What is Needed to Install the Reese 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch in a Truck Bed

Question:

For installation, do you have to weld something to the pickup frame.

asked by: Chet D

Expert Reply:

The Reese Fifth Wheel Trailer Hitch # RP30047 installs into industry standard base rails that need to be installed in your truck. The base rails are mounted in the truck's bed by being bolted to brackets that are under the bed and bolted to the frame.

We carry a universal bracket kit that includes the brackets bolted to the truck's frame, the rails mounted in the bed, and all of the hardware, part # RP30035. There are also custom kits that are truck specific. If you email me back with your truck's year, make, model, and bed length I can recommend a custom kit if one is available. All kits require you to drill through the bed to bolt the rails to the brackets. However, a custom kit is designed to fit into existing holes in the truck's frame so there's a lot less drilling and the install takes about half the time. The universal kit requires you to drill holes into the frame as well as the bed.

I've attached a video of the universal kit being installed into a 2002 Dodge Ram for you to look at.

expert reply by: Charles S