2015 ram shortbox without slider?

[dieseldoug]

Hello all -- posting here to ask for real -world 2013-2015 Ram 3500 SRW short box 'no slider' hitch combos that are working "in the wild". In particular I'd like to know if any of you BH owners are towing with the B&W companion (turnoverball or puck ready) with this TV -- do you find that the combination of the B&W and the BH front cap allows sufficient cab clearance without a slider? If so -- in what position do you run your B&W adjustment arms, and have you tested a full 90 degree jack knife or is there still a potential for hitting the cab?

 

[Bob&Patty]

Had a S/B Chevy and more than 90* turn more than once. I did soil my shorts the first time....after that no problem. The only time you might have an issue is if you are WAY out of level.

 

[dieseldoug]

lol that's funny. So at the time you nearly soiled your shorts, were you running a B&W turnoverball system? Here some more specific details behind my question:

1. I'm told that the B&W system in combination with the new RAM S/B trucks offer a very high success rate without a slider. these comments have been made in general, and not specific to the BH front cap which claims improvements in this area over other 5vers. Accordingly, a BH with this combo (new SB RAM with B&W fixed companion) should stand an excellent chance of success -- I just want to hear from those who have done it

2. I'm told that B&W approves of (and validates with real world tests) that one can successfully position the adjustment arms so that the pin sits up to 4" behind the axle with the Companion system with no realizable impact on towability -- contrary to conventional wisdom which is to never to that

The combination is very attractive, and I'm acquiring some amount of admiration for the B&W system in spite of its price

 

[Bob&Patty]

No, I have a Husky normal 5er hitch. It was slider, but never using it, I removed the slider part and put in non-slider mounts. The B&W system I know nothing about. HL 88* turning is true...it works. BTW, my last 2 trucks were L/B's, never thought I wanted one, but now I would never go back to a S/B.

 

[dieseldoug]

yea I would be all over a LB but DW wants the mega cab...

 

[Bob&Patty]

Ram does not offer a mega cab and a L/B??? GM and Ford does.

 

[dieseldoug]

Sure, Ram does offer the GM and Ford equivalents -- those are crew cabs in Ram terminology. In addition to the standard crew cab offerings (which have LB flavors), Ram offers a more spacious mega cab with reclining rear seats. the W/B is so long they don't offer it in the long box.

 

[JohnD]

I have a Reese 16K slider hitch with my 2015 Chevy Silverado 2500HD 4x4 . . .

I look at it this way . . .

I'd rather have it if I need it than to not have it if I need it.

Food for thought.

 

[dieseldoug]

yes I've been chewing on that as well -- trying to avoid rails in the bed, so that B&W companion slider is looking good. this is the only slider solution I'm aware of that does not use rails; the B&W turnoverball system seems very attractive to me -- more so than the current OE hitch preps, which have to be designed for larger trailers than what the turnoverball can do. I don't anticipate pulling more than the legal limit of 26,000 CW, and 18K is a lot of trailer for a SWR short bed truck anyway!

 

[JohnD]

I've only towed twice since we bought our 2015 Prowler 5th-wheeler, and I haven't needed the slider . . . yet.

But when I do need the slider hitch, it will be there!

 

[Nabo]

Ok don't have the 3500 short bed srw ram truck any more in that we sold the camper/truck as a combo but with the Reese rail hitch didn't have any problems. We do have the B&W turnball hitch now on the 3500 dually and love the smaller footprint in the bed but especially no rails. Sorry in that this doesn't help you with info on the short bed truck.

 

[z06]

yes I've been chewing on that as well -- trying to avoid rails in the bed, so that B&W companion slider is looking good. this is the only slider solution I'm aware of that does not use rails; the B&W turnoverball system seems very attractive to me -- more so than the current OE hitch preps, which have to be designed for larger trailers than what the turnoverball can do. I don't anticipate pulling more than the legal limit of 26,000 CW, and 18K is a lot of trailer for a SWR short bed truck anyway!

The Demco Hijacker Autoslide has the option to be used with their under bed mounts. No rails. Four holes in bed when hitch not in truck.