Base Rails and Brackets for B&W Patriot 5th Wheel Hitch on 2003 Chevy Silverado 3500

Question:

We are looking at a B & W patriot hitch on the marketplace… We will be needing the hardware/rail kit whatever is necessary to install the RVC 3200 fifth wheel hitch in our 2003 Chevy Silverado 3500 Dully crew cab with an 8 foot bed ...I read somewhere where there were easy mounting kits for these… We do have a rhino liner on the bed of the truck ..Is this simple to install or do we have the drill down into the frame of the truck?

asked by: Dannielle

Expert Reply:

To install the B&W Patriot 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch # BWRVK3200 in your 2003 Chevy Silverado 3500 the best option is the B&W Custom Installation Kit w/ Base Rails # BWRVK2500 because it will not require drilling into your truck's frame rails to install, unlike the universal installation kits which do require you to drill into your truck's frame.

The only drilling involved will be in the truck bed so you can mount the base rails; this means you are going to need to either remove your bed liner or cut a hole in it where the rails will mount. If you take a look at the cut out of the instructions that I added you can see where it details the required drilling as well as the note about a bed liner.

In terms of how easy it is to install the B&W Custom Installation Kit w/ Base Rails # BWRVK2500 that is subjective - what might be easy for you could be difficult for another. I would not necessarily say it is simple because it is a detailed process that can take a number of hours, but if you have experience with installs or working with tools and on trucks then it is certainly doable. You can get a better idea of if this is something you want to attempt yourself by taking a look at the linked installation manual.

expert reply by: Kyle S