Pros and Cons of 5th Wheel Hitch With a Slide Bar Jaw Versus a Dual Jaw Hitch

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What is the difference or pros and cons of a slide bar and a dual jaw fifth wheel hitch? Thanks for you time

asked by: Tracy

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Expert Reply:

The difference between a slide bar jaw and a dual jaw is how tightly the fifth wheel king pin is held. Both do a good job securing the king pin, preventing it from coming loose. The Dual Jaw will hold the king pin much more tightly, preventing the king pin from rattling around in the pin box.

Any movement of the king pin in the hitch jaws will be easily felt and heard in the truck cab. Every time the you brake or accelerate, if there's any movement in the hitch jaws-you're gonna feel it. This might not be too bad for short trips, but would prove to be very unpleasant for longer trips.

Unless you're on a super-strict budget, I'd avoid a fifth wheel hitch with a slide bar jaw. Curt offers a cushioned dual jaw fifth wheel hitch with a 16K capacity that's at an attractive price point, part # C16120. For a short bed truck, you'd want to use the sliding model, part # C16521. The correct install kit for a 2014 Ford F250/350 would be part # C16424-204. Curt's cushioned fifth wheel hitches aren't compatible with the Reese Sidewinder/Revolution pin boxes, but they work great with everything else.

I've linked you to the instructions for the installation rail kit I mentioned.

expert reply by: Mike L

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Answer 1

In regards to fifth-wheel hitches, there are a number of jaw types. A slide bar jaw is found on the less expensive hitches, such as the Pro Series #PS30129. This type of jaw is a secure one for your trailer but you will notice some king pin noise and…

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Answer 2

The Head Unit and R16 Roller Adapter #C16515 is more of an entry level fifth wheel head designed for a lower price point, whereas the A16 part #C16520 is a bit nicer with it's 2 piece jaw system that will provide better king pin contact which…

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Answer 3

You do not have to use a sliding 5th wheel hitch in a short bed truck. In many cases, truck beds shorter than 8 ft do not have enough clearance between the trailer and truck to execute sharp turns. This is why sliding hitches were invented. Due to…

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Answer 4

There are a few options to help ease your Sidewinder's coupling with your Reese 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch #RP30047: 1. Make sure that your trailer is level. This will ensure that the king pin is going in straight. The jaws of a hitch are usually…

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Answer 5

Yes, you do. In order to have enough turning clearance to not bash in the back window of your new truck you will need a sliding hitch or a rotating pin box. The best hitch for your 2024 Ford F-250 with the factory puck system is the B&W Companion…

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Answer 6

There are two different types of B&W Companion 5th wheel trailer hitches. There is a Companion Adapter like part #BWRVK3500 and a Companion OEM like part #BWRVK3300. The Companion Adapter installs into a B&W gooseneck trailer hitch via a…

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Answer 7

The best 5th wheel hitch for your 2022 GMC Sierra 2500 with the short/standard bed will depend on if you have the factory pucks in the bed or not. If you don't, the Reese M5 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch - Single Jaw - 20,000 lbs #RP30928 and Rail Kit…

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Answer 8

Some of those terms are phrases marketing teams decided to emphasize to how the head of the hitch is allowed to move to help with ride quality and ease of connection/disconnection. B and W calls this "double pivot" which essentially means…

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Answer 9

I apologize for any confusion on what the proper torque specs are for 1/2 inch lug nuts on trailer wheels. I attached a picture of a chart to the right that details what the proper torque specs are for a trailer wheels lugs based on lug size, wheel…

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Answer 10

Whether or not your pin box will come into contact with your tailgate is going to depend on a few different factors. Depending on how high you have the hitch head of the B&W Companion OEM 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch w/ Slider #BWRVK3670 in the bed of…

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Answer 11

When installing the pivot arms on your B&W Companion OEM 5th Wheel Hitch for Ram Towing Prep Package - Dual Jaw - 25,000lbs Item #BWRVK3600 you'll want to ensure that you have 6" of clearance between the bed rails and the nose of your…

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Answer 12

Since we don't carry the PullRite line I can't really speak to their quality but from what I can see from there website their 2900 model is fairly similar to the Demco Autoslide 5th Wheel Hitch w/ Slider #DM89GV. Both hitches offer 14"…

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Pros and Cons of 5th Wheel Hitch With a Slide Bar Jaw Versus a Dual Jaw Hitch

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