Looking for opinions and real-world experience with factory 5th vs aftermarket kit. What is your preference factory is a must, aftermarket is a must. What about the in-bed electrical connection with an aftermarket? What about weight... Thanks.

 

My first two units were complete aftermarket installs (I didn't add the additional elec. connectors) - they both met all my needs.
My newest truck has the puck system; it too works. Is it worth the $500 upgrade - probably not, but it does make for a cleaner bed.

The one thing that I've done differently (this time) is changing over to the Anderson hitch (it uses the goose ball attachment). In the past (due to weight, dirt, effort required) I always left the hitch installed. With the Anderson hitch it's easy/ lightweight to remove/ reinstall - I think that'd be the feature I'd encourage you to consider.

Less pin weight, easy to use, only requires a removable goose ball in the bed.

 

The B&W system (turnover frame/gooseneck ball + companion 5th wheel) is a very robust system. Everywhere I have been the past several years there are trucks set up with them. I did a tree job with a guy a couple years ago that pulled a dual triple heavy equipment trailer with a telehandler on it with a B&W turnover ball. For a long time this is what I had on my list to put in my truck. I do not have the factory system. If I had put a hitch in before this year it would most certainly be a B&W.

By the way, check the tech folder in the 6.7 forum. EpicCowlick did an install video of the B&W a few years ago. Very well done.

After doing some research and thinking through hitches I am steering away from the B&W system. It is a nice system for what it is, however the limitation I find that I can't get over is the adaptability. You are stuck with the Turnover ball and the Companion 5th wheel - and that's it (both really good hitches, again, for what they are though).

For me, what I am focusing on is a nice air ride hitch - like a Trailer Saver TSLB or TS3. These convert to both 5th wheel heads and gooseneck ***** so you get the floating hitch performance with both set ups. I can not run any of those options with a B&W frame.

There are adapters to go between the puck system to conventional above-bed rails. That is how the TS3 mounts - it is a conventional above bed rail hitch, however there are puck adapters to convert to (Hensley Mfg makes one you can get with the TS3, there are other options). Again, with a B&W there aren't any other options.

The OEM system is the Reece Elite Series. There are two Reece kits - OEM and a more universal install. The OEM is for later models and is based on the factory bolt holes in the frames. I suspect the universal kits will require more fabrication, but it is an option for pretty much any truck.

There are a lot of considerations for what kind of hitch you want to get. I would not steer away from the B&W system, in fact I would put that high on the list of aftermarket options (in fact, I would put that at the top of the list if you consider the OEM system is the Reece Elite).
- Weight, as Army RET pointed out, is a consideration if you are installing/removing the hitch often.
- Load rating of the hitch (GVWR and pin) is certainly another.
- Do not forget the kingpin release levers - ease of releasing, ease of access to the lever, can you extend it to reach from outside the bed, does it automatically lock (with the addition of a safety check to make sure it locked, of course) when hooking up?
- For 5th wheel hitches - does the head roll? or just pitch and yaw? Some heads only pitch and yaw, they have no R/L roll ability. This means the trailer and truck will roll more or less together. It will also make hitching/un-hitching on uneven ground a nightmare (side loading the kingpin = hard release/latch).
- Ride quality - Can you get by with a rigid hitch? Or do you need a floating hitch?

As far as the electrical plug up in the bed - that is a moot point compared to the hitch selection. You can install the electrical plug or get it from the factory, it doesn't make a difference like your hitch selection does.

 

 

In my '18 F350 I got the factory prep hitch installed. On my previous '15 F250 I had the Reese aftermarket kit installed with bed rails. I much prefer the factory prep install vs the bed rails or the after market under bed package that either requires removal of the bed or a lot of contortion to get it in place.

 

 

 

Anderson now offers a safety chain kit (chains and tie down point) for their ultimate hitch, $140:
https://shop.andersenhitches.com/pro...ins-with-plate