Recommended Fifth Wheel Sliding Hitch for 2013 Ford Super Duty Short Bed Truck

Updated 03/22/2018 | Published 03/21/2018

Products Featured in This Question

Demco Autoslide 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch w/ Slider - Single Jaw - Underbed - 18,000 lbs

(755)

$1995.00

Underbed Rail and Installation Kit for Demco UMS 5th Wheel and Gooseneck Trailer Hitches

(28)

$567.85

Question:

I am purchasing a fifth wheel trailer and looking at hitches. Do I really need a slider hitch or will a regular 5th wheel hitch work? 2013 ford crew cab with a 6-1/2foot bed. What is your recommendation?

asked by: MIKE R

Expert Reply:

For your 2013 Ford Super Duty Crew Cab, they only have the 6-3/4 foot or the 8 foot bed. For any short bed trucks, I recommend a sliding hitch to protect your Crew Cab and your trailer from impact when turning. I've seen far too many photos or people on the road with a dented cab or broken window to suggest a fixed hitch option for you unless you are using a Sidewinder style pin box.

For your truck, I recommend the underbed rail kit # DM8551000 along with the Demco Hijacker Autoslide # DM8550022. This will allow you both a clean bed without rails when not in use and an automatically sliding hitch to give you the clearance you need without getting out of your cab to switch positions. This saves you time and energy around gas pumps and when pulling into your camping spot without any worry about when to manually switch the slider.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

For a manual sliding option, I recommend the Custom Rail Kit # RP50026-58 and the Reese 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch w/ Square Tube Slider # RP30051. This is a more cost efficient option that will still get the job done well. This is a more traditional application and will require you to make the manual adjustment to give you the 10 inches of travel.

With whatever option you decide, I recommend using the wiring harness # 50-97-410 for easy connection and a clean look.

expert reply by: Jason S