Puck system vs rail system

[GeoffnCheri]

Hi,
New to the forum! We have 2022 337rls and our tow vehicle is 2016 F250 4x4 super duty diesel with 7500lb air bags, leveling kit for front, Monroe reflex shocks, stabilizer shocks for steering, rear end has 1 1/8 stabilizer bar, �� according to my husband❤️. We have a TrailAire pin hitch. We currently have Pullrite 16000lb slider hitch on rail system. Does anyone know if their is a difference in ride between puck and rail systems? Thanks for your help. Trying to decide if we can eliminate some of the chucking if we go with a gooseneck/puck system.

We also have a F-250 6 3/4' bed. Our PullRite Superglide is on the rail system as the truck did no have the puck system. The PullRite has been fantastic although we did experience some (limited) play where the hitch and pins attached to the rails. I cut up a used inner tube cut up to take some of the play out of the pin/rail play. Overall very happy with our set up. We absolutely love the PullRite Superglide. Maintenance is easy to keep up with and we have little to none chucking.

Cons -
1. I cannot add airbags due to the aftermarket rails under the bed.
2. I lose about 40# of payload due to the rail system as compared to a puck system.

Pros: I have not had a vehicle payment in 10 years.

[Dan Lockwood]

When I first got into fifth wheels, or I'll say prior to getting a fifth wheel, I found a very nice '12 RAM dually 6.7L Cummins and it had 158k miles on it. I was told that a 1 ton dually could pull any fifth wheel, but that's for later.

My choices were rails or no rails, not a puck system. I chose to go with the B&W turn over ball gooseneck hitch. I installed that because it allowed for a totally flat bed floor, no rails. I purchased the Companion 20k fifth wheel hitch.

With my fifth wheel grossing out at 18k#, I thought NO PROBLEM, I have a 1 ton dually diesel. When I CAT Scaled my total package I was at 26,240# and my RAM was only rated for 23,500# total. It pulled it great, but I was always leery about "what if"... This past April I purchased a new '21 Ford F-350 DRW 6.7L diesel King Ranch. All I can say is WOW! It came with the Ultimate Towing Package and that, among other items, had the bed puck system. I sold my base B&W Companion and bought a new B&W base for the Ford puck system. I kept my 20k top swivel hitch and all is wonderful. I will say that I have tons of bucking/chucking with the RAM and the B&W hitch. I swapped out the solid pin box and went to a MorRyde pin box. Has 3" fore/aft and 1.5" left/right pin block movement. This made a world of difference to the way the truck pulled at full gross weight, that was with the RAM. The Ford just took it to the next level of smooth!

Back to the rails or no rails. If you can cope with the rails in the bed, it's cheaper than going with the under bed gooseneck and then getting the upper hitch. I did like the turn over ball and the flat bed floor though.

Either will do just fine, just a choice you will need to make. We all have opinions and they're just our opinions. So 1.5" tall full width rails or more $$$ and a flat floor.

I will say the B&W Companion lower was around 125# and the upper swivel hitch was around 85#. The only negative for me was the base has a 6" long square'ish tube that goes into the gooseneck ball mount and you need to lower the hitch into that hole very straight. I also lifts up very straight, so for my 71 year old body lifting straight up 125# was a chore at times. The new lower base for the Ford puck system is only around 80# and I still take the top swivel hitch off first. It all just pins and clips to remove.

Sorry for rambling, I just couldn't shut my fingers up...

Dan

[Malco1]

Like cx500 said...the puck system is what newer trucks are incorporating into the box design. As stated it comes that way from factory and highly unlikely you can add it afterwards. Having said that, my current 2016 truck has the rails, and my next truck will absolutely have the puck system. Rails in the bed of the truck for when you are not using your truck for pulling your trailer, is a pain in the butt. I often haul things in the bed of my truck and the rails causing a non flat bed is annoying. Your chucking is likely coming from play in between your pin box and the hitch. With our first fifth wheel we had a slider hitch and it caused us chucking issues. Hated that slider hitch, so got rid of it, and no more chucking problems. Slider hitches need a bit of play in order to slide, and often that's enough to give you issues.

I am not sure why you get chucking. With an automatic slider the pin and hitch are locked together. I guess there is looseness in the slider section. As far as pucks go they are great. I just winterized my trailer and took the hitch off the truck and put the puck covers back in and now I have a clean bed.

[Teledoc]

Hi,
New to the forum! We have 2022 337rls and our tow vehicle is 2016 F250 4x4 super duty diesel with 7500lb air bags, leveling kit for front, Monroe reflex shocks, stabilizer shocks for steering, rear end has 1 1/8 stabilizer bar, 😬 according to my husband❤️. We have a TrailAire pin hitch. We currently have Pullrite 16000lb slider hitch on rail system. Does anyone know if their is a difference in ride between puck and rail systems? Thanks for your help. Trying to decide if we can eliminate some of the chucking if we go with a gooseneck/puck system.

Have the same 337RLS (2020), 3/4 ton truck with puck system (call etrailer...there are aftermarket kits to add a goose ball) and a Reese Goosebox. No indication the 5th wheel is there...not a single jerk or sound. Ever (over 2500 miles driven since install). The included airbag and pistons in the Goosebox smooth everything. Bonus is a free truck bed after unhitching.
Btw, even with my Ram 2500 short bed I can turn around in a cul de sec.

[Bungy]

I have the 6 1/2 ft box, never needed the slider. With the 6 1/2 ft box and standard hitch I have never been in a position where I would have needed it.

That’s what I said too until I was, big hit to the pocketbook!

[SolarPoweredRV]

Like cx500 said...the puck system is what newer trucks are incorporating into the box design. As stated it comes that way from factory and highly unlikely you can add it afterwards. Having said that, my current 2016 truck has the rails, and my next truck will absolutely have the puck system. Rails in the bed of the truck for when you are not using your truck for pulling your trailer, is a pain in the butt. I often haul things in the bed of my truck and the rails causing a non flat bed is annoying. Your chucking is likely coming from play in between your pin box and the hitch. With our first fifth wheel we had a slider hitch and it caused us chucking issues. Hated that slider hitch, so got rid of it, and no more chucking problems. Slider hitches need a bit of play in order to slide, and often that's enough to give you issues.

If you have a truck that did not come equipped with the Puck System, it can be added aftermarket. You can tell if you can add the Puck system by looking at the bed, if the bed has dimples where the puck system would be, then all you have to do is buy the Puck kit and install.

Installation involves removing the bed to install the Puck frame and drilling the holes in the truck bed.

[SolarPoweredRV]

Welcome to the forum. If you really want to eliminate the chucking you should look into the Reese Goosebox. I've towed with a traditional 5th wheel hitch and the Goosebox, I'd say its night and day difference. I doubt you will see much difference with going to the puck system from a rail setup.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

I also highly recommend the Reese GooseBox. Most of the time my Wife and I can't feel the camper behind us. Towing with the GooseBox is quite pleasant.