OK, despite me knowing RV's I have a question..

[MTboatguy]

Lets put this into perspective, I have worked on RV's on and off for a long time and know a lot about them, but have ran into something I am not familiar with, I have short bed Chev Silverado and have been looking for options to tow my 5th wheel trailer. It has the short box 6.6 foot bed. It is rated to tow the weight of my trailer and much more.

But the short bed presents some issues. So I am looking around at slider hitches and other options and run into something Reese makes called the sidewinder, which is a replacement pin box for the trailer, but it extends the king pin on the trailer to allow towing with a short bed and not having to use a slider hitch.

Has anyone used this system? They are not cheap, $500 and up, but I would rather use something like this over a slider which I have heard horror stories about from a few people.

So if anyone has experience with this system, chime in and let me know what you think..

Thanks.

 

[avenger79]

I have heard of them and seen them in action. the guy who had it said he loved it and had pulled it to FL from up north without issue.
I don't know the brand/price or any info. I only talked to him about it because I was surprised he could pull a 5th wheel with the shortbed. I went to see the slider hitch but he had the extender instead.

 

[bruceb58]

You have the same 1999 Silverado that I just sold. I wouldn't even think of putting a 5th wheel on that thing. Do you know your pin weight on your 5th? Your payload spec is going to be the limiting factor for towing a 5th with that truck.

 

[MTboatguy]

You have the same 1999 Silverado that I just sold. I wouldn't even think of putting a 5th wheel on that thing. Do you know your pin weight on your 5th? Your payload spec is going to be the limiting factor for towing a 5th with that truck.

Payload on the one I have is a bit over 2300 pounds, the pin weight on the trailer is 756 pounds and I have load lifter air bags on this one, it was set up to tow a race car trailer. It has the towing package, which is 11,000 pounds, trailer on a max load has been weighed full ready to go state at 6352 pounds. I have the 4:11 rear posi rear end in it.

This one is a pretty stout little truck.

 

[WIMUSKY]

I don't know the brand/price or any info. I only talked to him about it because I was surprised he could pull a 5th wheel with the shortbed. I went to see the slider hitch but he had the extender instead.

Actually, most rigs towing 5th wheels are shortbeds. They make the nose cones to accommodate. I have a shortbed and can get very close to 90deg while backing up... I just use a standard hitch.....

 

[WIMUSKY]

Payload on the one I have is a bit over 2300 pounds, the pin weight on the trailer is 756 pounds and I have load lifter air bags on this one, it was set up to tow a race car trailer. It has the towing package, which is 11,000 pounds, trailer on a max load has been weighed full ready to go state at 6352 pounds. I have the 4:11 rear posi rear end in it.

This one is a pretty stout little truck.

Gear ratio makes a big difference when towing. I have 3:73s, if I change out to 4:10s it would add 3k plus to my towing capacity.... With the current tranny... Which is important...

 

[bruceb58]

Payload on the one I have is a bit over 2300 pounds, the pin weight on the trailer is 756 pounds and I have load lifter air bags on this one, it was set up to tow a race car trailer. It has the towing package, which is 11,000 pounds, trailer on a max load has been weighed full ready to go state at 6352 pounds. I have the 4:11 rear posi rear end in it.

This one is a pretty stout little truck.

So your is a 3/4T?

 

[MTboatguy]

So your is a 3/4T?

Looking at the numbers it would seem like it is based on the numbers, but in looking at the build sheet I got from Chev it was special ordered in this specification by the first owner of the vehicle.

 

[avenger79]

I did that with a Ford in '02. I had a half ton that could haul more then a low end 3/4 ton.

just comes down to how you option them out and what you are hauling and how. as was said gear ratio is the biggest thing (for pulling)

nice thing about the HD trucks is better brakes, and overall stronger components. they will last longer when used to haul.

the 1/2 ton only made 165,000 miles and it was flat dead. donated to rawhide. my current 1 ton I am hoping for well over 200K out of it in the end

 

[bruceb58]

Looking at the numbers it would seem like it is based on the numbers, but in looking at the build sheet I got from Chev it was special ordered in this specification by the first owner of the vehicle.

Interesting. Must have a much higher GVW rating than the one I had.

 

[MTboatguy]

Interesting. Must have a much higher GVW rating than the one I had.

I was surprised, I took it to the local Chev dealer, I am friends with the Service Manager and we looked it up based on the RPO codes and he was surprised as well. He said it was only the second truck with the build sheet like I had, that he had ever seen.

So like I said, it is a stout little truck, I would not venture down this road, unless I had a truck that could handle it, I have seen far to many overloaded trucks while I help my friend that owns the RV company.

 

[bruceb58]

I was looking online and I see the payloads for these range from in the 1600s to 2300s.