What Size Fifth Wheel Hitch Can Be Used On A 2006 Ford F150 King Ranch Short Bed  

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As far as safest fifth wheel hitch, all of the hitches I have will meet or exceed the industry standards (V5,VS,CSA and SAE J684). All of the hitches are inspected for quality and workmanship. You will want to choose your fifth wheel hitch by the trailer weight capacity and what features you will want in that hitch.

To determine the maximum weight fifth wheel you can tow with your 2006 Ford F150 King Ranch short bed you will need take your Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR) on your truck. This is the maximum allowable tow rating of the vehicle weight and the trailer weight combined. If you subtract the Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) of your truck from the (GCWR) that will give you the maximum Gross Trailer Weight (GTW).

On your 2006 Ford F150 King Ranch short bed if you have a 6-1/2 foot bed you will need to use a slider hitch like the Reese 5th Wheel 20K Trailer Hitch with Round Tube Slider, # RP30083, # RP50081-58. This is a 20,000 lbs. hitch with the round tube slider and the custom install base rails and mounting brackets.

The round tube slider will eliminate binding, which seems to allow better movement of the hitch on the slider, as compared to the square tube slider. Also the round tube slider will provide 12 inches of front to back travel, compared to 10 inches on a square tube slider. That could provide an extra 2 inches of turning clearance.

You can take some measurements to ensure there will be enough clearance for your fifth wheel. On your 6-1/2 foot truck bed, the center of the Reese hitch jaw will be 39 inches from the back of the truck cab. Using this information we can plug it into a formula to determine clearance.

Take 39 inches (measurement A) and add the travel distance of the slider (measurement B). Round tube sliders travel 12 inches. 39 plus 12 (A + B) equals 51. Next, measure the width of the trailer and divide by 2 to get half (measurement C). For example, if your trailer is 88 inches wide, divide by 2 to get 44. Next, take the 51 inches (A + B)) from earlier and subtract 44 (C). 51 minus 44 equals 7 inches of clearance (A + B = X. X - C = clearance). You need at least 4 inches of clearance to make 90 degree turns without the trailer coming into contact with truck cab.

If your vehicle has a 5-1/2 foot truck bed you will need to use a standard hitch and installation kit like the Reese 5th Wheel 20K Trailer Hitch, # RP30298 , # RP50081-58 along with a Sidewinder. A Sidewinder would be needed on the 5-1/2 foot bed to give you 22 inches of extra clearance to allow enough space between the truck cab and trailer when making 90-degree turns.

I am sending links to information on fifth wheels and sidewinders. Also, links to instructions on the recommended fifth wheels.

expert reply by: Jeff D

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