Why Won't My B&W Patriot 5th Wheel Hitch Not Sit Fully In Bed Rails

Updated 10/27/2025 | Published 03/09/2025

Question:

I currently have a 15k Reese hitch. My camper is a little over 13k. I wanted to upgrade to the 18k patriot just to be safe. It’s a rail system but I’m having a hard time getting the new hitch to sit down in the rails.. any suggestions?

asked by: Bryson J

Expert Reply:

Bryson, that is pretty unusual. It sounds like a couple of things could have happened. Either your rails have become bent not allowing the hitch to sit fully in, or your 5th wheel became bent.

Sometimes this can happen if the rails themselves weren't installed properly, but seeing as though you were just using a Reese 5th wheel with no issues, I'm leaning more toward the hitch itself.

I'd recommend checking over both the rails and the hitch and see if you can see any damage. If there is anything else I can do for you in the meantime, please feel free to drop a comment and let me know!

expert reply by: Bryce D

Lazer S.

10/27/2025

Hey Bryson, what did you find when you checked the rails and the hitch on your setup? Knowing how that turned out could really help others running into the same fit issue with their 5th wheel hitches.