Determining if 2012 Ford F-350 Has OEM Rail Kit and Hitch Recommendation

Question:

I just bought a used F350 and I need to know if it is already prepared to accept a 5th wheel hitch. It has the screws in the bed and it has what appears to be a hitch bracket bolted to the frame see attached image. Does this mean I can get away with buying a non-rail type hitch?

asked by: Charles S

Expert Reply:

It does appear your 2012 Ford F-350 has a hitch installed in it. It's hard to identify by looking at the sides of the brackets that you sent in a picture of, but if you check out the picture I attached you can see what the OEM rail kit pucks would look like if they were present on your truck. Since you said there are "screws in the bed" I believe that is what you are referring to.

If you have a short bed truck you'd need a slider hitch to provide you with the needed turning clearance. For that the Companion Slider part # BWRVK3370 or if you have a long bed you'd want the fixed hitch version # BWRVK3300. The Companion hitches are widely considered to be the best hitches around as they are the highest quality, the easiest to use, are very quiet, and also made in the USA.

If you have something different in the bed of your truck send me a picture of the truck bed and I'll see what your best option would be.

expert reply by: Jameson C