Fifth Wheel Hitch Recommendation for 2014 Ford F150 With 5.5 Foot Bed  

Question:

Expert Reply:

It sounds like you're wanting to 5th wheel tow with your 2014 Ford F150 with the 5-1/2 foot long bed, correct?

If that's the case, you'll need a stationary, non-sliding 5th wheel hitch like the Reese 5th wheel hitch, part # RP30928 which would install using industry standard bed mounting rails like what's provided by the Demco
# DM8552003-71 bracket/rail kit. In order to achieve the necessary clearance between the rear of the truck cab and the front of the 5th wheel, you'll need to use a rotating pin box like the Reese Sidewinder which provides the additional 22 inches of clearance that you mentioned.

The Sidewinder you need will depend on which OEM pin box is used on your 5th wheel. The pin box will have a sticker or ID plate located on it that will provide the manufacturer name and model number of the pin box. Use the provided link to match up the available Sidewinder models to your OEM pin box bolt pattern. The linked article also explains exactly how the Sidewinder operates.

The Lippert 1621 is probably the most prevalent, if that's what you have, you'd use the # RP61412 Sidewinder model which is also compatible with the following pin box models:

• Lippert 1621, 1116, 1716 and 0115
• Fabex 500,503, 520 ,530, 560, and 765
• RBW 7019 and 7028

If you wanted to avoid the expense of the Sidewinder, there's another option. Demco offers a Hijacker Autoslide hitch, part # DM8550041 that's specifically designed for short bed trucks. As you begin to enter a turn, the hitch head will automatically slide 22-1/2 inches rearward offering the necessary clearance between the truck cab and the 5th wheel. You'll also need the # DM8551001 under bed mount rails. The awesome thing about these rails is that they sit under the truck bed so that once the hitch is removed, there won't be any rails sitting on the surface of the truck bed to interfere with loading/unloading cargo or material.
I've linked to a product description video for the Demco Hijacker Autoslide.

If you'd like to install a 7-way trailer connector in the truck bed, you can do so using part # DM8555002.

expert reply by: Mike L

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