I was looking at some videos today on YouTube and something caught my eye. It was a short bed with the 5th prep and it would appear the 5th prep is much more forward in the bed than the current setup. At first I thought it was the camera angle but now I'm thinking something has changed. Here's a screen shot of the video. Notice the rear pucks are almost dead center to the wheel wells.



That would put the hitch much further forward than on my 2012 short bed where the center of the hitch is 1" forward of the center of the wheel wells.



If it's not just my eyes or the camera angle, then it would seem that a slider will be much more important on the new trucks than the current. I always thought that just forward of dead center over the axle was ideal though. Anyone see what I see?

Here's the video. The shot of the bed comes from about 2:56 to 3:03.

 

Look at post 40 in this thread. Looking at the location in relation to the bed bolts it looks the same to me.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...el-prep-3.html

 

Exactly. In post 40 of that thread is just like mine but looks nothing like where it is in that video of the 2017. The rear puck in the video of the 17 is right in the middle of the wheel well close to where the center of my hitch would be. And the front puck in the video is at the very front of the wheel well. Maybe (probably) I'm nuts...

 

I think its the angle of the camera.

 

My wife agrees. Looks like I'm outnumbered...

 

Sometimes Ford does stupid things but they can't be so dumb that they put the hitch that far forward! And the wife is always right. I am not married and even I know that! LOL

 

I know for my gooseneck in my current truck (B&W) the ball is 4 inches in front of the axle.

 

Look at this video at 14 seconds and it looks better. See what you think.

 

Not as exaggerated but it still looks more forward to me. IDK...

 

You're kidding yourself, all of those shots are at angles and not straight on. Install points for hitches are pretty universal whether aftermarket or oem prep, you want to maintain X spacing between cab and trailers. IF it moved at all it i'm sure it would be negligible.

 

I do like to make myself laugh.

 

Is there less rear overhang Rodney? Perhaps it was the axle moving rearward and not the hitch moving forward...

 

My wife also made that observation Chad. i can't really tell. As others have said, I'm likely nuts. I pm'd Josh to ask but didn't hear back...

 

What would scare me is the clearance between the rear bumper and the trailer. My 2007 model camper is so close I can't lower my tailgate all the way, it's frightening to think that 4"-6" closer is possible.

 

Speaking of tailgate, the tailgate on my new F150 (and I assume the SD will be the same) sticks out so far at the top that my front cargo hold door will not open all of the way. The last 4 or 5" of the tailgate flare outward just enough that I can't get the cargo door open. What a pain to have to hold it open with my head as I dig around for blocks, chocks, etc