Will a Reese 12K 5th Wheel Hitch Work on a 2016 Ford F-250 Super Duty

Question:

Just bought a new 2016 F250SD extended cab with the 8 foot box. I have a 1996 F250 in the same size with a 12K Reese 5th wheel hitch. Will this hitch fit the new truck using one of the above rail kits? Also can you tell me the differences in the 2 kits? RP50026-58 versus RP56016-53 Thanks for any info you can provide.

asked by: Jay

Helpful Expert Reply:

I have several hitches that will work with your new 2016 Ford F-250 Super Duty, but based on the information we have, your 12K Reese 5th wheel hitch will not work with anything that is made these days. The only 12K 5th wheel hitch that Reese had was made between 1985 and 1990 and it was actually made by another company called Owens Classic. Reese dropped that line in 1990 and released their own 5th wheel line, so anything sold by Reese that was made before 1990 will not fit anything made after 1990 with the Reese logo. The older hitches used varying bolt-on designs that are not compatible with today's products.

If you want to stick with the Reese line, I have some options for you. If you are looking for a good hitch you may want to check out the Reese Dual Jaw 16K Hitch, # RP30047.

Reese offers two custom above-bed base rail installation kits for your truck, part # RP50026-58 and part # RP56016-53. The main difference between these two kits is the size of the base rails. Part # RP50026-58 comes with base rails that measure 43" long x 1-1/8" wide x 5-3/4" long. Part # RP56016-53 comes with rails that measure 48" long x 1-7/8" tall x 7-1/4" wide.

If I were choosing between these two, I would install part # RP50026-58. The base rails are smaller, so they will be less of a hassle when I am not towing and carrying stuff in my bed. This is really the only advantage that one has over the other.

The reason there are two kits is because the wider base rails are required on other makes and models of trucks if the installer wants to have the easier outboard installation, meaning the frame brackets mount toward the outside of the truck so you aren't fighting with installing hardware above the trucks frame. On your truck, either of these kits will allow for this type of installation.

If you are thinking about performing the installation yourself, I have attached both sets of installation instructions for you to check out.