Dodge Short Box Hitch

Blessed

Member
I just picked up my Dodge 3500 short box and I will be picking up my Landmark in about 2 weeks. The question is: do I need a slider? I know the factory says you can turn up to 88 degrees without one. However, the box on the Dodge is 2.5" shorter than a Chevy and 6" shorter than a Ford. Is anyone towing a Bighorn or Landmark with a Short box Dodge? What hitch are you using?
 

nemo45

Well-known member
If it was me I'd get the slider just to be safe. I don't have a Heartland and I'm sure you can make sharper turns with one, but I dented the upper right hand corner of my quad cab by not using my slider to the tune of $700. Not only the angle of the turn comes into play, but also the levelness of the terrain you are manuvering on. My accident happened in a farm yard and one side of the rig was lower than the other. I'll never try and manuver it again with out using the slider just to be safe. I also have to drop the tailgate when I use the slider because the rear of the extended pin hitch will hit on it if I don't. When I do this the electrical connector to the fifth wheel also needs to be disconnected because I use the original equipment plug near the rear bumper and the tailgate will strain the connection when manuvering. If I had a connector in the box i would need to do this and the dealer usually throws that in with the deal. I believe if I had a Chevy or Ford short box I could get by without a slider even with my Open Road, but I'd still probably get one just for the piece of mind. With the Dodge I definitely would. I still love the Dodge with the CTD, its a real hauler.
 

kuldaddy

Member
Blessed,
I too would go ahead and get the slider. In fact I did buy the slider hitch (Draw Tite 18K Signature Series with under bed mounting) for my Dodge 3500 and while I have not used the slider yet I do feel better in case I get in a tight spot or if I need to help someone by pulling their trailer (assuming they don't have the patented Heartland turning radius).

Backing into our storage slot was the closest I have come so far, got within about 2-3 inches of the cab. I had my son watching the cab while my wife was watching the trailer and other obsticles. Even though it was close I never felt like I was going to need the slider to make the appropriate manuevers for our storage facility.

Eric
 
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cdbMidland

Past Michigan Chapter Leader
We have the Dodge short bed and I purchased a Pullrite Superglide 16K when I had purchased a Carriage Cameo LXI. It was definitely needed for that unit. Now that I have the Bighorn, I have plenty of space, even for the tightest turns, which have been more than 90 degrees.

When I get my next truck, which will probably be a Dodge Megacab dually, which has been announced for 2007 and available in January, I will probably get another slider. Love the Pullrite because I don't have to remember to do anything.

By the way, the dealer who installed the hitch also installed a 7-pin connector in the box, which is really handy.
 

kuldaddy

Member
cdbMidland said:
When I get my next truck, which will probably be a Dodge Megacab dually, which has been announced for 2007 and available in January.

I don't want to hijack the thread, but the MegaCab Dually is out now. Two days after I picked up my SRW the duallies showed up!! The dealer moved them all to the back because they thought they were ugly with those retro fender flares for the DRW. I guess Dodge had to do it that way because of the short bed. I kinda like the one I saw, looks tough!

cdbMidland said:
By the way, the dealer who installed the hitch also installed a 7-pin connector in the box, which is really handy.
I agree completely with this, much easier to plug it in right inside the bed, in fact it was included in the install price from my dealer!!

Eric
 

cdbMidland

Past Michigan Chapter Leader
kuldaddy, did you happen to notice if the overall length on these were the same as the megacab srw or did Dodge use a long-bed in addition to the megacab length?

I already road tested a megacab and it fit (just barely) in my garage. I hope that the overall length has not changed.
 
cdbMidland said:
When I get my next truck, which will probably be a Dodge Megacab dually, which has been announced for 2007 and available in January, I will probably get another slider.
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If you're going to wait then consider the new Cummins 6.7 liter Turbo Diesel for that RAM. That's coming out too........... :eek:)

Bill B. (Michigan)
 

kuldaddy

Member
cdbMidland said:
kuldaddy, did you happen to notice if the overall length on these were the same as the megacab srw or did Dodge use a long-bed in addition to the megacab length?

I already road tested a megacab and it fit (just barely) in my garage. I hope that the overall length has not changed.

The length is the same, it has a short box, that is why the fenders on the rear don't have that molded look to them, they just stick out. Here is one of the stock photos from Dodge's website.

I agree with Bill, it would be nice to wait on the 6.7 that is supposedly coming in 2007!!
 

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mike

Mike
Just for imformation the new 6.7 is only 310hp with the same torque (610) and it will have the EGR system on it which all Heavy Duty mfg's have had lots of problems with, both Detroit and Cummins. I not sure that the 6.7 in the first year will be a good thing.



Mike
 
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