Recommended 5th Wheel Hitch for 2020 Ford F-150 with 6-1/2 Foot Bed and Aluminum Body

Question:

Hello! Could you help me in finding a good 5th wheel hitch for my new truck - 2020 Ford F-150, 6-1/2 foot bed. Also it has the aluminum body. Any concerns with support/strength/capacity with regards to this construction? Thanks!!!

asked by: Sean

Expert Reply:

Yes, for your 2020 Ford F-150 with the 6-1/2 foot bed I highly recommend the Curt A16 Sliding 5th Wheel Hitch # C16521. This is an excellent hitch that features an interlocking 2-jaw design so that the jaw mechanism wraps completely around the king pin. This provides an extremely secure connection to the trailer but it also allows for a smooth, quiet ride during travel. You aren't going to get those loud clanks and jarring spine adjustments that you might have experienced with other hitches.

The A16 also features a unique 3-point indicator system that lets you quickly see when it's ready to uncouple, couple, or tow, while its easy 1-pin head removal makes it very manageable for one person to remove the hitch entirely from the bed when it's not in use. The sliding base offers 12" of front to back travel for cab clearance during sharp turns and it has a 16,000 pound towing weight capacity.

Then for the base rail kit the Reese Custom Installation Kit # RP50087-58 will work perfectly. Its custom brackets will use existing holes in the truck's frame rails to eliminate the need to drill into them. With regards to your question about capacity/strength as it relates to the F-150's aluminum body, it's important to keep in mind that the brackets keeping the base rails in place are bolted directly to the steel frame, not the bed, so its aluminum construction won't come into play at all.

I have attached a couple short video reviews below that you can check out as well.

expert reply by: Chris R