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Old 10-29-2019, 09:07 AM   #1
Brad&Tam
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Fifth Wheel Hitch Question

I just purchased a Montana Mountaineer that has the Max Turn Technology. The dealer suggested I install a slider hitch so I chose the Pull Rite Auto Slider instead of the manual. Still waiting on some mounting parts to install this particular unit but now see a regular hitch might have been okay.

Anyone ever had any issues turning a Montana with a regular fifth wheel hitch without the slider?

Just curious.
 
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Old 10-29-2019, 10:28 AM   #2
Carl n Susan
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If you have a long bed, then not a problem. But short beds are very prone to denting the cab or breaking the rear window. Do a Search on "rear window" and you will find other's experiences. Here is a link to just one:
http://www.montanaowners.com/forums/...ht=rear+window
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Old 10-29-2019, 10:39 AM   #3
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I know there are some that don’t use a slider and have to be careful turning. For me I have the pullrite slider and love it. I wouldn’t use a regular hitch in a short bed truck, I don’t want to take the chance of damaging my truck.
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Old 10-29-2019, 10:53 AM   #4
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I had a good friend (RIP) who had a short bed, no slider, and an older 5er with squared front corners. Knocked out his back window on tight back in turn. Traded for a Montana with contoured front corners. Same truck and hitch and no problem. BUT, he was also much more careful on tight turns.
Forward turns are not a problem, but backing can be if you go too sharp. If I had a short bed I would have a slider so one less thing to worry about.
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Old 10-29-2019, 12:43 PM   #5
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I have had short beds since 2005 with both square and rounded corners. Had a manual slider in my old truck and an Anderson in my current one. Only slid the slider a very few times in the 14 years that I had it, but once when making a tight turn going forward I made contact with the cab. Luckily it just barely scuffed the clear-coat and was able to buff out, but could of been a disaster. The previous owner of my current truck had a pullrite superlight hitch which is very similar to the Anderson and managed to dent the cab. So, what I am saying is that you can hit the cab even with the "max turn technology", as a matter of fact you can hit the cab with any hitch, bed length, or nose type if you turn sharp enough. The safest bet for a short bed is the auto slider, but you still have to watch what you are doing. Remember when you get in a hurry or forget that you have a trailer behind you is when you will get in trouble. If you are ok with the pullrite's cost, bulk, and hook/ unhook limitations, then I would certainly keep it. I don't think that there is a safer solution than that.
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Old 10-29-2019, 01:48 PM   #6
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I have a friend that didn't have a slider and turned too short. The thing to remember is that if you damage the trailer AND the truck it is 2 deductibles. So if you run with a $500 deduct., you are out a grand.
Also, something I don't think about much is that if you are in a tight turn and the truck or trailer wheels go into a dip or something, the trailer can tilt and hit the truck even tho on the level it would be fine.
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Old 10-29-2019, 02:38 PM   #7
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Originally Posted by dhuhn View Post
I know there are some that don’t use a slider and have to be careful turning. For me I have the pullrite slider and love it. I wouldn’t use a regular hitch in a short bed truck, I don’t want to take the chance of damaging my truck.
We have a PullRite Superglide, and I wouldn't have it any other way with a short box pickup. I have a situation in my driveway in which I have to turn tight enough going forward that I think I would hit every time without a slider. I've never had a manual slider, but I don't think that I would like that. It lures you into thinking that you're OK, and then "WHAM" when you don't manually slide that-one-time. If I had a manual, and my driveway situation, I would have to get out of the truck every time to move it, and that would get old quick.

Auto sliders are really really cheap insurance if you have a shortbox...
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Old 11-01-2019, 03:04 PM   #8
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Originally Posted by Brad&Tam View Post
I just purchased a Montana Mountaineer that has the Max Turn Technology. The dealer suggested I install a slider hitch so I chose the Pull Rite Auto Slider instead of the manual. Still waiting on some mounting parts to install this particular unit but now see a regular hitch might have been okay.

Anyone ever had any issues turning a Montana with a regular fifth wheel hitch without the slider?

Just curious.

Pullrite auto slide is a bit temperamental , they cannot be hitch ,and unhitched at too much of an angle, a bit of maintenance on them, and they are heavy. I entertained one at one point ,glad I didn't now .

I only know this as a friend had one, and got tired of some of the hassle with it, and went to the Andersen as I have. We both have the steel rail mount version. Mine is on the picture frame adapter, I have the puck system on my truck. His is mounted to the conventional bed rails, he has an older truck.

I sit further from the cab with the Andersen in the configuration I did with the adapter ,and hitch. I would have to work at it pretty hard to hit the cab, but as said you can make contact with any hitch ,truck or fifth wheel .
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Old 11-01-2019, 03:12 PM   #9
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Originally Posted by CADman_KS View Post
We have a PullRite Superglide, and I wouldn't have it any other way with a short box pickup. I have a situation in my driveway in which I have to turn tight enough going forward that I think I would hit every time without a slider. I've never had a manual slider, but I don't think that I would like that. It lures you into thinking that you're OK, and then "WHAM" when you don't manually slide that-one-time. If I had a manual, and my driveway situation, I would have to get out of the truck every time to move it, and that would get old quick.

Auto sliders are really really cheap insurance if you have a shortbox...

I went thru the manual slider before the Andersen , and only had to use it to back into my driveway, although it clears without having to move it back, it seemed to maneuver a bit better slid back. With the andersen there is no issue backing in. But will repeat it makes no difference, and Auto slider or not you can hit your cab. There is no insurance except paying attention.

I have made many a hard turns, backing, etc, and I have always used a spotter ,had my wife or whomever, or payed close attention to what I was doing. Its worked well now for 14 years towing a fifth wheel, and will continue that way
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Old 11-01-2019, 03:41 PM   #10
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... But will repeat it makes no difference, and Auto slider or not you can hit your cab. There is no insurance except paying attention.

I have made many a hard turns, backing, etc, and I have always used a spotter ,had my wife or whomever, or payed close attention to what I was doing. Its worked well now for 14 years towing a fifth wheel, and will continue that way
Maybe the Anderson is different than the superglide. Not sure? The super glide will definitely clear your cab every time on flat ground. I have a picture somewhere, although I can't find it right now, of my truck 90 to the camper. And there was no chance that it was ever going to hit.

All bets might be off, though, if you are going through a dip or something and you're turning really tight or backing through a dip at 90.

At the end of the day, I do agree with the comment that it's not bad to have a spotter, and watch the can closely. When he gets close, it still does scare me.
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Old 11-01-2019, 06:14 PM   #11
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I totally agree with CADman_KS. I have a regular bed and probably could do without a slider, but why even worry about hitting the cab when they make a decVice that will prevent it. The Pullrite autoslider is the Cadillac of hitches, but you have to have a personal relationship with it before you will be comfortable with it. I cursed it at first, then read the manual and now I love it. If not Pullrite, I highly recommend B&W ! Good luck.
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Old 11-01-2019, 06:35 PM   #12
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... If not Pullrite, I highly recommend B&W ! Good luck.
My son-in-law and his father both have B&W's. Very nice hitches, for sure....
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Old 11-01-2019, 07:19 PM   #13
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Maybe the Anderson is different than the superglide. Not sure? The super glide will definitely clear your cab every time on flat ground. I have a picture somewhere, although I can't find it right now, of my truck 90 to the camper. And there was no chance that it was ever going to hit.

All bets might be off, though, if you are going through a dip or something and you're turning really tight or backing through a dip at 90.

At the end of the day, I do agree with the comment that it's not bad to have a spotter, and watch the can closely. When he gets close, it still does scare me.

The Andersen is totally different then a conventional fixed or slider hitch. The configuration of how the adapter is mounted on the kingpin,plus how the hitch itself is mounted in the truck, it puts the fifth further from the cab.

I agree all bets are off on the dips, and such, I worry more about the fifth wheel making contact with the bed on those situations, not the cab, there is no hitch thats going to avoid that ,sliders , Andersen , B&W whatever. We get right back to being aware of what you are doing.

Those auto sliders are great, but in my experience, I don't crank the fifth wheel that tight, tight as I go is getting into my driveway . I don't do back in RV sites , pull thru only. Just don't want the hassle. I have had a back in a few times, but its been rare, I book pull thru's. My fifth wheel is 38', it doesn't belong it tight places.
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Old 11-01-2019, 07:46 PM   #14
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One thing that I just realized is that I need to "test" how close I can get with my Superglide, now that our camper is 102" wide. I will be closer to the cab than I was with the 96" wide camper.

We've only been out once at this point, and haven't pulled it very far, so I better get that figured out BEFORE it's an issue. I at least need to know where I stand.

Hummmm...
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Old 11-01-2019, 08:01 PM   #15
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<snip>...now that our camper is 102" wide. I will be closer to the cab than I was with the 96" wide camper.
</snip>
Is the change to 102" wide from 96" something new for 2020?
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Old 11-01-2019, 08:19 PM   #16
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Is the change to 102" wide from 96" something new for 2020?
Our dealer told us that, BUT I thought that I saw that in print somewhere to, but I can't find it right now. I'm guessing that it must only be 96", since I can't find otherwise.

I'd go measure it, but it's not here!!!
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Old 11-01-2019, 08:37 PM   #17
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Found it online. 96". Dang salesman is a liar. I thought I saw it online too, so I guess that makes me a liar now too.

I don't have to check whether the Superglide clears or not now!!
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Old 11-01-2019, 11:36 PM   #18
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I had several Ford short bed trucks. Ford was 6'9 while then others were 6'6. 3" made little difference. I bought a B&W slider. Only needed it 3 times for certain, used it 2 more questionable times. Not as heavy and less expensive than the autosliders. Far less temper mental than others, even my neighbor's Curt. I like it so much it is mounted in my F350 long bed dually where a slider is certainly not needed.
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Old 11-02-2019, 07:29 AM   #19
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I have a friend that didn't have a slider and turned too short. The thing to remember is that if you damage the trailer AND the truck it is 2 deductibles. So if you run with a $500 deduct., you are out a grand.
Also, something I don't think about much is that if you are in a tight turn and the truck or trailer wheels go into a dip or something, the trailer can tilt and hit the truck even tho on the level it would be fine.
We have just begun having to watch that now that the county has repaved our road. The drop into the ditch across from our driveway is deeper now so the angle between the top of the truck bed and bottom of the 5r is much steeper. I need to learn a new way to back in to keep the front of the TV out of the ditch. If I could just figure out how to back in the same motion that we pull out
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Old 11-02-2019, 07:55 AM   #20
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I had several Ford short bed trucks. Ford was 6'9 while then others were 6'6. 3" made little difference. I bought a B&W slider. Only needed it 3 times for certain, used it 2 more questionable times. Not as heavy and less expensive than the autosliders. Far less temper mental than others, even my neighbor's Curt. I like it so much it is mounted in my F350 long bed dually where a slider is certainly not needed.
There's no doubt that the disadvantage of any slider, manual or auto is the weight, and maneuvering them around in the bed of your truck.

You might be surprised, though, at just how much the B&W Slider is compared to others.
  • B&W lists the Slider as 287 lbs.
  • Demco lists the 21K as 280ish lbs (couldn't find on their website, but elsewhere)
  • PullRite lists the 2900 as 230 lbs.
All B&W hitches are built very stout for sure! The B&W non-slider is 206 lbs. !
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