Fifth Wheel Hitch for 1997 Ford F-250 Super Duty With 8-Foot Bed

Question:

Need a complete 5th wheel kit for a 1997 Ford F250 Super Duty HD with 8-foot bed. Powered by 7.3l Turbo diesel. 8800 GVWR. Towing 2004 Laredo 5th wheel camper, Dry wt. 5525, Wet wt. 6955, Hitch wt. 1420, Carrying Cap. 2970. Thank You

asked by: J. R

Expert Reply:

The fifth-wheel hitch I recommend for your 1997 Ford F-250 Super Duty is the Reese # RP30081. To install this hitch you would need the Reese Universal Base Rails and Installation Kit # RP30035. It has a pivoting head and wide, 9" funnel to make hookup an easier process, as well as a forged, single-piece jaw. I have included links to review videos and installs of the rails and hitch for you to take a look at.

For an economical option, I recommend checking out the Husky Silver Series 16K # HT31313-31314, which you'd install with base rails # HT31563-686. The Husky also has a 16,000 lb gross towing capacity and 4,000 lb vertical load limit. It has a slide-bar jaw and color-coded indicators that tell you when the jaw is open and confirms when it is closed.

expert reply by: Kyle S