Instructions and Measurements for Installing a 5th Wheel Hitch in a 1986 Ford F-250 Long Bed

Question

Question:

Hi I have a 86 f250 long bed and bought a 5th wheel hitch and lost the instructions before installing it in my truck and was wondering if you could help with the measurements from the rear of the bed to the front of the rail on the rail closest to the cab or how far the king pin is suppose to be in front of the rear axle thank you for your time

asked by: Steve

1

Helpful Expert Reply:

The correct king pin position relative to the rear axle center will vary slightly by vehicle but generally it will sit above or slightly forward of the rear axle. On your 1986 Ford F-250 long bed the correct position of the king pin center when using for example, Reese Universal 5th Wheel Base Rail Kit # RP30035, is 4 inches forward of the rear axle center.

You might refer to the linked instructions for this product, which is quite similar to the Husky base rail kit you reference. Page 11 of the instructions refers to the installation in your particular year/make/model truck.

You might also refer to the linked article concerning 5th wheel install tips.

expert reply by: Adam R

1

Answer 1

I do have a custom fifth wheel installation kit option that is confirmed to fit your 2013 Toyota Tundra, however, I spoke with my contact at Curt and he told me that they have not tested their Custom Fifth Wheel Installation Kit, #C16468-204, with a…

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Answer 2

You will have to go with a sliding hitch to allow the trailer to make tight turns. For a trailer 8 feet wide the only bed length that's going to allow 90 degree turns without a slider is a stationary hitch. That being said you have two options.…

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Answer 3

The OEM prep package consists of 4 "pucks" in the bed of the truck that will allow you to drop in puck style hitches for easy installation and removal, that gives you a completely clear bed when not in use. The B&W Companion OEM 5th…

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Answer 4

Choosing the right height setting for your 5th wheel hitch is a combination of a few different variables. First of all you want your towing setup to be as level as possible. With your Montana High Country 340BH level you will want to measure from the…

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Answer 5

Most fifth wheel rails are made to the same industry standard dimensions. They aren't all though. If you measure 22 inches on center between the two rails and they look like the rails of the #RP30035 that you referenced they would be the industry…

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Answer 6

A 4-Way trailer connector has the basic lighting functions only; running lights, left turn signal and brake lights, right turn signal and brake lights, and ground. A 7-Way has these functions and a 12 volt circuit, a circuit for electric trailer…

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Answer 7

To get the B&W Patriot #BWRVK3200 to work with your 2006 Dodge Ram you're going to need a set of 5th wheel rails #DM8552016-71. These rails are custom fit to your vehicle so they'll just bolt right up to the frame. It is worth mentioning…

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Answer 8

You do not have to use a sliding 5th wheel hitch in a short bed truck. In many cases, truck beds shorter than 8 ft do not have enough clearance between the trailer and truck to execute sharp turns. This is why sliding hitches were invented. Due to…

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Answer 9

Yes you are - all 5th wheel hitches are going to require some type of rails in order to be used. So you'd need #DM8552016-71 for your 2006 Dodge Ram.

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Answer 10

The Ram OEM 5th wheel puck system, shown in the linked photo and article, was launched in 2013 so what you have in your truck is likely to be an aftermarket installation of some kind. These newer Ram trucks with the factory prep can directly accept a…

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Answer 11

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Answer 12

It sounds like you could have a set of standard fifth wheel rails that most manufacturers use for their fifth wheel hitches to install into. The different manufacturers all make their own brand of rail kit, but they all have basically the same…

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