I want to replace my fixed, 16K ProSeries hitch in my short box Ram with a slider hitch. There are many out there, and I am looking at the Curt 16K as it will handle my present BH 3010RE (just under 14000 loaded for the road). Does anyone out there have any negative experiences with this slider or would you recommend something else? Thanks for any and all input.
Advice on New Slider Hitch
- Thread starter GregP
- Start date
Rollin_Free
Well-known member
What is the length of your bed? I'm aware that Ram has a 6'5" and 8' options but unsure if they have any others. I'm assuming you have a 3500 with a mega cab based on your BH weight and thinking you have the 6'5" bed. What has happened that makes you want to switch to a slider?
Jesstruckn/Jesstalkn
Well-known member
This is just my opinion. Just keep your stationary hitch. For me when I had my Reese slider I used it once just to try it and never used it again. I had a 2500 GMC with the 6' bed. Save your money
brianlajoie
Well-known member
I have a 16K PullRite Super glide hitch to pull my BH 3010RE. I like my hitch. Does the Curt have a flange nut to prevent chucking? I like that feature on my hitch.
SNOKING
Well-known member
On the Curt 16K hitch the head plate tips left to right while the jaws remain fixed. You have to go to the heavier rated hitches to get a full tilting head. All Curt 5th wheel hitches are now made in china. I bought a B&W RVK3270 manual slider and put it on a Demco 6099 picture frame with the OEM puck system. I am very happy with the hitch. I could of gotten a Curt and a super price as our son is a wholesaler for them.
Both Hijacker and B&W are still American made hitches. Chris
Both Hijacker and B&W are still American made hitches. Chris
JohnD
Moved on to the next thing...
I have a Reese 16K Pro Slider . . .
I haven't 'had' to use it yet, although I've been thinking about experimenting with it when backing in to our side yard as it seems that my neighbor's truck is always in the way (and he is not home) when I'm ready to back in, and I'm thinking that the extra 11 inches might just make it a little easier to make that turn.
I'd rather have the slider and not need it than to need it . . . and not have it.
I haven't 'had' to use it yet, although I've been thinking about experimenting with it when backing in to our side yard as it seems that my neighbor's truck is always in the way (and he is not home) when I'm ready to back in, and I'm thinking that the extra 11 inches might just make it a little easier to make that turn.
I'd rather have the slider and not need it than to need it . . . and not have it.
Oregon_Camper
Well-known member
When I had a SB, I had the Reese Airborne Sidewinder installed....and I LOVED IT. So much, I kept it when I moved to a LB
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEpqGdXDtZw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkL0CPmqx6U
You get the features of a slider, without ever having to do anything to engage it. Just back in...hookup...done. Plus you get to use all of the space in the bed of your truck, as the king pin pivots above.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEpqGdXDtZw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkL0CPmqx6U
You get the features of a slider, without ever having to do anything to engage it. Just back in...hookup...done. Plus you get to use all of the space in the bed of your truck, as the king pin pivots above.
SNOKING
Well-known member
That system over comes the issue of having to hitch up and disconnect more or less straight on with the truck with auto slider hitches. Chris
IronJ
Well-known member
Well..as I have posted l ike 100billion times I'm sure, I got a superglide #2300 hitch I want someone to get out of my way..
Capture plate and rails for a sb dodge included...
Great hitch..probably the best auto slider on the market....
The dodge it was formally attached to not so much...
Either way..if your interested shoot me a message...I'll let it go SUPER CHEAP!!
sent from space via an invisible beam from a flying metal dish
Capture plate and rails for a sb dodge included...
Great hitch..probably the best auto slider on the market....
The dodge it was formally attached to not so much...
Either way..if your interested shoot me a message...I'll let it go SUPER CHEAP!!
sent from space via an invisible beam from a flying metal dish
Thanks for the advice so far. I have a 6.5' box, and also have a try-fold tonneau cover that I leave on while trailering. When making sharper reverse turns, the front of the BH has contacted the frame of the tonneau cover on occasion, causing "snake-bite" scratches on the fibre glass. I wanted to get a good, reasonably priced slider to allow me to make sharper turns before risking further damage. I was looking at the Curt as there is a good price on it at eTrailer, but don't know much (anything) about sliders, so am open to suggestions.
- - - Updated - - -
Snoking, I see in the advertising from eTrailer that the Curt hitches are made in the US.
- - - Updated - - -
Snoking, I see in the advertising from eTrailer that the Curt hitches are made in the US.
Rollin_Free
Well-known member
SNOKING
Well-known member
Their receiver hitches are US made, all the 5th wheel hitches are built in china. Call them, they will confirm what I am saying and what they told me when I called them. Chris
Rollin_Free: I am not sure of the clearance between box and trailer. The trailer is currently stored some distance from my home, but I think that I do have the six inches...over the box itself. The tonneau cover adds another four inches or so when folded, and covers the front third of the box, so the clearance there is the issue. The easy fix is to lose the tonneau cover when towing, but I like being able to cover the box contents when the rig is not behind us, so I was hoping to find a solution that works with the cover on. Normal backing is not a problem, but my driveway is on a slight uphill incline from the street, so the nose of the trailer dips down a bit on backing into the drive.
Snoking - thanks for the update.
Snoking - thanks for the update.
Rollin_Free
Well-known member
I agree that loosing the cover is the cheapest fix. When I was looking for a solution for the same reason I decided to try a roll-up cover. I think it's an excellent solution and actually has ended up being better than expected. If I need to carry anything that sticks above the bed rails it rolls up out of the way with very little effort and when I'm done I just unroll it to cover up again. After using for 2 years I'll never go back to hard covers of any type. At $250 it was a no brainier mod. for me to try.
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Rollin_Free
Well-known member
It doesn't lock around the trailer king pin so has a lot of slop and mostly when braking the truck and trailer fight each other. The end result is a back and forth jerking motion from one end of the hitch to the other and typically is called bucking. You want a hitch that wraps around the kingpin and locks the trailer to the truck with minimum back and forth slop. My first hitch was a Curt E-16 bar hitch with slider and there was a lot of bucking and chucking with that hitch. I only pointed out the Curt because I had one but there are other manufactures that sell similar bar lock hitches. It doesn't mean that they won't work it just means they are entry level hitches.
Two years ago I switched to the Andersen Ultimate and it has eliminated the issue and makes the truck and trailer feel like one piece. It only weighs 32lbs, hitch max 4500lbs, and 24,000lbs tow max so it meets or exceeds many high quality 5th wheel hitches.
http://www.andersenhitches.com/catalog/ultimate-5th-wheel-connection.aspx
I know this isn't a slider like you are looking for however if you haven't heard of this hitch you should take a look at the video on the site above.
Lynn1130
Well-known member
I have not noticed that at all, and with quite a bit of research I could not find any problem like that mentioned. Is this your personal experience, or something someone told you?
And not to be picky but most hitch instructions that I have seen say 5' not 6. 6 is safety but not necessary according to the hitch companies.
Buyers on Amazon give it a 4.5 out 5 star rating.
And not to be picky but most hitch instructions that I have seen say 5' not 6. 6 is safety but not necessary according to the hitch companies.
Buyers on Amazon give it a 4.5 out 5 star rating.
Rollin_Free
Well-known member
Adjust the distance between the truck and trailer to whatever makes you comfortable and still makes your trailer to ride as level as possible. You asked for recommendations based on experience so that is what I provided. At 5" I hit going into a fuel station that had an incline to their ramp so I like 6" better distance between the trailer overhang and the top of the bed rail.
Lynn1130
Well-known member
You got the wrong guy. I didn't ask for any advice. I just passed on dealer recommendations. If 6" works for you then that is the best setting.
I am still wondering where you got the information on the Curt. If it is out there I would like to see it. If not, well....
Sorry. I saw where you say you owned one and I missed that the first read. There are no other mentions of that problem and from what I see and experience the bar does lock tightly around the pin allowing swivel but no forward, back or sideways movement.
You may have done something to set up for a goose neck but as I recall Heartland does not recommend pulling with a goose neck. I am not sure if there were some special things that needed to be done but I seem to recall that lack of flex was one of the dangers. I don't know but that may be why you are so solid ??
I am still wondering where you got the information on the Curt. If it is out there I would like to see it. If not, well....
Sorry. I saw where you say you owned one and I missed that the first read. There are no other mentions of that problem and from what I see and experience the bar does lock tightly around the pin allowing swivel but no forward, back or sideways movement.
You may have done something to set up for a goose neck but as I recall Heartland does not recommend pulling with a goose neck. I am not sure if there were some special things that needed to be done but I seem to recall that lack of flex was one of the dangers. I don't know but that may be why you are so solid ??
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