Hitches & Brake Controllers

[Danny]

Just purchased a 2005 Glendale Titanium 32E37TS (GVWR 12,831), and will take delivery on the TV next week, a 2006 GMC 2500HD Duramax 6.6 diesel standard bed.  Two issues I could really use some help with.

1.  Hitches....The TV is a standard (short) bed, which would suggest a slider is called for.  However, with the design of the Titanium (cab-over) can I safely install a non-slider hitch?  If a slider is called for, any recommendations?  I read on the forum some pretty unfavorable entries regarding the PullRite SuperGlide....something to do with king pin compatability.  Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

2.  Brake Controllers...From what I can find throughout the forum, the Tekonsha Prodigy seems to be very highly recommended, and I suspect this will most likely be my final choice in purchase.  However, as I was reading through the documentation that came with the 5er, I found that the axles/hubs/brakes were supplied by "Dexter Axle".  In reading their literature on brake controllers, they tout what they refer to as a "state-of-the-art inertial controller called the Predator Series DX2".  Just wondering if anyone could comment on the Predator, or make any other recommendations.

Many Thanks,
Danny

 

[ADubois]

Can't offer any help on the hitch but I've been very happy with Brakesmart. It's very smooth I can't even feel it apply. But it is applying as I've come down the same grade with a Centennial controller that wasn't working and the trucks brakes were working hard at times. The Brakesmart is a little pricey but works very good.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

1.  Hitches....The TV is a standard (short) bed, which would suggest a slider is called for.  However, with the design of the Titanium (cab-over) can I safely install a non-slider hitch?  If a slider is called for, any recommendations?  I read on the forum some pretty unfavorable entries regarding the PullRite SuperGlide....something to do with king pin compatability.  Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

You can always tow safely with a non-slider on a short bed. At worst, the driver has to pays ome attention to the trailer's actual position when backing up, not an all-together bad thing, eh?  People have towed fivers with short bed trucks for 20-30 years before the slider hitch was inveneted.

But Titanium says that with their radius front end design there is no benefit to a slider.

 

[Danny]

Thanks guys...still welcoming other comments...

Gary...Your point about knowing where the trailer is is well taken.  However,  I forgot to mention that in addition to the TV being a short bed, it is also a crew cab.  Does that change the picture?

Danny

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

in addition to the TV being a short bed, it is also a crew cab.  Does that change the picture?

No - not as long as the bed is a full "short bed", i.e. 6.5 feet.  Most 250/2500 and larger trucks do, but F150 & 1500 series trucks with crew cabs often have an ultra-short bed because they are not available with long enough wheelbases to carry both the crew cab and a regular size pick-up bed. 5.0-5.5 is more typical in that size and that's simply too short for most any fiver. Even a slider may not be sufficient for some combinations.

 

[janpaul]

I will be a few months before getting my 5er, but I am setting my truck up now. I purchased a B&W gooseneck hitch and a companion fifth wheel hitch to go with it. Yesterday I got tired of looking at the boxes in my shop and installed them. I would like to complement them on a great product that was easy to install, I did it in my garage at home laying on a creeper by myself. I went with this because I will use the gooseneck also for a horse trailer, and I like how everything mounts underneath and leaves the truck bed clean. I also bought a Prodigy trailer brake. My truck is 2005 Chevy 2500HD EXT Cab 4x4 Duramax.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Nice to hear that somebody has prepared a good set of instal instructions. All too often they seem to be written by somebody who never saw the product!

 

[janpaul]

The instructions were very detailed, yet easy to understand and had photos of the installation in many of the steps which really made it a pleasant install without the need for any extra steps, beer or cursing.? ;D

 

[ai guy]

I've pulled a gooseneck livestock trailer with a short bed (6.5') Chevy and can almost crank it to a 90 degree angle.  It works just fine.  You will rarely, dare I say never make the kind of turn that would damage the truck and trailer under regular driving.  Like the other guy said, you just have to pay attention when backing around.
   

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I've pulled a gooseneck livestock trailer with a short bed (6.5') Chevy and can almost crank it to a 90 degree angle.

Most livestock trailers have rounded fronts and/or the goosneck sticks out quite a ways in the front. Both of these provide clearance of the truck cab in turns, so backing stock trailer into sharp turns is generally not a problem. They are designed for it.

Many fifth wheel RVs have very squared off fronts and some have the pin box mounted directly underneath the front edge, rather than on a forward-jutting extension.  The underneath mount was fairly common in the late 80's and early 90's, when it was thought that eliminating the extension was a sturdier design with less stress on the trailer frame.  It probably is, but building a frame that can handle the stress of the extended mount is  not a big challenge either, so the undermount has pretty much fallen out of use (but not completely).