Recommended 20,000lb Rated 5th Wheel Hitch and Rail Kit for 2006 Ford F-350 Short Bed

Question:

Hello. I have a 2006 f350 superduty Ford, short box. Can you please tell me what 20k fifth wheel hitch will fit in my truck. I need everything to install, including install kit etc.

asked by: Errol R

Expert Reply:

I would be happy to help!

Lets start with the 5th wheel rails and install kit for your 2006 Ford F-350 short bed. I recommend going with the Curt Custom Fifth Wheel Installation Kit for Ford # C16448-204 which is designed to fit the frame of your truck without requiring you to drill any holes. This really speeds up the install compared to universal rails/brackets.

For a 5th wheel hitch you will really want to go with a slider hitch unless your trailer has a rotating pin box. For a quality slider hitch with a 20,000lb rating I recommend the Curt A20 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch w/ R20 Slider # C16541. This hitch features interlocking dual jaws to give you 360 degrees of king pin contact for a smooth and secure towing experience, and a fully articulating head that is great for absorbing road shock and making it easy to hitch up to your trailer. The slider base on this hitch gives you 12" of clearance when making sharp turns which is ideal for trucks with bed less than 8' long.

Now if your trailer has a rotating pin box then I recommend going with the Curt E16 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch - Slide Bar Jaw - 16,000 lbs # C16115 which is a fixed hitch. You'll also need Curt Custom Fifth Wheel Installation Kit for Ford - Carbide Finish # C16448-204 along with a wedge # C16991 so it can be used with a sidewinder.

To finish off your 5th wheel setup I recommend adding a 7-way connector to the bed of your truck using the # C56070. This harness is very easy to install as it just plugs in in-line of your factory 7-way connector and makes it much easier to connect your trailer's 7-way connector.

I included videos of the products mentioned for you to take a look at.