F350 5th wheel prep package?

[Charlesandkate]

I couldn't think of a better place to ask this question since I don't trust anyone at the dealership and I can't find guidance online.

We're going to be towing a 380TH and we decided on the F350 dually, Fx4 package, camper package (for the upgraded shocks), and the 5th wheel prep package. This morning I came across something quite disturbing and thought maybe someone here could help.

We're planning on the Reese elite 26.5K hitch. It goes with the 5th wheel prep package from Ford, but I discovered today that the prep package under railings are for the 15k Reese hitch!

Does anyone know if this is perhaps irrelevant, or how to get the rails for the 26.5K hitch with out breaking the bank? This seems odd, that Ford would say the 26.5K hitch can be used on rails and a prep package built for the 15K in a truck with a 23.5K towing capacity.

Anyone have any insight on this to help out a newbie who doesn't want to damage anything!

Thanks!

[C130TN]

Where did you read or hear the rails were for the 15K hitch? I don't believe that to be correct, I'm almost positive it's rated for the 26.5K hitch. I have the factory 5th wheel prep and have used a Curt and now a Hensley TS3.

I went to one dealer who assured me the "factory 5th wheel prep" only consisted of holes pre drilled in the bed and nothing more. I told him he was incorrect so he went to the service manager and came back and told me I didn't know what I was talking about. Same guy also told me I couldn't get the King Ranch interior with black carpet. I told him he should learn about his products he was trying to sell because he was absolutely wrong.

I believe it's only limited to 26k due to that being the highest rated hitch Reese makes to fit the 5th wheel prep. I think it's actually rated higher.

[Charlesandkate]

Thanks C130TN!

That's exactly the experience we've had with dealerships! They don't know their product and it's really sad that they make money when the customer knows more than they do. I was just floored at how much they DONT know about the product they're selling. I even had one dealership well me, that I needed to go do my own research because my questions were too specific.

After spending the rest of the day researching this hitch question, this is what I found...

You are right, the rails underneath (IE the entire prep package as it comes from Ford) is rated to 25K. Therefore it can take for EITHER the 15K or the 26.5K hitch. What was confusing is that it said 15K on the invoices from the dealers and on their lists of installed packages and that was the hitch they wanted to sell me. One offered the B&W companion, but rated at 20K and the 380TH rated at 19,500lbs, I decided that was too close for comfort. Maybe I could have gotten away with it, but being a newbie, I'd rather be safe than sorry.

I eventually found a website on the Reese Elite hitches that explained how it comes standard from the Ford factory and that they're warrantied for either the 15K and the 26.5K hitches.

All in all crisis averted! Buying the truck tomorrow and that was a scary find this morning!

Off topic, I see you have a F450, before I go buying one tomorrow, do you think I'll be happy with the F350, or should I consider the F450?

[bob hohn]

you got a great truck in the f350, I tow my 320 x solitude with a f250 gasser but will be upgrading to the f350 diesel srw

[C130TN]

I love my F450 for towing and if I got another truck I'd get an F450. I was not looking for F450's when I purchased mine, hadn't even considered it. Long story short, I couldn't find the exterior color I wanted with the interior I wanted. But, I was about to sign the paperwork on a Platinum F350 DRW when the sales guy opened the door and hit the mirror on the truck parked next to us. He put a good size dent in the door. My phone rang and it was a sales guy I'd been talking to for a couple of weeks. He said they'd just gotten an F450 off the semi and it was exactly what I was looking for. My wife and I drove over to the other dealer and as soon as I saw it I knew I wanted it.

I like the wheels and tires better on the F450 along with a few other differences. The F350 DRW with the max tow capacity is pretty similar to the F450. 4.3 gearing, wide track front end, increased payload, etc. If I was going to buy an F350 DRW I'd get the max tow/payload version. But, either version of the 350 would be very nice and tow it well. I had an F250 before and will never go back to a SRW for towing a 5th wheel. I do not need air bags towing the 385 with my F450 either and it was not much more than the fully equipped F350 and I was able to get it at basically the same price. The only downside to the 4.3 gearing is gas mileage when not towing, it'll suffer maybe a couple miles to the gallon. Towing, I get the same as I did in my F250, around 10 mpg, maybe 9 if I tow 70-73. I towed my previous toy hauler about 2,000 miles in June and averaged just under 10 and was pretty much driving the speed limit the whole way.

[Charlesandkate]

That's good stuff! Thanks!
Glad to know we're making a good decision!

[RGMutchler]

Something you might want to consider about buying the F450 is drivers license requirements. They are applied based on the rating of the vehicle, not what your wt. is. If your vehicle has the capability alone or in combination to exceed 26,000lbs you probably need the non commercial A or B license. I believe this requirement is across all states. In any case it might be worth contacting your local drivers license office or talking to your highway patrol. I know in Texas the requirements are covered in the Drivers Manual you get to study for you test.

[C130TN]

Something you might want to consider about buying the F450 is drivers license requirements. They are applied based on the rating of the vehicle, not what your wt. is. If your vehicle has the capability alone or in combination to exceed 26,000lbs you probably need the non commercial A or B license. I believe this requirement is across all states. In any case it might be worth contacting your local drivers license office or talking to your highway patrol. I know in Texas the requirements are covered in the Drivers Manual you get to study for you test.

While an F450 could possibly put you over the combined weight limit I highly doubt it would make a difference. I needed a Class A Exempt with an F250 and a 35 foot Fuzion toy hauler. If you're using a DRW truck odds are you'll need a Class A Exempt in Texas. Even with an F250 your trailer is limited to around 15000 pounds to not need the Class A. I forgot all the numbers but like you said it's listed online.

It's a pain to get it but better to have it just in case you get pulled over or in an accident though I doubt half the police know about it. I did a fairly detailed write up on the Keystone Forum when I took my test so if anyone in Texas needs any information I'll try and help. There were several people from California that too the test also and lots of information. California is was way more of a pain on the driving test from what I gathered.

[RGMutchler]

I am curious about your statement "I needed a Class A Exempt with an F250 and a 35 foot Fuzion toy hauler." I don't know what a Fuzion weighs but I didn't know that there was an F250 with a combined gross wt. in excess of 26.000lbs. The way the law is written it is the capacity of the vehicle, not the use that requires a particular type license. So if you needed a Class A to drive a F250 towing your Fuzion then you needed the Class A to operate the F250 when not in combination. Below I have copied the pertinent parts of a summary of the law.
Class A Driver License
A Class A driver license permits a person to drive:
1. Any vehicle or combination of vehicles described under a Class B or a Class C driver license; and
2. A vehicle or combination of vehicles with a gross combination weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 lbs. or more, provided
the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle(s) towed is in excess of 10,000 lbs.

Class B Driver License
A Class B driver license permits a person to drive:
1. Any vehicle included in Class C;
2. A single vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 26,001 lbs. or more and any such vehicle towing either
a vehicle with a GVWR that does not exceed 10,000 lbs. or a farm trailer with a GVWR that does not exceed 20,000
lbs.; and
3. A bus with a seating capacity of 24 passengers or more including the driver.

[C130TN]

The toy haulers GVWR was around 16200 and the GVWR of the F250 was 10000 which put me over the combined gross weight of 260000 pounds. There's two requirements if I recall, one refers to a single vehicles GVWR and the other is the combined gross weight. Basically large motor homes require it (class B I believe)and if the trailer and tow vehicles combined weight exceeds 26000 pounds it's required.