5th Wheel Hitch and Sidewinder Recommendations for Use with 2015 GMC Sierra 1500

Question:

Have a 5foot 8inch short bed 15500 GMC. Looking at PS30855, RP30047 for hitch. With the premium double jaw, cushioned double pivot hitch, can I do without the air ride sidewinder, and go with non-air ride sidewinder? Also, 4 bolt, or 10 bolt rails? Thanks.

asked by: Larry R

Expert Reply:

Let's start with a 5th wheel hitch for your 2015 GMC Sierra 1500.

Since your truck has a very short bed 5th wheel towing will require a standard fixed 5th wheel hitch along with a replacement Sidewinder pin box, as you noted. The 16K-rated Reese # RP30047 features a 4-way pivoting head assembly to simplify hitching your trailer on uneven ground as well as a dual-jaw system for better grip on your king pin. The key difference is the length of the warranty - 10 years for the Pro Series and Limited Lifetime for the Reese. If you'd like to add a lock for the hitch you can use # TR63254 in place of one of the standard pins supplied with the hitch.

With any of these hitches you can use the same custom install kit # RP50064-58. This 10-bolt kit requires no frame drilling and will save you considerable installation time over the universal-fit kit. For a wiring harness you can use Bargman 90-Degree Wiring Harness # 50-97-410.

Sidewinders are selected based on your trailer's original pin box brand and part number, both of which should be available on the sticker on the side of the pin box. With that information you can use the linked article to review the listing of Sidewinders to find one that will bolt on in place of yours. You can re-use your existing pin box hardware. Let's say your current pin box is a Lippert 0719; in this case you can use Reese Sidewinder # RP34FR. If you did decide to go for the extra ride comfort of an air-ride Sidewinder, you could instead use # RP61422. This will deliver better performance than any cushioned hitch.

I have linked several installation articles and videos for you to simplify your install process.