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Old 04-24-2014, 02:26 PM   #1
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Do I need a slider hitch?

Have been following Donna's post on tonneau covers and 5th wheel hitches. Did a little shopping today and it appears that local dealers (who seem to know very little about Escapes) feel my Silverado with a 5'8" bed will require a slider hitch ($$$). However, previous forum threads suggest that even a short bed can handle a 5.0 with a conventional hitch ($). Suspect it may be week or two before we know what's possible with the new TA. Many of the threads mention the B &W Patriot as one of the best options. I would appreciate your thoughts.
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Old 04-24-2014, 02:53 PM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lefttee View Post
Have been following Donna's post on tonneau covers and 5th wheel hitches. Did a little shopping today and it appears that local dealers (who seem to know very little about Escapes) feel my Silverado with a 5'8" bed will require a slider hitch ($$$). However, previous forum threads suggest that even a short bed can handle a 5.0 with a conventional hitch ($). Suspect it may be week or two before we know what's possible with the new TA. Many of the threads mention the B &W Patriot as one of the best options. I would appreciate your thoughts.
Hi: lefttee... We had a short box GMC Sierra with a slider and now a 6'1" Frontier with the same slider. Have yet to slide it!!! As a matter of fact the hitch was never adjusted properly so it wouldn't have slid anyway.
Gotta watch what some hitch guys get you hooked into!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie
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Old 04-24-2014, 03:04 PM   #3
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We have the B&W Patriot in our 5' bed Frontier. It is mounted a bit behind the axle and in the furthest back of the 3 available positions for the hitch head we think we can get the truck turned 90 degrees without hitting the trailer..haven't gone ALL the way yet! With your additional 8" you should be fine. You can probably position the hitch more closely over the axle.

Pictures showing the hitch in our 5' bed below:
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hitch from side.jpg   hitch from top.jpg   hitch in bed.jpg  
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Old 04-24-2014, 03:15 PM   #4
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When I showed the dealers a pix of the 5.0 and told them it weighed < 3000# dry...they just rolled their eyes and gave me the "smirk." Pretty evident their advice was based on much heavier rigs with the king pins set way back under the trailer. Just hate to install a hitch here and get to Chilliwack and have Reace make faces at me because it won't fit.
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Old 04-24-2014, 07:34 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lefttee View Post
... it appears that local dealers (who seem to know very little about Escapes) feel my Silverado with a 5'8" bed will require a slider hitch ($$$). However, previous forum threads suggest that even a short bed can handle a 5.0 with a conventional hitch ($).
They are assuming that the trailer is 96" (common) or 102" (the legal limit) wide. An original (or "classic", or single axle) Escape 5.0 is only 80" wide, and the 5.0 TA is 88" wide. Half the width difference is the difference in cab-to-hitch distance needed for full 90 degree turns.

They are probably also assuming that the hitch must be at the axle position or forward of that to handle the pin weight, and that the pin weight is a ton or so. With the lighter Escape, positions further back (as illustrated by Fran & Dave) can be feasible.

Quote:
Originally Posted by FMLNM View Post
We have the B&W Patriot in our 5' bed Frontier. It is mounted a bit behind the axle and in the furthest back of the 3 available positions for the hitch head we think we can get the truck turned 90 degrees without hitting the trailer...
That math is easy: to get a full 90 degrees the distance from the cab to the pin centre must be more than half the width of the trailer body.

Quote:
Originally Posted by lefttee View Post
When I showed the dealers a pix of the 5.0 and told them it weighed < 3000# dry...they just rolled their eyes and gave me the "smirk." Pretty evident their advice was based on much heavier rigs with the king pins set way back under the trailer. Just hate to install a hitch here and get to Chilliwack and have Reace make faces at me because it won't fit.
Big rigs routinely have the pin a few feet behind the front of the trailer body; even further back is common in Europe. On the other hand, I've never seen a recreational trailer with the king pin set back. The top of the pin box is well under the front, but the box slants forward so the pin is routinely very close to the front edge of the body, as it is on an original (or "classic", or single axle) Escape 5.0. With the 5.0 TA, Reace mentioned that the pin is about 6" further forward, to allow for more turning clearance in less-than-90-degree turns.
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Old 04-24-2014, 09:29 PM   #6
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In Reace's "Update #4" thread there is a side view of the TA. I was happy to see how far forward the pin sets in relation to the body of the trailer. I can't imagine needing a slider after the pictures from FMLNM and Escape Artist. Also interesting how much cheaper the Patriot hitch is on Amazon. Thanks for all the help!!
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Old 04-25-2014, 09:45 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lefttee View Post
In Reace's "Update #4" thread there is a side view of the TA. I was happy to see how far forward the pin sets in relation to the body of the trailer. I can't imagine needing a slider after the pictures from FMLNM and Escape Artist. Also interesting how much cheaper the Patriot hitch is on Amazon. Thanks for all the help!!
Also check out Tweetys.com for the hitch - sometimes they are cheaper than Amazon.
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Old 04-25-2014, 10:13 AM   #8
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When I checked Amazon, Tweetys was the seller. Looked like an interesting web site.
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Old 04-25-2014, 10:18 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lefttee View Post
Have been following Donna's post on tonneau covers and 5th wheel hitches. Did a little shopping today and it appears that local dealers (who seem to know very little about Escapes) feel my Silverado with a 5'8" bed will require a slider hitch ($$$). However, previous forum threads suggest that even a short bed can handle a 5.0 with a conventional hitch ($). Suspect it may be week or two before we know what's possible with the new TA. Many of the threads mention the B &W Patriot as one of the best options. I would appreciate your thoughts.
I have a 6' box in my Ranger and my hitch is mounted 3" in front of the axle. Pulling the Classic 5.0 I have yet to need the slider function of my hitch.

Barry
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Old 04-26-2014, 12:35 AM   #10
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WE wish we had but that was due to being novices. We have minor dent in our cab and a mark on the fiberglass because of our inexperience and a tight parking situation. If you can deal with the extra weight go for it.
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Old 04-26-2014, 01:31 AM   #11
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WE wish we had but that was due to being novices. We have minor dent in our cab and a mark on the fiberglass because of our inexperience and a tight parking situation. If you can deal with the extra weight go for it.
Hi: Not so Big Al... "The first cut is the deepest"!!! Don't worry I put a dent in the cab above the rear window...and I've been pulling a 5.0 for six years. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie
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