2016 short bed F-350

[spiritofthebear]

Hi Yall

Frank and Patricia here from Comanche, Texas

We have a 2016 f-350 SRW Short bed crew cab with ford hitch prep.. We are going to be buying a 2017 Jayco Pinnacle 36 FBTS.
We are newbies to the rv world.

But, we are concerned about this situation on turning degrees and the front cap hitting our new truck rear of cab and the new 5er hitting the truck cab and window as well.

We want to have an air safe type hitch in the truck bed for our comfortability while towing, but it seems no one sells a air safe type slider. Auto or manual.

Has anyone done the lippert shock and air bag pin box on the 5th wheel, with a standard slider in the truck bed and achieved a good ride? going that way?

Folks with a slider and a short bed state they never have used it!!! is that because they have never been it the situation to have to need it? BUT What happens when you do need one and do not have one? DAMAGE?

5er dealers say that we are asking for trouble if we DO NOT GET A SLIDER HITCH IN THE TRUCK SHORT BED!

We read where coach builders have tackled this problem on front caps for short beds , but yet dealers are not standing tall on that assumption.

We were hoping that some one with maybe the same set up as us, and knowlegde of this can set us straight, being an independent honest answer, as the hitch makers/dealers tend to steer you away from the slider, to sell you an air safe big $$$$ type hitch for the bed, or vice versa selling you a slider.

We are hoping to use the stock morryde pin box standard on the Jayco pinnacle and getting some kind of air or shocking system in the truck bed to accommodate the chucking and bouncing, as well as be protected from damaging truck and 5th wheel cap on TIGHT turning.

All views and or opinions would be appreciable to us, with mfg. names and part numbers if available.

thanks to all

Frank and Patricia

[Knauby]

I tow a Northpoint 377rlbh with a short bed Superduty. My choice was to install a Pullrite Superglide hitch. I think maybe 90% of the time you would be fine without a slider, maybe even 95%, but I don't like extra work or worrying so the Superglide is what I got! The capture plate fits on the MorRyde pin box no problems and once I "figured it out" it works pretty good. There are limitations to any auto slider and manual slider you must way both sides I guess. My feeling is now if I have a tight turn to access the diesel pumps at a gas station I can just turn hard and not worry about hitting my cab or getting out and manually moving slider.

I don't think you need any "air systems". The pin box and standard hitch do just fine. I don't know the model numbers for the Superglide but they come in 3 different weight sizes, March it appropriately to your trailer.

Im sure you will get multiple opinions on this, that is just my experience and preference.

Good Luck

[Cdash]

The problem with conundrums like this is that personal opinions, feelings, desires and abilities drive individual decisions and my decision and reasons behind it may not match your abilities, desires and preferences.

I have never considered the need for an air type setup. My last 5er of 9 years and 40,000 miles had a plain old pin box and my Pullrite slider. I was never dissatisfied with that setup, but we did have chucking from time to time. That is why I ordered the Moreryde pin box on the new one after reading good feedback on it. Only took the trip home from the dealer so far, but noticeably smoother, but I'm guessing not air ride smooth. Here, my expectations are different than yours. You really have to decide if smooth is ok, or if air ride smooth is needed to make you happy.

Same thing applies to the slider vs no slider. I'm the type that would get impatient turning around or backing into a site at 2am after driving for 14 hours, with DW being grumpy with me, two kids begging to get into the camper to sleep and a dog whining and let my guard down and hit the cab corner. Oh, and it would be raining cats and dogs too. But we back into sites that most people wouldn't consider trying to get into either. So I'm constantly pushing it close to the edge. The Pullrite was a bit more money and a few more pounds, but something that did the job without thought our input from me.

If your travels take you to a lot of pull through sites, larger more spacious campgrounds and with a driver that is always observant and avoids shortcuts (and doesn't push the driving as far as I do) then you may not need one. I wouldn't expect that you can turn sharp enough driving forward to hit (but I don't know that for sure). I'm sure others could confirm that.

If you are constantly getting sites that take a lot of jockeying our sharp turns to back into, or in really tight areas and campgrounds, a slider of some type would probably make sense. If your driver would always think to deploy a manual slider, no matter the situation, a manual one would likely work for you.

This is the best way I know to answer this for you as everyone will mostly recommend what they do. Giving you why I chose what I chose helps you match (or not match) your styles, abilities, etc to mine to see if you feel I'm worth listening to. It's ok if you determine that I'm not worth listening to. We are all different and experience different situations that require different solutions.

Just listen to the "why's" behind what they do and find what you fit into and will be comfortable with! And remember, none of this is permanent. You may lose some $$$ in the process, but you can always change if you made the wrong decision.

[klassic]

You WILL need a slider of some sort. Your cap will hit.
My previous rig had the cap corner notch and I never had to use my slider. With my NorthPoint I can turn fairly sharp, but it will hit. I stay aware when driving forward, but backing into anything that isn't obviously simple I'm using the slider. Not taking any chances. If you feel you'd be more comfortable about never thinking about when to use the slider then the added expense of the Pullrite might be money well spent.
I've had the Fith Airbourne on my previous rig (close to the same weight) and now the MorRyde, given the choice I would have optioned for the Fifth Airbourne now that I have pulled with the MorRyde. You really should pull first before adding that extra cost of an air pin box since the MorRyde is the stock pin.

I needed to add Timbrens to my F350. I found it really helped. Some think their 350's are fine stock, but I noticed the extra sag in the rear immediately, and could feel the front end was lighter when I picked up my NorthPoint. Your Pinnacle will have even more pin weight than mine.

I have heard when you add the Lippert shocks that some people had the mounts brend or the top mount snap off. Again, you should load up and take it for a long ride before making your decision, they ride pretty good.

Edit... Then again maybe Jayco has changed the cap for 2017 and its short box friendly