Does 2009 Dodge Ram 2500 Short Bed Need Slider Hitch Towing 2014 Keystone Sprinter 314 FWRLS

Question:

i have a 2009 dodge ram 4 door 6.5 foot bed not mega cab .. i have purchased a fifth wheel trailer 20014 keystone sprinter 314 FWRLS , pin # 2037 GVWR of trailer wet is 13,000 ... my question is 1, is a sliding hitch needed ? 2, if so is auto slide recommended ? 3, if so what auto slide would you recommend ? i have purchased many items from E trailer and do value your opinion thank you

asked by: John G

Expert Reply:

In general a sliding hitch is needed when towing a fifth wheel trailer with a truck that has a bed shorter than 8 feet. There are scenarios where a slider hitch isn't needed though like if the trailer happens to have a tapered nose.

I looked up your 2014 Keystone Sprinter 314 FWRLS and the nose of it is tapered the pin box is extended and since your short bed truck is a bit longer at 6.5 foot (a lot are shorter than that) I'd think you'd most likely not need a slider. If it were me I would go with a fixed hitch like the Reese 20k hitch part # RP30928 and a custom fit rail kit like the part # RP50140-58 which installs really easily with minimal drilling.

Auto slider hitches are really awesome though. If you wanted to go that route the Demco Hijacker # DM8550034 is the way to go. It's widely considered the best auto sliding hitch!

expert reply by: Jameson C