Recommended Sliding Fifth Wheel Hitch For 2016 Ford F-250 With Short Bed  

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Expert Reply:

There are a couple ways you can go for a towing setup. If you want full access of your 2016 F-250 truck bed when you are not towing I recommend an underbed rail system for your fifth wheel hitch like the Demco, part # DM8551000.

I then recommend a sliding hitch like part # DM8550022. This hitch has 14-inches of front to back travel so you can make sharper turns. The great thing about this hitch is that you do not have to exit the truck when executing turns because this hitch automatically slides when making the turn and then returns back toward the cab once you straighten out. There are three height settings for this hitch. They are 15-1/2, 16-3/4, and 18-1/4 inches.

For a more traditional setup, you may want to check out the Curt A16 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch, part # C16521, and Custom Installation Kit, part # C16424-204. This system installs the above-bed rails in the truck and this hitch provides 12-inches front to back slider travel. The hitch height for this hitch has 4-inches of vertical adjustment from 17-1/2 to 21-1/2 inches.

To determine the height of the hitch you need that can easily be done. Back your truck so that the center of the king pin is directly over the center of the fifth wheel hitch jaws on the trailer when it is level. Then measure from the top of the truck bed to the base of the pin box on the trailer. This should give you the measurement you need when adjusting the fifth wheel hitch height. You will need to be sure that you have at least 6 inches of clearance between the underside of the trailer and any bedsides or rails on your custom bed for pitch and roll of the trailer when maneuvering.

If you need a 7-way trailer connector in the bed of your truck for the fifth wheel I recommend part # PK11893-11932.

expert reply by: Jeffrey L

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