Recommended Fifth Wheel Hitch for 2017 Ford F-350

Question:

In just bought a 2017 F350 Platinum 6.7 power stroke 3.3. SWD. It has the towing kit already installed in the truck. Looking to buy a Vilano RV 375FL. 1.Will my truck be able to pull it? 2. Do you recommended a gooseneck instead of a hitch? 3. If not what type of hitch should It get? Any other advise you can give me.. example what to look for in the 5th wheel gross vehicle weight. Thanks very new to towing 5th wheels Thanks

asked by: John

Expert Reply:

Happy to help you get started on your fifth wheel towing journey. In regards to fifth wheel gross vehicle weight - which is the most the trailer can weigh when fully loaded - you are going to want to choose one that has a weight under what your 2017 Ford F-350 can tow.

From my research, the Vilano 375 FL has a GVWR of 16,000 lbs which your '17 F-350 may be able to tow; what you'll want to do is check the GCWR (gross combined weight rating) of your F-350, which should be on the specs sticker of your driver's side door jamb. That will be the maximum weight of everything your setup can consist of - the truck, trailer, passengers and cargo. You can load up your truck as you would if you were towing the trailer and weigh it on a commercial scale; take that weight, subtract it from the GCWR and you will know the weight of the trailer you'll be able to tow.

As for the hitch you are going to want to pull a fifth wheel trailer like the Vilano 375 FL with a fifth wheel hitch and I strongly recommend the B&W Companion. If you have a short bed you want the sliding version # BWRVK3370 and if you have a long bed (8 foot) you are going to want the fixed version # BWRVK3300. The Companion is considered by many to be the highest-quality fifth wheel hitch available. With nearly 400 reviews from customers who have purchased it, the Companion has gotten a nearly unanimous 5-star rating.

It features dual jaws which are a full 1" thick to provide complete contact with your king pin so you can have faith that your connection is completely secure. I've added a picture of the jaws so you can see for yourself how impressive they are. The Companion is also going to give you a much quieter ride with less rattling than other fifth wheels due to that secure connection, along with the polyurethane bushings it has. It has a pivoting head to make hooking up easier, a cam-action latch to deter binding, and offers three different height settings to ensure you are level with your fifth wheel. The B&W will fit directly into the puck system in the bed of your 2017 F-350 and a towing capacity of 20,000 lbs.

I've added links to some video reviews of this hitch for you to take a look at.

expert reply by: Kyle S