Recommended 5th Wheel Hitch for a 2018 Ford F-150 with 6-1/2 Bed and Aluminum Body

Question

Question:

What fifth wheel hitch do you recommend for a 2018 Ford F-150 with the 6-1/2 foot aluminum bed? Will the aluminum be able to handle the weight of a smaller fifth wheel trailer?

asked by: Jerry

0

Expert Reply:

I have 2 different recommendations for your 2018 Ford F-150 with the 6-1/2' bed. They are both excellent options that provide different conveniences of their own. Please note that any hitch that installs in the bed of a pickup will be attached to the frame of the vehicle. This means that the pin weight will be placed on the steel frame of your F-150 and not the aluminum bed. Since the pin weight would relate to the payload you just need to be sure that you are not exceeding the weight ratings, both pin/payload and trailer weight, of your pickup (found in your owner's manual).

The first recommendation is the B&W Companion # BWRVK3400-5W. This is a manual sliding 5th wheel hitch that gives you an additional 12" of clearance. The dual 1" thick jaws completely secure your king pin and feature a cam-action latching system that makes it easy to unhook from your trailer when you are on uneven ground that can cause binding. This installs in the B&W Gooseneck Hitch # BW77FR which gives you more towing options and also a clean bed when you are not towing. This combination is rated to tow up to 20,000 lbs.

The second recommendation is the Demco Hijacker which is an autosliding hitch that comes in 18K # DM8550034 and 21K # DM8550035 capacities. The Hijacker offers 14" of total travel and a single jaw with a 3/4" thick locking bar to further secure your king pin. This hitch installs in above base rail kit # DM8552028-71 which stay exposed in the bed of your pickup.

Both of these 5th wheel hitches are great products that also feature different forms of cushioning that increase the quality of your towing experience as well. The convenience of the B&W option is a clean bed when the hitch is removed. The Demco option allows you to stay in your cab for tight turns but the base rails will remain in the bed.

If you plan on using your F-150 to haul cargo around when you are not towing then I recommend the B&W but if you are mainly going to be using the F-150 to tow your trailer then the Demco would be the better option. I also recommend installing a 7-Way connector like part # PK11893-11932-010 in the bed of your pickup to make hooking up your trailer much easier.

expert reply by: Jon G

0

Answer 1

You will have to go with a sliding hitch to allow the trailer to make tight turns. For a trailer 8 feet wide the only bed length that's going to allow 90 degree turns without a slider is a stationary hitch. That being said you have two options.…

view full answer...

Answer 2

The OEM prep package consists of 4 "pucks" in the bed of the truck that will allow you to drop in puck style hitches for easy installation and removal, that gives you a completely clear bed when not in use. The B&W Companion OEM 5th…

view full answer...

Answer 3

You do not have to use a sliding 5th wheel hitch in a short bed truck. In many cases, truck beds shorter than 8 ft do not have enough clearance between the trailer and truck to execute sharp turns. This is why sliding hitches were invented. Due to…

view full answer...

Answer 4

Choosing the right height setting for your 5th wheel hitch is a combination of a few different variables. First of all you want your towing setup to be as level as possible. With your Montana High Country 340BH level you will want to measure from the…

view full answer...

Answer 5

As far as height adjustability and weight capacities the Curt Q20 #C16130 and the Curt A20 #C16140 are identical. They both have a Gross Towing Weight of 20,000 lbs, a Vertical Load Limit of 5,000 lbs, and a height range of 13-17 inches. When it…

view full answer...

Answer 6

The difference between the Class II and Class III hitches has to do with their Gross Trailer Weight (GTW), their Tongue Weight (TW), and their Hitch Receiver Size. Class II trailer hitch receivers have a 1-1/4 inch receiver and can be rated up to…

view full answer...

Answer 7

In order to determine the torque rating for the lug nuts on your trailer you will need to know check out the chart I attached that shows all of the torque specs for all the trailer lugs available based on stud size, wheel material and wheel size.

view full answer...

Answer 8

There is only one difference between the Curt Trailer Hitch Receiver #C13176 and etrailer Trailer Hitch Receiver #e98909 that fit your 2020 Chevrolet Colorado, which is the finish. The Curt trailer hitch has a glossy black finish while the etrailer…

view full answer...

Answer 9

To determine the size of the brake assemblies you need you have to measure the depth and width of the hub drum on the axle like what you see in the picture I attached. The most common size is 2-1/4 inch wide like the #T4071600-500 that you…

view full answer...

Answer 10

Lance does have a proprietary plug, but many customers see a standard 6-way or 7-way round and notice it doesn't fit their factory 7-way as well. I've attached an article to help if you have one of the 7-way or 6-way round connectors which we…

view full answer...

Answer 11

Even though I cannot comment specifically on the grease you used because I am not familiar with it, I can tell you the best grease for trailer bearings is a a grease with a rating of GC-LB, which just means it is made to withstand very high…

view full answer...

Answer 12

It sounds like you are speaking of the wires for the brake magnets. If this is correct, you will need to connect one of the wires to the brake controller output wire on your trailer connector and the other wire will need to be grounded to a clean…

view full answer...

Recommended 5th Wheel Hitch for a 2018 Ford F-150 with 6-1/2 Bed and Aluminum Body

Products Referenced in This Question

Product Page this Question was Asked From

Featured Help Information

Instructions

Miscellaneous Media

Continue Researching