Fifth Wheel Hitch Recommendation for 2017 Ram 3500 Short Bed with Rail Kit

Question:

I had an 07 silverado 6.5 ft bed and a demco hijacker hitch and have now moved to a 17 ram 3500 6.4 ft with factory prep rails.I am considering replacing the hitch instead getting an adapter kit. I never felt the need for a slider with my 2012 rv and would rather have a sidewinder pin box if necessary.Am i wrong in thinking that a slider or sidewinder is not necessary and what hitch would be a good ram factory fit replacement.

asked by: James O

Expert Reply:

If your trailer never required the slider of your Demco Hijacker part # DM6076P-UL-16K to be slid back and your truck had a 6-1/2 foot bed then your new truck with the same bed length wouldn't require it either. But the 2017 Ram 3500 short bed is about 6 inches shorter so clearance may be an issue.

For short bed towing a Sidewinder pin box is the best option anyway. The B and W Companion part # BWRVK3600 would be a great option with a Sidewinder. You would need the wedge part # SWW-06.

Sidewinders are pin box specific so you will first need to know what pin box you have now in order to pick out the correct one.

There should be a sticker or a stamping on the OEM pin box of the trailer that will list the pin box number that is on the trailer.

Once you figure out which pin box you have you can check the FAQ I attached that has a chart that shows the correct Sidewinder to get based on which pin box you have.

expert reply by: Jameson C