Recommended 5th Wheel Setup for Towing Toy Hauler w/B&W Gooseneck on a 2014 GMC Sierra 2500 6.5 Bed

Published 07/27/2016

Products Featured in This Question

B&W Companion 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch w/ Slider - Dual Jaw - 20,000 lbs

(5052)

$1599.00

Demco Autoslide 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch w/ Slider - Single Jaw - Above Bed - 13,000 lbs

(711)

$2145.00

Demco Premier Series Above-Bed Base Rails and Custom Installation Kit for 5th Wheel Hitches

(12)

$443.24

Reese 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch - Dual Jaw - 16,000 lbs

(397)

$518.72

Under-Bed Rail and Installation Kit for Reese Elite Series 5th Wheel Trailer Hitches

(43)

$561.46

Reese M5 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch for Ford Towing Prep Package - Single Jaw - 20,000 lbs

(465)

$1029.62

Sidewinder Wedge Kit for 20,000-lb Reese ELITE, M-Series, or ProSeries Fifth Wheel Trailer Hitches

(53)

$60.90

Reese Quick-Install Custom Installation Kit w/ Base Rails for 5th Wheel Trailer Hitches

(206)

$363.13

5th Airborne Custom Wedge for Select Series Fifth Wheels

(25)

$73.15

Question:

I currently have a 2014 2500HD Denali Crew Cab with standard bed with a BandW under bed goose neck ball system. Im looking at buying a 5th wheel toy hauler with a 102 inch width and want to utilize the Companion slider from BandW. I have 36inch from back of cab to ball center. Will the companion slider provide me ample clearance with this truck/RV combination? Based on previous questions it dont appear it will allow a 90 degree turn but is this combination going to be a problem for me?

asked by: Bill S

Expert Reply:

I have a solution for you, but first let me show you how to determine if the B&W Companion Slider # BWRVK3400-5W will have enough clearance for your soon to be new toy hauler using our clearance formula.

Below is the Clearance Formula that we use to ensure there will be enough space between your truck cab and trailer when executing a 90-degree turn. NOTE: At least 4 inches of clearance is recommended to safely execute a 90 degree turn.

(36 + 12) - 51 = Clearance = (-3)
36 = Distance from center of fifth wheel hitch jaw to truck cab
12 = Offset used (slider clearance or Sidewinder offset)
51 = Width of trailer divided by 2 (to get half)

As you can see the Companion will not give you enough clearance to make a 90 degree turn with your Sierra. Since you haven't purchased the new toy hauler yet you have a few options. One would be to attempt to find a narrower trailer, which aren't common, to get 90 turn clearance the trailer would have to be no wider than 88 inches total. Second would be to upgrade your towing setup to accommodate the 102 inch wide toy hauler you have your eye on.

Since the Companion is the absolute best option for your gooseneck setup, upgrading would be to remove the gooseneck and put in a 5th wheel setup. For an above bed setup you will want the 13K # DM8550040 and rails # DM8552011-71.

If your new toy hauler is over 13K you will instead need to install a standard hitch like the 16K # RP30047, the above bed rails like # RP50066-58, and the Sidewinder that matches your trailer's pin box, see helpful link, as well as the correct wedge, for this 16K 5th wheel it is the # SWW-03. If you would prefer an under bed system, I recommend the # RP30868 with the 18K # RP30921 and # RP44FR wedge.

I have linked all of the above mentioned products to this page as well as all the Sidewinders and a few installation videos for your viewing and purchasing convenience.