5th Wheel Rails in Truck Bed

[Gulfcoast]

I just bought a 2500 truck that has the two 5th wheel rails bolted into the bed of the truck.

I don't need the hitch rails, so how can I fill in the bed holes when I remove the rails?

I haven't checked out the bolts yet, but I guess they are carriage bolts which have the square neck under the head.

[hornet28]

Gulfcoast, those were my thoughts when I removed the original rails. But since then we've had a truck camper, travel trailer and now our first 5er. Previously had 2 truck campers, 1 Travel trailer, 2 horse trailers, 2 car haulers, 1 enclosed. As you can see I've had a variety

[Gulfcoast]

I have a travel trailer and keeping it as long as I live... smile.

[hornet28]

When I bought my dually it had the rails and I took them out and sold them, I was never going to get a 5th wheel. Well 5 years later guess what. I bought a 5th wheel so had to go buy rails and mounting brackets. You might want to take a bit to think about future possibilities. What I did when I took the old rails out was small carriage bolts and used silicone over them. That worked fine as I put a bed mat in.

[schlep1967]

Gulfcoast wrote:
It has a LineX bed liner already.

Then I would put new short carriage bolts in the holes and do a touch up of the LineX over the heads.

[Gulfcoast]

It has a LineX bed liner already.

[schlep1967]

Remove the rails and put one of the premade bed mats or a bed liner in it. Don't worry about the holes.

[Gulfcoast]

I will remove the rails

[97chevor]

Those carriage bolts are a PITA to remove.

What I would do is buy a rubber truck mat and just cut it out around the rails. If you ever have to haul something heavy, those rails are a much stronger tie down point than what the truck manufacturer provides.

[camp-n-family]

Remove the rails but put the bolts back in or find some rubber plugs to fit.

[MFL]

I have seen plastic plugs used for this purpose. I had some to put in previous truck, but ended up trading, and left rails intact. I think carriage bolts would work as well, but may need smaller size than currently in rails.

Jerry