Short Bed Cab Clearance

[Garyp4951]

I’ve wondered if you could wire two more parking sensors to your rear ones in the bumper and place on the C pillars.

[alexdrozd]

Not a bad idea! Let's keep thinking short bed owners!

[jimcumminsw]

Originally Posted by alexdrozd

Not a bad idea! Let's keep thinking short bed owners!

Or just go buy yourself a sliding hitch! Then no mounting holes or sticky tape is needed or wiring issues especially if the vehicle has a CANBUS system!

[alexdrozd]

Everyone that owns a Goosebox or GenY pin box does not want a sliding hitch. They want an open bed when unhitched.

[darrellr]

In addition to those hitches, they also likely don't have short beds.

[Jack Klompus]

Originally Posted by Spdracr39

I had a 6.5 ft bed on my 3/4 ton. My 5er had the radiused front cap and I never had any cab clearance issues (if you have to cut that far your doing something wrong). I did however have a problem with the rear bed corners contacting the trailer under the overhang when I turned down into a drainage to square up in the campsite. I would be much more concerned about downhill turns. Another thought is that uphill turns with that slope will cause the back of the trailer to drag.

I have been thinking a lot about this quote, and how to reply. I suppose I was needlessly irritated at the "your (sic) doing something wrong" part.

One one hand, I do suppose it is obvious that "if you have to cut that far your (sic) doing something wrong", because by definition nobody intends to take out their backglass. On the other hand, your second observation actually plays in to the problem many don't think about with regard to turning radius and cab clearance.

I have a very radiused and modern 5er, and a newer model 6' 9" short bed. I set my B&W hitch to the most rearward static setting. I tested cab clearance issues in a parking lot by turning to rather extreme angles and pronounced myself safe. I could not conceive making contact. It turns out, I had not accommodated the obvious; grade changes inherent in actual camping introduce a very real likelihood of cab contact So real, in fact, that it happened to me after a few trips.

On a mixed grade back in to a site, I heard the deafening pop of a busted back glass. Contact, it turns out, was likely a millimeter: enough to do the damage.

So to the OP, and also to others like sugarhillctd, who don't think it can happen to them, I implore you: Forget things like hokey fabricated camera mounts (my rear camera was of no use to me of course), and just get a slider if you have a short-bed and have not truly measured your clearance. And if you think you have measured clearance, understand it is not foolproof and if you have not dealt with mixed grades, you are in for a shock. I thought the same thing you did.

This is, of course, one man's opinion, based on the reality that he "was doing something wrong".

[cdc76]

The Reese sidewinder hitch will fix any issues you have with cab clearance. It moves the swivel point of your trailer something like 22 inches rearward. I would highly suggest anyone looking to correcting their clearance issue to look into them. It is designed to replace a sliding receiver in the bed of the truck. I bought a camper that had one on it, so I read into them and it’s a brilliant design. Unfortunately my set up couldn’t accommodate it so mine is for sale.

[SGhost]

Sounds like a breeding ground for some great products..... What ever you guys come up with, let's not manufacture it in China....

[Jack Klompus]

Originally Posted by cdc76

The Reese sidewinder hitch will fix any issues you have with cab clearance. It moves the swivel point of your trailer something like 22 inches rearward. I would highly suggest anyone looking to correcting their clearance issue to look into them. It is designed to replace a sliding receiver in the bed of the truck. I bought a camper that had one on it, so I read into them and it’s a brilliant design. Unfortunately my set up couldn’t accommodate it so mine is for sale.

I have a Turning Point pin box: same concept.

Although better than nothing, I would prefer the stability of a slider over a rotational pin box. Of course a long bed is the real answer.

[Wileykid]

I have a short bed RAM, and put a Sidewinder on the trailer. My driveway is about a 6-7* uphill from the small two lane road I live on. Even with a new trailer that is supposed to be for a short bed, the angle of the turn with the uphill will place the nose of the trailer close enough to contact the truck. I would love to have a Gen-Y hitch, but I need a long bed for that.