With a 6-3/4 foot bed autoslider or not?

**russgs** · 01-09-2017, 07:15 PM

I'd like to hear from members with a 6-3/4 foot truck bed. I'm considering a 26RL and I'd like to know if I should pay the extra money for an auto-slider hitch or just go with a manual slide. How often would I really need to use the slider function?...if its not very much then spending the extra dollars on an auto slide doesn't seem worth it

**TucsonJim** · 01-09-2017, 07:22 PM

Welcome to the forum! The 26RL is a great rig. If I was buying another fifth wheel, I'd give very serious consideration to the Andersen Ultimate Hitch. They are very light, and quite a few forum members are using them. With the offset head, I don't think you'll need to worry about using a FW with your truck. And with the light weight of the hitch, you'll make a minimal impact to your truck's payload.

Jim

**bertschb** · 01-09-2017, 07:25 PM

I have a 6 1/2' foot bed and I didn't want a slider. I've never had a need to turn a trailer that sharply. If I got even close to doing that, I'd start the backup process all over rather than trying to complete the 90 degree turn. What was REALLY important to me was getting an air bag hitch

**Rickflint** · 01-09-2017, 07:31 PM

I have a manual slider and have used in once in 5 years with two different 5th wheel trailers.

**perfpix** · 01-09-2017, 07:42 PM

My reflection is my 1st 5th wheel. I went with the auto slider for piece of mind. I love not having to worry about the corners ever hitting my cab. If you do a search you find plenty of "had my 5th wheel fixed hitch for 3 years before it finally smashed my cab" as well as "had my 5th wheel for 3 years and never once did it smash my cab".

John

**Jefferson st** · 01-09-2017, 08:17 PM

We have a 26rl a 02 f250 cc shot bed. This is our second fifth wheel. Got a manual slider and have never used it. Went to an empty parking lot and did a 90 degree turn to test it, no problems. Feel I may need it only in extreme angle cases.

**RVRunners** · 01-09-2017, 08:24 PM

We have a B&W Companion slider in our short bed Ford. Like others have mentioned above, we don't slide to the maneuver position that often but I like the peace of mind knowing I have it to use if needed. Good luck!

**Likes to tow** · 01-09-2017, 08:43 PM

I bought slider parts to convert my Reese to a slider. We never used it once with the old 5th wheel and it had a very flat front end cap. These new 5th wheels have a different front cap that is advertised to allow sharp turns because the front corners are angled. I believe it would be a waste of money to get a slider unless you plan on some significant sharp 90 degree turns on unlevel surfaces. I have only pulled my new 27RL once but I can see I have plenty of space between my cab and the front cap of the rv.

**Greene728** · 01-09-2017, 09:02 PM

Agree with the above in the slider is not really needed anymore with these newer front caps. With any hitch of any brand the name of the game is paying attention and situational awareness. As TusconJim stated, look at the Anderson. They have really garnered a faithful following! However, if you prefer the traditional type 5th wheel hitch, then let me recommend the B&W 16k patriot. It can be adjusted in the hitches frame up, down, as well as forward & backward up to 4in. I have this hitch in my 15 Ram set 2in back and it's nowhere close to the cab turning with our 2017 303 and the Rams bed is even shorter. Also the head removes with two handles making removing the hitch effortless. It's not as light as the Anderson, but removing the head then frame assembly separately it's very close. Best of all it can be had brand new on Amazon for a song! I paid $529 with shipping brand new!
Look very hard at both these and save the extra money, weight, moving part, etc. of a slider!

**Cate&Rob** · 01-09-2017, 09:45 PM

I'm on the other side of this discussion . . . I would never want to be without my manual (Reese) slider.

If you use the search tool in the upper right corner of this forum, on words like "slider" and "hitch", you can read hours of discussion on this topic

.

Despite the "new cap design" you will find posts from GDRV owners with short box trucks who have put the trailer cap through the back window of the truck. Usually in a twisting back-up maneuver.

For those of us with smaller trucks, positioning the pin permanently behind the axle to gain clearance to the cab, is not a good idea because we want the pin weight directly over the rear axle. This is, after all, the original concept of the 5th wheel hitch.

Whenever I am backing the trailer, the first thing is the hitch goes 10" back to the "maneuver" position. Easy to do. Because the pin is now well behind the rear axle, the trailer is much more responsive to truck steering inputs . . . more like a bumper pull. When hitching, I also use the maneuver position because I can see the hitch through the back window of the crew cab. The open tailgate easily clears the front of the trailer, even if I need to hitch or unhitch at any angle.

I would love to have the light weight and simplicity of an Andersen hitch . . . but I wouldn't give up my manual slider for this.

Just another opinion . . .

Rob