The time has come for us to make a decision on a fifth wheel hitch. We have a short bed truck and so there is no doubt we need a sliding hitch. I really like the Pullrite Super Glide (except for the pricing). I have read in a few places that you only have a 15 degree variance from center in which you can hitch/unhitch. When we had our TT there were a few times that I had the rig at 35 deg or better to fit in our camp site.
As you can imagine this has me concerned.
Are there any of you who have this hitch and can comment on this issue?
What about manual slides? Can you comment on those to please?
Thank you very much for your comments.
Bill
2007 Tundra DC
SuperGlide 14K
Prodigy Brake Controller
2009 Flagstaff 8528RKSS
Air Lift 5000
fivecodys wrote: The time has come for us to make a decision on a fifth wheel hitch. We have a short bed truck and so there is no doubt we need a sliding hitch. I really like the Pullrite Super Glide (except for the pricing). I have read in a few places that you only have a 15 degree variance from center in which you can hitch/unhitch. When we had our TT there were a few times that I had the rig at 35 deg or better to fit in our camp site.
As you can imagine this has me concerned.
Are there any of you who have this hitch and can comment on this issue?
What about manual slides? Can you comment on those to please?
Thank you very much for your comments.
Bill
Go for the Superglide. It's available on-line with the completely removable Super-rails for around $1800 shipped. Think of the extra cost as insurance for the time you forget to slide the manual one and should've, or the awkward entry to a gas station when there is no way to stop and slide the manual before driving in.
As for hitching and unhitching, yes there is a (I think) 15 degree limit to normal hitching/unhitching but you CAN do both at ANY angle.
Look at the pic in my sig. That's where I hitch and unhitch at home.
Check this post.
Keith J, Retired from GM Engineering
2005 GMC Sierra 2500HD SLE 2WD/CC/SB/DA.
1999 Sunnybrook 27RKFS Fiver
Bilsteins, Line-X, Westin steps, Prodigy, Retrax, 16K Superglide, 5th-Airborne pin-box, Multi-vex mirrors.
If you have a breakdown, and your 5er needs towed by another vehicle, they will not be able to tow it unless they have a superglide hitch. A superglide hitch has a special adapter that bolts on to your 5er's hitch, that will not allow it to be used with any other hitch.
I dunno, we have never been in a situation, unless we were backing into a spot, that we need a "automatic sliding hitch". And for the $1200 difference, I can get out and do it manually. Its usually a good time to stretch from a long drive anyway!
Good luck on your choice of hitches!
2004.5 Flame Red Dodge Ram 2500 Quad cab 4x4 w/CTD
fivecodys wrote: The time has come for us to make a decision on a fifth wheel hitch. We have a short bed truck and so there is no doubt we need a sliding hitch. I really like the Pullrite Super Glide (except for the pricing). I have read in a few places that you only have a 15 degree variance from center in which you can hitch/unhitch. When we had our TT there were a few times that I had the rig at 35 deg or better to fit in our camp site.
As you can imagine this has me concerned.
Are there any of you who have this hitch and can comment on this issue?
What about manual slides? Can you comment on those to please?
Thank you very much for your comments.
Bill
Go for the Superglide. It's available on-line with the completely removable Super-rails for around $1800 shipped. Think of the extra cost as insurance for the time you forget to slide the manual one and should've, or the awkward entry to a gas station when there is no way to stop and slide the manual before driving in.
As for hitching and unhitching, yes there is a (I think) 15 degree limit to normal hitching/unhitching but you CAN do both at ANY angle.
Look at the pic in my sig. That's where I hitch and unhitch at home.
Check this post.
Thanks Keith for your input.
I am totally sold on the Super Glide and what it can potentially prevent.
That 15 degree issue had me a little worried. I was tellin DW that I would get the skinny on the issue before I had to leave for church this morning and I was right...I did.
I've had both, Reese with slider and a Superglide (and by the way you can order them for about $1200) fairly easy to install but you have to buy a special sized drill bit to drill the frame for the shouldered bolts. I hit the cab once with the Reese when pulling out of a filling station and I hit once with the Pullrite when backing the rig into a slightly uphill spot while turning. I had a Dodge RAM shortbed (which I do not recommend for a fifth wheel). I now have a Dodge longbed. Chevy and Ford both provide more room with their shortbeds. Pullrite REQUIRES more maintenance. You have to regularly lube the slides or they will gall up. Reese requires more memory and diligence in getting out and pull the slide handle - kind of a PITA and eventually you will forget.
2005 Dutchmen 35SRV, Pergo floor, 5th Airborne, JT Strong Arm, Kodiak Disk Brakes, Backup camera
2006 Dodge CTD RAM QC 3500 LWB 4WD, Reese 16k, Airlift, Pacbrake, Britebox, 60g aux fuel tank
04 HD Ultra, CanAM 400MAX Quad
fivecodys wrote: The time has come for us to make a decision on a fifth wheel hitch. We have a short bed truck and so there is no doubt we need a sliding hitch. I really like the Pullrite Super Glide (except for the pricing). I have read in a few places that you only have a 15 degree variance from center in which you can hitch/unhitch. When we had our TT there were a few times that I had the rig at 35 deg or better to fit in our camp site.
As you can imagine this has me concerned.
Are there any of you who have this hitch and can comment on this issue?
What about manual slides? Can you comment on those to please?
Thank you very much for your comments.
Bill
Go for the Superglide. It's available on-line with the completely removable Super-rails for around $1800 shipped. Think of the extra cost as insurance for the time you forget to slide the manual one and should've, or the awkward entry to a gas station when there is no way to stop and slide the manual before driving in.
As for hitching and unhitching, yes there is a (I think) 15 degree limit to normal hitching/unhitching but you CAN do both at ANY angle.
Look at the pic in my sig. That's where I hitch and unhitch at home.
Check this post.
jwduke wrote: The superglide is a great hitch, but.........
There is a but with everything........
If you have a breakdown, and your 5er needs towed by another vehicle, they will not be able to tow it unless they have a superglide hitch. A superglide hitch has a special adapter that bolts on to your 5er's hitch, that will not allow it to be used with any other hitch.
I dunno, we have never been in a situation, unless we were backing into a spot, that we need a "automatic sliding hitch". And for the $1200 difference, I can get out and do it manually. Its usually a good time to stretch from a long drive anyway!
Good luck on your choice of hitches!
True, with a BUT........
You can either remove the wedge plate from your trailer pin-box (not a big deal if you get one of the new "Quick Install" ones) or buy a special adapter from Pullrite (about $125 I believe) to add to your pin-box with the Pullrite plate so it can be towed with a regular hitch.
Personally, if I was going to do it again I would get the "Quick Install" wedge plate.
fivecodys wrote: The time has come for us to make a decision on a fifth wheel hitch. We have a short bed truck and so there is no doubt we need a sliding hitch. I really like the Pullrite Super Glide (except for the pricing). I have read in a few places that you only have a 15 degree variance from center in which you can hitch/unhitch. Not true. But rather than unhook from King pin, Lift the saddle out of the hitch, by using the front elevators.When we had our TT there were a few times that I had the rig at 35 deg or better to fit in our camp site.
As you can imagine this has me concerned.
Are there any of you who have this hitch and can comment on this issue?
What about manual slides? Can you comment on those to please?They work. If you don't mind the inconvenience. And they are a PITA. But the biggest issue is when you take a turn that you think will be fine, and all of a sudden you find it was not fine.
Thank you very much for your comments.
Bill
2006 F350 V10 4X4 SC SB SRW 4.30 22,500 GCWR
Keystone Sprinter 33'9" 12,500 GVWR
Pullrite Super Glide 18K
Super Duty, Super Cab, SuperGlide
SEE RV.net Classified for Vette Description
I paid the price and got my sliding hitch 3 years ago. Here's my opinion. True as someone has said "for the additional cost you can get out and slide the hitch. HOWEVER, when you are in heavy traffic and you spot your exit turn and you have to make a quick sharp right or left turn or even a U-turn on a 4 way (like I had to do in Calgary, AB) there isn't time to get out and stroll back to the bed throw the switch, get back in the truck. Your "worm hole" (Startrek) has already vanished.
As for as the 15 degrees varance, at times that can be a nucense I did get in a bad situation once and had to disconnet with quite a jolt to the hitch but no damage. Other times it's a minor inconvenience.
My hitch cost me, hitch and installiation, $2,200 3 years ago. However, as I understand it, there is new competition out there with a sliding hitch which may have been the reason for Superglide to lower their prices. I would definetely check out the competition because they don't don't appear to have the 15 degree hinderence.
Good luck!
SK1-XRay
2001 F250 P/S 4x4 Crew Cab Short Bed
2004 HitchHiker II LS
The PullRite SuperGlide is an excellent, well-engineered, well-built, fully automatic slider. It provides much “peace of mind” in that, while turning/backing, you don’t have to worry about any possibility of an “unplanned meeting” of your truck’s cab and the nose of the fiver.
However, in addition to the lower price of a manual slider, there are two other factors in its favor that nobody has yet mentioned – (1) the weight difference, and (2) the ease of “access-ability” to the truck bed or the fiver’s front storage compartment (while hooked up).
(1) Weight: There is about a 100 pound weight difference; PullRite SuperGlide weighs 285 to 300 pounds; a manual slider weighs 175 to 200 pounds. If your truck is a 350 or 3500 (1 ton), the extra weight of the SuperGlide may not be an issue. However, if the truck is a 250 or 2500, and if your fiver has a front bedroom slide-out, the extra 100 pound weight of the Superglide may be an issue - if you desire to stay within the ¾ ton’s GVWR.
(2) Ease of access-ability: Let’s say you’ve got your trailer hooked up, and you need to put (or take) some bulky item into (or out of) the bed of your truck, or the front storage compartment of the fiver. With a PullRite Superglide hitch, you have no means of expanding the distance between truck and trailer, to make the “put or take” easier (or even possible). With a manual slider, you simply swing the slider lever to the other end, then get in the truck, squeeze the trailer brake controller, and move the truck forward. This gives you several extra inches of space between truck and trailer.
I concede that these are two very minor advantages of a manual slider, and they may be of no consequence in your situation. Nonetheless, since you wish to hear all the pros and cons, I thought I would mention them.
2006 Ford F350 V10 2WD SRW SuperCab Short Bed
2005 Sunnybrook Titan 30RKFS Fifth Wheel
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