Can Stationary B&W Companion be Used for Towing with a 2019 Ford F-350 Super Duty 6-3/4 Bed

Question:

I have been trying to figure if I need a slider or not. I know the B@W is the best choice,but if I have asked 10 poeple or dealers 5 so I do and 5 say I dont.Can you speculate which I will need. I bought a 34-35foot solitude if that helps. Ihave never had a 5 wheel until now.The ford dealer says yes ,but are they trying to get more money out of me that all said and done I dont really have..About $600.00 worth.As well, my brother-in-law just bought one from you and says I do not need a slider. Pretty confused,the more I ask....

asked by: Joe M

Expert Reply:

Great question!

There can be a lot of confusion when it comes to short beds and sliding 5th wheel hitches but part of that is because pickups and trailers are constantly changing. As a blanket statement we recommend using a sliding 5th wheel hitch whenever the truck bed is less than 8', but there are exceptions and it isn't entirely uncommon to use a stationary hitch with a short bed.

Short beds tend to linger around the 6-1/2' range and for the longest time 5th wheel RVs had a very boxy frame. This caused clearance issues between the trailer and truck cab when it came to making aggressive turns like what you would see at a gas station or campsite. Since your 2019 Ford F-350 has a 6-3/4' bed, if your Solitude has a tapered front you could most likely tow just fine with the stationary B&W Companion which comes as a 20K # BWRVK3300 as well as a 25K # BWRVK3305.

So while your brother-in-law is most likely correct, the Ford dealership was probably taking the way of safety to make sure that your trailer doesn't come in contact with your truck cab. We have a formula that you can use to help put your mind at ease and make the right choice as to whether you need the sliding B&W # BWRVK3370 or one of the stationary options mentioned above:

(A + B) - C = Clearance

A = Distance from center of fifth wheel hitch jaw to truck cab
B = Length of offset (which equals 0 for this circumstance)
C = Width of trailer divided by 2 (to get half)

You need at least 4" of clearance to make a 90 degree turn. The only issue with this formula and 5th wheels with a tapered nose is that it's hard to determine right where the trailer would make contact with the cab (if that would be the case).

Hopefully I've been able to give you a good idea of where you are wanting to invest your money. If you have any additional questions please don't hesitate to reach out.