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Old 01-10-2021, 08:23 AM   #1
Gubs
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Laying awake all night

Just purchased the truck to pull our new Montana 3121RL. We purchased a 2019 F-350 4x4 super duty crew cab diesel short bed. Now worried about if the hitch and the tool box are all going to fit in the truck or not. Also worried about the backing up, hitching up with tailgate down and sharp turns. My hitch is a 16K Husky slider which was taken out of my old truck and being put into my new truck. I think the bed in the new truck is shorter than in the old truck. I know stupid time to worry about all these sort of things, should have done that before buying the truck and the camper. Maybe should have bought a camper with the different front end cap, maybe bought the long bed instead of the short bed. Ya I know, but that is now water under the bridge. I now have to somehow make this situation work. Way to much money already spent to start all over!!! Anyhow, wants, desires and looks before functionality has always been my major downfall!!! Suggestions appreciated, advise ok, telling me just how stupid I was....NOT needed, already figured that out with some assistance from the wife
 
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Old 01-10-2021, 08:36 AM   #2
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I have a 3500 Dodge Ram short box (6'4") with the 16 k Reese slider hitch and have no problems whatsoever. No problem backing up or with sharp turns. Not sure how long the box is on your truck but I would think it would be similar to mine. I think you should be fine.
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Old 01-10-2021, 09:08 AM   #3
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With whatever you end up with and do, when you hitch up the very first time, make your first turn and determine exactly how sharp the turn can be before the trailer makes contact with the cab. Then sear that memory in your mind and when backing or turning forward, you never come close to that point.

When I got my last 3 campers, this is the very first thing I did. I did learn, pulling forward with my fifth wheel, I could turn the steering wheel all the way, left or right, and the trailer never made contact with the cab. I also learned immediately where the trailer tires tracked with making such a turn.

Do this first, and you'll be fine, no matter what equipment you finally settle on, or how it's installed.

Good luck. Have fun. Congrats on the new camper!
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Old 01-10-2021, 10:21 AM   #4
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I have the same hitch you have, mine in an older Ram short bed. As my unit is older the front of my 5'er is pretty flat compared to the newer units. I always make a point to slide the hitch when entering the campground or when I anticipate tight turning, like putting the 5'er in my driveway. The only time I forgot to slide it was when making a very tight turn in a filling station during a thunderstorm. Cost me a new back window but zero damage to the truck body or 5'er. Never in 14 years and 85k plus miles have I had to use the slider on normal road travel. Follow DutchmenSport advice from above, get use to using your slider in tight spots, and you will be just fine. Now go back to sleep.
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Old 01-10-2021, 10:28 AM   #5
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I have thought about the new front radius for turning too. I don't have experience (as I have a Pullrite slider), but the one thing to think/worry about is making a sharp turn, if your wheels go into a hole of over a bump, the alignment will shift and may cause the trailer to hit the truck. Just something to keep in mind.
I have a Chevy, so not exactly the same. But I have a toolbox in the front that is one that is under the bedrails height. And I have no problem with the trailer hitting it.
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Old 01-10-2021, 10:51 AM   #6
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Originally Posted by twindman View Post
I have thought about the new front radius for turning too. I don't have experience (as I have a Pullrite slider), but the one thing to think/worry about is making a sharp turn, if your wheels go into a hole of over a bump, the alignment will shift and may cause the trailer to hit the truck. Just something to keep in mind.
I have a Chevy, so not exactly the same. But I have a toolbox in the front that is one that is under the bedrails height. And I have no problem with the trailer hitting it.
Great advice about turning on flat vs. turning in a dip. That point that you have burned into your mind, is still the same, but the conditions have changed, and you could end up too close, hitting the cab or toolbox.

As for the toolbox, I'd be really surprised if an above rail toolbox would work with an SB setup. I believe that that the Fords are about as high as the Chevy's (maybe higher, not for sure), but when I'm at the tallest I want to be with my 5'er ' (13' 4.5"), I have right at 6" of clearance between bed rails and 5er. I have a tri-fold bed cover, and it's about 3" tall when folded up, and I have to take it off when towing, just to be safe. I think that I could tow with it folded up, but if I'm turning, and dipping at all, it WILL hit.

These new trucks are just too tall, and the 5er's are too tall, and it's a combination that doesn't leave a lot of options for us SB guys, unfortunately...
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Old 01-10-2021, 12:01 PM   #7
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Great advice about turning on flat vs. turning in a dip. That point that you have burned into your mind, is still the same, but the conditions have changed, and you could end up too close, hitting the cab or toolbox.

As for the toolbox, I'd be really surprised if an above rail toolbox would work with an SB setup. I believe that that the Fords are about as high as the Chevy's (maybe higher, not for sure), but when I'm at the tallest I want to be with my 5'er ' (14' 4.5"), I have right at 6" of clearance between bed rails and 5er. I have a tri-fold bed cover, and it's about 3" tall when folded up, and I have to take it off when towing, just to be safe. I think that I could tow with it folded up, but if I'm turning, and dipping at all, it WILL hit.

These new trucks are just too tall, and the 5er's are too tall, and it's a combination that doesn't leave a lot of options for us SB guys, unfortunately...

I hope that was a typo. You really should be at or under 13'6" in height with your rig.
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Old 01-10-2021, 12:12 PM   #8
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Recommend a glass of wine before going to bed.
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Old 01-10-2021, 12:32 PM   #9
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ZQuil works wonders......Our first 5th wheel was with a short bed and a slider hitch and I think out of all the years we had it, I only engaged it to slide 1 time. Hopefully your new setup with be just fine for you.
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Old 01-10-2021, 12:34 PM   #10
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Originally Posted by rohrmann View Post
I hope that was a typo. You really should be at or under 13'6" in height with your rig.
Thank you for that catch!! We are 13' 4.5". I'll fix it.

Thanks!!!
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Old 01-10-2021, 12:37 PM   #11
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Thanks to all

1st of all, tried the glass of wine, it didn't help much so I had another and then another, that worked!!!

Anyhow, my tool box fits inside the bed, nothing above the railings so that sounds like it will not be a problem if the hitch fits without hitting the tool box. Sounds like I just need to be extra careful and deploy the slider prior to backing into tight spots.

Thanks for all the advise and suggestions!!!
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Old 01-10-2021, 12:45 PM   #12
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Originally Posted by Gubs View Post
1st of all, tried the glass of wine, it didn't help much so I had another and then another, that worked!!!

Anyhow, my tool box fits inside the bed, nothing above the railings so that sounds like it will not be a problem if the hitch fits without hitting the tool box. Sounds like I just need to be extra careful and deploy the slider prior to backing into tight spots.

Thanks for all the advise and suggestions!!!
That's great!! Sounds like you're covered!!!, including the wine!!!
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Old 01-10-2021, 08:34 PM   #13
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Our combination is right at 13'4" and we have about 6" bed rail clearance. I changed hitches early on, had the Reese manual slider and decided to go with the Pullrite auto slider and have had no regrets. We have had plenty of odd places to maneuver the trailer into that requires needing the slider, and after having to slide the hitch in the middle of a street one time that our old GPS led us down a deadend residential street that required backing up and turning around in the first intersection, I've never had to worry about taking out the cab of the truck or the corner of the trailer. We fulltime and do quite a bit of travel and many new locations bring unexpected surprises.
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Old 01-10-2021, 09:09 PM   #14
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Our combination is right at 13'4" and we have about 6" bed rail clearance. I changed hitches early on, had the Reese manual slider and decided to go with the Pullrite auto slider and have had no regrets. ...
I loved our slider. If I ever have to go back to a slider, it will be an automatic. That's the way that it makes the most sense to me. Hitch and forget it...
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Old 01-10-2021, 09:47 PM   #15
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Larry, you just have to relax and stop worrying about things like that! It will all workout for you and you have to just take it out and enjoy your times in it. There are to many places to take your unit there in AZ to worry about stuff. Just remember that if you THINK the place will be tight in the way of a turn or in backing in, get out and pull that slider handle, pull the truck forward to slide the hitch and lock it back into position and proceed as normal. Camping or Glamping as we all know it as is to much of a good thing to develop ulcers from worrying. Take care and maybe we'll meet up down there in AZ this winter!
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Old 01-11-2021, 02:01 AM   #16
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Old 01-13-2021, 09:16 AM   #17
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All I can said is a long bed dually cures a lot of the towing issues many folks have. Yet they still refuse to use the correct tool for the job.
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Old 01-13-2021, 10:25 AM   #18
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Old 01-13-2021, 01:49 PM   #19
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All I can said is a long bed dually cures a lot of the towing issues many folks have. Yet they still refuse to use the correct tool for the job.
Ah,yes, but can you get a dually long bed into your garage? I can (and do for 7-8 months a year).
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Old 01-13-2021, 02:12 PM   #20
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Ah,yes, but can you get a dually long bed into your garage? I can (and do for 7-8 months a year).
We can't. We weren't about to spend $70K on a truck, and have it sit outside. And, it's the DW's daily driver, and I'm not getting up in the winter to scrape ice.

Our 3500 SRW SB does everything that we need, and does it well, I think.

YMMV...
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