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03-18-2006, 08:46 AM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: McKinleyville, CA
Posts: 15
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Hello all,
I have a Reese fifthwheel hitch in the bed of my Dodge diesel. The hitch is mounted in such a way that only one bolt on each end of the mounting rails is bolted into the frame. The second bolt on each end is simply mounted through the bed.
Based on your experience and knowledge, is this sufficient??
I tow a 27 footer Alpenlite with a slideout.
Thanks in advance>>>
__________________
06 Dodge CTD- PacBrake, 4" Exhaust, ISSPro Gauges.
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03-18-2006, 08:46 AM
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#2
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: McKinleyville, CA
Posts: 15
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Hello all,
I have a Reese fifthwheel hitch in the bed of my Dodge diesel. The hitch is mounted in such a way that only one bolt on each end of the mounting rails is bolted into the frame. The second bolt on each end is simply mounted through the bed.
Based on your experience and knowledge, is this sufficient??
I tow a 27 footer Alpenlite with a slideout.
Thanks in advance>>>
__________________
06 Dodge CTD- PacBrake, 4" Exhaust, ISSPro Gauges.
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03-18-2006, 05:36 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Somewhere under a wandering star
Posts: 185
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NO by all means NO. What is to keep the rails from coming up in the event of an accident. The metal in the bed is not heavy enough to hold the rails in place.
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PAINT YOUR WAGON AND COME ALONG
1998 Volvo 610
2001 Alfa Ideal, 38.5, triple axle, triple slide
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03-18-2006, 06:37 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: North America somewhere
Posts: 30,982
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You should have a Reese bracket kit bolted to the frame, 2 on each side, for the hitch rails to bolt into. Reese has carefully engineered each model truck's hitch hardware to be safe and mount to the truck frame in the correct position. The bolts holding the rail to the bracket all pass through the bed and are fastened securely to the frame brackets if installed correctly. I suggest visiting a professional hitch installer for an inspection of your setup before your family is placed in danger.
__________________
2000 Winnebago Ultimate Freedom USQ40JD , ISC 8.3 Cummins 350, Spartan MM Chassis. USA IN 1SG 11B5MX,Infantry retired;Good Sam Life member,FMCA. " My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country. John F. Kennedy
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03-19-2006, 04:23 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Raynham, MA.
Posts: 244
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Don't sound good to me. I have seen it done with one bolt on one bracket, and I didn't like that either. I made my own brackets last time and I can tell you the frame will break before it let's go. If I was to do it again I would use these.
http://www.etrailer.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PR...0&Category_Code=5WHI
Tom
__________________
2017 Renegade 40LRB
2014 Supercharged Jeep Unlimited toad
Roadmaster 9160 braking system.
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03-19-2006, 09:24 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Boerne, TX
Posts: 527
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I have a 16K Hidden Hitch 5th wheel hitch. It has one bracket at each end of the two rails. One bolt goes through the rail through the bed to the bracket. There is a second bolt at the ends of each bracket that bolt through the bed. So there are 4 bolts holding it in place via the brackets, and 4 more bolts that are bolted directly to the bed. This is installed according to the manufacturers specs. I have several thousand miles over the past three years and two different trucks with no problems. I woul djusy ensure it is mounted according to the manufacturers specs, and you will be okay.
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2005 F-250 XLT 4X4 V-10
2006 Wildcat 31QBH
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03-19-2006, 10:14 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Raynham, MA.
Posts: 244
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Rick
I may be wrong, but I think what Deck is saying is he only has one bolt going to the frame rail of the truck. You are correct that at the top bedrail one bolt is ok but two is always better.
Tom
__________________
2017 Renegade 40LRB
2014 Supercharged Jeep Unlimited toad
Roadmaster 9160 braking system.
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03-19-2006, 11:57 AM
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#8
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Member
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Lexington NC USA
Posts: 72
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I put a Reese 15,000 in my truck and an RBW in my son's and the directions for either call for 1 Bolt on each end to be bolted to the frame and one on each end to be bolted to the bed just like you describe. I've pulled many miles and never had a problem. That is what the factory says to do. Later, Nat
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Nat/Vickie
2002 Carraige 32' Triple slide
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03-19-2006, 04:38 PM
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#9
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: McKinleyville, CA
Posts: 15
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hi guys.
thanks for all the input. to clarify a little better, i have my rails bolted in as rick a. mentioned. there are two rails. each rail is bolted into the frame on each end. so, there are a tootal of 4 bolts into the frame, and 4 into the bed.
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06 Dodge CTD- PacBrake, 4" Exhaust, ISSPro Gauges.
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03-20-2006, 11:54 AM
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#10
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Junior Member
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 28
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Deck, your hitch is mounted fine. The frame-mounted rail bolts are what bears the load - not the bolts going through the bed.
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03-20-2006, 12:05 PM
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#11
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: McKinleyville, CA
Posts: 15
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thanks, nps and other posters...
i rest a little easier 
__________________
06 Dodge CTD- PacBrake, 4" Exhaust, ISSPro Gauges.
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