Last Updated: October 2026
If you just want the short answer: the B&W Companion RVK3500 is the best fifth wheel hitch for pickups overall, the CURT Q20 16130 is the one to buy if you want the most capability for what you spend, and the PullRite 2600 SuperLite is the pick for anyone with a 6.5-foot bed who is tired of wrestling a heavy slider in and out of the truck.
A fifth wheel hitch is the heavy steel coupling mounted in a pickup bed that grips the kingpin of a fifth wheel trailer. It carries the trailer’s weight onto the rear axle, which is why a fifth wheel tracks straighter and turns tighter than a bumper-pull travel trailer of the same weight.
Getting the choice right matters more than most buyers expect. The hitch decides how much weight your truck can carry, how much the trailer chucks and sways over bumps, and whether the hardware even fits the mounting system hiding under your bed liner. Below I review eight hitches across B&W, CURT and PullRite, then break down how to match one to your trailer and truck.
Table of Contents
Top 3 Fifth Wheel Hitches for Pickups (October 2026)
B&W Companion RVK3500
- 20000 lb GTW
- 5000 lb vertical load
- Fully articulating head
- Polyurethane bushings for a quiet ride
B&W 25K Companion RVK3600
- 25000 lb GTW
- 6250 lb vertical load
- Drops straight into the Ram OEM puck system
- Built in America with a lifetime warranty
CURT Q20 20K Hitch
- 20000 lb GTW
- 5000 lb vertical load
- Spherical axial bearing tilts in any direction
- Three-position coupling indicator
The B&W Companion RVK3500 wins our top slot on evidence, not marketing. It carries 829 reviews at 4.8 stars, a far larger sample than anything else here, and the polyurethane-bushing isolation is the reason owners describe it as quiet. The RVK3600 is the same design scaled to 25,000 lb for trucks that need more headroom above the trailer’s GVWR.
All 8 Fifth Wheel Hitches Compared in 2026
| Product | Specs | Action |
|---|---|---|
| B&W Trailer Hitches Companion RVK3500 |
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Check Latest Price |
| B&W 25K Companion RVK3600 for Ram OEM Puck |
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Check Latest Price |
| CURT 16130 Q20 5th Wheel Hitch |
|
Check Latest Price |
 CURT 16120 A16 5th Wheel Hitch |
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Check Latest Price |
 CURT 16115 E16 5th Wheel Hitch |
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Check Latest Price |
 PullRite 2600 SuperLite Single Point Hitch |
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Check Latest Price |
 PullRite 2900 Superglide 20K |
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Check Latest Price |
 PullRite 2400 Superlight Hitch |
|
Check Latest Price |
1. B&W Companion RVK3500 – The Best Fifth Wheel Hitch for Pickups Overall
B&W Trailer Hitches Companion Fifth Wheel Hitch – RVK3500
20000 lb GTW
5000 lb VTW
Articulating head
Polyurethane bushings
Lifetime warranty
Pros
- Fully articulating head couples easily on unlevel ground
- Cam-action latch gives a visible lock confirmation
- Polyurethane bushings deliver a genuinely quiet tow
- Thick 1-inch jaws with 360-degree kingpin contact
- Converts between fifth wheel and gooseneck in minutes
Cons
- Heavy enough that lifting it in and out takes two people
- Assembly needs careful attention to instructions and a torque wrench
- A few buyers reported missing washers in the hardware bag
This is the hitch our team kept coming back to while we worked through the category. It handles 20,000 lb gross trailer weight and 5,000 lb of vertical load, which covers the majority of fifth wheel campers and toy haulers sold today. The 829 reviews at 4.8 stars make it the most thoroughly owner-tested hitch in this roundup by a wide margin.
Owners consistently point at the cam-action latch. It gives a visible, unmistakable confirmation that the jaws are closed, and it releases easily even when you are parked on a sloped site. That matters more than it sounds like it should, because a surprising number of hitch complaints trace back to a latch a driver thought was locked.
The ride quality comes from polyurethane bushings at the pivot points rather than bare steel on steel. Reviewers describe the result as quiet and rattle-free, and several long-term owners report years of failure-free use. The jaws are thick one-inch steel with full 360-degree contact around the kingpin, which is exactly the build-thickness advantage one owner on the Jayco Owners Forum noticed when comparing this hitch against a CURT model in a showroom.
This unit also carries a limited lifetime warranty and is made in America, both of which matter when the hitch outlives several trailers. The head separates for storage, and the assembly converts between fifth wheel and gooseneck use in under ten minutes, which is genuinely useful if you ever switch trailer types.
The drawback is weight. Multiple reviewers say they need a second set of hands to lift it into and out of the bed, and assembly demands patience plus a torque wrench. If you plan to remove the hitch weekly for a work truck, that friction shows up every single time.
What you should check before buying
Confirm your truck’s mounting system. The RVK3500 is a rail-mount hitch, so you need a full bed rail kit installed unless your truck came with a puck system and an adapter plate. Measure your hitch head height too, since a high head eats into fifth wheel front-end clearance on a short bed.
Also weigh your trailer’s actual pin weight against the 5,000 lb vertical load rating. Industry guidance puts a healthy pin weight at 10% to 15% of trailer weight, with 20% of GVWR treated as a practical ceiling, so a loaded 20,000 lb trailer can push 4,000 lb onto the kingpin.
Who should skip it
Skip it if bed space or single-person handling is your priority. A heavy fixed or slider hitch is fine when the trailer lives in a storage lot, but not if you haul it daily and need the bed back every afternoon. Anyone with an existing rotational pin box is also better served by one of the ball-and-funnel designs later in this list.
2. B&W 25K Companion RVK3600 – Built for Ram OEM Puck Trucks
B&W Trailer Hitches 25K Companion OEM Fifth Wheel Hitch – Compatible with Ram OEM Puck System – RVK3600
25000 lb GTW
6250 lb VTW
229 pounds
Ram OEM puck fitment
Adjustable height
Pros
- Drops straight into the Ram OEM puck system with no adjustment
- Most owners finish the install in roughly four hours
- Flawless lock with no squeaking or side-to-side play
- Adjustable height lets the head sit below a tonneau cover
Cons
- Around 206 to 229 pounds
- so a hoist is often needed
- Release handle moves fore and aft rather than straight out
- Capacity beyond what many owners need adds cost and effort
If you drive a Ram with the factory hitch platform and your trailer is heavy, this is the cleanest installation in the group. Owners describe a perfect drop-in fit with no adjustment, and the adjustable height lets the head sit low enough to clear a tonneau cover. Most people complete the install themselves in about four hours.
Capacity is 25,000 lb gross trailer weight with a 6,250 lb vertical load rating, which gives real headroom above a 20,000 lb trailer. Reviewers call it the best-built fifth wheel hitch they have used, and the 4.7 stars across 135 reviews backs that up.
The same articulating head and cam-action latch design carries over from the RVK3500, so you get the smooth, squeak-free tow owners appreciate on the smaller model. The lock is tight on uneven roads with no side-to-side play reported.
The catch is weight. At roughly 206 to 229 pounds depending on the shipping configuration, this needs a hoist to handle safely. Several dually owners also find the release handle awkward because it moves fore and aft instead of straight out, and bed-mounted accessories can block your reach to it.
What you should check before buying
This model is specific to the Ram OEM puck platform. If your truck is a Ford or GM, or your Ram has a bed liner covering the puck holes rather than the factory hardware, you need a different hitch and possibly an adapter plate.
Second, be honest about whether you need 25,000 lb of capacity. If your trailer tops out around 16,000 lb, this unit adds cost, weight and install effort for capacity you will not use. Compare that against the CURT models in this roundup before committing.
Who should skip it
Skip it if your truck is not a Ram with the OEM platform, or if you need to remove the hitch regularly. Those who choose between this and the standard B&W in Ram puck-prep threads often prioritise lightness and ease of removal instead, and lean toward a lighter ball-and-funnel design.
3. CURT 16130 Q20 – Best Value 20K Hitch
CURT 16130 Q20 5th Wheel Hitch, 20,000 lbs, Black
20000 lb GTW
5000 lb vertical load
140 pounds
SAE J2638 tested
Rails sold separately
Pros
- Exceptionally quiet thanks to the spherical axial bearing
- Three-position indicator removes doubt about latch status
- Faster hookup than older spring-pin hitches
- Full circular kingpin capture cuts rattling
- Powder-coated alloy steel construction
Cons
- Not compatible with articulating or turret-style pin boxes
- Base rails and brackets sold separately
- Some bolts are hard to reach with a torque wrench
The Q20 delivers 20,000 lb gross trailer weight and 5,000 lb of vertical load for far less outlay than the B&W, which is why it takes our value slot. It is tested to SAE J2638 and carries a 4.7 rating across 124 reviews.
The spherical axial bearing is the standout feature. Instead of pivoting on one plane, the head tilts in any direction, and reviewers describe the tow as near-silent. Many owners compare it favourably with older spring-pin hitches and call the hookup faster and easier.
The three-position coupling indicator is a genuinely thoughtful touch at this tier. It shows coupled, uncoupled or ready to tow, so you are never guessing about latch status from the cab. Full circular ring kingpin capture also reduces the rattling that plagues D-shaped jaw designs.
One compatibility line deserves careful reading. The Q20 fits industry-standard fifth wheel base rails, and it does not work with articulating or turret-style pin boxes such as Rota-Flex and Sidewinder. If your trailer has a rotational pin box, cross this model off your list before you spend anything.
Rail hardware is sold separately, so budget for a rail kit. The head breaks down into two pieces in minutes for handling, though each section is still substantial at a 140-pound listed weight. Some bolts are also awkward to reach with a torque wrench during assembly, so allow yourself time.
What you should check before buying
Two things. First, confirm your pin box type, because rotational pin boxes are excluded. Second, confirm your rail situation, since the rails and mounting brackets are not included and retrofitting rails to a truck that never had them is real fabrication work.
Check coupler height too. A high hitch head in a short bed is the number one source of front-end clearance complaints, and the Q20 is not a short hitch. Measuring before you buy saves a costly pin box swap later.
Who should skip it
Skip it if you tow with a rotational pin box, want an air-ride style isolated head, or expect to lift the hitch solo. It also falls short for anyone with a trailer above 20,000 lb, where you want real capacity margin rather than an exact match.
4. CURT 16120 A16 – Quiet 16K Hitch With Poly-Torsion Inserts
CURT 16120 A16 5th Wheel Hitch, 16,000 lbs.
16000 lb capacity
Cast yoke with poly-torsion inserts
Articulating torsion head
Interlocking jaws
Pros
- Poly-torsion inserts absorb impact and vibration
- 360-degree head handles sloped driveways and uneven sites
- Owners compare build quality favourably to B&W
- Head separates from the base for easier removal
Cons
- Handle locks with a pin rather than a standard padlock
- May not fit older or universal rail sets without modification
- Moving parts need lubrication before the indicator reads fully
The A16 is rated for 16,000 lb, which lines up neatly with the mid-size campers that dominate the market. At 4.5 stars across 114 reviews it sits right in the middle of the pack on rating, but owners frequently single it out as the best value in the category.
Its isolation comes from poly-torsion inserts in a cast yoke, which suppress shock loads and cut noise at the source. Several owners note the head is noticeably more articulated than a Reese, making hookup on sloped ground and uneven campsites noticeably easier.
The interlocking jaws fully wrap the kingpin, and owners report that this eliminates the chucking and looseness they fought with older hitches. The extra wide head opening also makes the initial approach less fussy.
The head separates from the base for removal, which is a genuine improvement when you want the bed back. Handle design is the main complaint: it locks with a pin rather than a standard padlock, limiting your theft-deterrence options, and the self-resetting handle needs a few uses to break in.
What you should check before buying
Check your rail fit. Owners on older or non-standard rail sets report that modification is sometimes needed, and CURT rail compatibility is the single most common install snag in this category. Confirm the rail model before ordering.
Lubrication matters here. A few units need grease on the moving parts before the coupling indicator reads fully, so budget a grease gun and a few minutes into your first setup.
Who should skip it
Skip it if you tow above 16,000 lb, since that is the ceiling and leaves no margin. If you need a padlock-friendly handle or you depend on a rotational pin box, this is not the model.
5. CURT 16115 E16 – Budget 16K Hitch With Dual-Axis Pivot
CURT 16115 E16 5th Wheel Hitch, 16,000 lbs
16000 lb capacity
95.1 pounds
Dual-axis pivot with 10 degrees of lateral travel
Single-handle automatic lock
Pros
- Best entry point into a complete fifth wheel hitch
- Single handle locks automatically for quick coupling
- Dual-axis pivot handles uneven campsites
- Anti-rattle skid plate reduces noise measurably
Cons
- Lateral travel limited to about 10 degrees
- 95-pound weight still needs two hands
- No positive visual coupling indicator
The E16 is the most straightforward entry into a working fifth wheel setup, and at 301 reviews it has more owner history than anything else in this roundup after the B&W Companion. The 4.4 rating reflects a no-frills design that simply does the job well.
It pivots on dual axes for about 10 degrees of lateral movement, and the single handle locks automatically. That combination is what owners point to as the reason coupling is quick and simple, even on ground that is not perfectly level.
The anti-rattle skid plate underneath is a small feature that makes a measurable difference in noise. It also works with kingpin extension boxes, including common pivoting pin boxes, which is more flexible than the Q20 above it.
The trade-off is articulation. Ten degrees of lateral movement is modest next to the fully articulating heads on the B&W models, and that difference shows on rough access roads. There is also no visual coupling indicator, so you verify the lock by feel or by checking the handle position.
What you should check before buying
Check your trailer weight. A 16,000 lb ceiling means a camper loaded anywhere near its GVWR will leave you with no margin, so owners pairing this with a heavy rig should look at a 20,000 lb hitch instead.
At 95 pounds, the E16 still needs two hands for a comfortable lift. If you need solo handling daily, the PullRite 2400 later in this roundup is a better fit.
Who should skip it
Skip it if you camp in rough terrain and want maximum articulation, or if the visual confirmation of a locked coupler matters to you. Budget buyers on hard roads should stretch to a fully articulating model.
6. PullRite 2600 SuperLite – Best Fifth Wheel Hitch for a Short Bed
PullRite 2600 Superlite Single Point Attachment Fifth Wheel Hitch
20000 GTW capacity
130 pounds
Ball and funnel attachment
Visible from the cab
Pros
- Much less clunking and rocking than a traditional slider
- Hookup works at nearly any angle with no tug test
- Ball cup visible from the cab for lock confirmation
- Offset design preserves short-bed cab clearance
- One person can install and remove it
Cons
- Requires a compatible gooseneck ball in the bed and it is not included
- Ford factory puck setups leave the lock nut hard to reach
- Flexible pin box owners need a separate isolator part
The 2600 replaces the long slider rail with a single point attachment, a ball-and-funnel design. It carries 20,000 GTW of capacity in 130 pounds, and owners report a much tighter connection with far less clunking and rocking than a conventional slider.
That single point is the reason it works so well in a short bed. Instead of a rigid pin box fighting a sliding frame, the ball lets the trailer move fore, aft and side to side with minimal resistance, which protects cab clearance and absorbs bumps the trailer would otherwise take straight into the truck.
Hookup is the other headline. The funnel guides the kingpin in at virtually any angle or tilt, and there is no tug test to perform. Because the ball cup sits high and visible, the driver can confirm the lock from the cab without getting out.
The catch is the gooseneck ball, which is a separate purchase and not included. Rotaflex and other flexible pin boxes need a separate isolator part, and owners on Ford factory puck systems report the ball height leaves the lock nut hard to reach with a socket. Hardware completeness has also drawn complaints on some sets.
What you should check before buying
Check your pin box type first. Flexible pin boxes need the separate isolator, and owners on fixed pin boxes report the tightest, quietest results. Getting this wrong is the most common reason a ball-and-funnel hitch disappoints.
Then check your bed configuration. On a Ford with the factory puck system, reach to the lock nut is the reported problem. If that is your truck, expect a workaround or a different hitch.
Who should skip it
Skip it if you cannot source the correct gooseneck ball and isolator for your pin box, or if your truck is a Ford factory puck setup and solo lock access matters to you. Buyers who want zero flex will prefer a rotational pin box with a slider.
7. PullRite 2900 Superglide – Best for Slopes and Awkward Campsites
PULLRITE Pulliam Enterprises 2900 Superglide 20,000
20000 lb capacity
14 inches of automatic slide
Automatic locking jaw
Standard base rail fitment
Pros
- Fully automatic 14-inch slide simplifies hookup on a slope
- Locking jaw closes automatically around the kingpin
- Handles short-bed cab clearance better than a fixed hitch
- High capacity for a sliding design
Cons
- Requires a capture plate fitted to the pin box to activate the cam
- Fitting is for standard base rails rather than puck systems
- Highest cost among the sliders here
- Warranty asks buyers to contact the maker within 30 days
The 2900 Superglide is the premium slider in this group, built for owners who tow to sloped or irregular sites. It offers 14 inches of fully automatic slide, so the head positions itself without you working a handle.
The locking jaw closes automatically around the kingpin, which takes the guesswork out of coupling. For people who camp on tilted pads or tight back-in sites, that combination is the reason to buy this over a manual slider.
It stands 18.5 inches to the top of the hitch plate, so measure your coupler height before ordering. Being a slider, it handles short-bed cab clearance better than a fixed hitch would.
Two requirements catch people out. A capture plate must be fitted to the pin box to activate the sliding cam, and the fitting is designed for standard base rails rather than puck systems. With 49 reviews the owner history here is the thinnest in the roundup, so you are buying on a smaller sample of real use.
What you should check before buying
Check three things: your coupler height against the 18.5-inch plate height, your pin box capability to accept a capture plate, and whether your truck uses rails or pucks. Any one of those mismatched means return shipping.
Also confirm your trailer weight. At 20,000 lb this handles most campers, but it does not extend the dually gray area that owners of 14,000 to 16,000 lb trailers still debate on the RV forums.
Who should skip it
Skip it if your pin box cannot take a capture plate, if your truck is puck-mounted, or if you want the simplest possible rail-mount path to 20,000 lb of capacity. The CURT Q20 covers the same weight class with a straightforward fixed design.
8. PullRite 2400 Superlight – Lightest Hitch and Best for Bed Space
PULLRITE 2400 Superlight Hitch
20000 GTW capacity
52 pounds
Industry standard rail fitment
Visible ball and funnel
Pros
- At 52 pounds one person can install and remove it
- Fits existing industry-standard bed rails in many trucks
- Ball and funnel are visible from the cab
- Reduces clunking versus a traditional slider
Cons
- Older or non-standard rails may need loosening and filing
- Guide bowl is tight and still wants a straight approach
- Instructions are sparse and fit questions go unanswered
- Occasional reports of missing pins and clips
At 52 pounds, the 2400 is the outlier of this roundup. Owners repeatedly point out that they can lift it in and out on their own, which no other hitch here allows, and it frees up bed space against a 275-pound slider.
It still carries 20,000 GTW of capacity and uses the same ball-and-funnel approach as the larger 2600, so you get reduced clunking compared with a traditional slider plus a ball cup you can see from the driver’s seat. The ball-and-coupler funnel are completely visible during hookup, which builds confidence.
It fits industry-standard bed rails, and it can also mount to PullRite SuperRails with Clean Bed Technology. The ball design allows coupling at an angle, though the guide bowl is tight and still wants a reasonably straight approach.
Fit is where it gets temperamental. Owners with older or non-standard rails report having to loosen bolts and file the opening, and ball plate orientation affects tailgate clearance so it needs careful alignment before you tighten anything. Documentation is thin, with customer service reportedly unable to resolve a fit question, and a few shipments arrive with missing mounting pins and clips.
What you should check before buying
Check your rail geometry before anything else. The 4.3 rating across 67 reviews is the lowest here, and the complaints cluster around fit with older rail sets. Bring your rail measurements and compare them against the manufacturer drawing.
Then check the ball plate orientation against your tailgate. Owners report alignment affecting tailgate clearance, and getting it wrong means redoing the install.
Who should skip it
Skip it if your truck has an unusual or older rail setup, or if you want the simplest possible documentation to follow. Those who want ball-and-funnel benefits with better hardware support should step up to the 2600.
How to Choose a Fifth Wheel Hitch for Your Truck?
Choosing a fifth wheel hitch comes down to five checks: your trailer’s GVWR, its pin weight, the truck’s mounting system, your bed length, and how often you need the bed back. Get those right and the choice narrows fast.
Match the hitch to your trailer’s GVWR and pin weight
Pin weight is the single most misunderstood number in this whole decision. The trailer’s kingpin drops onto the hitch and pushes down on the truck’s rear axle, so a heavy trailer can overload the rear suspension long before it reaches the hitch’s gross trailer weight rating. iRV2 guidance puts the target at a minimum of 10% up to 15% of trailer weight, and an RV Forum rule of thumb treats 20% of GVWR as a practical maximum rather than an absolute.
Work that number against your truck’s rear axle rating, not just its towing capacity. A half-ton owner on the forums asked the same question about a 5.7 Hemi and got the answer that bags help only if you stay inside the rear axle and tire weight limits. For 12,000 lb trailers, a three-quarter ton is the practical floor. For 20,000 lb trailers, owners on the RV forums largely agree you want a one-ton dually, and the 14,000 to 16,000 lb band is described as a genuine gray area where a dually is strongly recommended.
Fixed vs. slider vs. ball-and-funnel designs
Fixed hitches bolt down and stay put, which is the most rigid and quiet option in a long bed, but they put the most load into the frame through bumps. Sliders let the head move fore and aft, which dramatically reduces chucking and helps in short beds. Ball-and-funnel designs like the PullRite single point attachments absorb movement in all directions at the lowest weight, at the cost of some load-path precision.
Air-ride hitches sit at the far end of the isolation spectrum and cushion the trailer on airbags, but owners note consistently that they are all heavy. One owner running an AirSafe unit articulates both front-to-back and side-to-side and frames the trade plainly: air ride is the best way, and every one of them is heavy. If bed space and solo handling matter, weigh that before you commit.
One more variable sits outside the hitch: the pin box. Owners who added a MORryde rotational pin box reported roughly a 50% reduction in chucking, and one Jayco Owners Forum member who then moved to a heavier fixed hitch described the trailer as essentially chuck-free. Chucking is often blamed on the hitch when the pin box is doing more of the work than the head.
Puck system or bed rails: know what your truck has
Rail-mount hitches need bed rails drilled and bolted into the bed, which is standard fabrication work on a truck that never had them. Puck systems use a factory bed-mounted pattern of mounting holes, and installing over puck holes is a much shorter job. The confusion starts because those holes are often hidden under a bed liner.
So drop the liner or measure from a known hole position before you buy anything. Ford trucks use their own puck pattern, GM offers the Z6A gooseneck and fifth wheel prep package with a fitment change for 2020 and newer models, and Ram uses the factory fifth wheel prep hardware. A hitch built for one pattern will not drop into another without an adapter plate, and that adapter is an extra cost and an extra variable.
Short beds and cab clearance
In a 6.5-foot bed, the trailer’s nose can hit the back of the cab on a hard turn unless the pin box can rotate. A slider alone is not always enough. You either need a slider plus a rotational pin box, or a ball-and-funnel hitch such as the PullRite 2600, whose single point attachment is designed to preserve short-bed clearance.
Measure hitch head height while you are at it. A taller hitch plate pushes the pin box up and eats clearance faster than most buyers expect, and that is why coupler height appears in nearly every install checklist.
Installation and the pre-trip check
Rail installation involves drilling, bed liner cutting and bolting brackets to the frame, and the factory instructions require a torque wrench. A straightforward puck installation is a much shorter job, and owners of the B&W RVK3600 report finishing it themselves in about four hours. If you have never drilled and torqued a bed, paying a fabricator is cheaper than redoing it.
Before every trip, grease the moving points, check bolt torque, inspect the jaws and bushings for wear and cracking, confirm the latch is fully closed, and verify the pin box hardware. Air-ride models also need their airbag pressures checked. A ten-minute walkaround prevents the failures that owners most often report.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best 5th wheel hitch for a camper?
The Bu0026amp;W Companion RVK3500 is the best all-around choice for most campers, handling 20000 lb gross trailer weight with a 4.8 rating across 829 reviews. Budget buyers usually get more capability from the CURT Q20, and short-bed owners should look at the PullRite 2600 SuperLite.
Which brand of 5th wheel hitch is considered the best?
Bu0026amp;W leads on build thickness and long-term owner history, with multiple independent reports favouring its heavier steel over CURT. CURT wins on value and quiet running, PullRite wins on low weight and easy hookup, and Andersen is widely praised for ease of removal even though it does not appear in this roundup.
Which is better, a CURT or Bu0026amp;W fifth wheel hitch?
Bu0026amp;W builds thicker, heavier steel and backs it with a limited lifetime warranty, which is why owners often keep them for decades. CURT delivers comparable capacity for less money with a quieter bearing design and a clear coupling indicator. If you tow hard and keep the hitch a long time, choose Bu0026amp;W; if value drives the decision, choose CURT.
Do you need a sliding 5th wheel hitch for a 6.5 ft bed?
Yes, a slider or a ball-and-funnel design is strongly recommended in a 6.5-foot bed. A slider lets the head move fore and aft over bumps, and a rotational pin box adds side-to-side movement. Without that movement the trailer nose can reach the cab on a hard turn.
What size truck do I need to pull a 12000 lb fifth wheel?
A three-quarter ton truck is the practical minimum for a 12000 lb fifth wheel, assuming the pin weight stays within its rear axle rating. Work out 10% to 15% of trailer weight for the target pin weight and keep total loaded weight under the truck’s rear axle limit, not just its towing capacity.
What size truck do I need to pull a 20000 lb fifth wheel?
A one-ton dually is the answer most experienced owners on the RV forums give for a 20000 lb fifth wheel. Expect roughly 2000 to 3000 lb of pin weight, which can exceed the rear axle rating of a single rear wheel setup. Hitches rated at 25000 lb give you margin over the trailer rather than an exact match.
What’s the difference between a class 3 and a class 5 hitch?
Class 3 covers towing up to 6000 lb gross trailer weight and uses a two inch receiver, while class 5 covers up to 10000 lb with a 2.5 inch receiver and stronger fasteners. Both classes sit far below fifth wheel hitches, which start around 16000 lb and require a bed-mounted or rail-mounted unit.
What fifth wheel hitch has the least amount of problems?
In this roundup the Bu0026amp;W Companion RVK3500 shows the fewest reported issues, with a 4.8 rating across 829 reviews and a limited lifetime warranty. The most common complaint anywhere in the category is fit: mismatched rails, puck patterns and pin box types cause more returns than mechanical failures.
The Verdict: Which Fifth Wheel Hitch Wins in 2026
After working through eight hitches from B&W, CURT and PullRite, the B&W Companion RVK3500 is still the best fifth wheel hitch for pickups in 2026. It is the only unit here with 800-plus reviews, it holds a 4.8 rating, and its articulating head with polyurethane bushings is the quietest, most thoroughly proven setup in the group.
The CURT Q20 is the smart alternative when budget matters more than brand pedigree, and the CURT A16 covers the popular 16,000 lb class with poly-torsion inserts that cut noise right at the yoke. For a 6.5-foot bed or a work truck where the bed comes back every day, the PullRite 2600 and 2400 solve a problem no heavy rail-mount hitch can.
Before you order anything, measure your pin weight, confirm whether your truck has rails or a puck system, and check your coupler height. Those three numbers prevent nearly every expensive mistake in this category. Once you know them, pick from the list and get to the campground.