6 replies to this topic

[Rollrs45]

Many of you know we're planning on upgrading to a 5th wheel. Holmans sells a slider hitch by Husky (16K) that mounts to permanent rails in teh bed. Their price is 1,300 installed. They also have a hitch that mounts to rails attached underneath the bed for 1,700 installed.

Since I know nothing about 5th wheel hitches I'm turning to you all. Any advice or recommendations are welcome! Is this a decent deal or would I be better served to look elsewhere? Thanks!

Mike

[Crawfish]

That sounds a little high to me Mike. It seems like I paid around $750 to $800 on my slider, and it was a Husky, and they installed it for free. This was about 2 years ago. I got mind at the dealership but that price was included in the camper deal. I would check around town at a truck outfitting store and see what kind of deal you get with them. These RV dealerships like to give a good deal on the camper just to try and get it some of it back on accessories. And while you are getting a 5th wheel hitch I would go ahead and get a 18K hitch and be done with it. You never know what the future might bring.


Leon

[Rollrs45]

Crawfish, on May 5 2009, 08:49 PM, said:

That sounds a little high to me Mike. It seems like I paid around $750 to $800 on my slider, and it was a Husky, and they installed it for free. This was about 2 years ago. I got mind at the dealership but that price was included in the camper deal. I would check around town at a truck outfitting store and see what kind of deal you get with them. These RV dealerships like to give a good deal on the camper just to try and get it some of it back on accessories. And while you are getting a 5th wheel hitch I would go ahead and get a 18K hitch and be done with it. You never know what the future might bring.


Leon

I sent Tim from JCF a message and told him I would take it. I can swing by Richmond on my way to Holmans. Glad I posted a topic, that's going to save me a ton of $$$$$$. Thanks!

Mike

[5th Time Around]

It sounds as if you have made a deal, but I'll put in my .02 cents:

We have the 16K Pull-Rite Super Slide that is automatic. Friends of ours have the manual sliding 5er hitch (unknown name). He said it is a pain in the butt, and recently broke his back window. Our Super Slide requires no manual pulling of handles and works effortless at all times.

Granted the Pull-Rites will set you back $3500 complete and installed, my neighbor just got his installed and that is how I know the price. Ours was already installed on the truck that we bought, the salesman said what a good hitch it was, we realized it when we looked at the camping world magazine how much it cost. Ours is removeable, but the rails are permanately mounted in the bed.
The Pull-Rites require a special capture plate for the king pin, so unless you have the same hitch you can't pull my 5er and I can't pull your 5er!

Jennifer

[Wolfpackers]

Not sure if you've already bought a hitch or not, but in case you haven't....

I am extremely pleased with my selection of the Pull Rite 18K slider hitch. I got the Super Rail package which allows a clean bed (no rails in the bed) when the hitch is out of the truck. You will have 4 holes in the bed, but I'd rather have those than permanent rails in the bed. Instead of greasing the slider tubes, most folks use a graphite spray, which I get from John Deere. It drys fast and you can do touchups while on the road.

You read a lot of comments from folks who towed with a gas engine and then went to diesel and wish they had started with diesel. I think this hitch is one that you won't reget having. I paid around $2000 for mine, installed, about 2 years ago. If you contact Pull Rite, they can probably send you a template for your model truck and you could install it yourself if you wanted to.

With this being my first truck and first camper, I knew if I didn't get the automatic slider hitch, I would end up hitting the truck with the camper and spending much more than the hitch price in repairs to both truck and camper. I have turned around in cul-de-sacs with this hitch....takes the worry out of turning.

Good luck.

[Rollrs45]

Wolfpackers, on May 9 2009, 11:24 PM, said:

Not sure if you've already bought a hitch or not, but in case you haven't....

I am extremely pleased with my selection of the Pull Rite 18K slider hitch. I got the Super Rail package which allows a clean bed (no rails in the bed) when the hitch is out of the truck. You will have 4 holes in the bed, but I'd rather have those than permanent rails in the bed. Instead of greasing the slider tubes, most folks use a graphite spray, which I get from John Deere. It drys fast and you can do touchups while on the road.

You read a lot of comments from folks who towed with a gas engine and then went to diesel and wish they had started with diesel. I think this hitch is one that you won't reget having. I paid around $2000 for mine, installed, about 2 years ago. If you contact Pull Rite, they can probably send you a template for your model truck and you could install it yourself if you wanted to.

With this being my first truck and first camper, I knew if I didn't get the automatic slider hitch, I would end up hitting the truck with the camper and spending much more than the hitch price in repairs to both truck and camper. I have turned around in cul-de-sacs with this hitch....takes the worry out of turning.

Good luck.

I think the Reese I'm buying is about the same as the Pull Rite. In fact, aren't they the same company? It's 18K, 4 holes in the bed and the rails mount underneath the bed of the truck. Sounds about right!

Mike

[Wolfpackers]

Rollrs45, on May 10 2009, 12:16 AM, said:

I think the Reese I'm buying is about the same as the Pull Rite. In fact, aren't they the same company? It's 18K, 4 holes in the bed and the rails mount underneath the bed of the truck. Sounds about right!

Mike

Don't think they're the same or the same company. The Pull Rite slider hitch (SuperGlide) slides away from the truck cab as the 5'er turns in relation to the camper. It's called an automatic slider. I think the one you're buying requires you to get out, release the slider, get back in truck, pull forward to slide hitch away from cab, maybe get back out to lock it in (not sure about that part), then do your tight turning/backing, etc., then get back out and release slider again, get back in and back up to get hitch in towing position and maybe back out again to lock it in place. Boy that tires me out just writing it.

Watch this video and then go here and read a little. I'm not saying you're crazy to pull a 5'er without one of these, but I decided the cost was well worth the benefit of knowing my 5'er could not hit my truck unless I jackknife it OVER 90 degrees (not gonna happen) and knowing I never need to get out and pull a handle to allow the hitch to slide. Many folks use the manual slider hitch and it could well be the right one for you. If you're not familiar with the PullRite or all that's involved with a manual slider hitch, I'm just saying to read up and understand both so that you can decide for sure what you would feel better with.

Hope to see you out camping real soon.
Brent