How Do I Install Fifth Wheel Rails in The Bed of My Pickup

Expert Reply:

The rails in the bed of your pickup are installed so that the king pin will be just forward of the rear axle when hitched. The mounting location is vehicle specific and if you would like to provide your trucks year, make, model bed length and cab style I would be glad to get instructions to you and make a recommendation for an installation kit for your truck.

When mounting a fifth wheel hitch the first measurement you use is the distance from the farthest back part of the bed, tailgate removed, to the specific measurement for your truck and bed length (can be found in fifth wheel rails installation instruction manual) to the rear edge of the rear rail. You then use the fifth wheel hitch as a guide to position the front rail and a tape measure to measure diagonally and square things up. I have provided a set of instructions for the Reese Universal Base Rails and Installation Kit, item # RP30035, for you to review.

The Rails themselves are 43 inches long and 5-1/2 inches wide. The rails will be mounted somewhere between 20-1/2 inches and 22 inches apart in the bed depending on your hitch choice and your vehicle. The Legs on the Reese 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch - 20,000 lbs, item # RP30081, are 20-15/16 inches on center apart.

expert reply by: Bob G