Under Bed Fifth Wheel Hitch Rail Recommendation for 2017 Ford F-250

Question:

I like the puck system. Want a aftermarket system that I can install and order the fifth wheel attachment I prefer. Do I order the hitch system and then order the hitch brand specific. Example. Order a B& W puck system, do I have to order a hitch from B&W or can I order a Curt 5th wheel hitch to fit the B& W?

asked by: R.C. G

Expert Reply:

Essentially the factory Ford fifth wheel rail system is a Reese rail kit, but Reese doesn't sell the rail kit for your truck and the only way to get it would be directly through Ford. Curt does offer a fifth wheel hitch that fits that rail kit directly though with the A20 part # C16034.

Another option is the B and W Companion Hitch and Gooseneck setup that consists of the rail kit/gooseneck hitch # BWGNRK1116-5W and then the fifth wheel hitch part # BWRVK3500-5W. The rail kit doubles as a gooseneck hitch (comes with hitch ball), and the hitch you get is considered by many to be the best hitch on the market due to how well it's made and how quiet it is.

expert reply by: Jameson C

R.c. G.

1/17/2019

Jameson C.

1/17/2019

There's some flexibility with using different brand hitches with different brand rail kits, but in general there isn't always a clear cut, single, best way to accomplish that. It's probably best to decide which hitch you want and then come up with the best way to install that hitch in your truck bed. If you want to install the Curt A20 for Ford Rail Kits part # C16034 that I mentioned you'll need to have Ford install their rail kit as that's the only way to source it. Since you used the B and W and Curt scenario we can use this as an example. So the B and W Underbed rail kit part # BWGNRK1117-5W can be used to install a Curt hitch, but the hitch would also require the use of an adapter part # 16310 to adapt the rail kit to fit a Curt hitch like the # C16140.