slider or no slider that is the question

[TNFSolitude]

How to put this? Get the slider or you'll risk putting a dent in either the truck pillar or the camper. I was too quick to try to back out of a tight spot and didn't put the slider into maneuver position. I jack knifed the trailer and put a dimple into the back pillar of my truck. The camper was OK. There have been many occasions in the 2 plus years I've been pulling the solitude that the slider is necessary. Just my 2 cents.

[Bamaman]

One issue with the Solitude is that they don't have quite the same clearance as the Reflection trailers due to their being wider.

Some owners need the sliders and some don't. My Reflection trailer stays in the North Georgia mountains and is moved onto and off of campsites by professional drivers. We are going to do some minor traveling with the trailer, but to campsites that are easily navigated.

Many fiver owners with the new styled front caps say they seldom need the slider. But some owners report they dented their cabs even with a slider. They either forgot to use the slide or were to lazy to unlatch it.

[Cate&Rob]

With or without a slider, you can eventually get to a jackknife position that will bring the cab into contact with the camper.

I have a slider and use it all the time, for a few other reasons. I hitch in the aft maneuver position because I have a clearer view of the hitch through the back window of my crew cab. In the aft position, I can open the tailgate even if the truck is not exactly parallel to the camper. With the hitch pushed back, I have a lot more room to get at the front storage compartment of the camper. And lastly, it seems to me that the camper reacts more quickly to steering inputs when backing with the pin being 10" behind the rear axle centreline rather than when it is centered over the axle, in the tow position.

Rob

[pilotkev]

We have the 27rl with the same truck you mention and use the pullrite super glide and so far I love it !! It slides automatically and the other slider we were looking at you had to manually unlatch it for it to slide, the only problem we have had is if the truck and trailer are not pretty well straight it can we a little ornery to unlatch.

[Cate&Rob]

Hi Pilotkev,

I don't have experience with the auto sliders . . . but have heard that they can be difficult to unlatch if the truck is not aligned with the trailer. I have to move mine manually to the rear position, but I can unhook at any angle I end up at.
It's simple, but it works.

Rob

[pilotkev]

Good evening cate&rob yes the truck has too be within a 10 degree angle of one another . When I tuen sharp I can feel the slider jerk a slight bit but it's not too bad

[Cate&Rob]

Hi Pilotkev,

I can hook or unhook from the trailer pin at any angle with our Reese hitch in either the forward towing position or the aft maneuvering position. Usually I maneuver the trailer in the aft position, because I can open the tailgate at any angle.

Rob

[pauliwalnutz]

I would consider changing the PIN to a Sidewinder just like SkiSmuggs suggested. It will guarantee all the clearance you need and let you put a lighter hitch in the box of the truck. No moving parts in the box and and no need to get out of the truck to engage the slider. You can hitch/unhitch at any angle. You will most likely be at your max tow rating but you will most likely be over the payload rating for your truck so you need to save all the weight that you can.

[Sirsea]

I have a Curt 20K slider in my short-bed Ram 2500 and never used it with my Cruiser 335 or the Sandpiper 356, but the first trip out with our new Reflection 293RES I crunched the cab backing into a site that didn't seem very tight. $1500 and everything is OK, and now I use it every time when backing the camper. IMHO, get the slider, only a few bucks more and you don't need it until you need it....

[Jthamilton]

I purchased the b and w companion last week. I haven't had opportunity to utilize its potential in a parking lot yet as we're bringing it home now and with the Reflection 323bhs there has been ample room between the cab and camper.

However if I don't leave it here in Grand junction for some repairs tomorrow I will most likely be using the slide to try and get it backed into the hangar as it will require some sharp backing.