Hitch For Short Box Truck

[Trap]

We're going to be getting a New F-350 CC SRW 6.0 Psd at the end of the year and if all goes even close to plan a new HH II 32.5LKSBG in the spring. Who make a good manual sliding hitch that would work with the above comb with the Demco Glide Ride and extend pin box. Anything special i should be looking for in trying to make this combo work or am i headed in the wrong direction. (5'er NEWBIES)

Trap

[LIKENIT]

Trap,

If you get the 20 " extended pin box,  I don't think you will need the slider hitch also.  I went that route with a Jayco Designer that I'm pulling with a F-350 Crew Cab Short Box that has the 6 3/4 ft box.  I have a Reese hitch with the slider option.  I have towed it between 30,000 and 40,000 miles and have never used the slider.  The only time I ever used it was to try it out to see how it worked.
We just odered a 339 RSB and I opted for the standard 14" Glide Ride extended pin box rather than the 20", because I would prefer to have 6" less total length and it keeps the pivot point back farther for a faster response when I turn.  I doubt that I will need to use the slider much on the new setup, but if I do, I already have it.

[cdrcos]

Trap,

LIKENIT is right.  I also have have a 32.5 with an extended pin and I have never used the slider I had (Reese).  Recently someone stole the slider hitch from the RV storage area and I am now debating with myself whether to replace it with a slider or a regular Reese 16K and save some money.

[Keith Van]

It sounds like I flushed quite a bit of money by buying my Pullrite SuperGlide before getting my 32.5 (it's a couple weeks from delivery).  Drat.  I read SO many posts on RV.net that advised to get the SuperGlide and sleep soundly.  Should have taken the measurements at the dealer and I'm disappointed that the dealer didn't provide good advice -- obviously they wanted to sell me the Superglide when I asked about.  Oh well, live and learn.  At least I bought it on the internet and installed it myself, so I saved a bundle from a dealer install. :-\

[Trap]

It sounds like I flushed quite a bit of money by buying my Pullrite SuperGlide before getting my 32.5 (it's a couple weeks from delivery).  Drat.  I read SO many posts on RV.net that advised to get the SuperGlide and sleep soundly.  Should have taken the measurements at the dealer and I'm disappointed that the dealer didn't provide good advice -- obviously they wanted to sell me the Superglide when I asked about.  Oh well, live and learn.  At least I bought it on the internet and installed it myself, so I saved a bundle from a dealer install. :-\

I hope you guys are right but I thought that with the manual slider at least it's there if you need it. I've seen some pretty awkward campgrounds. As someone once said better to have and not need than to need and not have. I was thinking about the superglide but I'm way TOO CHEAP :P

Trap

[cdrcos]

I hope you guys are right but I thought that with the manual slider at least it's there if you need it. I've seen some pretty awkward campgrounds. As someone once said better to have and not need than to need and not have. I was thinking about the superglide but I'm way TOO CHEAP :P

Trap

In my experience, a tight campground just requires a couple more backing moves, and you need to keep aware of the relationship of the corner of the 5er and your truck rear window.

[Vinyl addict]

It sounds like I flushed quite a bit of money by buying my Pullrite SuperGlide before getting my 32.5 (it's a couple weeks from delivery).

Just to give another point of view.... I have a Pullrite SuperGlide and am ordering a DA in the near future. When I do, I will not order the extended pin box. I have read that using the extended pin box puts additional stress on the frame of the trailer. Without the SuperGlide  the extended pin box is the way to go but I feel more comfortable using A SuperGlide with the standard pin box. Having said that, if I did not already own a SuperGlide I would have to do more research to decide on  cost vs. benefit since as you know the SuperGlide is expensive.

                                                Vinyl Addict

[Bernie]

I'm new to the forum but decided that I had to comment on the Pullrite SuperGlide.  We have a Silverado 2500HD short box and have had the Pullrite for 2 years now.  We have a 2005 32.5 FKSBG and this summer changed to the Demco hitch.  We are fulltimers and have travelled 80,000 kilometers ( about 50,000 miles) in the last 20 months.  I recently checked and we have stayed in approximately 140 campgrounds in that time.

We wouldn't be without the Pullrite.  It has been worth every penny we spent on it as you never even have to think about how tight you are turning.   There are some campgrounds out there with almost hairbend turns.

We are also happy with the Demco hitch although I have found that although it has improved the ride in the truck, I do have to batten down the hatches better inside the trailer.

We just found out about the Yahoo site about 3 weeks ago and have found it very interesting and informative.  Thanks to everyone who has worked on both sites.

Bernie

[Keith Van]

Hey, Bernie, thanks for helping me sleep better tonight! ;D  I had read that if you simply measured distance from kingpin to window and if this distance exceeded half the width of the trailer, then you coulldn't hit the TV unless you go past 90 degrees.  Well, it certainly seemed obvious to me that I could be making forward hair pin turns in parks and gas stations that would go beyond 90 degrees, so I got the SuperGlide.  I'll just call it a very wise investment at this point.  Hey, it's just RV money.  My kids are making fortunes, so all I need to do is spend it.

[LIKENIT]

Trix,

I would check with your dealer about switching it out and if he can't help or won't try, call NU-WA.  They are so good about trying to work with their customers.  It shouldn't be a big deal to switch it out at the factory before it ships.
Another option to try would be to sell or trade your Pullrite with a dealer or private party for just a regular hitch with no slider for the extended pin you ordered.
A long shot would be to check with NU-WA to see if you could get a straight pin Glide Ride.  I know I saw one on the Glide Ride website when I was working on getting a 17 " Glide Ride rather than the 14".  The 17 was not an option for me on the 339 RSB we ordered because of bolt patterns.  If you could get a straight pin, you would save about 20" in the overall length of your rig and gain a quicker response to turn maneuvers when parking.  That would make that Pullright a real benefit.
Just my 2 cents.

LIKENIT

[volphotographer]

Hello, I have a Chevy with the short box and after asking the same question on several forums.........do I need a slider??? I purchased the Reese Signature Series Slider 18K ............I can get to almost 80 some odd degrees with the extended King Pin and have never used the slider! If I knew then......what I know Now..........I would have forgone the slider and purchased the Advanced Air Hitch Technology's Air ride hitch...............you Live and Learn......don't you! Being a rookie I listened to everyone tell me I needed a slider hitch...........I was too nervous to do anything otherwise......even after speaking to a few of the engineers at Nu-Wa and them telling me that quite a few customers were using the short box trucks with the extended king! I even received some photos from Nu-Wa engineers showing the short box (picture was of a Ford 250) and the extended King Pin setup. I thought..........uh......maybe I should get the slider just in case...........again, if I had to do it again I'd get the Air Ride Hitch (I have a friend with one.......wonderful ride!) I've been there and done that...........and I know it's a tough decision as we always want to error on the positive side! Oh by the way the 18K Signature has the large forged wrap around Jaw!
Thanks,
Denny

[Tunnelman]

We're going to be getting a New F-350 CC SRW 6.0 Psd at the end of the year and if all goes even close to plan a new HH II 32.5LKSBG in the spring. Who make a good manual sliding hitch that would work with the above comb with the Demco Glide Ride and extend pin box. Anything special i should be looking for in trying to make this combo work or am i headed in the wrong direction. (5'er NEWBIES)

Trap

I currently have a shortbox Super Duty with the manual sliding hitch. It is the Drawtite 16K. It is same as Reese 16K. I bought it in 2001.  At that time we bought a used Collins 5th wheel that had about a 12 inch extended pin. The 2005 Sunnybrook we bought had about the same pin extension. Both of these trailers I had to use the slider everytime we got into tight maneuvering situations, tight campgrounds, backing it in camp sites and the driveway at home.
Our current HHII has the 20 inch extended pin. I think I could get away without using it, but I still use the slider with this trailer. I'm in the habit of using it now. At Campgrounds, after the wife registers I slide the hitch back. I switch the lever into the maneuvering position. Jump into the truck, put on the trailer brake, slowly pull the truck ahead till I feel and hear the snap that it is locked in place. I leave it extended until we leave the campground. When we are pulling out of the campground for good I just reverse the process. Pull the lever into the towing mode, put on the trailer brakes, back the truck up until hear and feel the snap that it is locked in.
For maintenace all I do is brush on a light coat of grease on the bars that the hitch slides on. This can get messy but I try to be carefull when I walk around the hitch. After the hitch was about 2 years it would take a lot more effort to get the slide to move. I started to grease the rails after that happen and it works great. I use the same grease that use for wheel bearing, nothing special. (I gave this comment once on the RV Net Forums, people responded that the grease would get too dirty, I live on a dirt road and it works fine for me).
I notice at an RV dealer that had a manual slider on display, it had little wheels, or rollers for the slider part of the hitch. This might prevent some maintenance.
Sorry for going on so long but I want to give you my experience with a manual slider hitch.
The only other drawback to a Super Duty short box is the fuel tank is smaller then a long box ( I think). I'm still glad I have the short box.

[GaryB]

I even received some photos from Nu-Wa engineers showing the short box (picture was of a Ford 250) and the extended King Pin setup. I thought..........uh......maybe I should get the slider just in case...........again
Thanks,
Denny

Denny - are those photos you received from NuWa digital photos?  If so, it would be interesting to post those on this forum.  Folks may be interested in seeing the extended king pin setup.  I'm also facing the same dilemma about whether to get a slider hitch, the extended king pin (12" or 20"), etc. 

Gary

[fiddlinrver]

We have a Dodge 3500 short box with the superglide hitch and we have seen how great that works. Our dealer said we didn't need the extended hitch pin with the superglide and we can turn 90° with no problem. He was right about that. We have Demco Glide Ride on the 2006 34RLTG and it is a sweet set up. Dianne

[LIKENIT]

I have pictures of the 14" and 20" extended pin Glide Ride from the side that I took at our NU-WA factory visit so you can see the difference in extension if desired.
I expect to have to use my slider occasionally with the new rig, but I would rather do that and have a shorter over-all length and a faster reacting pivot point.
If you want copies I can e-mail them to you.

[gtomlins]

My unit is just about to be delivered.  I don't have a hitch yet.  I have a 2004 Silveraldo short bed.  I ordered the extended pin box (don't know what size they put on yet).  Does anybody with a Chevy short bed and an extended hitch pin have a non slider hitch and able to turn 90 degrees without hitting the truck (i.e. just trying to determine if I really need the slider hitch)?

Thanks

[Trap]

With a short box and extended hitch pin you still won't be able to turn 90 degrees to truck however you may be able to turn 75 -80 degrees which should work almost all of the time.

Trap

[texas_hh]

I have a Dodge short bed and would not be without the Pullrite Superglide.  It's nice to be able to not even think about how sharp you are turning.  The extra $$ was well worth the peace of mind IMHO.   :)

[LIKENIT]

If I'm not mistaken, the Dodge Short box is 6 1/2 ft long where the Ford and Chevy are 6 3/4 ft.  That makes the hitch more of a concern if you got the 14" extended pin, but with the 20", the chance of needing it would be very slim.  I guess the most important thing is one's comfort level with towing  An exception would be in an energency maneuver like happened to a friend of mine when for some reason he wasn't paying attention and had to really crank the truck in a hurry and broke his back window.  No matter how sharp the hitch could turn there could still be a problem in an emergency move.
Another friend was going down a long hill on an icy road.  Next thing he knew, he saw the trailer coming around side-ways alongside him.  The trailer wound up going past a 90 degree and crunching the trailer and the truck.  Luckily that was as bad as it got.

[ragface]

I have to just put in a word for the long bed.  First of all, I agree that the slider pin boxes work (especially if you use them - for the manual ones - have a buddy that hates to go to the trouble but always regrets it when he doesn't).  But if you can go the long bed (I know, won't fit in the garage, harder to park, longer overall ...but) you just plane and simple don't have the problems you are working on.  You can literally turn 90% to your trailer, you will never (never?) jack knife, you will never put a dent in the back of your truck, you will never break your truck's back window, and you will ride better and tow better and back better - longer wheel base - and be a little more comfortable.  Worth consideration, for sure!

[LIKENIT]

We picked up our new 339 RSB March 1.  I have a Ford Crew Cab Short Box and ordered the trailer with the standard hitch.  I have a Reese Slider if ever needed but doubt it will be used.  I chose to go that direction rather than the extended pin because I had visited the factory and payed special attention to the 2 different hitches.  I took pictures and measurements and determined it would not be needed with my Ford with the 6 3/4 ' box.  It may be different with the Dodge short box being 6 1/2 '  I can turn very short and will be very surprised if I will ever need to use the glider hitch.  Next time I am hooked up I will make a turn that is at the limit and take a picture to post.   

[ragface]

The Reese slider hitch on the Ford ends up aligning the pin just slightly forward of the axle.  This tosses in a little extra challenge to backing. Try it, but I would suggest you will find it considerably easier to back with the slider extended.

[LoneGranger]

We picked up our new 339 RSB March 1. 

Congratulations on being the owner of a brand new 339RSB!!  That floor plan is great...similar to the one I'm getting.  Don't you love the bath/bedroom areas?!

Debbie

[LIKENIT]

Yes, we really like it.  We were going to order the 329 until we saw the plan for the 339.  It was not out on the NUWA site at the time.  Both are very nice, but we really like the additional storage area in the slide out and room it adds to the hallway.

[Fred A.]

I did not want an extended pin adding stress to the frame. And, having the experience of our SOB fifth wheel hitting the cab on three short bed Rams, we moved to a long bed. I used a long bed the first couple years we had our HHII.

When we moved to our condo, I needed a short bed for the truck to fit on the drive. There was no question, I bought the PullRite SuperGlide. I have never regretted it. I pull a small boat behind our HHII so overall length is important. The main benefit is I don't have to worry about hitting the cab anymore.

The only thing you give up with the SuperGlide is the ability to hitch up at an angle. The pin plate restricts the angle to about 11-degrees off straight in line with the fifth wheel. However, this is outweighed by the benefit of the automatic action of the hitch.      Fred