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Old 05-19-2019, 02:01 PM   #1
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Tow vehicle, specifically bed size, for a 2019 silverback 33ik

Afternoon all, wife and I purchased a 2019 silverback 33IK and I am torn on what vehicle to purchase to tow it. We do not travel across the country with it as it is on a permanent site but when the river comes up we need to hook up and get it away from the river. Then at the end of the year we take it about 20 miles or so to a dealer to keep it over the winter, go over it and then winterize it.

I am a big chevy guy and it seems like everyone recommends an 8 foot bed to tow these but the trucks with 8 foot bed are just monsters and my chevy dealer is having a hard time finding a used one for me but 6.5 (standard) beds are fairly plentiful. New chevy 3500HD's are in the starting range of almost $54k, hence the reason I was looking for some used ones.

Since I am not going really far towing this beast, to me its huge, is a 8 foot bed really my best option or for the little that I tow it would a standard bed 6.5 work?

After all that is said and done if I did go with a 6.5 bed would I really need a slider hitch?

Thanks folks for the help and explanation as this is our first 5th wheel that we have had as all the others have been tow behinds. I am not really new to towing as I have been towing bass boats and our travel trailer that we had prior to this for years but of course this is much bigger.

Thanks again.
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Old 05-19-2019, 03:26 PM   #2
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I have a 2011 silverback 29rl which has pretty aggressive cut outs to allow for a better turn degree. I tow with a 2008 GMC 2500 6.5 bed crew cab. The truck has the blue ox diamond gooseneck hitch and the fiver has the reese goosbox set up. I have never came close to making contact of any kind. Good luck with your decision my set up works very well . Plus with very little effort I have an empty truck bed.
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Old 05-19-2019, 03:28 PM   #3
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I have a 2011 silverback 29rl which has pretty aggressive cut outs to allow for a better turn degree. I tow with a 2008 GMC 2500 6.5 bed crew cab. The truck has the blue ox diamond gooseneck hitch and the fiver has the reese goosbox set up. I have never came close to making contact of any kind. Good luck with your decision my set up works very well . Plus with very little effort I have an empty truck bed.
By the way remember that the fifthwheel tracks different than the bumper pull.
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Old 05-19-2019, 03:48 PM   #4
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So that was another question I had. Are the auto slide hitches easy to get out? We sometimes go for wood for the campsite and really need to have the bed of the truck clear so we can get a pallet of wood in the back.
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Old 05-19-2019, 03:51 PM   #5
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I would think that the 6.5 foot bed would work for you with out a slider for the very limited towing that you are planning to do. Just remember that any plan seems to have a way of changing over time. The slider is only needed when you are in tight conditions to improve that overall angle between the truck and the fifth wheel so that the 5th wheel does not come in contact with the truck cab.
Since you say you a big chevy fan then go with that option, but they do seems to be much harder to find than a similar Ford or Ram.
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Old 05-19-2019, 03:53 PM   #6
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No they are super heavy. 300 to 500 pounds. This is the back of my truck and it can be done in 30 seconds. You do have to have the reese goosbox pinbox though. Click image for larger version

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Old 05-19-2019, 04:51 PM   #7
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Just thinking...since your towing needs are so little, have you thought about just hiring someone to move it for you...

And X2 on the the slider. They are massive and difficult the get out and back in even with 2 people.
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Old 05-19-2019, 05:16 PM   #8
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We don't have a Cedar Creek, but we have a 2017 Columbus that we tow with a Silverado 2500 HD with a 6.5 foot bed.

We do have a B&W slider hitch. Have used it one time in about 3 years. B & W Patriot (non-slider) is probably a better choice for you. All of the B & W hitch heads lift off very easily by lifting up on two levers. Easy for 1 guy to get the head off and out, then the rest of the hitch is fairly easily handled getting it in and out of the bed.

6.5 foot bed (the most popular size in the Silverados) is long enough for most of the newer trailers.
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Old 05-19-2019, 06:24 PM   #9
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We have a 2019 33ik and a 2018 3500 duramax Crew Cab with 6.5 bed. We use the Andersen Ultimate hitch and have no issues. Prior to the 3500, we had a 2018 2500 but found that the payload ratings were misrepresented and were too low for our needs.

I have no concerns with towing or maneuvering the trailer.

Also, my wife loves HER truck!

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Old 05-19-2019, 06:33 PM   #10
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Originally Posted by SimchaSabre View Post
Just thinking...since your towing needs are so little, have you thought about just hiring someone to move it for you...

And X2 on the the slider. They are massive and difficult the get out and back in even with 2 people.
X2^^^ on hiring a tow...
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Old 05-19-2019, 06:38 PM   #11
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We have a Cedar Creek Hathaway. It does not have an extreme sculptured nose. The Silverbacks are more so
I think.

We have the Anderson. #27 is easy to move.

Rhetorically if buying, a 1 ton is a better choice.

The 8’ bed is harder to maneuver. Wife loves her Ram diesel.
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Old 05-20-2019, 07:38 AM   #12
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X2^^^ on hiring a tow...
This would definitely been an option but I need to tow a boat also so I figured get a truck that would do both. Some times though I only literally have hours to get the unit moved as the river will come up fast and we really didnt want to depend on people to get it moved. Thats just the way we are.
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Old 05-20-2019, 08:51 AM   #13
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I have a 2019.5 Silverback 33IK that I pull with 2006 2500 Duramax 6.5 bed with16k Reese Slider Pro. Never needed to use the slider, don't think I will so would not get slider if I had to do it again.
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Old 05-20-2019, 08:51 AM   #14
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I can only speak of towing with a short bed truck from my experience.

I had a short bed 2500HD Chevy and I transition to a 2008 Ram Mega Cab SB, 6.7L Cummins diesel engine.

I have towed three different fivers with these two trucks and all three have hit the cab slightly or extremely hard enough to shatter the rear window in the Chevy. In all of these cases. I was in reverse and in extremely tight parking situations. I did not move the manual sliding hitch, a Reese to the maneuver position. The hitch was in the towed position and two of the 5ers had the 88 DEG. corners that are advertise to miss the cab. Will NO they do not miss the cab they just allowed you to get into trouble faster.

If you go to a manual slider hitch these can be removed in two pieces and is lightweight enough for you to remove the hitch from the truck. You just need to remember to put this hitch in the maneuver position when backing up.

I have transition to an AUTO Slider, A DEMCO Glide hitch. This two can be broken down to two pieces. The hitch head that contains the jaws is light enough for easy removal. The base that provided the sliding function does take two people to lift into place. The base does allow enough room to use the bed in most cases.

I always believe their are only two type of people, that use a short bed truck to tow with! Those that have hit the cab and those that will hit the cab!
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Old 05-20-2019, 12:06 PM   #15
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Just like a trailer a fiver can be made to hit the cab. Reguardlees of hitch.

Got to be careful.

Turning the fiver more than ,60-70 degrees does damage to the tires.

A Mega cab Ram is as Long as an 8’ bed. Only the extra wheelbase gives more cabin room.

We did not Hit the cab with ours in the toughest spot ever.

Road was 16’ wide with a foot drop off on either side.

Spot was 12’ wide due to trees at the road. 90 degrees from the street.

I had two additional rangers spotting. Took a while to get it in. Likely the best spot we have been in. Short bed Ram with the Anderson hitch. The Anderson pushes the fiver about 12” back.

Study up. Lots of choices.
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Old 05-20-2019, 12:15 PM   #16
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1 ton, forget the 3/4 and be ready for your next rig. Long bed or get a slider. The Reese is cheap but get the B&W for your next rig.
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Old 05-20-2019, 12:21 PM   #17
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Keep it simple. Go with a Goose neck setup.
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Old 05-20-2019, 12:22 PM   #18
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1 ton, forget the 3/4 and be ready for your next rig. Long bed or get a slider. The Reese is cheap but get the B&W for your next rig.
For 20 miles a year ?? Why ?
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Old 05-20-2019, 12:31 PM   #19
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I have only had long boxes. I never had to worry about hitting the cab. I just got used to the longer wheelbase. My first was a Supercab Ford F-350, the second was an F-550 with a Fontaine Classic Traveler box (about 9 feet) crew cab.
The length just became second nature, even in shopping center parking lots. My wife liked driving the long box too. When the hitch was removed from the box (and lighter as not a slider) and I needed to haul stuff, the extra length was always appreciated. There were times I had a tool box forward against the cab sitting on the bed floor and a height even with the bedsides, that shortened the box to 6-1/2’, I could not imagine a 4 foot space length.

My recollection is seeing Chevy/GMC long boxes is somewhat rare.
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Old 05-20-2019, 01:56 PM   #20
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I have a Chevy 3500 with 6.5 bed and Andersen Ultimate hitch. The two work great together and the Andersen is easy to remove. However, for your purpose I would get a Gooseneck hitch. No need to remove or install anything each time that you use it except the ball in the bed.
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