Can Reese Elite 5th Wheel Hitch Be Used on 2019 Ram 3500 with Factory Pucks  

Question:

Expert Reply:

We do have a great selection of 5th wheel hitches that can be used with the factory puck system on your 2019 Ram 3500, however there's unfortunately not an adapter available that would allow you to mount your existing Reese Elite 5th Wheel Hitch. We have reached out to Reese in the past on this subject and there's also not a way to convert the hitch or base so that it's compatible with the Ram pucks, either. The Reese Elite hitches will only work with their own under-bed rail kits or with the Ford factory puck systems.

I know it's probably not what you wanted to hear, but your only option will be to obtain a brand new hitch that's designed for the Ram puck system. Since the Reese Elite is a really quality hitch, you might be able to sell it for enough cover most of the cost of a new one.

For your Ram 3500 I specifically recommend the Reese M5 # RP30918 that will drop right onto the factory pucks, features a single-piece jaw that wraps completely around the trailer's king pin for a secure connection and smooth ride (and is always ready to use without having to manually open it up), and a fully articulating head that greatly reduces chucking. It has a 20,000 pound towing weight capacity and comes with a limited lifetime warranty.

I have attached a short video review that you can check out as well.

expert reply by: Chris R

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Mike D.

4/19/2020

I have a 2017 Ram 2500 with the OEM towing prep package. I have a 15 yr old Reese hitch 30051 w/Slider and the Reese adapter #30154.I am looking to upgrade my hitch to something quieter with a smoother ride. My fifth wheel GVWR is 16,500 pounds.What hitches would you recommend that are compatible with the 30154 adapter, or dont need an adapter that would improve our ride. Looked at the Reese Elite, are the Curts compatible or would I need a different adapter? Any others you would recommend?I did look at the B&W companion, but the weight scares me. My wife and I would not be able to take it in and out of the truck bed.Thanks,

Chris R.

4/21/2020

To upgrade your ride quality I think you'll be really happy with the Reese Select Plus # RP30084, which will mount to your existing adapter. This particular model features a single hook jaw (as opposed to the dual jaw on your current hitch) that will provide a much tighter connection with the trailer king pin. This very connection is what contributes most of the movement and noise with a 5th wheel setup, so just this upgrade will give you a noticeably smoother ride. The 9" wide funnel will also help a lot with hookup.

Mike D.

4/21/2020

Thanks Chris, one other question as I have been researching. How does the RP30084 compare to the M5 series, I think I would need the RP30918? it appears that is fairly new, so I have not been able to find many reviews on it. Thanks,

Chris R.

4/23/2020

The Reese M5 # RP30918 is a really nice hitch. It's really pretty similar to the Select Plus but a main upgrade would be the fully articulating head (the Select Plus has a 4-Way pivoting head) which just contributes to an even smoother ride. The one concern I would have though is it's not a sliding model. I was operating under the assumption that you have a short bed truck since your current unit is a slider - a fixed hitch like this may not give you the cab clearance needed to make sharper turns.