Was looking for some info and came across the forum and a little late to the discussion but we also have the ram 2500 short bed 6.4 hemi with the 150 series 295 rl. After having the b&w companion slider and realizing i've never had to use it once I got the standard hitch to save some weight after adding two 300 watt solar panels. Took it out for the first time to get it weighed today and after I hooked back up to get a weight on the truck I decided to check my turning on it and did a uturn in the parking lot and with turning it with the wheel almost completely turned I probably had about maybe ten inches before the cap would hit the cab. For the weights the SA=4400. DA=5400. TA=8040. GW=1784. Truck by itself is SA=4420. DA=3620. GW=8040. Truck has a two inch squat. Using the lowest hole pattern on the hitch the trailer is 7/8" from one end of the bottom of the trailer to the other end of the bottom of the trailer higher on the front. And measures 5 3/4" distance between the rear of the bed to the bottom side of the trailer. I know its a lot of info but wondering what other people are setting at. Thank you in advance

NAKemp

Just because you can do a full lock turn going forward without cab/trailer contact does not mean that you will have clearance backing up . . . which is when most folks get into trouble. Be cautious . . .

Rob

Rob, do you mean because it is easier to jackknife while going in reverse?

When moving forward, the turning radius of the truck (and length of trailer) controls the maximum angle of truck to trailer. In reverse, this angle can be greater. (Jackknife as you called it). If the distance from hitch point to back of cab is not greater than the distance from pin to corner of trailer, a tight backing turn can cause contact. We all try to avoid these . . . but they happen. Un-level ground can also reduce clearance.

You are certainly with the majority of manual slider hitch owners in never having used this feature. I don’t understand this, because I use mine every time I back the trailer or hitch/unhitch. This makes the hitch point visible from the driver’s seat (not usually possible with a short box truck) and provides additional clearance between open tailgate and front of trailer as well as additional clearance to the cab.

Rob

On the 150 series 295rl the hitch sticks out more i believe than yours would plus the shape of the cap is different also. at this point i think i'm more worried about the distance between the top of the bed and the underside of the trailer. we'll see i guess.

6” clearance is on the low side, but not too bad. Depends on whether you get “off road” in your towing adventures.

Rob

cool. no plan to off road in the trailer. we went and got a jeep wrangler if we really want to do that. lol