5th Wheel Trailer Hitch and Install Kit for 2006 GMC Sierra with B&W Gooseneck Hitch Installed

Question:

I currently use the Anderson Ultimate 5th wheel hitch and LOVE it, but it does not allow me sufficient cab to trailer clearance, for my short bed truck, when backing in, so I need to upgrade. I am getting close to buying a Reese Airborne Sidewinder to get sufficient cab clearance. I cannot get a price on it because I cannot find a nameplate or model ANYWHERE on my factory pin box. The trailer is a 2015 Open Range Roamer 337 RLS. Do you know what model of the Airborne Sidewinder it would take? The frame mounts have three rows of bolt holes in it, and the factory pin box uses all three. Also, at $1650 for the Sidewinder, what stationary hitch would provide the least horizontal movement, on stop and start, for the least amount of money. I will also have to add rails to my truck, which I am not happy about, and still need to make sure the rail installation will not interfere with my BandW turnover ball hitch.

asked by: Scott L

Helpful Expert Reply:

I looked up the specs on your Open Road Roamer 337RLS. It is 100 inches wide. This means that in order to be able to make 90 degree turns without hitting the truck cab and trailer together you would need to have 54 inches from the back of the truck cab to the hitch centerline.

By my rough estimate the distance from the back of the cab to the hitch centerline plus 12 inches of trailer for a slider hitch would be 50 inches which is too short to safely make 90 degree turns.

You can get more travel by using a Demco slider hitch such as # DM8550034 with installation kit # DM8552009-71 for your 2006 GMC Sierra. This hitch has 14 inches of travel but that still might be too close for comfort to account for pitch and roll when making tight turns; especially if my rough estimate is off the mark.

There is a hitch that slides even more, 22-1/2 inches to be exact. It is the Demco 13K hitch # DM8550040. It will also fit installation kit # DM8552009-71. This is also an auto-slider. The dry weight of your trailer is well under 13,000 pounds but you would just have to make sure that when loaded it does not exceed 13,000 pounds if you go with this hitch. This set up means that you will not have to get rails, a hitch, and a Sidewinder pin box to have the clearance you need so the overall cost is about half as much with this Demco hitch and install kit.

All of these options with the exception of using a B&W slider hitch, # BWRVK3400-5W, are going to require removal of the B&W Turnover Ball gooseneck hitch because the rail brackets mount to the same locations so both cannot be installed at the same time.