Installing a Reese RP30051 On a Chevrolet Silverado 2500 Diesel

Question:

I have a 3/4 Chevy Diesel, extended cab 66 standard bed. I am buying a used Reese Hitch 30051 that I have not seen. Is it a slide hitch and how hard is it to install? Will this enable me to pull a 33 SABRE 5th wheel without any issues? What is the extended hitch pin I have seen mentioned and do I need it?

asked by: Denny

Expert Reply:

Reese part # 30051 is a 16,000 pound capacity slider hitch. The slider unit allows 10 inches travel to allow more turn clearance.

Fifth wheel hitches are not particularly difficult to install for someone with average mechanical tools and ability. Thanks to custom fit install kits, fifth wheel installation is even easier now than in years passed. If you write back with the model year of your truck, I can help you find a custom fit install kit. These kits include the brackets that attach to the truck frame and the bed rails that sit in the bed and attach to the brackets below the bed. Once the bracket and rails are installed, a fifth wheel drops into the rails, and once pinned in place you are set to tow.

The slider included with Reese 5th Wheel 30051 should be adequate to tow any recreational fifth wheel trailer behind a truck with a 6 foot 6 inch bed. I do not know the width dimension of a 33 foot SABRE. Some extra wide trailers require a slider with more travel or the use of a Sidewinder.

I believe you are referring to an extended pin box. Some trailer manufacturers have been building pin boxes that extend past the trailer to provide extra clearance. With some trucks they are adequate, but with some trucks they are not.

I have added a link to our Fifth Wheel Information Page. It has links to videos of fifth wheel installs and demonstrations as well as some help articles on the left hand side of the page that cover various topics.

expert reply by: Patrick B