Will 5th Wheel Trailer Intefere with Bed Rail Toolbox on Short Bed 2018 Ford F-250

Question:

Have a 2018 F250 short bed. Buying a new camper today. Have a tool box behind the passenger cab on bed rails for work. Will a slider fifth wheel hitch provide enough space to make turns without removing the tool box when I haul with the fifth wheel? Thanks!

asked by: Jay

Expert Reply:

The B&W Companion OEM 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch w/ Slider # BWRVK3370 referenced in your question is confirmed to fit your 2018 Ford F-250 as long as it is equipped with the factory rail kit. The slider on this hitch will provide you with 12 inches of front to back travel. I really can't be sure if this will give you enough clearance to avoid any interference with the toolbox on your bed rails as it depends on just how far above the bed side rails the toolbox sits along with its length.

The general rule of thumb is that you want at least 6 inches from the top of the bed sides (or a toolbox) to the bottom of the 5th wheel trailer to ensure you have enough clearance to account for pitch and roll during travel and sharp turns.

We also have the Demco Hijacker Autoslide # DM8550024 that features a greater sliding distance of 14 inches. This is the most on a sliding hitch we have available for your particular truck. This still might not be enough to avoid damaging the toolbox when turning depending on its size.

To ensure that you won't have any issues your best option will indeed be to simply remove the toolbox when it comes time to tow your trailer with your short bed truck. I have attached a couple short video demonstrations on these sliding hitches that you can also check out.

expert reply by: Chris R