2010 Half Ton Towing Fifth Wheel

[KTM Guy]

My SuperGlide 16K works great. I never worry about forgetting to release the slide because the hitch slides automatically when I turn, as I'm sure you know. I recommend using the new graphite spray lube for the way tubes instead of the discontinued lithium grease that picks up dust and grit. I bought my hitch, SuperRail mount and frame brackets pre-owned for $850 and never looked back.

Personally I would pass on the sidewinder. It moves the pivot point to the rear of the axle, which kind of defeats the purpose of the 5th wheel hitch. Extend a little farther to the rear and you have the same geometry and sway as a bumper-pull hitch.

Good luck!

[SuperGewl]

Originally Posted by KTM Guy

My SuperGlide 16K works great. I never worry about forgetting to release the slide because the hitch slides automatically when I turn, as I'm sure you know. I recommend using the new graphite spray lube for the way tubes instead of the discontinued lithium grease that picks up dust and grit. I bought my hitch, SuperRail mount and frame brackets pre-owned for $850 and never looked back.

Personally I would pass on the sidewinder. It moves the pivot point to the rear of the axle, which kind of defeats the purpose of the 5th wheel hitch. Extend a little farther to the rear and you have the same geometry and sway as a bumper-pull hitch.

Good luck!

I agree about the Superglide as I own one also, but I must disagree with what was stated about the moving of the pivot point behind the axle. The SuperGlide does the same thing when it slides back 14". Remember this is only while turning but it does.
I will say I love the hitch and would only give it up if I bought a new long bed and then I even get a Pullrite 5th hitch installed on super rails because I like the latching setup on the pin.

[SuperGewl]

Originally Posted by Benicia

We are ordering a 24 ft. Forest River Rockwood Signature Ultra Lite . It is by far the lightest 5th whl on the market with a 1068 hitch wt. Certified dry wt of 6402. Gross @ 8400. There are lots of 1/2 tons on the road pulling trailers of same wt. My truck's weak spot for pulling is the 3:43 rear which is allows me 17.5 MPG empty. I will overcome that at altitude by not allowing the truck to shift constantly. Thanks to all for helpful comments. I carefully considered all and definitely shied away from all other 24 footers. My quest now is to find the best slider hitch money will buy. Super Glide?
5th Airborne Sidewinder? Reese?

If mileage was important then you should go Diesel, I get 24mpg empty wit a 1 ton and 12 mpg pulling my 5th wheel.

[JIMNLIN]

The heavier the hitch the more it cuts into the trucks rear axle load capacities. The Superglide is a good hitch but very heavy. Manual sliding hitches are lighter plus many short bed GM owners say they get by without a slider or they may have one but never use it. Just more fodder to chew on

[NLOVNIT]

Originally Posted by JIMNLIN

...many short bed GM owners say they get by without a slider...

We fell into that category with our previous 5-r. Never had an issue, even in a 90-degree turn. I wondered if it was because the pin box was farther out than most....or, we were just lucky.

Lori-

[SuperGewl]

Originally Posted by NLOVNIT

We fell into that category with our previous 5-r. Never had an issue, even in a 90-degree turn. I wondered if it was because the pin box was farther out than most....or, we were just lucky.

Lori-

I've heard the same thing from various people and then some of the same ones say they wish they had gotten a SuperGlide after the shelled out $12K to fix their truck and 5th wheel.
To each his own but I love my SuperGlide, I have never had to get out in the rain to release it, then pull forward to lock it, make the tight turn. Oh yeah while backing up traffic, then get back out in the rain to release it, back up to lock back in place, then get back out in the rain and secure it, OH yeah while blocking traffic.

That way I'm not soak-n-wet and pissed off because every one else that I blocked is pissed off at me.

[KTM Guy]

Originally Posted by SuperGewl

I agree about the Superglide as I own one also, but I must disagree with what was stated about the moving of the pivot point behind the axle. The SuperGlide does the same thing when it slides back 14". Remember this is only while turning but it does.
I will say I love the hitch and would only give it up if I bought a new long bed and then I even get a Pullrite 5th hitch installed on super rails because I like the latching setup on the pin.

I wasn't very clear when I wrote the paragraph you're taking issue with. Yes, the SuperGlide moves the pivot point to the rear, but only when turning sharply. At sharp turning speed, sway isn't going to be an issue. The Sidewinder permanently moves the pivot point to the rear. I've not heard of it, but it seems like sway could be an issue at highway speed.

[dayle1]

Originally Posted by Benicia

We are ordering a 24 ft. Forest River Rockwood Signature Ultra Lite . It is by far the lightest 5th whl on the market with a 1068 hitch wt. Certified dry wt of 6402. Gross @ 8400. There are lots of 1/2 tons on the road pulling trailers of same wt. My truck's weak spot for pulling is the 3:43 rear which is allows me 17.5 MPG empty. I will overcome that at altitude by not allowing the truck to shift constantly. Thanks to all for helpful comments. I carefully considered all and definitely shied away from all other 24 footers. My quest now is to find the best slider hitch money will buy. Super Glide?
5th Airborne Sidewinder? Reese?

No one ever answered your original question, with a proper setup, the truck does not stop the trailer, each trailer has brakes adequate for it's weight and supplies the 'whoa power'. If the trailer can't stop it's own weight, then it is pushing the truck which is a dangerous setup. From 1989 til 2003 I had several 1/2 ton setups, last was a 2000 Silverado, fiver was a 27ft Trail-lite, 5000 lbs dry wt, 950 lbs pin weight, and a GVWR of just 6550 lbs. I've had both 3.42 and 3.73 axle ratios. With a headwind and the large frontal area of the fiver, there will be times you can't maintain legal speeds even on level roads. You might opt to have a speed shop swap the ring and pinion set to 3.73 or even 4.10 at some point in time. Regarding the slider, get a manual one or maybe the Sidewinder. Both my 1/2 ton trucks were SBs and had fixed hitches ( in '89, no one had even invented the slide hitch yet). With my 3/4 ton, in 7 yrs I have used the slider twice, last time in '05.

[CD]

Originally Posted by dayle1

No one ever answered your original question, with a proper setup, the truck does not stop the trailer, each trailer has brakes adequate for it's weight and supplies the 'whoa power'. If the trailer can't stop it's own weight, then it is pushing the truck which is a dangerous setup. From 1989 til 2003 I had several 1/2 ton setups, last was a 2000 Silverado, fiver was a 27ft Trail-lite, 5000 lbs dry wt, 950 lbs pin weight, and a GVWR of just 6550 lbs. I've had both 3.42 and 3.73 axle ratios. With a headwind and the large frontal area of the fiver, there will be times you can't maintain legal speeds even on level roads. You might opt to have a speed shop swap the ring and pinion set to 3.73 or even 4.10 at some point in time. Regarding the slider, get a manual one or maybe the Sidewinder. Both my 1/2 ton trucks were SBs and had fixed hitches ( in '89, no one had even invented the slide hitch yet). With my 3/4 ton, in 7 yrs I have used the slider twice, last time in '05.

If you are depending on the trailer brakes always taking care of stopping the trailer, you are right on the edge. Trailer brakes are notorious for having problems (maybe small ones) like corroded connections, frayed wires, etc. A larger, heavier TV that can handle a good portion of the trailer weight without it's brakes is much safer. JMHO

[dayle1]

Originally Posted by CD

If you are depending on the trailer brakes always taking care of stopping the trailer, you are right on the edge. Trailer brakes are notorious for having problems (maybe small ones) like corroded connections, frayed wires, etc. A larger, heavier TV that can handle a good portion of the trailer weight without it's brakes is much safer. JMHO

If you AREN'T depending on the trailer brakes to take care of stopping the trailer, then like I said, the trailer is pushing the truck during a stop, with the risk of loss of control and jack-knifing. Given the high placement of a fiver hitch, the pushing force of the fiver is adding weight to the truck's front tires and unloading the truck's rear tires. Once the front tires lock up, loss of steering. The ONLY way to prevent this is if the trailer has the ability to stop faster than the truck, meaning with it's own brakes.

Everyone talks about the bigger brakes on bigger trucks being the answer. Yet if you look at test results from any auto mag. you will typically find that from a given manufacturer, say Dodge, a 1500 series truck will have about the same stopping distance as a 3500 series truck. But both will be tested EMPTY. Loaded to GVWR, the 3500 series should have a longer stopping distance than the 1500 series because the 3500 series has a higher carrying capacity as a percentage of it's unloaded weight.

I do agree that a larger, heavier tow vehicle will be safer, IF it is towing the same trailer weight. But, very few people get a larger truck and then tow the same lighter trailer for very long. A 3500 series truck also has a higher towing capacity as a percentage of it's dry weight and therefore it will typically have a higher percentage of trailer weight behind it than a 1500 series truck. So, if both have the same stopping distance unloaded, but in the real world, the 3500 series has a higher percentage of weight in the bed or behind the vehicle, how can it be safer?

If trailer brakes were so unreliable, then just like big rigs, our trailers would have to be equiped with air brakes. In 21 yrs, I know I've never had a problem.

[Randy the sly old fox]

Those 3.43 rear end gears will be your worst enemy when it come to towing - period. They are the limit to your CGWR which limits your towing. Climbing hills will be a real chore - getting started down the hy - figure at least a mile to get up to speed - your towing mileage will really suck and you will not recoup it with the high light millage. I know you don't have the 6 spd because it requires either the 3.73 or 4.10 rear gears - the s 6 sp tranny has a real low 1st gear that does help you ger the load going.