Towing Clearance Options

[fam5mel]

I have a 2016 Crew Cab 3500 Silverado, regular bed, pulling Solitude 2930RL. Using a B&W Patriot slider hitch. Works great but I have to remove the tailgate to use slider. Getting ready to order a 2020 3500.
I really don't want an 8 foot bed. So if I order one with regular bed what are my options to gain clearance between front cap and rear of cab and turning radius? Could I use an extended pin box. Have no experience with them. Contacted Grand Design for their input but have yet to receive a response. Thanks for any and all recommendations and your experiences. 2020 truck will use puck system.

[xrated]

In the truck world, 8' bed is considered a regular bed. Anything shorter is considered a "short bed"

[bertschb]

In the truck world, 8' bed is considered a regular bed. Anything shorter is considered a "short bed"

Actually, GM calls their 8' beds "Long beds". Their 6' 8" beds are called "Standard beds". 5.5' beds are Short beds.

[backtrack2015]

I don’t have personal experience with them, but something like the Reese Airborne Sidewinder might be an option for you. You’d use it with a puck-mounted hitch.

[242 checkmate]

Hi: is there any chance your slider hitch is not set up correctly. From my understanding that’s the main reason for this type of hitch is for standard bed trucks not long beds. As a thought call B&W and ask them why should need to remove your tailgate to use their hitch. Maybe something’s wrong with the hitch set up. Good luck your ordering a very nice truck.

[jkwilson]

Actually, GM calls their 8' beds "Long beds". Their 6' 8" beds are called "Standard beds". 5.5' beds are Short beds.

Ford is the same. An 8ft bed is not the standard anymore. Ford calls them short, regular and extended. 5.5’, 6.5’ and 8’ on a 150. On the heavier ones they just say a 6-3/4’ and 8’ box with no long or short bed designation, but dealers refer to them as regular or standard for the 6-3/4’ and long or extended for the 8’.

[tortise]

In the truck world, 8' bed is considered a regular bed. Anything shorter is considered a "short bed"

Your Old School, Like me. Nowadays the marketing people have redefined the 61/2 beds to standard and 8' as long. Can't stand the constant redefinition

[xrated]

Ford is the same. An 8ft bed is not the standard anymore. Ford calls them short, regular and extended. 5.5’, 6.5’ and 8’ on a 150. On the heavier ones they just say a 6-3/4’ and 8’ box with no long or short bed designation, but dealers refer to them as regular or standard for the 6-3/4’ and long or extended for the 8’.

Well, that settles it! Just call me old school.....from an era where a standard bed was 8'.

[bertschb]

Nowadays the marketing people have redefined the 61/2 beds to standard and 8' as long.

I think it's because the majority of trucks sold today don't have 8' beds. Thats a 180 from 30 years ago. Times change!

[fam5mel]

Sorry to create a debate over bed length. GM does call the shorter bed the standard bed. Previously we owned a Reflection 337 and it sat back further from the rear of truck cab then our Solitude. It gets awful close in a tight turn. So that's why I'm looking into an extended pin box. When using the patriot slider it goes back far enough that the Solitude hitch/pin box can rotate into the tailgate if turned tight enough. I've come across several others who remove their tailgates for this reason. So what do you guys use pulling with a standard bed truck? I really don't want a long bed truck but if that's the solution then I guess it will have to be. As suggested I will call B&W and get their take. I will replace the Patriot with a Companion hitch because new truck has puck system. Old truck has rails. Grand Design said to call Lippert so I will do that also. Etrailer said use a slider.
Looking for real world suggestions from someone with a Solitude pulling with a standard bed truck. Thanks