My truck didn't come with the 5th wheel prep so I bought the Reese Elite underbed kit which is what Ford puts in our trucks All the bolt holes are there, but you do need to lift your bed so you better make sure your bed bolts come loose. I had to weld nuts onto 4 of mine just to get them out (Then had to replace 4 very expensive bolts).

And make sure you don't mind drilling big holes in your bed. The nice thing is the bed is dimpled where the holes get drilled but mine were hard to find because of the Line X liner I had sprayed in.

Instructions are pretty easy to follow for the install. I like the clean look and the ease of mounting this kit. Very strong and well designed. Then your hitch options are Reese Elite or B&W. If you want a different hitch such as PullRite they make their own undermount kit.

One of the things I liked the most of doing this myself was that I was able to mount my 5th wheel electrical connection where I wanted it vs. where Ford puts it - I have the cargo divider installed in my truck and that won't work where Ford puts the fifth wheel electrical.

 

Thanks for the tips wild west. One day I am going to upgrade and I am thinking about all these nuances for my new truck LOL. Did you go with a Reese or BandW hitch?

 

I tow a similar weight trailer with an F250 6.7TD with a Husky slider. I would definitely recommend the fifth wheel setup and not the gooseneck for stability if for no other reason. If the front of the trailer is a MAx Turn cap, you should only need the slide feature when jack knifing into a tight spot. Normal driving, you should be fine. If it is a full cap, you will want an Autoslide Hitch like the Hitch hiker but they are more expensive.

 

My work partners came from there. I believe you will love the hitch! Have not found anyone yet that doesn't.

 

Got the Reese Elite 18k hitch and i can tell you it is solid and attractive. Best of all is is terribly easy to install or remove! Seemed pricey to me, got the dealer that sold me the 5th wheel trailer to give me hitch at his cost, which was approx a grand. So am am very happy with mine, but dont have experience with others, so cannot comment on them.

 

I just talked to a guy transporting a tractor on a gooseneck and he told me that the 5th wheel tops out at 25k lbs whereas with the gooseneck he tops out at 30k lbs. He said he does it for a living and goosenecks are best for off road conditions on uneven ground and tow capacity. He also said that with a wrench he can take iff the ball and use the bed. If you have a 5th wheel hitch what are you going to do? Unload it by yourself and put in in the front seat with you cross country? He had a point.

 

Yeah I am a one man operation here and the B&W looks like a great hitch but much bigger and heavier than the Reese.

 

Same in California but I don't know about the GN vs. the 5th wheel carrying passangrs. As long as you have 2 way communications you are alright. I'll ask a CHP office next time see one. Hopefully not with the lights on behind me!

 

I have the B & W OEM Companion hitch,it breaks down into 2 pieces,the head weighs 65 lbs the base weighs 70 lbs (yes,I weighed them). I can have the hitch go from my shed to installed in my truck, or the other way around, in less than 3 minutes without rushing.

I've never seen a Reese Elite hitch so I can't say whether it is lighter or easier to install.

 

I just picked up my b&w today and installed it. Pretty easy to assemble it and it doesn't seem to be that heavy when its broken down. Plus it has a place for a pad lock so you can lock the jaws shut and leave it attached to the king pin and just raise it out with the trailer. On a side note I'm going to get to pick up our new fw this week and try the hitch out

 

The best price is always from etrailer. Not because their initial price is the best, but because they have a low price guarantee that beats the best price you find by refunding you 110% of the difference from their price to the low price. So, I just searched the Reese Elite 18K for our trucks. Lowest price google shopping found was $920 with free shipping here: https://www.onlinehitches.com/Elite-...-By-Reese.html

Etrailer's price is 1268.39 with free shipping.

110% of the difference is 383.23

Etrailer's price = 885.16 delivered. A lot better than what was posted in previous posts. Plus since you have the factory prep you don't need the wiring harness you get so you sell that on eBay for $60. In the end you get the Reese Elite for just over $800. That's what I did last year at this time. Prices were a little lower then. I ended up at around $750 for my 18K Elite. I do love the dealer who told Linkhansen that he gave him the hitch at cost for around a grand. LOL. A dealer certainly gets a better deal than the average joe shopping online and anyone reading this can get the hitch delivered for 885 from etrailer. So, his selling it at cost line is clearly... um... less than truthful.

 

I installed the B&W Turn Over ball, but instead of going with the companion, I went with the Andersen Ultimate Fifth wheel. It is really light weight. I can easily put it in the bed by myself. Towed my Keystone Laredo (36Ft) from Utah to Wyoming for work, up several big passes and it towed GREAT. Takes about 2 mins to take the hitch out of the truck. Flip over the ball and you have total bed access.

I would recommend the Andersen to anyone looking for something other than the Companion. Its also about half the price.

 

Thanks for all that research and info. I appreciate that. Any time the dealer says they will give it to you "at cost" you know they are lying just like when they tell you that invoice price is what they paid for the vehicle.

 

Glad I could help. My bride says I'm a professional shopper and that I always find the "perfect deal." Only problem is what I save on each purchase I make up for in volume.....

 

Guys, I think some are a bit pessimistic on the post. I searched online and cheapest i found hitch was for approx $950 on Amazon. I could have ordered it, and for free shipping they would have placed it on a camel's *** and would have got to me in 10 or so days. With dealer, he charges me $1000,arrives the next day, assembles it and sets it up on my truck. So any way you may look at it, I feel i came out a winner. To each his own, but everyone has to make some money. It's the way the world go round. Again, I am very happy with what i paid and the dealer, and the hitch. Dont rain on my parade!