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Old 02-23-2021, 12:03 PM   #1
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Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Comfort, Texas
Trailer: 2014 5.0TA "The HAB"
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New tow truck/hitch report

Finally got the new truck hooked up today, figured I’d give a report for folks thinking about the same tow setup! New truck is a 2021 GMC Sierra 2WD 1/2T crew cab short bed (5’10”) with the 3.0L inline 6 diesel. Trailer is a 2014 5.0 TA with the springs flipped over the axles. My last truck (Nissan XD 2WD) sat up pretty high and I had to flip the springs over the axles for a level ride with a traditional 5th wheel hitch, albeit a bed puck system hitch. Installed a B&W turnover ball on the new GMC (Model GNRK 1019) and bought an Andersen raised Ultimate 5th wheel 3217 hitch. Remind me to get into the aircraft aluminum welded products line in my next life, but it’s a beautiful piece of engineering and I can pick it up with one hand! All said and done, the truck rides level with the Andersen ball at it lowest setting. Truck squats about 1 1/2” when hooked up, and the ball sits up high enough in the bed I can actually SEE it through the back window when backing up with only a little contortion! Of course, todays test was WITHOUT the yellow lab in the backseat trying to lick me while craning my head into her compartment.....
Truck has a “add/name trailer” feature that will memorize settings for that trailer, integrated trailer brake, a “test lights” feature that goes through stop, left turn, right turn and running lights until you tell it to stop, as well as a take off checklist you can add to, and the multi pro tailgate is amazing for just folding the top part down and backing up to the ball. The tailgate all way down does JUST clear but you have to be almost perfectly straight on to the trailer. Here’s a picture or two, doesn’t turn 90, but plenty enough to manage all but the most tight spots, about the same as my earlier Nissan, but not as much as my earlier 8’ Dodge beds.
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Old 02-23-2021, 12:13 PM   #2
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Here’s an some more pictures...including the all important last item on the checklist....
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Old 02-23-2021, 12:28 PM   #3
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Location: Omaha, Nebraska
Trailer: On Wait List for 23. Deposit on 5.0. Currently Aliner Family.
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I appreciate your taking the time to write that up. I know that I have been looking for the best solution for my Chevy diesel with the same bed config, and about the only "approved" configuration was with the B&W hitch with that 3217 gooseneck mount. Was the hole for the B&W turnover ball installed 44 1/8" from the back of the bed as per the B&W sheet?

Also, the coupler block in pic 3 looks like it was installed to reduce the offset between the ball and the pin box. Did you do this to increase the bed clearance, or am I just seeing things? Here is a link to the video that explains what I am asking: https://youtu.be/78l-PadWAro?t=228
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Old 02-23-2021, 01:11 PM   #4
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Actually I just went by the installation instructions for the hitch. When figuring out where to put the center of the coupler ball socket you were given the two choices, in front of the king pin or behind it and you measure those two distances to the rear of the pin box. That measurement should be shorter than the measurement of the Andersen ball to the side rail and the Andersen ball to the tailgate distance. The ball to the tailgate was about 39 1/8” and the ball to the side rails was about 32”. The coupler ball socket behind the king pin put it at about 27 1/4” and putting it in front moves it 8 inches more or 35 1/4”.
And yes, the B&W is 44 1/8 from the tailgate....I had a trailer place to do that when I read all the stuff that had to be moved, cut, and how much the thing weighed that I would either have to lift up or hold up while lying underneath and holding with my engine hoist through the hole in the bed. I did a couple of them installs in my 30s and 40s on personal and state vehicles but I’m older, wiser and have a few more coins in my pocket to let younger people with a lift do it!
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Old 02-23-2021, 01:25 PM   #5
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Very nice! Thanks for the report

I was hoping that someone would get the MultiPro tailgate and confirm that it works as well for this type of trailer as I had hoped.
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Old 02-23-2021, 01:32 PM   #6
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It’s pretty cool, and I’m loving the truck so far but still under 1000 miles on her. I DID put some Opti Lube in it before we got the ridiculous 5° weather, and I didn’t even try to start it through the freeze, but I’ve read a few folks found out the hard way that TX doesn’t get winter diesel blend....
FYI, mine is a 2WD and the bed sides are 55” high, just in case you have a 4WD...Steve, I see by your sig you’re deposited on a 5.0 and maybe waiting on a 23. You’ll absolutely love the 5.0, but then I’m biased. It’s spent quite a few nights in Nebraska as well at various state parks and little towns with city parks. We’ve got some good friends in Polk....
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Old 02-23-2021, 01:39 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tford View Post
The ball to the tailgate was about 39 1/8” and the ball to the side rails was about 32”. The coupler ball socket behind the king pin put it at about 27 1/4” and putting it in front moves it 8 inches more or 35 1/4”.
I see what you mean. When I was doing an initial sketch of the configuration, I took the base bed dimension and divided it by 2 to find the distance between the ball and the sides. Of course, that was incorrect as the manufacturer uses the most generous part of the bed (i.e., under the side rails) to give their bed spec. Where before I assumed that I had ~35.5" on each side, just doing a quick tape measure validates your 32" (I got about 62" from side to side). That's too bad because that extra 8 inches would do wonders for the cab clearance. I imagine that if you switched it, the back of the pin box would hit the sides of the bed?
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Old 02-23-2021, 01:52 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tford View Post
It’s pretty cool, and I’m loving the truck so far but still under 1000 miles on her. I DID put some Opti Lube in it before we got the ridiculous 5° weather, and I didn’t even try to start it through the freeze, but I’ve read a few folks found out the hard way that TX doesn’t get winter diesel blend....
FYI, mine is a 2WD and the bed sides are 55” high, just in case you have a 4WD...Steve, I see by your sig you’re deposited on a 5.0 and maybe waiting on a 23. You’ll absolutely love the 5.0, but then I’m biased. It’s spent quite a few nights in Nebraska as well at various state parks and little towns with city parks. We’ve got some good friends in Polk....
Yeah, your ride is 2" higher than mine (53" but I do have a cap on it right now). I wonder if I could get the lift kit on the trailer, raise the anderson ball, and achieve enough clearance where I can use the coupler block the other way to get that addition 8". Yes, it's either a 5.0 or 23 for me due to my height. The plus of the 23 would be that I get to keep the topper. The minus is that it would tow significantly longer. I think that the bathroom differences of the two are a push.
Honestly, it will be up to my wife once she sees pics of both (and gets into the 5.0).
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Old 02-23-2021, 05:46 PM   #9
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This is a great thread for me, as I have a 2020 Chevy Silverado 1500 diesel short bed, and am also waffling between a 5.0 (deposit placed) and a 23 (wait list and not sure if I want it or not). Thanks for all the hitch info and dimensions, that's a big help! My truck is basically identical to yours, except without that MultiPro tailgate (jealous!) and it's 4WD...but I'm not seeing any difference in the rail height, mine are about 55" (although I'm not sure if I'm measuring it properly). I'll be really interested to hear back from you about how it tows, and what kind of gas mileage you get. I'm a little surprised at the 1 1/2" drop, and it seems like your rear is riding a little low...how do you feel about that, do you think you'll get something to bring it back up?

I also LOVE my truck, which has about 2500 miles, but here's a fun story: GM is talking to me about buying it back from me, or trading it out for a new one. Long story short, I bought it in NV but live in CA, so I had to get a smog test before registering it. There's some sort of software issue that is preventing the computer from clearing a monitor that will in turn allow it to pass smog. They've flown in an engineer from Michigan and tried everything with no luck, and are reduced to simply driving it everyday in the hopes that it clears. Now since they've had it over 30 days, they have to offer a buyback...I wouldn't mind trading it for a 2021, especially since they are now putting the MultiPro tailgate on the Silverado's!
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