Hitch ?

[kotz]

I'm considering a new truck purchase, and will be going from a 2015 Ram 3500 SRW with the 8' box to a 2017 Ram dually with the 6' 4' box.
My question is will my B & W patriot work or would it require a slider mount due to the decreased bed length?

[uncledon]

Might depend on the fiver you have. Some have front cap designs that allow more turning radius, but I'm not familiar with your hitch or trailer.

[SmokeyWren]

Originally Posted by kotz

My question is will my B & W patriot work or would it require a slider mount due to the decreased bed length?

Depends.

I would install the Old Patriot in the new trailer, and drag the old trailer to an empty parking lot. Turn as sharp as possible doing "figure 8s" while someone watches the front of the trailer and the rear of the cab to be sure there is no cab to trailer contact. The new truck, old hitch, and old trailer should pass that test with flying colors.

Next, in that same empty parking lot, back the 5er into a jackknife. If you can achieve a 90° jackknife without cab to trailer contact, then you're good to go when jackknifing in that direction. Next, check if you can also jackknife in the other direction without cab to trailer contact.

But you'll probably have cab to trailer contact before you reach 90°. In that case, notice exactly how much of a jackknife you can have before cab to trailer contact, when backing up both left and right. Lots of folks get by with 75° or 80° max jackknife.

Only you can decide if you must have a slider hitch. If you must have a slider, the Patriot is not adaptable to a slider base, so you'll need to invest in a B&W Companion slider or some other brand.

If you decide you need a slider hitch, think about manual or automatic. With a manual slider, such as the B&W Companion slider, you must be awake enough to never put the truck in reverse gear until AFTER you slide the hitch.

I'm too forgetful to rely on a manual slider, so I must have either a long bed or an automatic slider hitch. The industry standard for an automatic slider is the PullRite SuperGlide. One version of the SuperGlide uses industry standard rails (ISR). So if you install the Patriot on ISR, then if you decide you need a slider, you would already have the ISR to plug in the SuperGlide.
ISR Series SuperGlide Fifth Wheel Hitches | Fifth Wheel Hitches by PullRite

[kotz]

After thinking this over I'll probably go with the 8' foot bed.
Thinking of adding a bed tank and with the 6' 4 bed i won't have the room.

Thanks for the input.

[SmokeyWren]

Originally Posted by kotz

After thinking this over I'll probably go with the 8' foot bed.

Good idea.

That's what I did. I had a shorty pickup and bought a 5er without a sliding hitch. I couldn't get close to a 90° jackknife. That was too nerve wracking - nightmares of pulling into a dead end alley with a crooked bumpy road, and after a mile or so realizing there was no way to turn around. Backing a 5er up a crooked bumpy road is not my idea of a fun thing to do.

With a slider hitch, I could back into a 90° jackknife, disconnect and drive around the other side of the 5er, hook back up, and go.

I could have simply installed a slider hitch. But it was time to trade for a new pickup anyway, so I went to town and ordered a new pickup with an 8' bed. Happy camper for the next 10 years.

[chertz]

My coachman would do fine on a shortbed... but all coach dependent.

I agree with 8 foot beds... opens up more options.

[uncledon]

Originally Posted by kotz

After thinking this over I'll probably go with the 8' foot bed.
Thinking of adding a bed tank and with the 6' 4 bed i won't have the room.

Thanks for the input.

Yup, the way to go. Brother and I hauled our rigs out to SD last summer. He has short bed, I have long. He has aux. tank in bed and was complaining about no space, and he's right.

[jacknife]

I have a 48gal transfer flow in front of my hitch in a 3500 SRW short bed . No problem !