Forum Discussion

jpares89's avatar
jpares89
Explorer
Aug 07, 2013

Bed rails installed wrong?

I bought my short box 03 f350 crew cab used. The bed already had the holes drilled in it but no rails. Now that I have a fiver camper I bought used rails (the Reese universal kit.) went to home depot to get all grade 8 bolts and nuts. And I reused the previously drilled holes. The back rail (closest to the tail gate) uses the actual factory bed bolt holes that go though the sill and hold the bed to the frame. So those two are in the front of the back rail. The other two go to nothing but the bed sheet metal. Now the front rail had the holes drilled in the frame and the L brackets matched up to the rear of the front bracket and bolted no problem. Now the back of the bolts of the front rail went though the bed sill. I read the instructions and it seems as if the set both rails 3" to the back of the truck. Will this be ok to pull a 27' Kountry star? Or should I re drill all the holes and put the rails centre over the bed sills? I afraid if I put it forward it may hit my cab.
  • My shortbed has the rails mounted behind the axle a few inches. I think they do that for the shorty's to give us more turning clearance. My dealer recommended a "Slider" but there is no way my camper could get into the cab unless i'm more than 90 degrees turned.
  • Towed beautifully, not a single problem. Thanks for all the input!
  • On the ones that just go through the bed. Look on the side of the frame. Should have the holes there. Some ever get lucky use factory holes. My rails only have one bolt per side, then the part that bolts to the frame stick up and that one bolt from the rails goes through the top of that bracket.
    Plus go here mounting Video Video of how to do this. Or go to Reese home page they will have the instructions on how to do it also.
    Pete
  • jpares89 wrote:
    So those two are in the front of the back rail. The other two go to nothing but the bed sheet metal. Now the front rail had the holes drilled in the frame and the L brackets matched up to the rear of the front bracket and bolted no problem.

    This is exactly how it should be. One set of bolts will only go thru the sheet metal to provide stability to keep the rail from flipping.

    Look at any of these installations - regardless of vehicle...in particular Figure 2. It shows the L bracket under 1 set of holes on each (Row 1 & 3) end and the other row of holes just thru the sheet metal.

    http://www.hitchpro.net/application/support/instructions/N30035.pdf
  • I believe I would find some one that knows 5th wheel hitch installations and have them advise you on the correct method. Better safe than sorry. A trailer is a lot of weight and strain to put on a "maybe" setup.
  • dbbls wrote:
    The hitch in my previous short bed truck was just behind the axle. I think about 2 inches. It towed and handled just fine.


    Were they mounted similar to mine? I figured I leave it there and see how it tows home. (2hrs away) and if its so bad and is tweaking at all I'll move it forward. The way I see it the previous owner towed like that it that way and it didn't fall off. He didn't use the two back brackets instead he used the frame it's self in place of them.
  • I thought the rails were different too. But the marks on the truck all match up with the universal kit I got.
  • The hitch in my previous short bed truck was just behind the axle. I think about 2 inches. It towed and handled just fine.
  • Sounds like the previous hitch/bed rails are different then your 'universal' bed rails.

    Hitch should be installed centered Or slightly forward of rear axle centerline.

    As for hitting the cab of truck...sounds like you also need a sliding hitch for slow speed maneuvering