Hitch Question??

bggrndodge

Member
Hello eveyone, just purchased a 2011 3010 and was curios about the new 88* nose. I heard you do not need to use a slider with a short box, although I know it is recommended. What are you guys using with short boxes, I have a 2007 Dodge Ram QC SB. Anything would be great.

Jake
 

TandT

Founding Utah Chapter Leaders-Retired
Welcome. Not sure about your shortbox question, as I have always had long. I'm sure you will get some good info here, however.
 

GOTTOYS

Well-known member
I have a Dodge short box with a Super Glide sliding hitch. Probably don't need the slider but the Dodge has the shortest cab to axle length of all 3 American manufacturers with a short box truck. I bought the 15K version of the Super Glide that fits on standard rails and it wasn't that much more than a standard hitch when purchased online. JMHO...Don
 

gpshemi

Well-known member
My Megacab Pullrite slides back 14" and leaves about a 7" gap. That means in the case of the megacab...it would be into the cab. It's worth the piece of mind to me not to mention it's one of the nicest hitches around IMO.
 

Jimmy

Well-known member
As said previous, is is better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it...
 

bggrndodge

Member
It is piece of mind to have it, the thing is I already have a valley 16K, that does not have the slider. I have watched a few youtube videos where the sales rep states this 88* turn radius makes it so short boxes do not need a slider. I am just curious if anyone is doing it without a slider. Also where would be the best place to buy the slider?

Thanks,
Jake
 

6.7powerstroke

Active Member
Your local hitch place should be able to sell you the slider portion of the hitch. I did the same thing, went from a long box to a short box. I really liked my 20K Reese so I purchased the slider portion only for less than half the price of a new hitch. You will probably never need it, I have never used mine. However, if you need it and don't have it, you are in a pretty big pickle. I personally went through the same thing and decided to spend the extra $300 on the slider just in case.
 

hillsonwheels

Well-known member
Have an '08 Chevy short box with a Curt 20k slider. Have, as yet, to to "need" the slider. Have only used it in the back yard just messing around to see what the difference is in handling. Do have to say that it sometimes is a little scarey :eek: to see the corner of the Big Horn getting close the Chevy cab in some tight situations. So far, no touchie tho. :D

Dick
 

ncc1701e

Well-known member
I'm using a Curt 25K non-slider with a 2011 SD 2800RL and a 2011 F250 Extended cab short bed. Just pulled from home to Nashville and never felt there were any issues of getting close to the cab of the truck at all.

Feb 2011.JPG 2011 F250 Lariat 4x4 Bed Cover Rolled.JPG

Good Luck

Tom
 

trvlrerik

Well-known member
I have a short bed F350 with a B/W Companion hitch system (it mounts in a conventional fifth wheel bed plate.) I will not say that a slider hitch would have not been useful to me at times in some tight spots, but I went with the B/W sytem for the ease of having an open bed with nothing in it. Overall, I have been happy with my choice, but I have had to bypass some nice spots for lack of a slider. I have found that on level surfaces I do not have problems and can get nearly 90 degrees, any slopes can cause problems, when backing in tight I always have an outside spotter, or I get out and look a lot, so far no camper/cab touches. Good luck with your Cyclone.
 

bggrndodge

Member
These are the awnsers I have been looking for, not that the other info is not good info. But I really wanted to here from people that actually use a non slide hitch with a short box and have no trouble. As I live on an Island and just going down to a hitch supplier and picking one up is not an option, it is almost double the price to have it shipped here.

Thanks and keep it coming,
Jake
 

PSF513

Well-known member
I have a 2008 F250 with a short bed and have a B&W Companion Hitch (does not slide). I pull a BigHorn 3610 RE with no problems. Every time we go out and return home. I have to make a 75 + degree turn to get in or out of our driveway and it happens with no problems. I really like the hitch because it comes out of the bed easily and I have the entire bed for carrying things.
 

cabells

Member
I have a 07 Dodge 2500 Mega cab and a 2010 3010 Cyclone. I bought a 20k slider hitch after I watched my brother in law turn to sharp in his dodge and cave in part of his truck with his 5th wheel. I have not had to slide the hitch yet and I have backed into some tight spaces with a lot of tight turns and I have not came close to hitting my truck yet. But like some of the other people have posted, better to have it and not need it then need it and not have it. Good luck
 

W2KL

Member
Congrats on your new Cyclone Jake. We have a 2011 Cyclone 3010 with a Reese 20k hitch on a slider in a 2008 Ford F250 4x4 short bed. As others have said, we've yet to 'need' the hitch slider. However, we've yet to be in very tight spot. My opinion is that you can generally get by without the slider. But if you are like we are and push the envelope a little as far as traveling some back roads and need to get turned around, camp in older campgrounds with tighter backing, or camp in tighter primitive areas, then I believe the slider hitch will gives us the needed flexibility when we need it. Of course I'm a believer in being prepared. The other thing that was important to us with a hitch was the ability to hitch with the 5th wheel trailer at off angles meaning either not lined up (tow vehicle and trailer) as well as different lateral angles (i.e. you've leveled the Cyclone, but the tow vehicle is off angle side-to-side due to terrain). Enjoy and good luck! George
 

dbhutchins

Active Member
I'm pulling my 3210 with a short-box F250. I know you might not NEED a slider, but I've gotta tell you I'm REAL happy I'm on a SuperGlide hitch. Never even have to think about cab/trailer clearance issues - just back 'er in. I researched this pretty thoroughly before buying last year, and have never regretted the extra bucks the SuperGlide set me back.

Good luck whatever your decision.

Don
 

dbhutchins

Active Member
Update to my post of 2 weeks ago:

Picked up my unit with the Demco Glide-Ride pinbox installed yesterday. Even though the roads between the shop and the storage were pretty good, there was an immediate noticable difference in the way the rig tows. Fore & aft surging is virtually gone. It's even eliminated the "take-up" in the hitch when starting and stopping. I know I'm gonna love this thing on our corduroy highways here around Seattle, and next year on the cross-country run over the broken up concrete in TX and LA.

Here's one strong endorsement for Demco. You will NOT be sorry if you put one of these pinboxes on your rig!
 
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