Is a Sliding 5th Wheel Hitch Needed for a 2012 Keystone Montana 3402RL on a 2019 F-350 Short Bed

Question:

We have a 2019 F-350 with a 6.75 body that has the puck system, and a 2012 5th wheel Montana 3402 RL with a Moryde RPB 72-1716 hitch box. When we bought the trailer the dealer said did not need a slider hitch. What would be your recommendation or how can I tell if I need a slider?

asked by: Michael

Helpful Expert Reply:

I did some research on your 2012 Keystone Montana 3402RL and it looks like the trailer is equipped with a tapered nose which will allow for up to 79 degrees of turning clearance on a truck with a 6-1/2' long bed according to Keystone. The short bed on your 2019 Ford F-350 is actually a bit longer than the standard short bed (6-3/4' long) so you should be just fine with a fixed 5th wheel hitch but there is a formula I have attached for you that will allow you to determine whether or not any cab/loft clearance issues will be present.

(A + B) - C = Clearance

A = Distance from Center of Fifth Wheel Hitch Jaw to Truck Cab

B = Length of Pin Box Arm

C = Width of Trailer Divided by 2

For a fixed 5th wheel hitch to use on your F-350 with the Montana, I highly recommend using the B&W Companion OEM 5th Wheel Hitch for Ford Super Duty Prep Package part # BWRVK3305. There are three main reasons I recommend this trailer hitch over the rest. The first is that it has 1" thick dual locking jacks which are going to do an excellent job of reducing the amount of chucking and jaring you encounter. The next reason is that the pivot arms can be positioned in a way that gives you additional turning clearance so performing a 90 degree turn on your truck with the trailer's tapered nose should not be an issue at all. The final reason I recommend this hitch is because the head and base can be removed separately of one another which is really going to save your back or whoever is removing it.

I have attached a review video for you as well.