5th wheel hitch choices a 2019 Ram 3500 short bed

[thestuarts]

I have on order a 2019 Ram 3500 MegaCab short bed, and I also have on order an Arctic Fox 27-5L. I need a hitch that will work with the 27-5L and the short bed of the Ram. I want to get a hitch that automatically slides or otherwise doesn't require me to get out of the truck to make adjustments for tight turns.

The primary hitches I'm considering are:

• Andersen Ultimate 5th wheel hitch
• PullRite SuperGlide #2300 Automatically Sliding Fifth Wheel Hitch for Short Bed Trucks AND #4439 OE Puck Rail Adapter for Dodge trucks

I wanted to use the PullRite #2315, but the 21" bed height can cause clearance problems with the PullRite #2315. I reached out to PullRite, and they confirmed I should not use the #2315 with the 2019 Ram. PullRite recommends using the #2300 with the #4439 rail kit which will give enough clearance to clear the 21" bed height.

I would really like to use the Andersen hitch, but I'm not sure if there will be enough clearance to get over the 21" bed height. Andersen claims they haven't found any short bed trucks that are incompatible with the Andersen hitch.

Is anyone successfully using an Andersen hitch with a 21" bed height Ram? I found some videos on YouTube of people using the Andersen hitch with a short bed Ram 3500, but they using slightly older trucks, so it isn't clear to me if they have 21" bed height.

 

[hutchman]

I towed a 29-5T with a CCLB and an Andersen Ultimate. It towed fine with adequate clearance between the bed rails and the trailer. The Andersen is height adjustable and I do not believe I had mine on the highest setting. I also believe the bed rail height is the same between the 18 and 19 beds. I have a tonneau cover from an 18 and a rubber bed pad from an 18 also. The dimensions for thoase are exactly the same as the 19.

The only issue I see is these new trucks are taller than the old trucks....taller from the ground to the floor of the truck. This may cause the trailer to tow nose high and might result in bed rail clearance issues. I've been looking at a short 5th wheel and think this may be an issue with it.

 

[thestuarts]

I towed a 29-5T with a CCLB and an Andersen Ultimate. It towed fine with adequate clearance between the bed rails and the trailer. The Andersen is height adjustable and I do not believe I had mine on the highest setting. I also believe the bed rail height is the same between the 18 and 19 beds. I have a tonneau cover from an 18 and a rubber bed pad from an 18 also. The dimensions for thoase are exactly the same as the 19.

The only issue I see is these new trucks are taller than the old trucks....taller from the ground to the floor of the truck. This may cause the trailer to tow nose high and might result in bed rail clearance issues. I've been looking at a short 5th wheel and think this may be an issue with it.

That is great information. I ordered my truck with 18" tires instead of the 20" tires, so maybe height won't be an issue.

 

[DevilDodge]

275/70R18 is 33.16 tall and 10.83 wide

285/60R20 is 33.5 tall and 11.2 wide.

Didn't get much lower with the 18s.

Always wonder how guys with lifted trucks haul 5th wheels...but they seem to do it fine.

Disclaimer: various manufacturers tires will be slightly different, but those are the avg. Numbers.

 

[hutchman]

Mine has 18" wheels and is very tall. I'm running 35" tires now and really need to do some measuring to see how a 5th wbeel would ride.

 

[thestuarts]

275/70R18 is 33.16 tall and 10.83 wide

285/60R20 is 33.5 tall and 11.2 wide.

Didn't get much lower with the 18s.

Always wonder how guys with lifted trucks haul 5th wheels...but they seem to do it fine.

Disclaimer: various manufacturers tires will be slightly different, but those are the avg. Numbers.

That makes sense. The 18" vs 20" pertains to the rim size, not the tire overall height.

 

[switz]

I would suggest using a Reese 5th Airborne pin box. Made for short bed trucks and can be used up tp 16k lbs. Your Artic Fox would work perfectly for this application. I had one with a short bed F250 and it was perfect. Now, I have my new short bed Ram 3500 dually with the tow package so it came with a 35k hitch. I replaced the Reese Goosebox on my Vilano 5th wheel and replaced it with a new Reese Sidewinder. You will love it and no need for a slider or other gadgets. Go here Sidewinder to take a look. All sorts of Youtube videos on it.

 

[maxsteel]

I would suggest using a Reese 5th Airborne pin box. Made for short bed trucks and can be used up tp 16k lbs. Your Artic Fox would work perfectly for this application. I had one with a short bed F250 and it was perfect. Now, I have my new short bed Ram 3500 dually with the tow package so it came with a 35k hitch. I replaced the Reese Goosebox on my Vilano 5th wheel and replaced it with a new Reese Sidewinder. You will love it and no need for a slider or other gadgets. Go here Sidewinder to take a look. All sorts of Youtube videos on it.

Just curious, why replace the GooseBox?

 

[Cummins0867]

I'm not sure why Ram doesn't put a Slider hitch in the Short bed trucks. They do offer them as a Mopar accessory for the Ram trucks. I think Switz replaced his goose box so he would gain clearance when making sharp turns because of the short bed and the non-slider hitch.

 

[Cummins0867]

I towed a 29-5T with a CCLB and an Andersen Ultimate. It towed fine with adequate clearance between the bed rails and the trailer. The Andersen is height adjustable and I do not believe I had mine on the highest setting. I also believe the bed rail height is the same between the 18 and 19 beds. I have a tonneau cover from an 18 and a rubber bed pad from an 18 also. The dimensions for thoase are exactly the same as the 19.

The only issue I see is these new trucks are taller than the old trucks....taller from the ground to the floor of the truck. This may cause the trailer to tow nose high and might result in bed rail clearance issues. I've been looking at a short 5th wheel and think this may be an issue with it.

Most... if not all of the newer pin boxes have different settings so you can adjust them up and down for bed clearance issues. Some even go downward and back a little for cab clearance issues but usually they don't move back enough so with a short bed truck to clear the cab so...you usually require a slider hitch.

I have the Andersen Ultimate hitch but have not used it yet as I'm still waiting to get my 5th Wheel we ordered a new one. If I have clearance issues with the hitch as you mention with the bed rail height, then I'm going to adjust the pin box first. I want to keep the ball on the hitch as low as I can keep it as it would seem much stronger that way. The ball is where you get your height adjustment on the hitch. But as mentioned these trucks are a little taller than the previous so this could be an issue with nose height on the front of the trailer. I will say that my truck has the rear air suspension and it isn't as tall at the top of the bed rail to the ground as the trucks without it so...it may work out that the trailer nose isn't as high.

 

[hutchman]

I understand height zdjystment..... The issue is the truck may be too tall and there may not be enough room to maintain bed rail clearance and maintain the trailer level. I also understand that spacers can be installed to raise the trailer to help, but I want to avoid them.

 

[The HOFF]

I use the Blue Ox Super Ride. You have to pull one pin if you want it to rotate to the back 14”, HOWEVER to use this feature open or remove tailgate. Doesn’t give enough clearance and will sit on top of tail gate.

 

[ramazing916]

Is there enough clearance to open the tailgate and not have the 5er hit it?

 

[The HOFF]

Is there enough clearance to open the tailgate and not have the 5er hit it?

Yes. But don’t turn too sharp.

 

[Cummins0867]

Is there enough clearance to open the tailgate and not have the 5er hit it?

The Andersen has plenty of clearance to open the tailgate and there is more than 2 fists height between the top of the bed rails and the 5er. I finally got a chance to use my Andersen with no issues. It works as marketed to...its an awesome hitch. Just follow all of their guidance and you want have any issues.

 

[The HOFF]

The Andersen has plenty of clearance to open the tailgate and there is more than 2 fists height between the top of the bed rails and the 5er. I finally got a chance to use my Andersen with no issues. It works as marketed to...its an awesome hitch. Just follow all of their guidance and you want have any issues.

I’m hooking up Wednesday so will take pictures and post Wednesday afternoon.

 

[ramazing916]

Yes. But don’t turn too sharp.

Doesn't that defeat the purpose?

 

[The HOFF]

Doesn't that defeat the purpose?

All I was when you use that blue Ox hitch and put it into the 2nd position you must open tailgate, now I haven’t tried to turn 90 degrees yet to know if it will hit or not, will play with it some on Wednesday to see if it must be removed or not.

 

[ramazing916]

All I was when you use that blue Ox hitch and put it into the 2nd position you must open tailgate, now I haven’t tried to turn 90 degrees yet to know if it will hit or not, will play with it some on Wednesday to see if it must be removed or not.

Great. Pics too please if you don't mind. I'm very interested in this hitch!

 

[Cummins0867]

Is there enough clearance to open the tailgate and not have the 5er hit it?

I miss understood the question earlier....there's no need to open the tailgate there is enough clearance. while turning. When the coupler is mounted on the king pin its mounted on there backwards for shortbed trucks for this exact reason...to give enough clearance so you don't hit the tail gate. I could go almost to a 90 degree turn with the Andersen...but to tell you the truth I wouldn't want to turn that sharp on any 5th wheel unless I really had too as its really hard on the axles and tires as it puts them on a bind. What is nice about the Andersen that you can't do with a 5th wheel hitch....is I can connect at any angle whereas the 5er you have to back straight on to connect....the Andersen is on a ball so angle and the slope doesn't matter as much as the 5th wheel hitch. Then at the end of the trip its very easy to pull out of the truck as it only weighs 35lbs.

The key with the Andersen is follow all torque specs and then recheck them after you tow say once a day or so if your going across country.