Towing a 5 th wheel with a short bed truck

[Sunliner]

I am current looking to move on from a TT to a 5 th wheel, my question is which is what issue are rasied using a truck with a 6' 6" bed as compared  to an 8' bed. truck?

I am looking at towing a 33 ft 5 th wheel Open Range Roamer with a 2009 GMC Durmax which only has a 6' 6" bed. I have nether the truck or the trailer yet so I still have plenty of options.

Sunliner
2006 2499 Sunline
2001 Toyota Tundra

 

[RoyM]

You may or may not need a slider hitch, have a look at the lower front corners of the trailer. If they are cut away to allow extra turning clearance it should not be an issue. Our old Vanguard is 7' wide with no cut aways, we have managed to punch out the back window. We have a manual slider but it can't be moved with the trailer hooked up, I can't reach the pins. :

 

[Wigpro]

I tow a small 5th wheel with a 6 and a half foot bed and have only had one issue when backing into a very tight spot, but if you watch carefully it is not an issue unless you really get the unit jack-knifed! Turning going forward is almost never an issue, unless you are trying to make a really, really sharp turn.

With shorter bed trucks becoming more the norm - with extended cabs and crew cabs more and more 5th wheel mfg.'s are making the overhang a little shorter or adding the corner cut-aways.

But a slider hitch since you have no hitch at all is a simple solution....

Jim

 

[donn]

Since you did not mention it, i have to ask?  What truck size class?  A 2500 or a 3500?  It will make a difference on how much fiver you canmtow.  Remember with a fifth wheel you will be loading approx 20% of the trailers loaded weight directly over the rear axle.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

With the 6.5 ft bed, the front of the trailer is close enough to the cab that it can strike the cab in an ultra-sharp turn. Generally this would only occur during backing, with the trailer "jack-knifed". Whether you would ever need to make that sharp a turn is questionable, but some people do have the need.

Some 5W have their front corners cut away at an angle to reduce or eliminate the chance of interference. They also use an extended pin box (very few 5W do not come with the extended pin, but always ask).

The safe way is to purchase a sliding hitch or a pin box device called a Sidewinder. Either of these will keep the front of the trailer back far enough to avoid any possibility of a cab strike in any circumstances.

http://www.etrailer.com/Fifth-Wheel-King-Pin/Fifth-Gear/ST500-SW19K.html
http://www.pullrite.com/superglide.htm

 

[Sunliner]

"Since you did not mention it, i have to ask?  What truck size class?  A 2500 or a 3500? "

A 2009 2500

 

[donn]

Then you really need to keep your fiver choices under about 30 feet and less than about 10,000 pounds GVWR.  Anything more is going to load your truck to exceed its GVWR numbers

 

[longhaul]

If you notice many short bed GM owners don't have a sliding hitch or if they do they don't use it.

One reason for this is GM has a longer diminision, from the back of the cab to the trucks rear axle, than a Ford or Dodge.

  As other mentioned the 5ers front corner profile  with a radius and a notch make a slider useless. Looking at the Roamer on Open Range website shows a notched corner. Your dealer/manufacturer can help with making that decission.

Good looking unit.

 

[edjunior]

It's all about peace of mind.  There is a very good chance you will never need a slider.  Most newer 5th wheels are designed with the short bed pick-up in mind.  However, there may be that one time you really wish you had it.  Or you just may really want to have it.  I can tell you backing into my driveway, the corner of my 5th wheel looks REAAALLLYY close to my window.  I get out and look, and it's really not, but it is a bit unnerving looking at it.  If you can afford it, you should get it, just in case.

 

[edjunior]

You may or may not need a slider hitch, have a look at the lower front corners of the trailer. If they are cut away to allow extra turning clearance it should not be an issue. Our old Vanguard is 7' wide with no cut aways, we have managed to punch out the back window. We have a manual slider but it can't be moved with the trailer hooked up, I can't reach the pins. :

I don't understand this one.  The slider hitch is made to be moved with the trailer hooked up.  What pins are you referring to?  What kind of hitch is it?  Mine is just another lock bar, similar to the one that opens the hitch jaws.  Only for the slider, it disengages the slots so the hitch can slide down the slider bars.  No pins or anything else.  Having to unhook the trailer kinda defeats the purpose of having a slider hitch!

 

[longhaul]

  I can't answer his situation but some early model sliding hitches had pins to remove for the slide portion to work. Even had to use the landing jacks to take weight from the hitch so it would slide easily.

 

[Wavery]

I've never pulled a 5er but I do have a long bed extended cab truck with a 157" wheel base and that thing is no fun to maneuver without a trailer. I would think that a short bed may be an asset. I would think that the shorter WB would make maneuvering a lot easier. A long bed is an asset for a TT but I don't think that the weight distribution of a short bed would hurt anything with a 5er........ but what do I know???
.

 

[stormy663]

I currently pull a 23' Citation with a 01 F150 that has the 6' box.  The peace of mind with the sliding hitch is well worth the cost of the hitch.  I never have to worry about turning radius. 
You might want to think about a 3500 if you want to pull a rig that long.  Again .. peace of mind.
Just my 2 cents ...

 

[Wigpro]

I currently pull a 23' Citation with a 01 F150 that has the 6' box.  The peace of mind with the sliding hitch is well worth the cost of the hitch.  I never have to worry about turning radius. 
You might want to think about a 3500 if you want to pull a rig that long.  Again .. peace of mind.
Just my 2 cents ...

Which engine do you have in that 150??

Jim

 

[kjansen]

To the OP original question.  I have a 06 2500 with the Duramax . I do have the Reese sliding hitch and have used it alot due to where I park my 5er at home and also at my son's.  Get the slider and you won't have to worry.  The new 5ers do have the corner cut outs so you shouldn't really need a
slider but I wouldn't be without it.

 

[RoyM]

I don't understand this one.  The slider hitch is made to be moved with the trailer hooked up.  What pins are you referring to?  What kind of hitch is it?  Mine is just another lock bar, similar to the one that opens the hitch jaws.  Only for the slider, it disengages the slots so the hitch can slide down the slider bars.  No pins or anything else.  Having to unhook the trailer kinda defeats the purpose of having a slider hitch!

Ours came with the trailer, it is an entry level  Canadian made DSP two position. It has no lever, the pins must be individually raised and turned manually. I then move the hitch back, line up the holes and drop the pins.  A real pain in the butt. The trailer is light enough we can tow in the rear position without handling problems but I don't like it. We want to replace the trailer, the hitch will accompany it to the scrap heap.

 

[edjunior]

Interesting.  I can't say as I've ever seen anything like this, but then I've only been towing a 5er for a few years.  I bet you'll be glad to get rid of that old thing.

 

[Last302]

I have a duramax 2500 shortbed and tow a 36ft fw that weighs 15k loaded.  I have a B&W hitch setup which I think is the best.  I have NO problems!  I have airbags in the rear with an onboard compressor but even before I installed that it still towed fine!  With the truck you have you can tow whatever you want!  Dont let people tell you otherwise.  The guy that said with a 2500 you should not tow bigger than 30', wrong!!  Check your clearances, get a good hitch setup, and get on the road!!!

 

[Wavery]

I have a duramax 2500 shortbed and tow a 36ft fw that weighs 15k loaded.  I have a B&W hitch setup which I think is the best.  I have NO problems!  I have airbags in the rear with an onboard compressor but even before I installed that it still towed fine!  With the truck you have you can tow whatever you want!  Dont let people tell you otherwise.  The guy that said with a 2500 you should not tow bigger than 30', wrong!!  Check your clearances, get a good hitch setup, and get on the road!!!

I love it when people make blanket statements like that..........  :

 

[concordretiree]

You may or may not need a slider hitch, have a look at the lower front corners of the trailer. If they are cut away to allow extra turning clearance it should not be an issue. Our old Vanguard is 7' wide with no cut aways, we have managed to punch out the back window. We have a manual slider but it can't be moved with the trailer hooked up, I can't reach the pins. :

Use the Reese Sidewinder and you will not have a problem and it takes a std. 5w hitch.  No need for an expensive, noisy slider with the Sidewinder.  Had a slider and took it back due to noise on take off and stopping.  No noise with the std 5w hitch and the Sidewinder.  Plus I tow with a full bed hard tonneau cover.