How to Select a 5th Wheel Hitch for 2000 Silverado 1500 with 8-foot Bed

Question:

I have a 2000 Chevy silverado 2500. I want to purchase a 5th wheel and I really dont know much about them any advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks

asked by: Tammy

Expert Reply:

We can help you choose and install a 5th wheel hitch in your 2000 Silverado 1500 with 8-foot bed.

A good starting point is your owner's manual or local dealership to confirm your particular truck's towing capacity. This can vary depending on the specific engine, transmission and suspension installed in your truck. Generally a 2000 Silverado can pull from about 8000- to about 9400-lbs. Once you know the truck's towing capacity you can choose a suitable 5th wheel trailer and hitch.

In general we always recommend having some extra capacity - some safety margin - in a towing system. The 5th wheel hitches we offer are rated for 15000-lbs and up, and as you increase their capacity you will also find added features that will make hitching easier and towing more pleasant.

Apart from the hitch itself there are two basic kinds of installation kit, universal and custom-fit. Universal install kits cost less but require much more installation time; they also require you to do a good bit of drilling into your truck frame. I recommend a custom install kit to save you time and to lessen the need for drilling.

A good economical entry-level hitch with a custom-install kit is the Curt # C16115 and # C16418-204. The hitch you referenced, the Reese M5 20K hitch # RP30928 offers several upgrades in addition to its higher towing capacity, including a forged single-piece jaw for reduced rattle, an extra-wide funnel and a 4-way pivoting head for easier hitching.

5th wheel base rails are all built to a common industry standard so you can use a Reese hitch and a Curt installation kit, for example, with no compatibility issues.