Does 2020 Chevy Silverado 2500 Short Bed Need Sliding 5th Wheel Hitch and Hitch Options

Updated 11/27/2019 | Published 11/26/2019

Products Featured in This Question

B&W Custom Installation Kit w/ Base Rails for 5th Wheel Trailer Hitches

(174)

$260.00

B&W Patriot 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch w/ Slider - Dual Jaw - 18,000 lbs

(716)

$899.00

Question:

Hitch options. I have a 2020 2500hd short bed and a jayco 339flqs fiver. I had a curt 16k slider in last truck, '16 2500hd short bed and only used the slide feature once. Do I need it on the 2020? I have heard it installs slightly behind rear diff. and the bed is slightly longer as well. Regardless, who all makes hitches for this vehicle, in other words what are all my options?

asked by: Ray

Expert Reply:

You are right about the 2020 Chevy Silverado 2500 short bed being slightly longer than the 2016 models; according to Chevy, the 2020 short bed is 82.25 inches while the 2016 short bed is 78.9 inches. That isn't enough of a difference to negate needing a sliding hitch. Even if your use of the slider is limited, it only takes one instance of taking a turn slightly too sharp for your trailer to crash into the cab of your Chevy, causing potentially significant damage to both the truck and trailer. The only exception in which you will be okay to use a fixed 5th wheel hitch on your truck is with a Sidewinder replacement pin box, which extends the pivot point to provide clearance.

There are a number of really good sliding 5th wheel hitches for your 2020 Chevy Silverado 2500, which I'll go over for you.

If you liked the way the Curt hitch performed, you could continue in that direction, and the A-Series are the best of the bunch due to their ease of use and solid jaw system. For this you can once again go with the 16,000 lb option, the Curt A16 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch w/ R16 Slider # C16521, or the 20,000 lb option, the Curt A20 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch w/ R20 Slider # C16541.

That said, my strong recommendation is the 18,000 lb capacity B&W Patriot 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch with Slider # BWRVK3270 because it is the best value in terms of its superb jaws, robust steel construction and price. B&W is regarded by many as the premier manufacturer of hitches, and the jaws are one of the main reasons. The Patriot has 3/4" thick jaws which provide a complete connection with your king pin, greatly minimizing the amount of chucking and rattling for a more comfortable drive. You can see these jaws in one of the accompanying photos that a customer sent in.

To mount a hitch in your '20 Silverado 2500, you will need to install base rails, and I recommend the B&W Custom Installation Kit with Base Rails # BWRVK2505 because they have the quality B&W is known for and do not require any drilling into your frame rails to install. This is not only great for your truck but also means the installation is going to be simpler and take much less time than a universal kit. These rails will allow you to mount the B&W Patriot # BWRVK3270, Curt A16 # C16521, or Curt A20 # C16541. I have added links to video reviews for you to check out as well.