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Kevin_O_'s avatar
Kevin_O_
Explorer
Dec 23, 2015

Placement of Reese standard bed rails?

I know I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed so I am hoping some of you can help me. I want to install the Reese bed rails(#RP50082-58) in my truck myself. I want this kit because it looks much stronger then the universal kit. The problem is every video I find on youtube and even the instructions from the kit shows the use of a hitch to find the placement for the front rail with no mention of any measurements?? I'm going to be buying the Pullrite 2700 Superglide hitch that adjusts to any set of bed rails.
So the big question is, how can I find out the measurements for the front rail so I can install these without using a hitch??

Kevin
  • Coach-man wrote:
    OK, Kevin-0, from the rear of the bed it is26 ½", and the rails are 22" between them. Again I did not have a hitch, I purchased a Pullright Superglide later when I purchased the fifth wheel. I cut the bed liner, so the rails sat flat on the metal bed. I used the above measurements to locate the rails, then drilled down thru the bed, and used the bolts to locate the frame brackets. Not a particularly hard installation, but take your time, measure twice, cut once! You are not playing horse shoes, so almost does not cut it! When finished, the super glide sits perfectly, with the pin just in front of the rear axel.



    What truck are you referring to , I assume its a 2001 Superduty thats in his signature ,and for that truck, the measurement from the rear of the truck bed to the rear of bedrail is 32*1/4 " not 26*1/2 . I have installed two of those kits in ford superduties . Just to verify, we are talking the same bed rails Reese 58058, thats the bed rails that comes with his kit # RP 50082-58

    I just walked up to my fiends house two doors up to verify the 32*1/4 ", and thats the Reese measurement. His is a 2002. He also has the 2700 Superglide hitch If he places that bedrail 26*1/2 from the end of the bed he won't be bolting it to his brackets underneath, it will be off nearly 6" .
  • had that same hitch on my last truck. Those holes are not there to adjust for the spacing of the rails. They are there to allow you to move the entire hitch forward or back from the centerline of the axle. The rails are designed to be spaced the same distance apart for every hitch. That way you can interchange hitches using the same rails. If you purchase model specific brackets for your install they will set the rails at a specific spacing, but there is a slight amount of tolerance that will aloow them to move slightly. You will need the hitch to get the exact spacing. I hope you are shopping online for that Super Glide. I found mine online for 1/2 of what a local dealer wanted.

    B.O.

    X2, BUT industry standard, means "industry standard" You do not need the hitch, if you install the rails per industry standard dimensions! That way any industry standard hitch should work. Read my post, no hitch, installed per instructions for "industry standard" hitches, and guess what it worked!!!
  • Coach-man wrote:
    had that same hitch on my last truck. Those holes are not there to adjust for the spacing of the rails. They are there to allow you to move the entire hitch forward or back from the centerline of the axle. The rails are designed to be spaced the same distance apart for every hitch. That way you can interchange hitches using the same rails. If you purchase model specific brackets for your install they will set the rails at a specific spacing, but there is a slight amount of tolerance that will aloow them to move slightly. You will need the hitch to get the exact spacing. I hope you are shopping online for that Super Glide. I found mine online for 1/2 of what a local dealer wanted.

    B.O.

    X2, BUT industry standard, means "industry standard" You do not need the hitch, if you install the rails per industry standard dimensions! That way any industry standard hitch should work. Read my post, no hitch, installed per instructions for "industry standard" hitches, and guess what it worked!!!



    The dimension you gave the OP to the first rail from the end of the bed is INCORRECT, PLEASE SET HIM STRAIGHT , that DIMENSION for the REESE 50082 custom brackets on a 2001 Ford Superduty is 32*1/4 NOT THE 26*1/2 you gave him . He is going to have a lot of unwanted holes in his bed if he goes with 26*1/2"


    You are both right on the Industry Standard, WHICH IS 22" SPACING, and yes the custom bracket dictate where they are located in the bed.
  • Kevin, I took my truck over to a truck place that deals in aftermarket parts for pickups. I asked if they needed the hitch and told me no as they had a jig made up to get proper spacing. Also my truck has a boxed frame and I had no idea how to get the bolts inside the box so the nuts were on the outside. Wish you luck. Let us know how things go. I believe you want the ball about 1" ahead of the center of the rear end (differential) While there they sprayed in a bed liner and installed tonneau cover.
  • Special grade 8 bolts, and a wire to fish the bolts into the holes drilled in the frame! Again not rocket science, but time and patience is a must! My kit included all the necessary bolts, wires, and accessories required to install the rails!