Recommendation of 5th Wheel Hitch for 2016 Ram 2500 with Rambox and Reese Sidewinder  

Question:

Expert Reply:

There are many 5th wheel hitches available for your 2016 Ram 2500 with 6 foot bed, however the Rambox changes the game a little and moves you outside our fit guide. I do have a solution for you that customers have told us works.

First, you will need to get the rails and brackets to mount to your frame. I recommend the Reese Quick-Install Custom Base Rails and Installation Kit for your truck,# RP50054-58. These mounts and rails are sturdy, powder coated to resist corrosion, and are compatible with Curt, Draw-Tite, Hidden Hitch, Husky, Reese, and Valley 5th wheel hitches.

For your unique truck, we need to use a non-moving hitch due to the additional width of the Rambox sides. I recommend going with a hitch like the Reese Titan 16 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch, # RP30047. This hitch has a 4 way pivoting head to ease hookup on unlevel ground. It's 1-piece legs offer excellent stability which is important for this application.

We then will use a Reese Sidewinder to replace your 5th Wheel Trailer's pin box. This Sidewinder actually uses a secure fixed mount at the hitch and has a rotating turret 22 inches back from the king pin. This allows for you to have the clearance needed for a 5th Wheel Hitch in your 6 foot bed with Rambox because the pin box doesn't rotate in the bed of the truck. This also offers the best turning clearance for short bed trucks. I've attached a video of a Sidewinder install so you can see how it works, but this may not be the model Sidewinder you need.

This is the only combination we have found to work because there isn't enough room for a king pin to rotate inside the truck bed. To get the right Sidewinder King Pin for your specific trailer, I will need to know the pin box brand and model number that is currently on your 5th Wheel Trailer. The pin box number is usually displayed somewhere on the pin box, either on a sticker or stamped into a plate on the pin box. If you can't find that, the VIN or Serial Number along with the trailer manufacturer is needed. I'd be happy to help ensure you get this figured out.

Note: Sindwinders cannot be used with sliding 5th wheel hitches, because it puts the weight too far behind the rear axle of the tow vehicle.

I would also recommend the Curt 5th Wheel/gooseneck Custom Wiring Harness with 7-Pole Connector, # C56000. This will allow you the convenience of a wire connector in the bed of your truck.

expert reply by: Jason S

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