Best Short Box Hitch? Auto Slide?

Discuss with others about towing. What is the best tow vehicle, hitches, brake controllers, etc, keeping in mind that everybody has his/her favorite.

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Dogpatch
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Best Short Box Hitch? Auto Slide?

Post by Dogpatch »

I'm just about to order the Pullrite 2900 18k hitch so that I don't have to worry about turning radius, but am concerned about the need to be aligned within the 15 degree of straight to hook up mentioned on another thread.
I assume the same is required to unhook? How would that work if you had to jackknife to get into final spot? Does that mean you can't unhook and drive away?

With a standard hitch, in regular driving, don't I have to worry about hitting the cab when I take a tight turn?

This is my first go at 5th wheel. I bought the 3450RL and pick it up in a week. My new short bed truck, I get Monday and need to get the hitch set up determined. My truck has 5th wheel factory prep.

Your recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
Les, Bonnie, Morgan and (Four Leggers) Bella and Bruce
2010 Cardinal 3450RL pushing our 2015 Ram 3500 Laramie 4X4 SRW SB 6.7 ltr Cummins Turbo Diesel, 68RFE Trans, Air Bags, Pullrite Superglide 2900 18K
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Re: Best Short Box Hitch? Auto Slide?

Post by Olbird »

The Pullrite is one of the best auto slide hitches on the market, I had one for years and never had a problem, it always worked great with no slack in the system.
The only downside is with any of the auto slides is hooking up and disconnecting, the truck needs to be fairly straight with the camper for easy connection.
You will be happy with the pullrite, look for a used one sometimes you can find a great deal.
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Re: Best Short Box Hitch? Auto Slide?

Post by nra4life »

Les, we have a Pullrite Superglide, also. It sure is nice to not think about trailer / truck interference. The truck and trailer do have to be fairly close to straight alignment to hook or unhook. We have not had any real problems with that after eight years of use. We have always been able to jockey around to get the alignment close enough to be okay. A little tip to get started is, keep the pin box low enough to make the fifth wheel flatten out as you hook up. When you unhook, keep a little pin weight on the fifth wheel. It is much easier to unhook that way. We bought ours used on Ebay. If you decide to go with the Pullrite, you will like it. Happy miles, Roy & JoAnn
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Dogpatch
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Re: Best Short Box Hitch? Auto Slide?

Post by Dogpatch »

Thanks Guys!

I found a good used one on line 8 hours away. Unfortunately, I don't have the luxury of time to go get it. The dealer is paying for half the hitch so....I'm just going to get er' done!
Les, Bonnie, Morgan and (Four Leggers) Bella and Bruce
2010 Cardinal 3450RL pushing our 2015 Ram 3500 Laramie 4X4 SRW SB 6.7 ltr Cummins Turbo Diesel, 68RFE Trans, Air Bags, Pullrite Superglide 2900 18K
snoking

Re: Best Short Box Hitch? Auto Slide?

Post by snoking »

"2015 Ram 3500 Lariat 4X4 SRW SB 6.7 ltr Cummins Turbo Diesel"

Maybe a Laramie????

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Dogpatch
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Re: Best Short Box Hitch? Auto Slide?

Post by Dogpatch »

snoking wrote:"2015 Ram 3500 Lariat 4X4 SRW SB 6.7 ltr Cummins Turbo Diesel"

Maybe a Laramie????

________________________________________________________Image
I think I had a "Brain Fart"! #:-s

Thanks for catching that!
Les, Bonnie, Morgan and (Four Leggers) Bella and Bruce
2010 Cardinal 3450RL pushing our 2015 Ram 3500 Laramie 4X4 SRW SB 6.7 ltr Cummins Turbo Diesel, 68RFE Trans, Air Bags, Pullrite Superglide 2900 18K
snoking

Re: Best Short Box Hitch? Auto Slide?

Post by snoking »

I saw your post on TDR site about them selling you truck out from under you. Can they get a truck out of the States? I posted a link to one in Gillette, Wy that has what you want. Deep Cherry Red exterior color. Light interior, 5th prep, buckets, Aisin, air etc. Chris
Dogpatch
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Re: Best Short Box Hitch? Auto Slide?

Post by Dogpatch »

snoking wrote:I saw your post on TDR site about them selling you truck out from under you. Can they get a truck out of the States? I posted a link to one in Gillette, Wy that has what you want. Deep Cherry Red exterior color. Light interior, 5th prep, buckets, Aisin, air etc. Chris
Thanks Chris. I replied there.

The company pays me an allowance for my truck (most of it anyway) however, the stipulation under my agreement is that the truck has to be white to match our fleet.
Buying in the States with the low Canadian dollar puts that $68,000 USD truck in Gilette at $91,000 CAD.

I appreciate your effort to help though.

Like I said, I probably jinxed myself by putting the truck in my signature too soon.
Les, Bonnie, Morgan and (Four Leggers) Bella and Bruce
2010 Cardinal 3450RL pushing our 2015 Ram 3500 Laramie 4X4 SRW SB 6.7 ltr Cummins Turbo Diesel, 68RFE Trans, Air Bags, Pullrite Superglide 2900 18K
snoking

Re: Best Short Box Hitch? Auto Slide?

Post by snoking »

Dogpatch wrote:
snoking wrote:I saw your post on TDR site about them selling you truck out from under you. Can they get a truck out of the States? I posted a link to one in Gillette, Wy that has what you want. Deep Cherry Red exterior color. Light interior, 5th prep, buckets, Aisin, air etc. Chris
Thanks Chris. I replied there.

The company pays me an allowance for my truck (most of it anyway) however, the stipulation under my agreement is that the truck has to be white to match our fleet.
Buying in the States with the low Canadian dollar puts that $68,000 USD truck in Gilette at $91,000 CAD.

I appreciate your effort to help though.

Like I said, I probably jinxed myself by putting the truck in my signature too soon.
Well we held our breath Sunday all the way to Denver, through the night in the motel and on the ride to the dealership with the sales lady until we saw the truck we had paid for on Friday! The only surprise was seeing the first actual picture on Saturday and noting it was Deep Cherry Red over Silver, not just Deep Cherry Red. We kind of like the two tone now.

Time to order up what you want in a 2016. Hopefully they will allow an Aisin tranny in a SRW, as I was told they were in restraint currently for SRW trucks a couple weeks ago. We could not weight as we leave for Arizona right after Christmas. I am now going thru missing hitch picture frame parts and a RVK3270 hitch that will not drop in the picture frame on one side.

And I think the Aisin is worth holding out for! We got everything we want except the 5th wheel prep, which one can do themselves. That included not getting a 995 dollar sunroof that we did not want. We have one in the Buick Rainier and never use it and leave the shade pulled over it. If you can find one without the sunroof, I would consider giving up that item, the dual zone heating and cooling does not need fresh air from a sunroof!

Good luck has to come your direction soon.

Chris
Dogpatch
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Re: Best Short Box Hitch? Auto Slide?

Post by Dogpatch »

snoking wrote:
Well we held our breath Sunday all the way to Denver, through the night in the motel and on the ride to the dealership with the sales lady until we saw the truck we had paid for on Friday! The only surprise was seeing the first actual picture on Saturday and noting it was Deep Cherry Red over Silver, not just Deep Cherry Red. We kind of like the two tone now.

Time to order up what you want in a 2016. Hopefully they will allow an Aisin tranny in a SRW, as I was told they were in restraint currently for SRW trucks a couple weeks ago. We could not weight as we leave for Arizona right after Christmas. I am now going thru missing hitch picture frame parts and a RVK3270 hitch that will not drop in the picture frame on one side.

And I think the Aisin is worth holding out for! We got everything we want except the 5th wheel prep, which one can do themselves. That included not getting a 995 dollar sunroof that we did not want. We have one in the Buick Rainier and never use it and leave the shade pulled over it. If you can find one without the sunroof, I would consider giving up that item, the dual zone heating and cooling does not need fresh air from a sunroof!

Good luck has to come your direction soon.

Chris
The only thing I like about the sun roof is leaving the shade open. Makes the truck feel roomier. I don't think I opened the full sunroof slider once in my current truck except to try it out. In the heat of the summer, I usually have to close the shade due to it getting too hot in the truck.
The one they can get with all the other options I wanted, didn't come with the sunroof and came with 18" rims. They said they would put 20's on it for me. I understand this is done to carry more weight. That's an option. It would be same truck then, just without the sun roof. Available in 4 days.
Les, Bonnie, Morgan and (Four Leggers) Bella and Bruce
2010 Cardinal 3450RL pushing our 2015 Ram 3500 Laramie 4X4 SRW SB 6.7 ltr Cummins Turbo Diesel, 68RFE Trans, Air Bags, Pullrite Superglide 2900 18K
Dogpatch
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Re: Best Short Box Hitch? Auto Slide?

Post by Dogpatch »

Truck Debocal Update:

For those who haven't followed what happened, the truck I ordered got sold out from under me.
Below Is the update I posted on TDR.

Because today was the last day of 0% financing, they offered me to take the truck with the 370 hp and 68RFE to get me into a new truck.
They put in air bags, Cargo box 5th wheel plug, a new trifold topper and threw in paying half the Pullrite hitch and install.
AND they are taking my 2013 F150 Platinum 4x4 and paying off my lease at a deficit to them of $3500.
AND They are giving me a guaranteed buy back of this 2015 Ram 3500 to be not less than what I owe.
AND when the 0% financing comes into play on the 2016 Ram 3500's they will order me a new truck with all the options I wanted and guarantee that I will not pay more than the 2015 Ram 3500 truck with Aisin that was sold out from under me.

I reiterate, that the lost truck wasn't my dealerships fault and they have really stepped up to the plate. They want my business as they know I typically buy a new truck every 3 years and have lost out on my last 5 trucks and the 3 cars I've bought my wife in the last 15 years.

This truck may not be perfect, but I'll manage the 5 weeks I pull the 5er. I'm only planning on one trip this fall with it and not over any mountain passes. This current truck will mostly be my daily driver and not a TV after that till spring.

Who knows, I may be in the new 2016 3500 Ram truck with Aisin I wanted by spring.

I'm a lot happier today than yesterday!
Les, Bonnie, Morgan and (Four Leggers) Bella and Bruce
2010 Cardinal 3450RL pushing our 2015 Ram 3500 Laramie 4X4 SRW SB 6.7 ltr Cummins Turbo Diesel, 68RFE Trans, Air Bags, Pullrite Superglide 2900 18K
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Re: Best Short Box Hitch? Auto Slide?

Post by jacknife »

Good luck with your new ride. I found that if you are running in hilly country set the tranny in fifth. I just ran across l 68 thru the Cumberland mtns all up and down long pulls . Tranny go up to 176 at times slowest pull was 57 .
Have mag hi tech on tranny and rear.
good luck.
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Re: Best Short Box Hitch? Auto Slide?

Post by stanford325013 »

We have just purchased a 2016 Cardinal 3250RL and will be towing with a 2008 Chevy Silverado 2500HD Diesel with 6' 6" bed. Must I install a sliding hitch?
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Re: Best Short Box Hitch? Auto Slide?

Post by WVcampers »

You may never need a slider as long as you are always on level ground when backing up. The problem is backing and turning when the angle of the road changes. When the truck is level and the trailer starts up an incline you are at high risk of the trailer and cab of the truck hitting each other. This is what happened to me. My opinion is that it is better to have when needed that to need it and not have it.
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Re: Best Short Box Hitch? Auto Slide?

Post by rplato »

I towed a couple of different trailers for about four years with Dodge short beds. It was definitely reassuring that the slider gave me an 89 degree turning angle to get into ( and more importantly OUT ) of most anywhere.
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