10 Best Fifth Wheel Hitches for Short Bed Trucks (October 2026) Trusted Reviews

Yes, you can put a fifth wheel hitch in a short bed pickup, and the right one matters more than most buyers expect. A 5.5 ft or 6.25 ft bed gives the trailer nose very little room to swing during a turn, so the hitch you choose is the difference between backing into a tight campground loop and watching your rear window.

Our team pulled the specs on every leading short bed option from PullRite, B&W, CURT and Demco, then weighed the two numbers that actually decide the fit: how far the coupling point can move rearward, and how much of your payload the hitch itself eats. The market splits cleanly into three buckets, and each one suits a different truck. Automatic sliding hitches move on their own during a turn. Manual sliders move when you pull a lever or start driving forward. Lightweight fixed hitches never move at all, so they hand your payload back but put the clearance burden on you.

Before the picks, here is the short answer most people need. If your bed is 6.75 ft or shorter and your trailer is 30 ft or longer, a sliding hitch is the safe call. If you tow a smaller trailer on open roads and park where there is room, a lightweight fixed hitch is lighter on the truck and easier to remove. If your truck uses factory pucks, your hitch choice narrows to the puck-specific models from B&W and PullRite.

One more thing to know up front: payload, not tow rating, is usually the binding constraint. Forum consensus across RV discussion boards puts pin weight at 20 percent minimum to 25 percent of trailer GVWR, and an automatic slider commonly weighs around 200 lb on top of that. We are using that math in every review below.

Table of Contents

Top 3 Picks: Best Fifth Wheel Hitches for Short Bed Trucks

EDITOR'S CHOICE
B&W Companion RVK3500

B&W Companion RVK3500

★★★★★★★★★★4.8
  • 20000 lb GTW
  • Fully articulating head
  • Cam action latch
  • Quiet polyurethane bushings
BEST VALUE
PullRite SuperGlide 2700

PullRite SuperGlide 2700

★★★★★★★★★★4.2
  • Automatic slide
  • Industry standard rail fit
  • 15K capacity
  • Powder coated steel
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All 10 Hitches at a Glance in 2026

ProductSpecificationsAction
B&W Companion RVK3500B&W Companion RVK3500
  • 20K GTW
  • Fully articulating head
  • Cam action latch
  • Fixed hitch
Check Latest Price
B&W Companion OEM Slider RVK3670B&W Companion OEM Slider RVK3670
  • 20K GTW
  • 12 inch slide
  • Ram OEM puck fit
  • Articulating head
Check Latest Price
PullRite SuperGlide 2700PullRite SuperGlide 2700
  • 15K capacity
  • Automatic slide
  • Standard base rail fit
  • Stainless construction
Check Latest Price
PullRite SuperGlide 2900PullRite SuperGlide 2900
  • 20K capacity
  • 14 inch automatic slide
  • Self locking jaw
  • Standard rail fit
Check Latest Price
CURT R16 5th Wheel Roller 16560CURT R16 5th Wheel Roller 16560
  • 12 inch rearward travel
  • Standard rail fit
  • 16K GTW
  • Head sold separately
Check Latest Price
B&W Companion OEM Slider RVK3370B&W Companion OEM Slider RVK3370
  • 20K GTW
  • 12 inch slide
  • Ford OEM puck fit
  • Limited lifetime warranty
Check Latest Price
PullRite 2714 OE Puck SuperGlidePullRite 2714 OE Puck SuperGlide
  • 16K capacity
  • 14 inch travel
  • Ford puck fit
  • Capture plate required
Check Latest Price
CURT S20 Slider 16564CURT S20 Slider 16564
  • 12 inch displacement
  • Auto latch on forward motion
  • 20K GTW
  • SAE J2638 tested
Check Latest Price
Demco Autoslide 18K 8550023Demco Autoslide 18K 8550023
  • 18K capacity
  • Automatic slide
  • Above bed mount
  • Rails included
Check Latest Price
CURT CrossWing 16600CURT CrossWing 16600
  • 20K steel rating
  • 60 lb main body
  • ShockDrop isolator
  • Fixed hitch
Check Latest Price
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1. B&W Companion RVK3500: The One Most Short Bed Owners Buy First

EDITOR'S CHOICE
B&W Trailer Hitches Companion Fifth Wheel Hitch – RVK3500

B&W Trailer Hitches Companion Fifth Wheel Hitch – RVK3500

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 / 5

20000 lb GTW and 5000 lb VTW

Fully articulating head

Cam action latch

Polyurethane bushings

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Pros

  • Cam action latch confirms the kingpin is seated
  • Articulating head eases hookup on unlevel ground
  • Polyurethane bushings keep the ride quiet
  • Highest review count in the group
  • Made in America with limited lifetime warranty

Cons

  • Heavy in and out of the bed and often a two person job
  • Frame bolts need proper torque and sometimes a tap
  • Hardware bag reported short on washers
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We spent the most time with the RVK3500 because it is the unit owners keep coming back to, and with 829 ratings behind a 4.8 average it has the broadest owner history of anything on this list by a wide margin. The cam action latching handle is the feature that gets mentioned most, and it earns the praise. You get physical confirmation that the kingpin is seated, which matters enormously when you are hooking up alone in the dark on a gravel pad.

The fully articulating head is the quiet hero. It pivots front to back and side to side, so a badly crowned campsite pad does not fight you. Combined with the polyurethane bushings, the tow experience is smooth and free of the metallic clanking that gives cheaper hitches away.

B&W Trailer Hitches Companion Fifth Wheel Hitch - RVK3500 customer photo 1

What you give up for that refinement is handling. Owners consistently flag the weight as the main drawback, and it is fair. This is not a hitch you pull into the bed between trips, and if your truck doubles as a daily driver with a bed you actually use, that is a real cost. It is also worth noting that a fixed hitch gives you the entire length of the bed back the moment it comes out.

Because it is fixed, the RVK3500 does nothing for you in a tight turn. It is the right pick when your trailer is modest, your campsites have room, or you want the confidence of a huge sample of owners and do not want to think about clearance. One owner we found runs a B&W Companion fixed hitch in a 6 ft 8 in bed and reports never needing a slider, which is the clearest real-world case for this kind of hitch.

B&W Trailer Hitches Companion Fifth Wheel Hitch - RVK3500 customer photo 2

Who should buy the RVK3500

Buyers who want one hitch that works, lasts and has the deepest owner feedback available. The limited lifetime warranty and the fact that it removes for full bed use make it a strong first fifth wheel hitch for anyone who tows moderate trailers and parks in open sites.

Who should skip it

Skip it if you tow wide-profile trailers from a 6.75 ft or shorter bed, or if you haul with a pin box that pushes the nose far forward. Also skip it if you need your bed back daily, because the weight is genuinely awkward to manage alone.

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2. B&W Companion OEM Slider RVK3670: The Ram Puck Answer

BEST FOR RAM PUCK OWNERS
B&W Trailer Hitches Companion OEM Slider Fifth Wheel Hitch – Compatible with Ram OEM Puck System – RVK3670

B&W Trailer Hitches Companion OEM Slider Fifth Wheel Hitch – Compatible with Ram OEM Puck System – RVK3670

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 / 5

20K GTW and 5000 lb VTW

12 inch slide

Ram OEM puck fit

Articulating head

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Pros

  • 12 inch slide adds real turning clearance in a short bed
  • Direct fit to the Ram OEM puck platform
  • Same articulating head and cam latch as the fixed model
  • Limited lifetime warranty

Cons

  • Heaviest of the B&W units at 305 lb
  • Ram OEM puck system only
  • Fewer owner reviews than the non-slider B&W
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Your Ram with the factory puck system does not give you a choice, and that is a good thing, because this unit is the slider version of the hitch we just reviewed. The cam action latch and fully articulating head carry over unchanged, and what you gain is 12 inches of rearward travel for the coupling point.

Buyers rate the build quality and the extra clearance highly, and the sliding action makes a real difference when you are threading a 40 ft trailer through a site you have never backed into before. On a 6.5 ft Ram bed, 12 inches of movement is the difference between a confident turn and a held breath.

B&W Trailer Hitches Companion OEM Slider Fifth Wheel Hitch - Compatible with Ram OEM Puck System - RVK3670 customer photo 1

The catch is weight. At 305 lb this is a two-person lift, and the extra slide rails and hardware are what put the pounds on. On a truck that is already close to its payload limit, adding 305 lb of hitch before a single trailer goes on the kingpin can put you over the door-jamb number before you leave the driveway.

That is the tradeoff B&W is offering you here: turning clearance in exchange for payload and effort. Owners still rate it 4.8, which tells you the mechanism itself is not the weak point. The constraint is arithmetic, not quality.

B&W Trailer Hitches Companion OEM Slider Fifth Wheel Hitch - Compatible with Ram OEM Puck System - RVK3670 customer photo 2

Who should buy the RVK3670

Ram owners with the factory puck bed who tow long or wide-profile trailers from a 5.5 ft or 6.25 ft bed. The direct puck fit also means no rails to buy or bolt on, which simplifies installation considerably.

Who should skip it

Skip it if payload margin is already thin, if you need the bed daily, or if your Ram does not have the OEM puck platform. Non-puck versions of this hitch do not bolt into a rail system without a different kit.

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3. PullRite SuperGlide 2700: Best Value Automatic Slider

BEST VALUE
Pulliam 2700 15K Superglide Short Bed Hitch for Industry Standard Base Rail

Pulliam 2700 15K Superglide Short Bed Hitch for Industry Standard Base Rail

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 / 5

15K towing capacity

Automatic slide

Industry standard base rail fit

Powder coated stainless construction

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Pros

  • Automatic slide takes the guesswork out of short bed turning
  • Fits industry standard rails for broad truck compatibility
  • Stainless and powder coated construction for corrosion resistance
  • Smooth hookup once the capture plate is installed

Cons

  • Lowest capacity on this list at 15K
  • Capture plate must be installed to activate the sliding cam
  • In bed rails sold separately
  • 177 lb and a two person job in the bed
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The 2700 is the model that made automatic sliding hitches mainstream, and for a lot of owners it is still the easiest way to add real clearance to a short bed. You install industry standard base rails, drop the hitch in, and the coupling point moves rearward on its own when you turn. There is no lever to remember and no creeping on hills to worry about.

Owners say it makes short bed towing calmer and that the slide action is smooth once the capture plate is in place. That capture plate matters more than the marketing suggests, because it is the part that engages the sliding cam, and skipping it leaves you with an expensive fixed plate.

Pulliam 2700 15K Superglide Short Bed Hitch for Industry Standard Base Rail customer photo 1

Two things hold the rating down to 4.2. The 15K capacity is the lowest here, which rules it out for heavier fifth wheel trailers, and the install is a three-part job: rails, hitch and capture plate. If you are starting from a bare bed, budget time for all three, and a frame welder or experienced installer is worth it on the rails.

At 177 lb it is also a two-person lift, though lighter than the Demco and the Ram puck slider. What you get for the trouble is a hitch that removes the single biggest anxiety short bed owners report, which is why it lands here as our value pick rather than higher.

Pulliam 2700 15K Superglide Short Bed Hitch for Industry Standard Base Rail customer photo 2

Who should buy the 2700

Owners of standard-rail trucks towing mid-weight trailers who want automatic slide without a truck-specific fit. It is also the natural choice for anyone building a dual-purpose truck that hauls a fifth wheel some weeks and cargo the rest.

Who should skip it

Skip it if your trailer GVWR is above 15K, if you want a single-piece install, or if your truck uses factory pucks only. Also skip it if payload headroom is already slim, because 177 lb goes straight onto the door-jamb math.

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4. PullRite SuperGlide 2900: The Most Slide You Can Get

MOST COMPACT
PULLRITE Pulliam Enterprises 2900 Superglide 20,000

PULLRITE Pulliam Enterprises 2900 Superglide 20,000

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 / 5

20K trailer weight

14 inch automatic slide

Self locking jaw

18.5 inch hitch height

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Pros

  • 14 inch automatic slide is the most travel on this list
  • Locking jaw closes automatically around the kingpin
  • 20K class capacity fits most fifth wheel trailers
  • Owners report no clanks or clunks while towing

Cons

  • Capture plate required to activate the sliding cam
  • Heavy steel that is hard to lift in and out
  • Frame bolts need a large torque wrench
  • One owner reported corrosion and a weld failure
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Where the 2700 saves money, the 2900 spends it on capacity and travel. You get 20K class capacity and 14 inches of fully automatic slide, which is the most rearward movement of any unit here. For a wide-profile trailer in a 5.5 ft or 6.25 ft bed, that extra travel is the most valuable spec on the page.

The self-locking jaw is the second thing owners notice. Once you pull forward, the jaw closes around the kingpin on its own, so there is no lever check before every departure. Owners also report a quiet tow with no clunks, which points to a well-fitted internal mechanism rather than marketing.

PULLRITE Pulliam Enterprises 2900 Superglide 20,000 customer photo 1

The install is the demanding part. The frame bolts are large and need a big torque wrench with an extension to reach spec, and skipping that step is how frame and hitch problems start. The capture plate is required again here for the sliding cam, so treat it as part of the kit rather than an accessory.

One isolated report describes visible corrosion and a weld failure after extended use. A single report does not condemn a hitch, but it is a fair reason to inspect a used unit and to keep the hitch covered when it lives in the bed year round.

PULLRITE Pulliam Enterprises 2900 Superglide 20,000 customer photo 2

Who should buy the 2900

Anyone in a true short bed towing a large or wide-profile trailer, and anyone who wants the most automatic slide available without moving to a truck-specific puck fit. It suits standard base rails, so it works across a wide range of trucks.

Who should skip it

Skip it if your truck has factory pucks and you want a no-drill install, if you need the bed every day, or if you are near your payload limit. This is a lot of steel and a lot of travel, and both cost you something.

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5. CURT R16 5th Wheel Roller 16560: The Modular Short Bed Upgrade

BEST FOR CUSTOM BUILDS
CURT 16560 R16 5th Wheel Roller for Short Bed Trucks, 16,000 lbs

CURT 16560 R16 5th Wheel Roller for Short Bed Trucks, 16,000 lbs

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 / 5

12 inch rearward travel

Standard rail fit

16K gross trailer weight rating

Dual coat finish

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Pros

  • 12 inch of rearward travel on standard rails
  • Lightest slider option in the group at 96 lb
  • Dual coat finish resists rust in the bed
  • Fits most CURT and other standard hitch heads

Cons

  • Hitch head must be bought separately
  • 16K rating is below the 20K units
  • Adds rearward travel only and does not auto slide
  • Thin owner review history
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The R16 is the odd one out in a good way. It is a roller, not a complete hitch, and it slides rearward into a pinned position to give you 12 inches of extra coupling point movement on standard industry rails. If you already own a good hitch head, this is the cheapest way to add short bed clearance.

What makes it appealing is the weight. At 96 lb it is by far the lightest moving part in this roundup, and lifting it in and out is a one-person job. The dual-coat A-coat and carbide black powder coat finish is exactly what you want on a component that lives in a wet bed.

Who should buy the R16

Builders and tinkerers who want slider capability without replacing a hitch head they already own, and anyone whose payload margin is too thin for a full automatic slider. The 12 inches of travel genuinely helps a 6.5 ft bed get around a corner.

Who should skip it

Skip it if you are starting from nothing, because the added cost of a separate head erases the value story. Also skip it above 16K trailer weight, or if you want a hitch that slides without you thinking about it.

It is worth pairing with a proper hitch head, since the roller only moves the pin and does not capture it. A fully articulating head with a cam latch is what makes the connection secure once you are in the travel position.

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6. B&W Companion OEM Slider RVK3370: The Ford Puck Slider

BEST FOR FORD PUCK OWNERS
B&W Trailer Hitches Companion OEM Slider Fifth Wheel Hitch – Compatible with Ford OEM Puck System – RVK3370

B&W Trailer Hitches Companion OEM Slider Fifth Wheel Hitch – Compatible with Ford OEM Puck System – RVK3370

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 / 5

20K GTW and 5000 lb VTW

12 inch slide

Ford OEM puck fit

Cam action latch

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Pros

  • Direct fit to the Ford OEM puck system
  • 12 inch slide improves short bed turning clearance
  • Owners assemble and install in under 30 minutes
  • Articulating head makes hookup easy

Cons

  • 267 lb is a two person lift
  • Rated only for the Ford OEM puck platform
  • Small number of owner reviews and all recent
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This is the Ford equivalent of the Ram puck slider, and it is the easiest install in the short bed category. Because it bolts straight into the factory pucks, owners report assembling and installing it in under half an hour with no drilling and no separate rail kit.

Every owner who has reviewed it gives it five stars, citing quick assembly, smooth handling and the extra 12 inches of slide. The articulating head and cam action latch are the same proven design used across the B&W range, which is reassuring when the review history is this short.

Who should buy the RVK3370

Ford owners with the OEM puck system towing long or wide-profile trailers from a 5.5 ft or 6.25 ft bed. The no-drill puck fit and the 20K rating make it a strong first choice for a new Ford build.

Who should skip it

Skip it if your F-150 does not have factory pucks, if the 267 lb lift is a dealbreaker, or if you want a long owner track record. Fifteen recent reviews is encouraging, not proven.

One forum owner runs a Curt pin box with a PullRite SuperGlide on a GMC short bed and reports it tows normally, which is a good illustration that the pin box choice on the trailer side can matter as much as the hitch choice on the truck side. Get those two specs right together rather than matching a hitch in isolation.

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7. PullRite 2714 OE Puck SuperGlide: Automatic Slide for Ford 6.5 ft Beds

BEST FOR FORD 6.5 FT BEDS
PullRite 2714 OE Puck Series 16K SuperGlide Automatically Sliding 5th Wheel Hitch for Select Ford 6.5 ft. Truck Beds

PullRite 2714 OE Puck Series 16K SuperGlide Automatically Sliding 5th Wheel Hitch for Select Ford 6.5 ft. Truck Beds

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 / 5

16K capacity

14 inch automatic travel

Ford puck system fit

Capture plate required

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Pros

  • 14 inch automatic slide gives short beds real turning room
  • Built specifically for Ford trucks with puck systems
  • Owners report the adjustment range works as designed
  • Removes the risk of a trailer nose reaching the rear window

Cons

  • Only 16K capacity despite the premium positioning
  • Capture plate required and sold separately
  • Limited to select Ford 6.5 ft beds with pucks
  • Very few owner reviews
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The 2714 is PullRite’s puck-system automatic slider, built for select Ford 6.5 ft beds. It carries 14 inches of travel, which is more than the 12 inch sliders from B&W, and the automatic function means the coupling point moves without a lever, a button or a thought.

Owners who comparison-shopped report satisfaction with the adjustment range and no reported failures. The slide removes the risk of a trailer nose reaching the rear window, which is the specific anxiety that drives people to buy a slider in the first place.

Who should buy the 2714

Ford owners with a 6.5 ft puck bed who want the longest automatic travel available. It suits smaller and mid-weight fifth wheel trailers where 16K capacity is not the limiting factor.

Who should skip it

Skip it if your trailer is heavy, because 16K is the ceiling here, and skip it if your Ford bed is not a supported puck configuration. With five reviews, treat the track record as promising rather than established.

The capture plate is a separate item here as well, and it is the piece that engages the sliding cam. Forgetting it leaves you with a heavy fixed plate and a false sense of security, so include it in the install plan from the start.

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8. CURT S20 Slider 16564: The Modern Auto Latch Design

MOST VERSATILE
CURT 16564 S20 Sliding 5th Wheel Hitch for Short Bed Trucks, 20,000 lbs (Head Required)

CURT 16564 S20 Sliding 5th Wheel Hitch for Short Bed Trucks, 20,000 lbs (Head Required)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 / 5

12 inch coupling point displacement

Auto latch on forward motion

20K gross trailer weight rating

SAE J2638 tested

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Pros

  • Auto latch means no repeated trips out of the truck to recheck the pin
  • 12 inch of coupling point displacement for short bed clearance
  • Comes fully assembled from the factory
  • Tested to SAE J2638 with a dual coat finish

Cons

  • A separate CURT hitch head is required
  • Only four owner reviews and all recent
  • Finish warranty is one year even though the structure warranty is longer
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The S20 is the newest design in this group and the one that makes the most sense if you like the idea of a slider without the old manual process. It arrives fully assembled, mounts on industry standard rails, and latches automatically when you drive forward.

That auto latch is the real innovation. With older manual sliders you get out, check the lever, and get back in before every departure. Owners here point out the eliminated trip as the main time saver, and the 20K rating tested to SAE J2638 is a solid spec foundation.

Who should buy the S20

Standard-rail owners who want 20K capacity and automatic latching without a heavy truck-specific fit. The factory assembly means the install is quick even if you have never installed a hitch before.

Who should skip it

Skip it if you need a complete system, since the hitch head is a separate purchase, or if you want a proven long-term record. Four reviews cannot tell you how the mechanism holds up over a decade.

Note the warranty split before you buy. The structural warranty is limited lifetime, but the finish is covered for one year, which is worth keeping in mind if the hitch lives in a wet bed year round.

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9. Demco Autoslide 18K 8550023: The Above-Bed Mount System

BEST FOR ABOVE-BED MOUNT
DEMCO 8550023 Autoslide 18K Above-Bed Mount Fifth Wheel Hitch with Standard Bed Rails

DEMCO 8550023 Autoslide 18K Above-Bed Mount Fifth Wheel Hitch with Standard Bed Rails

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 / 5

18K autoslide capacity

Above bed mount

Standard bed rails included

Alloy steel with powder coat

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Pros

  • Automatic slide reduces jackknifing on short beds
  • Complete unit with bed rails included in the kit
  • Alloy steel construction with a powder coated finish
  • No need to source a separate hitch head

Cons

  • Heaviest unit reviewed at 325 lb
  • 18K rating is below the 20K alternatives
  • Very small review base of seven ratings
  • Largest complete system in the group
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The Demco Autoslide is the one here that mounts above the bed rather than in it, and the kit includes the standard bed rails. That combination makes it a genuinely complete system: automatic slide, hitch head and mounting hardware in one order, with no hunting for a separate head.

The above-bed design has a practical side benefit on a short bed, because the hitch occupies less of the usable bed floor when it is not in place. Owners credit the automatic slide with cutting down on jackknifing during tight maneuvers, which is the whole point of the category.

Who should buy the Demco Autoslide

Buyers who want one complete automatic system and would rather not source rails and a head separately. The included rails and the automatic action suit someone starting from a bare short bed.

Who should skip it

Skip it if payload is tight, because 325 lb is the heaviest unit here, and skip it if you need the full 20K rating. Seven ratings is not enough owner history to judge long-term reliability.

Owner discussion around the Demco name is worth reading. On an RV Forum thread, owners with wide-profile trailers report an automatic slider was a necessity rather than a nicety, and one long-time Demco owner recommends the brand specifically for short beds because the hitch breaks into three pieces one person can handle. That is a counterpoint to the 325 lb figure on this particular kit, and worth checking whether the split applies to the model you are buying.

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10. CURT CrossWing 16600: Best Lightweight Fixed Hitch

BEST FOR ONE-PERSON INSTALL
CURT 16600 CrossWing Lightweight 5th Wheel Hitch, 20,000 lbs.

CURT 16600 CrossWing Lightweight 5th Wheel Hitch, 20,000 lbs.

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 / 5

20K steel rating tested to SAE J2638

60 lb main body

ShockDrop cushioned isolator

One person install

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Pros

  • Main body weighs only 60 lb so one person can install it
  • Keeps a 20K steel rating that lightweight designs often give up
  • ShockDrop isolator reduces jerk and rattle for a smoother tow
  • Visible contact surface guides the kingpin into place

Cons

  • One star reviews make up a sizeable share of the ratings
  • Fixed hitch only so turning clearance must come from the rails
  • Will not fit X5 rail systems
  • Rails are not included
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The CrossWing is the answer for half-ton owners whose payload margin is already gone. The main body weighs 60 lb, which is less than a third of what the automatic sliders cost you in payload, and it still holds a 20K rating in steel rather than aluminum. Very few designs keep both of those properties at once.

The ShockDrop cushioned isolator is the sleeper feature. Owners like the smoother ride and the reduction in jerking and rattling, and the visible contact surface guides the kingpin in so hookup involves less guesswork. Installation is a one-person job on industry standard rails.

CURT 16600 CrossWing Lightweight 5th Wheel Hitch, 20,000 lbs. customer photo 1

The 4.2 average is the part to pay attention to, because a sizable block of one star reviews suggests some units or fitments fall short of expectations. The complaints cluster around fit and rail compatibility rather than towing strength, and it will not fit X5 rail systems at all.

As a fixed hitch it also does nothing in a tight turn, so your turning clearance has to come from where the hitch sits on the rails. Set it back as far as the pin box and trailer nose allow, and confirm that clearance before you rely on it.

CURT 16600 CrossWing Lightweight 5th Wheel Hitch, 20,000 lbs. customer photo 2

Who should buy the CrossWing

Half-ton and payload-constrained owners who want a full 20K rating without handing a couple hundred pounds to the hitch. It is also the easiest unit here to install and remove by yourself, which suits a truck that carries both trailers and cargo.

Who should skip it

Skip it if you tow wide-profile trailers from a short bed and rely on the hitch for clearance, or if your rails are X5. Check the one star reviews against your specific truck and trailer combination before committing.

If you want the low weight of a ball-and-coupler style setup instead, owner discussion keeps pointing to the Andersen for 6.5 ft beds, with the only recurring drawback being the adapter bolted onto the hitch pin. That approach sidesteps the payload question more aggressively than anything on this list, but it is a different mounting strategy rather than a fifth wheel hitch.

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How to Choose a Fifth Wheel Hitch for a Short Bed

Start with the measurement that catches people out, which is hitch height. Park the trailer on level ground, measure from the ground to the bottom of the kingpin, then compare that to the height of your hitch plate. The 2900 stands 18.5 inch to the top of the hitch plate, and other models differ, so a mismatch here is what forces a cheap spacer or an unsafe compromise.

Next, settle the mounting system. Bed rails are the universal option and let you slide the hitch fore and aft, which also means the hitch position determines how much flat bed space you keep when it is out. If you also run a toolbox or a bed cover, check the clearance against our pick of the best truck bed toolboxes so the two do not fight over the same rails.

Check the GTW rating against your actual trailer, not against the truck. Tow rating is a truck number, GTW is a hitch number, and pin weight is a payload number. A 20K-rated hitch on a truck with a 2000 lb payload rating is still a problem once 3000 lb of pin weight lands on the rear axle.

Do the pin weight math before anything else. Take your trailer GVWR, multiply by 20 percent for the bare minimum and 25 percent for a safer margin, then add the hitch weight and subtract the total from the door-jamb payload figure. If the answer is negative, the truck is the wrong truck, not the wrong hitch.

Match the pin box to the hitch rather than the reverse. A taller or more forward pin box changes the geometry the whole setup depends on, and it is the cheapest part of the equation to change. A pin box with a shorter forward extension buys cab clearance that no slider can.

If you are buying used, inspect the frame welds, the slide rails and the bushings, and ask directly whether the unit has been repaired. Forum advice is consistent on this point: a used slider with unknown repair history is a bad bet, because the slide mechanism is where the tolerances live.

Maintenance is simple and easy to skip. Grease the kingpin before every trip, check the pin box bolts before every tow, and keep the bed drain clear so water does not sit under the rails. Those three habits prevent most of the problems owners actually report.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you put a fifth wheel hitch in a short bed pickup?

Yes. The hitch mounts in the bed on rails or factory pucks, and every major brand builds short bed specific models. On a 5.5 ft or 6.25 ft bed, choose a sliding hitch to add turning clearance, and check the payload math before you buy.

What is the best automatic sliding 5th wheel hitch for a short bed truck?

The PullRite SuperGlide 2900 offers the most automatic travel on this list at 14 inches, with a self-locking jaw and a 20K class capacity. The PullRite 2700 is the lower-cost automatic option, and the Bu0026amp;W OEM sliders give 12 inches of travel on puck-equipped trucks.

What is the best 5th wheel hitch for a short bed truck?

The Bu0026amp;W Companion RVK3500 is the strongest all-round choice, with the deepest owner history and a fully articulating head. For wide-profile trailers in a short bed, pick a slider such as the PullRite 2900 or a puck-specific Bu0026amp;W model instead.

What is the best 5th wheel pin box for a short bed truck?

A short, low-profile pin box with a reduced forward extension buys cab clearance that no hitch can. Choose one that matches your trailer GVWR and your hitch pin diameter, and confirm the kingpin height works with your hitch plate before installing either part.

How do you tow a fifth wheel with a short bed?

Use a sliding hitch, grease the kingpin before every trip, check pin box bolts before every tow, and take wide turns at low speed. Watch your mirrors on the inside of the turn, and remember that a trailer front cap around 100 inches wide needs more clearance than a standard profile.

The Best Fifth Wheel Hitch for Short Bed Trucks in 2026

For most short bed owners in 2026, the B&W Companion RVK3500 is the best fifth wheel hitch for short bed truck duty: a fully articulating head, a cam action latch that tells you the kingpin is seated, and 829 owners behind the rating. Tow wide-profile trailers from a 6.75 ft or shorter bed and the answer changes to a slider, with the PullRite SuperGlide 2900 offering the most automatic travel we found. If payload margin is thin, the CURT CrossWing keeps a 20K rating at a fraction of the weight.

Whatever you pick, do the pin weight math before the purchase, not after. That one calculation rules more hitches out than any other factor, and it takes two minutes with the numbers on your door jamb and your trailer spec sheet.

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