not allow them to install the hitch behind the axle or that will affect stability. If they mount the hitch up to two inches forward of the axle, as is the normal practice with a longbed, then your turn radius will be reduced and all bets are off.

Second, I tow with a Ford. The Ford shortbed is 6' 9". The GM shortbed (they call it the 'standard bed') is 6' 6". (The GM "shortbed" is 6' 0" and I'd not recommend that one). The Dodge shortbed is 6' 5" or maybe that's 6' 3" (I forgot). In each of those you can see the trailer will start out closer to the cab and that will reduce your turn radius.

I'm not dissing GM and Dodge. I am trying to point out that the effective turn radius will be affected by the length of the shortbed and also the mounting point of the hitch.

Although I do not think I'll ever need the slider again I will keep it "just in case."

Jchw, that problem seems to happen when the installer did not have the bed level during installation, like maybe he had one side jacked up and there was a slight twist in the bed. My brother had that same problem.

[alboy]

Steve, good info, i will check the different sliders,my box is 6.5 inches, i am 57.5 inches level at the back,our 3000 rk is coming with the mor/ryde susp, do you know if they can be adjusted for extra height.
thx AL.

[DarMar]

Alboy, we have the hijacker auto-slide with our Dodge shortbed truck and would not be without it. Dodge, I believe has the shortest distance from the centre of the axle to the cab and even with the new cap design I wouldn't want to chance it although we have lots more clearance on our 07 Montana than our old style 03 model. There is one thing to consider with this hitch if you are going to pull different types of 5th wheel trailers rather than just you Montana. This unit uses two adjustable guides plates that your pin box will slide in between and then as your trailer turns if forces the 5th wheel hitch head to turn from side to side activating gears underneath the hitch that roll the head back as you increase the turn. If you plan to haul another trailer such as a horse/stock trailer they don't use a square pin box to fit between these guides, therefore you must adapt all other trailers you pull to the square design. One thing with the Hijacker I find it squeals and groans a lot during turns and I haven't been able to find the area that must obviously need some grease. I have lubed it according to instructions but may need a call to the manufacturer to solve this one. Hope this helps.

[sreigle]

Alboy, some hitches including my Reese can be adjusted up and down several inches. Also, the pinbox itself, on the montana, can be adjusted up and down a couple of inches. Just be careful to keep the rig as level as possible. Mine rides slightly nose high. When I measured at the frame, fore and aft, it was 2 1/2 inches higher in front than in the rear.

[tcorbitt]

I am in the slider YES camp for sure. We have the manual slider (Reese 16K). To do it again, I would go with the automatic slider for sure. I slide back every time we camp. When arriving at a campground, we go in and register, and before leaving the office, slide it back. (1) It keeps the slider in good shape to use it often (2) You never know what the site backing requirements will be and I have no interest in damaging the truck or Monty. Maybe it is only really needed once a year, but I am not at all interested in chancing it. On the road, fuel stops, tight turning are OK in the forward position, but honestly, I would much prefer the auto slide system, just in case.

With $70K+ invested in the TV/5th, another $2K for the auto slider is a good investment. Take it from someone who 'saved' a grand and has the manual slider, go auto slide the first time... After a year of traveling with the manual slide, I am just about ready to plunk down the $2K and upgrade to auto slide...

I can't even imaging a short bed TV without a slider...

Tim

[jchw]

As to the distance from my headache rack to the front of the fiver, I've never measured. I did go to an empty parking lot and made progressively tighter turns with the fiver in the tow (forward) and maneuver (aft) positions. On a level parking lot in the tow position, I could make about a 50 degree angle between the truck and axis of the fiver before I started feeling uncomfortable. Based on not all parking lots are level, I'd recommend a safe angle of 45 degrees. Learn how to position your mirrors to watch the angle (thanks Dodge for motorized mirrors). In the aft position, I can get almost to 90 degrees, but I had to see the tires of the fiver do their "funny thing".

Vertically I'm towing with the fiver virtually bubble level. With a front A/C on my 344 Mountaineer, I measured 13'3", but I look for nothing less than 13'6" at fuel stops, bridges, etc.

John

[sreigle]

Alboy, I read your post too quickly and misunderstood your adjustment question. I assume you mean the mor-ryde suspension that is now standard on the Montana? If so, I know of no way to adjust that. It sits plenty high for my F250 4x4 and my prior F350 4x4's. If you mean the mor-ryde pinbox that is extra cost and aftermarket, I don't know whether they can be adjusted.

Unless your truck suspension and tires are not stock height I doubt you'll have any problems. You said the box is 6'5", so that is the Dodge?