Placement of Reese standard bed rails?

[Kevin_O_]

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]

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!

[Dandy_Dan]

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.

[cummins2014]

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.

[Coach-man]

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!!!

[cummins2014]

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" .

[B_O__Plenty]

Kevin O. wrote:

WTP-GC wrote:
Having installed the bed rails in my previous TV, I would not want to do it without having the hitch.

This is the hitch I want to purchase.



It comes with adjustable brackets so it can be made to fit on any set of standard bed rails. Unfortunately for me this hitch will not help me find the placement for the front rail. I guess I'll just spend the extra $$ and let a shop install the rails..

i 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.

[Bowti]

These are not universal kits they are vehicle specific and I think much stronger. These brackets are strong.



Rail placement is dependent on the position of the bottom frame brackets which are vehicle specific.



Note that the receiver is in the rails before final drilling and torqueing of all bolts.

[Bowti]

I think I have the same set up you are looking to install. The bracket which use the existing holes in your truck frame determine where the bed rails end up. I assembled them first on the TV frame and then drilled the holes in my box from the bottom up. I drilled very small pilot holes first to make sure everything was proceeding correctly.

Like others have said you should have your hitch assembled in the rails first before drilling to eliminate any minor misalignment in fit.

[Kevin_O_]

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.

Thank you for taking the time to do that for me! I will give it a try myself..

[cummins2014]

Coach-man wrote:
OK, I guess I did it wrong! First when I installed my rails I had no hitch. Second, since I had a drop in bed liner in my TV, I measured from the rear of the bed to the back of the rear rail to locate the rails. Can not remember for sure, but I thought the distance between the rails was mentioned in the instructions?? I have a 2006 RAM 2500 short bed, and I will go and measure and post my measurements, I hope they are helpful, but I would try and get exact measurement for your particular TV.

The Reese PDF file is 32*1/4 from the rear of the rear bed rail to the rear edge of the bed. This is for the Ford Superduty in question .As said what is critical is the 22" spacing , and having the bed rails squared. Do those two things ,and any hitch setup for the standard industry rails will fit.

[cummins2014]

bpounds wrote:
The frame kit you selected has fixed centers for the rails, unlike the universal style kit. So the rough center distance for the rails is determined for you. You need the hitch base to fine tune the fit.

Here is the install PDF which shows how the frame adapter ears will determine the rail centers.

I guess the hitch base would help, it certainly isn't needed, the industry standard rails need to be 22" centers, and thats where those custom braces will set them ,yes the holes are slotted so you do have to use a tape measure to set the 22" before drilling. All I did was set them , and squared them. The bed rails have the square holes, I just drilled a small pilot hole in the center of those holes , maybe an 1/8", put the bed rails out of the way,then opened them up for the bolts .

[cummins2014]

Kevin O. wrote:

WTP-GC wrote:
Having installed the bed rails in my previous TV, I would not want to do it without having the hitch.

This is the hitch I want to purchase.



It comes with adjustable brackets so it can be made to fit on any set of standard bed rails. Unfortunately for me this hitch will not help me find the placement for the front rail. I guess I'll just spend the extra $$ and let a shop install the rails..

You don't start with the front bed rail, you have the custom brackets. You start with the rear bedrail, you don't have a choice where those bed rails go, the custom brackets establish where they go. You mount the custom brackets underneath first. If you had the universal brackets then thats a different story, BUT the bed rails still go in the same position .


The most critical thing is the 22" spacing of the bed rails, the custom brackets have slotted holes for bolting the bed rails , although its 22" center to center, you could still get the bed rails off.

I started with the rear bed rail, they give you a measurement to place it, its just a matter of centering in the bed, setting the measurement from the rear of the bed, drill, and bolt down. Then you set the second one 22" , square it, and drill ,and bolt. There is enough play in the bolt up holes in the custom bracket if you happen to be off a bit, yes there is a point ,but 1/8 will adjust . If those bed rails are 22" ,and square that hitch you are buying will fit.


That kit you bought I have installed two sets in a ford superduty a 99, and a 2002, both without the hitch . There is no problem getting them where they belong.

[Coach-man]

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.

[jerem0621]

Even if you could buy a cheap Reese Pro Series gooseneck plate designed for fifth wheel rails you would have what you need a to install the rails. Plus you could have more versitility with your truck, being able to handle both gooseneck and fifth wheel trailers.

This is something I am strongly considering

Thanks!

Jeremiah