Hmm...5ver hitch rails are standard but placement is not??
I have been trying different hitch positions attempting to reduce chucking and one of the things I have discovered is that the middle position of the hitch rails in my F250 6.5 ft. bed is 4" ahead of the rear axle. This is correct according to the Reese 30035 rail kit instructions. But here is what I found for various rail kits:
Reese 30035 - 4" ahead (of rear axle center line)
Reese 50026/58058 - 3" (2 15/16") ahead
Reese 56016/30153 - 7/8" behind
Husky 31408 - 0-1" ahead
Husky 30607 Option 1 - 1" (31/32") behind
Husky 30607 Option 2 - 0" (on axle center line)
B&W RVK2401 - 4" ahead
So if you are trying to assess if a candidate new hitch will have enough cab clearance it is important to understand exactly which rail kit you plan to use along with the specific hitch install options. It may be important to select a particular rail kit and specific hitch to obtain the best cab clearance. I am surprised the placement is not more consistent since it must affect the ride and weight distribution to some degree.
For instance the B&W rail kit along with the B&W 3200 hitch together provide the options of 2 1/3" ahead (closest to cab position), 1/3" ahead (middle position) and 1 2/3" behind (farthest position from cab) providing a good range selection in my opinion. My current Husky 16K W Hitch on Husky fixed legs with a Reese 30035 rail kit only provides options of 6" ahead or 4" ahead of the axle center line. On a F250 short bed (156" WB) the axle center is about 41" behind the cab so I can only position the king pin at a maximum 37" back from the cab.
Comments?
Reese 30035 - 4" ahead (of rear axle center line)
Reese 50026/58058 - 3" (2 15/16") ahead
Reese 56016/30153 - 7/8" behind
Husky 31408 - 0-1" ahead
Husky 30607 Option 1 - 1" (31/32") behind
Husky 30607 Option 2 - 0" (on axle center line)
B&W RVK2401 - 4" ahead
So if you are trying to assess if a candidate new hitch will have enough cab clearance it is important to understand exactly which rail kit you plan to use along with the specific hitch install options. It may be important to select a particular rail kit and specific hitch to obtain the best cab clearance. I am surprised the placement is not more consistent since it must affect the ride and weight distribution to some degree.
For instance the B&W rail kit along with the B&W 3200 hitch together provide the options of 2 1/3" ahead (closest to cab position), 1/3" ahead (middle position) and 1 2/3" behind (farthest position from cab) providing a good range selection in my opinion. My current Husky 16K W Hitch on Husky fixed legs with a Reese 30035 rail kit only provides options of 6" ahead or 4" ahead of the axle center line. On a F250 short bed (156" WB) the axle center is about 41" behind the cab so I can only position the king pin at a maximum 37" back from the cab.
Comments?
