To slide or not to slide

[North49]

recently went to a large Canadian frame and spring manufacture to look at slider hitches. Their opinion was not to use a slider, that it was not necessary and that more damage is done to the tandem alignment when the wheels are pushed sideways across a hard surface. Your opinions on this subject would be appreciated.

[Shinny]

I'm not sure I follow. Are you asking how the hitch slides or if it hurts anything?

My two cents, sliders are added help. If backing in to a tight spot, you can gain up to 14" between the cab of the truck when you slide the hitch. This prevents the front cap of the camper from hitting the back window of the truck and breaking it. It also sprays broken glass all over the interior of the truck and on passengers. It also puts a big dent in the truck cab. My hitch slides automatically and I can't see how it would mess with the axles. My friends have a hitch they need to manually slide and they try to do it while in a straight line before backing into their site. I hope that helps.

[amxpress]

If you have a short bed you might consider installing a slider hitch. I have one in my RAM and have used it a few times, just to be safe. It is better to have one and not need it than need it and not have one.

[North49]

Originally Posted by Shinny

I'm not sure I follow. Are you asking how the hitch slides or if it hurts anything?

My two cents, sliders are added help. If backing in to a tight spot, you can gain up to 14" between the cab of the truck when you slide the hitch. This prevents the front cap of the camper from hitting the back window of the truck and breaking it. It also sprays broken glass all over the interior of the truck and on passengers. It also puts a big dent in the truck cab. My hitch slides automatically and I can't see how it would mess with the axles. My friends have a hitch they need to manually slide and they try to do it while in a straight line before backing into their site. I hope that helps.

I understand how the hitch slides, just wondering if others have been told about damaging the alignment on the tandem wheels when the wheels are pushed across a hard surface instead of rolling as you would with a standard turn. Thank you for your comments, sounds like they come from real life experiences.


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[Shinny]

Originally Posted by North49

I understand how the hitch slides, just wondering if others have been told about damaging the alignment on the tandem wheels when the wheels are pushed across a hard surface instead of rolling as you would with a standard turn. Thank you for your comments, sounds like they come from real life experiences.


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I have not heard anything about pushing the axles. I've never been in a situation where I was 90° to the camper to push them. I guess I've been lucky. I wouldn't let it scare you. Maybe others have had that situation and may chime in.

[j free]

Slides are for short bed trucks. When using them in it gives your the same cab distance as a long bed truck. so I don't see any truth in that statement.

[kentnjudy]

Have always towed fifth wheels with either a Chevy or GMC with a 6.5' box. (About twenty years now) Never had a "crunch". Backing the rig into my driveway gets pretty tight some days. You just have to keep an eye on the corner. With today's front end cap design and pin box locations it's really not a problem. Might be with larger trailers with boxier front ends.

[camper1999]

Originally Posted by kentnjudy

Have always towed fifth wheels with either a Chevy or GMC with a 6.5' box. (About twenty years now) Never had a "crunch". Backing the rig into my driveway gets pretty tight some days. You just have to keep an eye on the corner. With today's front end cap design and pin box locations it's really not a problem. Might be with larger trailers with boxier front ends.

X2

[kentnjudy]

Originally Posted by kentnjudy

Have always towed fifth wheels with either a Chevy or GMC with a 6.5' box. (About twenty years now) Never had a "crunch". Backing the rig into my driveway gets pretty tight some days. You just have to keep an eye on the corner. With today's front end cap design and pin box locations it's really not a problem. Might be with larger trailers with boxier front ends.

Just to clarify -- never used a slider even though I have been told I would need one.

[North49]

Thank you for your encouragement, you echo sentiments from other long time 5th wheel owners.

[fast murray]

I don't subscribe to the "better to have one and not need it" sentiment. It is not better to pay more and carry extra weight for something you don't need. I can see the issue of backing a trailer at 90*, just look at your wheels when you turn. I'm not sure if it does any alignment damage but it doesn't look like it does it any good. I've parked in a couple of campgrounds where the spaces were perpendicular to the road and while I can't understand why they set the campground up like that, I still had no trouble with a SB truck with no slider. I do wonder how the non-superglide sliders work as my pinbox is relativel close to the tailgate as it is. Do you have to run one of those 5th wheel tailgates or take it off?

[North49]

Thank you for your input to this subject, this is the great power of open forums, no opinion is wrong.

[arpipeliner]

Don't believe the sliding hitch will do any damage unless only one brake holding on the camper.

Personally I don't think it's good to park and leave the axles twisted and in a bind from a hard turn. I did that once because a truck was in the way of pulling forward to straighten out. Was going to hook up and pull it back and forth to allow the tires and axles not to be bound up. Instead forgot and finished hooking up the camper and skirting it. 3 months later pulled to AR and back to OH when working. Found the tread wore smooth on two tires and axles were 1.5" out of sync. I replaced everything from the frame to the axle. I will say it's my fault more than poor cheap parts. It was a lesson learned if unable to straighten the axles I would jack up the axles to relieve the pressure.


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[North49]

Thank you for sharing your experience.

[BuckeyeChuck]

I have a Reese 16k manual slider. I use it every time I back into a site. I may not need to every time but it's so easy to do, so why not? It gives me just one less thing to have to look out for and that's a good thing.