Comparing The B&W Patriot And Companion For A 2020 Ford F-250 Super Duty With 6-3/4' Bed

Question

Question:

I have 2020 ford f250 lariat with 350 springs and max tow package 6.75 bed. I am going to tow a grand design 303 but want to keep my hitch weight down to save valuable pay load. I am thinking patriot vs companion to save payload . I don’t have puck system so will need rails. Thoughts.

asked by: Dave

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Expert Reply:

Since you have a short bed you'll need to a hitch with a slider base to avoid having the nose of the 5th wheel come into contact with the cab of your F-250, which is going to be a bit heavier. You'll looking at about a 60lb difference between the Patriot # BWRVK3270 and Companion # BWRVK3400-5W so if you're really wanting to keep it lighter the Patriot would be the preferred choice.

That being said, the Companion offers more versatility since you'd have a gooseneck hitch as well. This would allow you the option to tow both gooseneck and 5th wheel trailers without having to also purchase a rail to gooseneck adapter. It will also give you a clear bed, whereas the Patriot will have rails that sit above the bed and make loading up other items a bit of a pain. With the Turnoverball hitch that the Companion would require you could also replace the pin box on your trailer with a 5th wheel to gooseneck pin box and avoid having a hitch altogether for an even lighter load in the bed.

Personally I'd choice the Companion # BWRVK3400-5W with a Turnoverball hitch # BWGNRK1116-5W because of all the extra benefits, but you can still go with the with Patriot # BWRVK3270 and base rails # BWRVK2402 for a lighter load in the bed.

expert reply by: Kevin C

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Answer 1

The B&W Patriot Sliding 5th Wheel Hitch, part #BWRVK3270 is NOT compatible with the Reese #RP30156 puck adapter, you'll want to use the Demco #DM6175, which is compatible. If you don't have a 7-way in your truck bed, you can install one…

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Answer 2

The Patriot Slider part #BWRVK3270 might be a bit more noisy than the Companion slider part #BWRVK3400 due to the increased number of mounting points, 4 at the corners vs. 1 in the center. Probably not that noticeable and certainly not something…

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Answer 3

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 4

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 5

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 6

Hey Jay. It sounds like you are on the right track here because a sidewinder pin box will be your only option for pulling your 5th wheel since you have a short bed truck with the Rambox. That said, you are right that the Reese Sidewinder cannot be…

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Answer 7

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 8

The head alone for the B&W Companion hitch #BWRVK3500 weighs about 70 pounds. Everything else weighs about 130 pounds. So the total weight of the hitch is approximately 200 pounds.

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Answer 9

The B&W Companion OEM 5th Wheel Hitch w/ Slider for Chevy/GMC Towing Prep Package #BWRVK3775 you're looking at will work fine with your new Chevrolet Silverado. This hitch has 3 height adjustments so you'll be able to set the hitch height…

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Answer 10

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 11

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 12

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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