B&W 18K Patriot Slider 5th Wheel Hitch review

[@bobconner422]

Love this hitch ! Boondocking on uneven ground no problems hitching up or un hitching silent also nice riding

[@davidvick8035]

Thank you so much for posting this. I dinged my tailgate last night trying out this hitch. After viewing this video my buyer's remorse on both my truck and this hitch went away. Tried manouvering today with hitch back and the tailgate down and it worked perfectly. Really can't thank you enough.

[@robertweller2662]

David Vick glad you found it helpful. I use you tube all of the time to fix thing and solve problems. Glad something I posted is helping others.

[@stevebobeldyk5399]

Thanks for the video Robert!!! See you Sunday at 1:00…👍🏻

[@SALTYDATTO]

Awesome video! Thanks for the good info and indepth look into this hitch.

[@mikehodges7813]

Thank you for making this video help me decide to buy this product

[@TY-zd8ug]

Awesome video. I am currently on the fence about manual or auto slider. I have a 2020 ram 3500 short bed and it does sit high! Currently have a Demco autoslide and I am having issues with the jaws closing completely. I like this B&W be a use of the height choices. Once again great video. Learned more from this video than B&W website...lol. thanks

[@darrinway3577]

great video. i used my BW slider for the first time today, and noticed about a 1 inch clearance on the tailgate. i started looking for some information on whether or not the tailgate can be dropped and then operated safely. i will have my spotter look very closely next time.

[@thehorseman1806]

Great video, im considering this hitch for my hauling business. I drive a 2020 f250 7.3 with the 72" bed

[@robertweller2662]

Thank you. I sold the Dodge in the video and the hitch. I bought another B&W slider to replace it but it mounts using the puck system in my 2022 F350. I also have the Short Bed and the 7.3 Godzilla. Great combination!

[@robertweller2662]

@ Drew Williams I used the existing rails in the bed of my truck from my previous hitch. The B&W dropped right in to those.

[@Nuck82]

Great to hear how easy it is to engage the slider. I have a curt slider and have the same problem, if the weight is on it i have to move around to get it to go. And I hate it. And the jaws are so loose. Was looking into getting this one when I found your video. Think it just made up my mind

[@robburke5577]

Good video and good info! Thanks!

[@adventuresoffinnandfarley8858]

If the pivot arms were reversed in the slider would that fix the tailgate issue?

[@ingram440]

I also have this question. I'm looking at making this purchase soon if my wife and I decide to upgrade to a fifth wheel. If I do, I will try it out and see if it solves the problem with my equipment. I have a 2015 Chevy 2500 crew cab short bed, which has a 3' longer bed, but I'm not sure if the axle configuration is the same as the dodge ram in this video. 1.5 inches isn't much anyway, but it could be just enough... If it works out and I make the purchase, I'll try to come back and share what I learned.

[@bobconner422]

Tail gate going to depon your truck. I have a ford and it works great with tail gate up and slid back . Don't have as much room with Tail gate down and slid back .

[@robertweller2662]

Yes Bob, you are absolutely right, every truck and trailer combination is different and I did mention that in the video. In fact, after I made this video, I ended up wiping out my tailgate when I forgot to lower it when I slid the hitch back and backed into a camp site. After I repaired the tailgate, I decided to lower the king pin on my fifth wheel, that raised the nose of my trailer about 2 inches and increased my loft to bedrail clearance enough that I no longer needed to lower my tail gate when the hitch was slid back. I sold that truck and now own a 22 F350, the box is deeper and the tailgate almost contacts the trailer if I lower it with the hitch in the forward position. As you said, it depends on your truck. Thanks for the comment and thanks for watching.

[@robburke5577]

When the hitch was mounted, was it mounted hitch centered over the axle? Couldn’t really tell from the video.

[@robertweller2662]

The rails are mounted in the bed in a way that positions the center of the kingpin just slightly ahead of the rear axle. Also, I assemble the hitch in the forward most position to ensure the kingpin was just ahead of the rear axle when slid forward in travel position. I did eventually raise the nose of the trailer to gain additional clearance on the tail gate after I ruined my gate when I forgot to lower it. I wound up towing about 2 1/2 to 3 inches higher in the nose but ended up with a better gate clearance.

[@jasonfuhr1340]

Do you have extension on camper as well?

[@robertweller2662]

Factory pin box on the trailer

[@ramosarcwelding5476]

Can you tell me how much room you have? Have room to fit a job box near the cab?

[@robertweller2662]

I assume you are talking about a Gang box or contractors tool box and not a pickup bed mounted tool box that span across the bed rails. That being said every trailer is different but I have had a plastic travel dog crate in front of my bed on multiple camping trips. Once the hitch is slid back there was no issue but when the hitch is in the forward position tight turns or backing up can put you at rick of hitting. It really depends on the nose of your fifth wheel. The best I can tell you is turn the truck at a 45 degree angle while the trailer is connected and measure he distance from the trailer to the back window. That will be your minimum clearance when turning while just driving normally. Sorry I don't have an better answer but there are so many variables. Good Luck!!

[@adventuresoffinnandfarley8858]

Which actually now that I said that I rewatched and your pivot arms are already in the more forward position. Interesting

[@KrankyYankyee]

Is adjusting the height just as easy? I have a 6ft bed, 2022 Silverado just looking for all the clearance I can get (if needed) truck sits awfully tall bone stock. Needed a custom bracket since I don't have the puck drop in.

[@robertweller2662]

There are three heights to choose from when you install the uprights. I used the lowest setting for my application. If my memory serves me correctly it raises in 2-3 inch increments.

[@KrankyYankyee]

@@robertweller2662 I adjusted mine to the lowest today and the camper is riding super level 🤘 love this hitch I don't know anything about 5th wheels but I'm confident I picked a winner

[@alexschram88]

What year of truck is that? I have a 2006 with the 5.9 cummins I'm about to buy a 5th wheel and I want to know how that truck tows this style of trailer

[@robertweller2662]

alexschram88 my truck is a 2004 2500 with the 5.9. Same truck as yours just 2 years older. It pulls my trailer just fine. I have 285 tires instead of the stock 265 size and a K&N air filter. Other than that it’s bone stock. We have 4 people in the truck and the trailer is probably close to 11,000 lbs with all of our gear and supplies. We set the cruise at 67 most of the time but if traffic is moving I will run 75-80 with no problem. I recommend bilstien shocks over the stock shocks they are much more stable. You won’t regret a B&W hitch.

[@2008SUPERDUTYF350]

Im actually doing the same hitch swap. I also have a husky 16k slider. Buying a 2019 f350, and picked up a gently used patriot slider hitch. How hard was it to determine what position to set the uprights that the head sits on? I see in the manual that you can put them 6 different ways. Including having the slant towards the cab.

[@robertweller2662]

Did you watch my other video? It goes into lots of detail about hitching heights on the new F250-350's. They are very tall. our 5er is a 2011 Wildcat and does not sit high enough to hitch up to a newer F250 - 350. At least that's what I found on the 4WD model. If you are going with a 2WD you won't have near as much trouble. If you have a newer trailer it's probably made to hitch up the the new taller truck no problem. Just a work of caution. I took lots of measurements to figure out which set of holes to put my up rights in. and remember if you have a short bed make sure you lower the tailgate before sliding the hitch back or you will bang up your tailgate. I made a couple other mods that made the hitch even more quiet when the trailer is unloaded. I did have to slightly grind the pin holes in the rails to get everything to line up but it was minor and I did it with a Dremel tool.

[@2008SUPERDUTYF350]

@@robertweller2662 so i picked up my 2019 the other day. Got my B&W Patriot Slider hitch installed. And i didn't have any clearance issues when hooked up to my 2012 Heartland Greystone 5th wheel.

[@robertweller2662]

matt chartier that’s awesome! Congrats on the new rig. Unfortunately our 2011 Wildcat had the bunkhouse in the nose and there is lots of room to stand up in the nose too. Those are good things but it seems I’m finding out loft height is lower than most. Until I upgrade my trailer I’m sticking with my 2004 Ram w/ Cummins. It’s a good old truck and I stay on top of repairs so it is what it is.

[@2008SUPERDUTYF350]

@@robertweller2662 i finally got around to taking some measurements while parked in my driveway. The front side of my campers front cap sits 7 1/8" above the truck bed. At the center of tailgate (wich has a curve upward), i have 5" clearance, and and the far corner just before the rounded part, i have 6" if clearance. And from rear window to front cap is 32". I haven't checked tightest turn measurements yet.

[@robertweller2662]

matt chartier that’s not too bad. In a perfect world you want a minimum of 6 inches between the box and the bottom of the fifth wheel loft but it sounds like you’re close. I would love to see a picture of it all hooked up and just out of curiosity with the trailer off the truck and on level ground with the trailer perfectly level what is the measurement from the ground to the bottom of the loft on the trailer?

[@usmarinecorps05]

Is this an automatic sliding hitch like the pullrite

[@robertweller2662]

Ryan R no it is not an automatic slider.

[@charlessmith9190]

The hitch has 3 height adjustments, did u have it adjusted at the highest level??

[@robertweller2662]

No Charles Smith, I actually have it set at the lowest setting. My truck is quite tall so at the lowest setting my trailer rides 1 inch nose high and has 6 inches of loft clearance so I am good right there.

[@buzz1098]

@@robertweller2662 what's the height from the ground to top bed rail on your truck?

[@robertweller2662]

@@buzz1098 from the ground to the top of the bedrails centered at the rear axle that 2004 Dodge 2500 sat 56 inches high and would squat to 54 inches with the weight of the pin weight on it.

[@rogerchenkenio7238]

What's the purpose of the slider?

[@robertweller2662]

When you pull a fifth wheel with anything less than an 8 foot bed, you don’t have enough clearance between the cab on the truck and the nose on the fifth wheel to make sharp turns especially while backing up. If you have a 5 foot box you really need an auto slider that will automatically slide back as you turn because you have even less clearance and can make contact on a sharp turn driving under normal conditions. A manual slider like I show in the video is sufficient for. 6.5 foot box as it usually just needs to be slid back while navigating in a camp ground and backing into a site. Many people do not use sliders and just watch really closely and avoid turning too tight but I’ve seen lots of damaged rigs due to the fact they didn’t have a slider.

[@rogerchenkenio7238]

@@robertweller2662 thanks, I'm new to rv towing

[@robertweller2662]

@@rogerchenkenio7238 no problem. Happy to help. There are several videos on you tube that cover slider hitches but I highly recommend B&W. If you tow with a long box truck you won’t need a slider. B&W would still be my hitch of choice in a non slider set up as well. If you are buying a new truck, you can get a new truck with a factory puck system so you don’t have the rails in the bed of the truck. There are lots of options. Do your research and ask lots of questions.

[@itruck96]

Isn't the turret at the same level as the bed rails?.....looks like it would hit at a 90° turn.

[@robertweller2662]

Nope, no contact with anything as long as the tailgate is down. We have successfully made a couple of full 90 degree maneuvers with no issues at all. Of course no one should try this the first time without checking all of their own clearances as all trucks and trailers are not the same.

[@fairweatherbull4908]

So if you turn to a full 90 is it going to hit the side of the bed?

[@robertweller2662]

I have successfully turned a full 90 with the tailgate down and the hitch slid back and did not have any issues

[@sunshinervtravlers57]

Get a fifth wheel tailgate

[@meseahunt]

thanks for the review good info, send me a p/m with your contact info if u don't mind so I can ask you some questions, thanks again

[@robertweller2662]

i can not seem to figure out how to send a PM, there doesn't seem to be an option on your page. if you give me your email address here i can send you some more info there.