Has anyone installed the Ram 5th wheel prep kit part# 82213980AB in their 2014 or newer Ram 2500? We're about to purchase a 5th wheel and I want to use this for my attachment points in the bed. My truck didn't come with the kit pre-installed so I'm going to tackle this myself. I've seen on other forums the kit comes with good instructions, but I'd like to see a video just to make sure I'm comfortable with it.Thanks,KJ

LIKE2BUILD wrote:Has anyone installed the Ram 5th wheel prep kit part# 82213980AB in their 2014 or newer Ram 2500? We're about to purchase a 5th wheel and I want to use this for my attachment points in the bed. My truck didn't come with the kit pre-installed so I'm going to tackle this myself. I've seen on other forums the kit comes with good instructions, but I'd like to see a video just to make sure I'm comfortable with it.Thanks,KJI did it last fall. Took about 4-4.5 hours working by myself, including the electrical outlet in the bed. The OEM bed bolts were really hard to remove do to the locking stuff they used. Two people would be able to do it much quicker. You have to remove the bed bolts and one side and loosen them on the other side, then jack the bed up on one side as a time to place the pucks into the mounts that are on all the frames. I used a board from a trolley floor jack to raise the bed. My SB has three mounting bolts on each side. Drilling the big holes in the bed is scary. I had to order the hole saw, as it is not a size that the box stores stock.https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000E8FP6C/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1I drilled the first pilot hole and then use a bent piece of wire to check the calibration of the location, and made a slight adjustment of the three other locations based on that finding.PM me if you want I will give you my phone number to talk. I did not install the gooseneck hitch.I really like my B&W hitch. The latch mechanism is the best there is available.Chris

Perfect information. Thanks so much.Your install looks extremely clean and that's the appearance that I want. The 5er we're buying is coming with the hitch that uses standard bolt-down rails in the bed. Call me crazy, but I just really don't want anything permanent in the bed. I want it completely clear so if I carry a load of wood, plywood, drywall....whatever....I don't have to goof around with the rails being in the way.I went back and forth with installing a B&W turnover ball then using a Companion hitch. That's a pretty nice deal but by the time I bought that whole setup I'd be over $1300 into the project. I'm getting the factory fifth wheel prep, wiring kit, and Reese picture frame adapter for under $700. Since I'm getting the hitch for free that puts me way ahead on $$$$$.I guess the final straw in going this route is having 4 points of locking contact for the hitch compared to 1 for the B&W setup. Yes, I know the Companion spreads the weight across bed and it is a very well engineered system, but I do like the idea of having hitch locked directly into the frame rails. Another nice thing is picture frame adapter makes it versatile and if I want to upgrade 5er hitches it's just simple plug and play without any other mods.KJ

I dont have a video but did install mine on a 2014. The tricky or worse part is cutting the holes. First you have to loosen the box bolts and slip the pucks in between the brackets. They provide a template for the hole placement but I wasn't comfortable with using a hole saw having to take one try at it and being dead on. The template got me in the ballpark and I then drilled several small holes and used a die grinder to clean it up and keep it on center. I did try to use a smaller hole saw at first thinking it would give me room to clean up the hole if it was a little off center but it didn't want to cut that steel very well. As you get the pucks in and look at the template you will see what I mean.When you attempt to drop the picture frame into place the "key" shape pins on the picture frame may not want to drop into place in the pucks. At that point you may loosen the pucks a little and re tighten. You may also have to clean up the edges of the pins a little to get them to drop in. It's all sort of crude and not a precision set up yet it can be a little touchy to get them to drop into place at first. You wont need to grind a great deal off of them, you are just going to finesse them a little. Try the puck on the pin before you install anything just to see what I mean.When the picture frame is in place you can then see how the engagement of each pin/puck feels and adjust as needed. You may need to pull the cotter pins and adjust the depth of engagement for each pin with the large nut adjuster. I adjusted it so there was no up down movement of the picture frame. While I was doing that I used anti seize on everything so it wasn't a nightmare to work with it years later. It's not real high tech but cutting the holes is the important part. You have leeway in it because of the plastic insert so it's not like you will ruin everything. Look at the plastic inserts and picture the tolerance you need to stay within. This isn't part of the install but I also shortened my arms so I could lift the whole unit out at one time while hanging on the FW pin. As it is designed you will need to pull the 4 pins and clips to first remove the upper portion of the hitch. When the upper portion has been removed it then allows room for the 4 arms to swing inward 90 degrees releasing the picture frame. I cut my arms short enough so that they can swing in 90 degrees and allow the picture frame and all to come out at one time. I have drilled, tapped and bolted the end of each arm when in the engaged position. Those that want to get all excited about the warranty just relax. It's not a space ship. Filing and cleaning up the ends of the pins isn't going to allow them to release and shoot the whole works in the air and wipe out three states and all their inhabitants either.

LIKE2BUILD wrote:Perfect information. Thanks so much.Your install looks extremely clean and that's the appearance that I want. The 5er we're buying is coming with the hitch that uses standard bolt-down rails in the bed. Call me crazy, but I just really don't want anything permanent in the bed. I want it completely clear so if I carry a load of wood, plywood, drywall....whatever....I don't have to goof around with the rails being in the way.I went back and forth with installing a B&W turnover ball then using a Companion hitch. That's a pretty nice deal but by the time I bought that whole setup I'd be over $1300 into the project. I'm getting the factory fifth wheel prep, wiring kit, and Reese picture frame adapter for under $700. Since I'm getting the hitch for free that puts me way ahead on $$$$$.I guess the final straw in going this route is having 4 points of locking contact for the hitch compared to 1 for the B&W setup. Yes, I know the Companion spreads the weight across bed and it is a very well engineered system, but I do like the idea of having hitch locked directly into the frame rails. Another nice thing is picture frame adapter makes it versatile and if I want to upgrade 5er hitches it's just simple plug and play without any other mods.KJIf you have not yet purchase the Reese PF, STOP and look at the Demco 6099 frame. It can be release without first removing the hitch. I pick my whole hitch/picture frame as a single unit.ORRRRRRrrr save the picture frame money, sell the free hitch and get a B&W RVK3600. You will not be sorry on doing that, I guarantee you will not be sorry if you go this route!!!!!Chris

rjxj wrote:This isn't part of the install but I also shortened my arms so I could lift the whole unit out at one time while hanging on the FW pin. As it is designed you will need to pull the 4 pins and clips to first remove the upper portion of the hitch. When the upper portion has been removed it then allows room for the 4 arms to swing inward 90 degrees releasing the picture frame. I cut my arms short enough so that they can swing in 90 degrees and allow the picture frame and all to come out at one time. I have drilled, tapped and bolted the end of each arm when in the engaged position. Those that want to get all excited about the warranty just relax. It's not a space ship. Filing and cleaning up the ends of the pins isn't going to allow them to release and shoot the whole works in the air and wipe out three states and all their inhabitants either.Thanks for the info. I was thinking about doing something similar to the locking arms. My thought was to cut them short enough to to rotate out and clear the wheel wells. Then I was going to tack weld tabs on the locking arms and picture frame that I can lock together with the pins.KJ

Installing Ram 5th wheel prep | Good Sam Community

42 Replies

Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Jul 27, 2016
"I was on the phone with Etrailer.com and they said the hitches that fit direct in the Ram fifth Prep are difficult to get"

Sorry THAT is NOT true!
Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Jul 27, 2016
LIKE2BUILD wrote:
Cummins12V98 wrote:

Your call but IMHO you are throwing good money after bad. The RVK3600 will be ready to go when you decide your truck and RV are not big enough. Do the math. Picture frame adapter is $370 sell your "FREE" hitch $300? You are down to $500 for the proper hitch. NO brainer to me. You need to sell your wife on this.

The cheapest I've seen the RVK3600 is $1,100. Even if I get $300 for the RBK (doubtful without the rails) I'm still out $800 versus $370 for the picture frame.

KJ

you are NOT thinking about this correctly.

RVK3600 $1,159
Reese adapter not spending -$370
Sell RBW -$300

Bottom line you WILL hate the front to back ONLY pivot. You will find your self not being able to unhitch after leveling the RV and trying to pull away. Then you will have to block the rear tire to unhitch. then you will have to block the rear tire to get it to hitch. I went thru this and almost dropped my RV!!! I bought the RBW 4 way head after that. That part was much better but the clunk/clank and overall slop of the hitch was driving me crazy. A friend suggested the B&W Companion. I took his advice and still thank him for showing me the light.
cummins2014
Explorer
Jul 27, 2016
Blazing Zippers wrote:
I just installed a B&W goose neck with a new Anderson tripod in our 2016 Ram. The tripod weighs under 80 lbs and comes out quickly. The gooseneck then turns over for a flat floor. Works great!

Thats also a great way to go if he hasn't already got the picture frame, if so then he could just go the standard rail version of the Andersen which attaches to the picture frame. Great reviews on the Andersen hitch. I will eventually go with the Andersen.
cummins2014
Explorer
Jul 27, 2016
LIKE2BUILD wrote:
Okay, this is really funny. The Ram 20K Hitch

....looks pretty much identical to the Curt 20K 5er hitch.

KJ

Obviously the B&W crowd failed to even mention the Andersen Ultimate hitch , which fits our picture frames Demco or Reese. Do yourself a favor and at least check them out , they are half the cost of most hitches, and have become very popular.
Me_Again
Explorer III
Jul 27, 2016
LIKE2BUILD wrote:
Okay, this is really funny. The Ram 20K Hitch

....looks pretty much identical to the Curt 20K 5er hitch.

KJ

Better head than the 16K one. Chris
Blazing_Zippers
Explorer II
Jul 27, 2016
I just installed a B&W goose neck with a new Anderson tripod in our 2016 Ram. The tripod weighs under 80 lbs and comes out quickly. The gooseneck then turns over for a flat floor. Works great!
Me_Again
Explorer III
Jul 27, 2016
LIKE2BUILD wrote:
What about the Curt 16K with Dual Jaw and full pivot head? Any experience with this?

I was on the phone with Etrailer.com and they said the hitches that fit direct in the Ram fifth Prep are difficult to get. I have a trip coming up in August and I'll need to have everything in line by then.

KJ

I looked at that hitch. And called Curt about it. Two things! The jaws do not tilt with the hitch pad where the trailer rest and they are made in china like ALL of the Curt 5th wheel hitches. I could have gotten a really good price as our son's company is a wholesale dealer for them. Chris
MFL
Nomad II
Jul 26, 2016
Yep, the OEM stickers are expensive.:)

You just need to do a weekend garage sale, put the proceeds towards the hitch that Cummins pictured, problem solved, and you will have a great hitch, IMO, of course.

Jerry
LIKE2BUILD
Explorer
Jul 26, 2016
Okay, this is really funny. The Ram 20K Hitch

....looks pretty much identical to the Curt 20K 5er hitch.

KJ
MFL
Nomad II
Jul 26, 2016
I also had an RBW hitch at one time. It was a slide bar type, that worked good. Yes, it was noisy/sloppy, very entry level. I would not go to all the work of installing the puck system, then an adapter, only to put a low end hitch on the adapter.

The adapter will raise the hitch higher, may make your FW tow more nose high.

I know money can be an issue for all of us, but if you can find a way to upgrade to a better hitch, you will be glad you did. I gave my RBW away, and bought a quality hitch, when I bought my new truck.

Any hitch that will fasten direct to the pucks, will be much better than the original plan.

Jerry

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Installing Ram 5th wheel prep

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