Sliding 5th Wheel Hitch for 2003 Sierra 1500 with 6-1/2-Foot Bed Towing Cougar X-Lite 26RLS

Question:

have 2003 gmc 1500 extended cab looking at a lite-weight say 5000# fifth wheel do i need a slide hitch owner of fifth wheel said no because front of the 2009 cougar 26rls x-lite fifth wheel is rounded on corners unless i get into a 90 situation. WHAT IS YOUR RECOMENDATION pretty sure hes not using a slide

asked by: Wayne J

Expert Reply:

I still recommend a sliding type 5th wheel hitch for your 2003 GMC Sierra with 6-1/2-foot bed even though your 2009 Cougar 26RLS X-Lite has rounded corners on its overhang.

Some trailers have a sharply tapered nose which can avoid the need for a slider to give you enough turning clearance, but your Cougar's profile still needs either a sliding hitch or a fixed hitch with a Sidewinder pivoting pin box to give you the clearance needed for 90-degree turns without risk of the trailer overhang hitting the truck cab.

Reese sliding hitch # RP30075 is a good entry-level model rated for 16K trailer weight and 4000-lbs of pin weight. Its slider gives 11-inches of travel for when you need to make a sharp turn inside a campground. This hitch fits into any brand of industry-standard above-bed base rails.

But I do recommend using a 16K rated hitch even though you do not need the weight capacity. Hitches of this weight rating tend to include additional features not found on the 15K models. For instance, Curt 16K hitch # 16516 has 12-inches of slider travel and double-pivoting head for easier hitching on uneven ground.

expert reply by: Adam R