Recommendation for a 5th Wheel Hitch to Fit a 2016 Chevrolet 3500 with 8FT Bed and Factory Rails

Question

Question:

Hello, I have a 2016 Silverado 3500 Dually with the 5th trailer prep package. Im looking to tow a trailer, 11k dry weight, 15k gross weight. Im assuming with the right hitch I wont need a rail kit since the bed is prepped already and has the pre-drilled holes. What hitches would you recommend for this towing purpose? I have been pointed to the BandW Companion 5th Wheel Hitch RVK3500 but wanted to know what other hitches would serve my purpose.

asked by: Alexander P

0

Expert Reply:

I have two recommendations on a 5th wheel hitch to fit you 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 for you to review.

The Curt Q20 5th Wheel Hitch, # C16530-16025, is a 5th wheel hitch that has the mounting legs to fit the factory prep package on your 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 3500. This Curt hitch has a 20K weight capacity and a 4 inch height adjustment to help provide a level truck and trailer set-up. I like the 360-degree movement of the Q20's hitch head. This movement allows for easy hook-up and with the built-in absorber will make for a smoother ride.

The B&W Companion 5th Wheel Hitch, # BWRVK3700, will also fit in the your factory prep package of your 2016 Chevy. The B&W hitch also has a 20K weight capacity and has a 2 inch height adjustment.

Overall I like the B&W hitch over the Curt hitch for a couple reasons. The B&W hitch uses 1 inch thick dual jaw and articulating hitch head will provide very secure point between the hitch and the your trailer's king pin. This tighter connection will reduce hitch rattle and the articulating head will help reduce 5th wheel chucking.

I also like the B&W hitch is its use of polyurethane bushings. These bushings also contribute to helping provide for a smoother towing experience. The hitch head sits on top of the bushing that provide for padded area that reduces the clanking and noise you get with other 5the wheels.

I have included two product review videos on these hitches for you to view.

expert reply by: Jared P

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Answer 1

You are right about the 2020 Chevy Silverado 2500 short bed being slightly longer than the 2016 models; according to Chevy, the 2020 short bed is 82.25 inches while the 2016 short bed is 78.9 inches. That isn't enough of a difference to negate…

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Answer 2

For a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, I recommend the B&W Companion OEM 5th Wheel Hitch part #BWRVK3710 or part #BWRVK3775 over the Curt A20 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch part #C84FR. The reason for this is because the cam-action handle on the B&W…

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Answer 3

You will have to go with a sliding hitch to allow the trailer to make tight turns. For a trailer 8 feet wide the only bed length that's going to allow 90 degree turns without a slider is a stationary hitch. That being said you have two options.…

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Answer 4

The OEM prep package consists of 4 "pucks" in the bed of the truck that will allow you to drop in puck style hitches for easy installation and removal, that gives you a completely clear bed when not in use. The B&W Companion OEM 5th…

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Answer 5

Choosing the right height setting for your 5th wheel hitch is a combination of a few different variables. First of all you want your towing setup to be as level as possible. With your Montana High Country 340BH level you will want to measure from the…

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Answer 6

The head alone for the B&W Companion hitch #BWRVK3500 weighs about 70 pounds. Everything else weighs about 130 pounds. So the total weight of the hitch is approximately 200 pounds.

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Answer 7

The B&W Companion OEM 5th Wheel Hitch w/ Slider for Chevy/GMC Towing Prep Package #BWRVK3775 you're looking at will work fine with your new Chevrolet Silverado. This hitch has 3 height adjustments so you'll be able to set the hitch height…

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Answer 8

You do not have to use a sliding 5th wheel hitch in a short bed truck. In many cases, truck beds shorter than 8 ft do not have enough clearance between the trailer and truck to execute sharp turns. This is why sliding hitches were invented. Due to…

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Answer 9

If you take a look at the linked diagram you can see the minimum recommended clearance distances between truck and trailer for 5th wheel towing. It is recommended to have at least 5-inches from the top of the bed rails to the bottom of the trailer…

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Answer 10

I spoke with my contact at Trailair and from your serial number we were able to determine that your trailer came with a 1621 HD pin box which is a long pin box style. I was unable to obtain the exact part number for your Trailair pin box but from the…

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Answer 11

There are a couple of options that'll work great with your Lippert Turning Point Pin Box, however one hitch stands out to me more than others. Take a look at the: -Curt E16 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch - Slide Bar Jaw - 16,000 lbs #C16115 This 5th…

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Answer 12

The Ford OEM puck system is different than the Chevrolet/GMC OEM puck system therefore, you can't use a 5th wheel hitch from one in the other. The Ford OEM system has pucks which are much closer together than on the Chevrolet/GMC OEM system. The…

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