do I need a FW slider hitch?

2014 3500 SRW, 6.4l CC. Getting my first FW, and trying to figuer out if I need a slider or not.

Is your truck a short box?

Its a CC, so 6'4" I belive..

I don't believe so, I do not have first hand knowledge (yet) but my RV sales guy told me the newer 5th wheels have front ends designed for 6 foot beds (like pictured in the OP's post). There are also YouTube videos showing this. Hope they are right caused I ordered a 3500 with the 6'4" box yesterday.

I'm picking up the FW Saturday. I'm using a buddies truck. Its a '08 ext cab with 6'4" bed. He doesn't have a slider, so I'll know then if I'll be ordering a slider or not.

First trailer and you're going that big? Or just first 5th wheel? Looks like a nice camper!

BossHogg said:

I don't believe so, I do not have first hand knowledge (yet) but my RV sales guy told me the newer 5th wheels have front ends designed for 6 foot beds (like pictured in the OP's post). There are also YouTube videos showing this. Hope they are right caused I ordered a 3500 with the 6'4" box yesterday.

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Some of them now have the pin box moving the point of rotation, like that on the Reese Revolution, which is used in the Rockwood Ultra Lite 5'ers.

Jerry1984 said:

First trailer and you're going that big? Or just first 5th wheel? Looks like a nice camper!

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First 5'er. Traded a keystone 38bhds tt that weighed almost 11k, same as this 5'er. Were seasonal campers, so I only tow my camper twice a yr.

I know this is s little late, but based on those pics and knowing the front cap o the Laredo line, you should be fine without a slider.

That being said, it also depends on which hitch you go with. Most regular fifth wheel hitches have no front to back adjustment in the hitch itself, only height adjustment. However, if you choose B&W Turnover Ball and Companion fifth wheel adapter, the Companion actually has close to eight inches of adjustability in the hitch itself, meaning you can move the actual pin 6"-8" more toward the rear of the bed of the truck allowing more turning room, and allowing you to get closer to a full 90 degrees, which you will not typically get with a standard hitch.

No I don't work for B&W, but I do have their equipment in both of my trucks, because I pull a fifth wheel as well as horse trailers and other equipment, and need the availability of fifth wheel or gooseneck. Also, I sell RVs for a living and deal with different hitch/truck/RV setups on a daily basis, so I have experience with at least most of the hitch setups out there. Hope this helps.

tinner said:

I know this is s little late, but based on those pics and knowing the front cap o the Laredo line, you should be fine without a slider.

That being said, it also depends on which hitch you go with. Most regular fifth wheel hitches have no front to back adjustment in the hitch itself, only height adjustment. However, if you choose B&W Turnover Ball and Companion fifth wheel adapter, the Companion actually has close to eight inches of adjustability in the hitch itself, meaning you can move the actual pin 6"-8" more toward the rear of the bed of the truck allowing more turning room, and allowing you to get closer to a full 90 degrees, which you will not typically get with a standard hitch.

No I don't work for B&W, but I do have their equipment in both of my trucks, because I pull a fifth wheel as well as horse trailers and other equipment, and need the availability of fifth wheel or gooseneck. Also, I sell RVs for a living and deal with different hitch/truck/RV setups on a daily basis, so I have experience with at least most of the hitch setups out there. Hope this helps.

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I ended up installing the factory Ram 5th wheel prep package and picked up a Curt 16k with legs that fit the pucks in the bed. I've got a headache rack, and I can still get about 80*. If I removed the rack, I'd be close 85*.

I have a Ram Box on mine so I had to use a Resse Side Winder pin box to move the rotation point from the hitch to under the trailer. The nice side effect is it also did away with the need for a slider and saved a lot of weight in the back of the truck. If you decide that you need more clearance I would suggest looking into this option instead of a slider I really like mine.

there is also the Anderson ultimate hitch it gives you 8 inches of movement as well the steel version is 47 lbs the aluminum one is 30 lbs 4500 lb pin weight and 24000 lbs tow rating.

barr0208 said:

there is also the Anderson ultimate hitch it gives you 8 inches of movement as well the steel version is 47 lbs the aluminum one is 30 lbs 4500 lb pin weight and 24000 lbs tow rating.

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Careful with the Anderson's in a six-foot box. The way the Andersons mount to the truck bed puts the fiver's pin either in front of or behind the rear axle. Going behind the axle will most likely bless you with chucking. In front of will greatly reduce your cab/cap clearance.

Yeah - be careful. Every year there are several posts on boards of guys that thought they were okay and have bashed up cabs and 5th caps. It's not just the clearance sitting level. Things change in a hurry when you start tilting the truck at a different angle than the 5th.

The dark color on the cap makes it hard to see how it's cut. My Keystone Hideout is called a "mid profile" and has an indentation where my cab would hit and they brag about being able to go to 89 degrees (I guess that last 1 degree and everything would explode? )

I'd look through the literature that came with the 5th. If they aren't bragging, it may not be as well setup as some. I have a B/W slider and love it but the thing is expensive and HEAVY. I think it weighs around 275#. My fear is that I'm going to clip my cab sometime without thinking I will and not have slid my hitch back. I'd feel like a real ******* in that instance.

NICE 5th BTW!!

Over on IRV2.com this conversation cops up all the time. Seems like the consensus is that the guys with the short beds that have the sliders say they don't use the slider feature very often but when they do they are VERY glad that have it. Basically a better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it, thing.

Congrats on the 5'er.

Skrap said:

Over on IRV2.com this conversation cops up all the time. Seems like the consensus is that the guys with the short beds that have the sliders say they don't use the slider feature very often but when they do they are VERY glad that have it. Basically a better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it, thing.

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I fell victim to the fiver's claims of high turn radius, 88 degrees. For the most part, you don't have to worry about hitting the cab/cap. What I discovered the hard way is the two times (yeah, twice) that I hit the cab/cap was during campground maneuvering. For those of us that have experienced this, you know how many points there are to watch plus the directions from your spotter when backing into your camp site.

I caved and installed an auto-sliding hitch, smartest move I've made. If I had it to do over again, I would order my TV with the longer bed and struggle with parking the longer truck at site-seeing venues.

An observation regarding the turn radius claimed by fiver makers. When the fiver is connected to you TV, look from the side and notice the contour of the cap with respect to the cab. The fiver's load height directly dictates the turn radius before collision. So 88 degrees doesn't mean 88 degrees for everyone, it is more of a guide than a rule.

I don't know if any of you have heard about the Z method for backing an RV into a site. If I would have known this I would have likely avoided my cab/cap collisions and the cost of an auto-sliding hitch. I used this method last camping season and even in the tightest camp sites (Michigan state parks), it worked like a champ. Hopefully this will save you from damage.
https://michigantraveler.org/2013/01/22/z-method-for-backing-a-5th-wheel/

I see someone dug up my old thread.

The 5er has been great. 0 issues with a non slider. The front cap is there max turn front cap, and I really have to work at it to get close to my back rack.

But as life goes on, things change. Wife and I are selling the 5er and giving up camping for the foreseeable future. Going in a different direction. We're both going to be retiring in the next 5-8 yrs. (Me 5, her 8). Looking to buy a place down south in the next couple yrs.
Not sure where yet.

Going to miss camping, but looking forward to the next chapter, and I'm sure we'll be back in some sort of RV after retirement. Looking forward to getting out of NY...

BTW, been using the "z" method of backing a trailer for many yrs. Weather it's a bumper pull, or 5er. It is the best method.

mowin said:

I see someone dug up my old thread.

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Too funny..... didn't even notice it was 2 years old. The month/day seemed to fit so I just started typing

mowin said:

I see someone dug up my old thread.

The 5er has been great. 0 issues with a non slider. The front cap is there max turn front cap, and I really have to work at it to get close to my back rack.

But as life goes on, things change. Wife and I are selling the 5er and giving up camping for the foreseeable future. Going in a different direction. We're both going to be retiring in the next 5-8 yrs. (Me 5, her 8). Looking to buy a place down south in the next couple yrs.
Not sure where yet.

Going to miss camping, but looking forward to the next chapter, and I'm sure we'll be back in some sort of RV after retirement. Looking forward to getting out of NY...

BTW, been using the "z" method of backing a trailer for many yrs. Weather it's a bumper pull, or 5er. It is the best method.

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Sorry to hear this, but I know a man got to do what a man got to do, I agree about getting out of NY, if you can go I would said get out.