Fifth Wheel Towing Setup Recommendation for a 2009 Ford F-150 5-1/2 foot Bed

Question:

Is the BandW Companion Slider compatible with a 2009 Ford F-150 XLT crew cab with a 5-1/2 ft bed?

asked by: A. H

Expert Reply:

To tow a fifth wheel trailer with your 2009 Ford F-150 5-1/2 foot bed you would have to use a Sidewinder and not a slider hitch like the Companion slider. Slider hitches work great to give additional turning clearance, but as soon as the truck bed is shorter than 6 feet a Sidewinder is required since the slider doesn't give quite enough clearance.

You will need to remove the pin box of the trailer and replace it with a Sidewinder pin box. Sidewinders are pin box specific so you will first need to know what pin box you have now in order to pick out the correct one.

There should be a sticker or a stamping on the OEM pin box of the trailer that will list the pin box number that is on the trailer.

Once you figure out which pin box you have you can check the FAQ I attached that has a chart that shows the correct Sidewinder to get based on which pin box you have.

For a fifth wheel rail kit you will want to go with a custom install kit like the part # RP50081-58 as it will minimize drilling and install time when compared to a universal kit.

For a fifth wheel hitch the 16k Reese part # RP30047 would then be a great option as well as it has a 360 degree contact jaw system that will provide excellent king pin contact.