Top 5 Best 5th Wheel Hitches For Short Bed Truck of 2022 Review

It’s essential to make sure you get the right hitch for your truck and trailer. And this best 5th wheel hitches for short bed truck review is here to help you do exactly that. The list contains a carefully selected group of five of the very best options currently on the market.

So, let’s get straight to it and find the perfect one for you and your truck…

Top 5 Best 5th Wheel Hitches For Short Bed Truck in 2022 Reviews

1 B and W RVK3300 Companion 5th Wheel for Ford Puck – Best Quality 5th Wheel Hitch For Short Bed Ford Truck

This is one of the best-made and also one of the most expensive 5th wheel hitchers on the market. It’s quality through and through. If you have a Ford truck, this is a great first choice for towing heavy loads.

What if you don’t have a Ford?

It’s compatible with OEM Ford trucks, but they must have the factory-installed puck system. If your truck doesn’t have one, it’s still possible for it to fit, but you will need to buy an under-bed mounting system to make it work. Given the already high price, this might be a deal-breaker for some.

It has a hefty 20,000GTW and plenty of adjustability. The B and W Companion 5th Wheel has three vertical adjustment positions between 16.75” and 18.75”. What’s more, it also has three coupler positions.

More great features…

When hooking, the tilt and pivot make it easy. Additionally, the two hand holes situated on each side of the hitch make for an easier time. Even better, the cam-actuated locking mechanism and separate head make it easier to hitch up on your own and make getting out of your truck easier too.

When you’re on the move, there is minimal noise or rattling. This is to a large extent because of the high-quality synthetic bearings that are used. They are also heavy-duty and durable.

All in all, this kind of quality goes a long way to justifying its premium price-point.

2 Reese Elite 30142 Fifth Wheel Adapter Harness – Quickest to Install 5th Wheel Hitch For Short Bed Truck

Reese is an American company with close to 70 years of experience in the towing industry. They make high-quality products, and it’s fair to say that if they don’t make a towing product for whatever your needs, then probably no one else will.

Simply put, this is a company whose products you can trust.

Does that make this the best of the best 5th wheel hitches for short bed truck?

It might well be. The Reese Elite 30142 Fifth Wheel has a weight capacity of 18,000lbs and a pin weight capacity of 4,500lbs. There are 5th wheel hitches with a little more weight capacity.

However, the fact is that in the vast majority of situations, this is as heavy as you’re ever likely to need. If you do need something even stronger, then not to worry, Reese also manufactures one with a load capacity of 25,000lbs.

It uses a robust and easy to operate locking handle which features an extendable arm. It’s a quick and simple mechanism that’s not only easy to use but can also reduce slop in comparison to pin-mounted alternatives.

What makes it so easy to install?

The hitch has four-way adjustability and a nine-inch wide king pin funnel area. This makes locating your hitch hassle-free and speedy. The design makes it possible to hitch-up single-handed if needs be.

When it comes to installation, this is possibly the best there is. Installation is made super-quick because it comes pre-assembled. You can expect to spend no longer than an hour to get this onto your truck, adequately secured and ready to go.

Safe and stable…

Finally, one of its great features is that it has an extra-wide base. This provides more stability whilst towing. However, the extra width does mean that some trucks cannot use the hitch. This includes trucks with flared arches or beds that are shorter than six feet unless they use a sidewinder.

3 PullRite 2600 Superlite Fifth Wheel Hitch – Best Low Profile 5th Wheel Hitch For Short Bed Truck

This has a relatively low profile though it still has a 20,000lbs gross towing weight capacity. It has a maximum trailer pin weight capacity of 5,000lbs. It’s designed for towing gooseneck trailers and mounts to a single-point ball.

All-American steel…

It’s made from strong all-American steel and weighs 64lbs. Despite not being particularly heavy, it’s up there with the best in terms of strength and performance. This is a hitch you can have absolute confidence in.

The funnel is well designed and makes it easy to hitch up any trailer. The hitch is totally visible from the cab, and hitching up can be done by lowering the ball anywhere within the diameter of the funnel and then lowering your trailer.

One of the big plusses of this system is that you can use it in conjunction with the SuperLite King Pin Adapter. This gives you get an extra three and a half inches of rearward offset. This means that you get an improved turning radius in a short-bed truck. In turn, you also enjoy better cab clearance.

Is that included then?

Sadly, the SuperLite King Pin Adapter does not come with the PullRite 2600 Fifth Wheel Hitch. However, they’re relatively inexpensive and can be bought together as a package, which also includes a remote latch handle. It’s an upgrade well worth the additional expense.

Lastly, the tight connection will guarantee you a smooth, squeak-free, and quiet ride.

And who wouldn’t want that?

4 CURT 16115 E16 5th Wheel Hitch, 16,000lbs – Best Value 5th Wheel Hitch For Short Bed Truck

This is an outstanding option for the budget-conscious individual that doesn’t need to tow a hefty load. The CURT 16115 E16 hitch is rated with a 16,000lbs gross towing weight capacity. The vertical load capacity is rated at 4,000lbs.

This model has no variants for trucks that require a heavier towing capacity. However, despite the low weight capacity, you still benefit from it being compatible with multiple mounting options, including standard base rails, OEM puck systems, and the CURT gooseneck adapter.

That’s great, but is there no way to up the capacity?

For those of you requiring over 16,000lbs of gross towing weight, and a coupling indicator, we suggest you check out the Curt A and Q range of hitches.

This clever and versatile design also has four adjustable height positions. They can be set quickly and are suitable for just about any truck bed wall height. Whatever kind of truck you have, the CURT 16115 E16 5th Wheel Hitch should work.

Ending on another positive…

One of the highlights is its dual pivoting head. This allows ten degrees of movement laterally. This, in turn, helps to facilitate a smoother and more stable towing experience. Possibly even better, it has an anti-rattle skid plate together with rubber stoppers to reduce vibration noise and keep your drive nice and quiet.

If you need to hitch up on your own, happily, it’s made easy by the automatic locking system. It makes hitching up single-handedly trouble free. The whole coupling process is also much more secure.

5 Pro Series 30128 Fifth Wheel Hitch – Best Budget 5th Wheel Hitch For Short Bed Truck

This is the least expensive 5th wheel hitch on our list. It also has the lowest gross weight towing capacity. Nevertheless, it’s still well made for such an inexpensive option and has most of the features of much more expensive alternatives.

So, what do you get for not a lot?

The first thing you get is the backing of the Reese name. Although this is one of their budget hitches, it’s still quality made from an American company with a long history in the towing business.

The hitch has a gross towing weight capacity of 15,000lbs with a weight capacity at the pin of 3,750lbs. The fact is that this is not the strongest hitch, though, for most of us, it is still sufficient.

What are the main pros of this budget option?

Besides its affordability, the Pro Series 30128 benefits from a wide stance. Together with the one-piece legs, this helps to provide excellent stability. This is still the case at relatively higher highway cruising speeds.

You can hitch up your trailer single-handed thanks to the automatic latch and handle system. To get things into the perfect position, there is a pivoting head with four-way adjustment. This makes hitching up on uneven ground less of a problem.

Keep it straight…

One word of caution would be that the trailer has to be straight on to hook up successfully. If your trailer is at any kind of angle, you may run into problems. It’s not a deal-breaker, especially considering the price, but we can’t say that it’s the easiest of the hitches in our review to connect up to your trailer.

Buying Guide for the Best 5th Wheel Hitches For Short Bed Truck

Towing Capacity and Weight

Gross towing capacity is the maximum weight the hitch can tow when the trailer is fully loaded. Most 5th wheel hitches will vary between a capacity of between 15,000lbs to 30,000lbs. The majority will have a capacity of 20,000lbs or a little bit over.

As a rule of thumb…

When deciding on what is right for you, make sure that you leave some margin for error. It’s simply always better to be on the safe side, and it gives you more options down the line should you ever want or need to tow something larger.

The PullRite 2600 Superlite B and W RVK3300 Companion Fifth Wheel Hitch both have a gross towing capacity of 20,000lbs. They also both have other hitches in their line-up if you need something with a higher weight capacity.

Adjustability

They all come with two-way adjustability to the front and back. This kind of adjustability means that as your truck begins a climb or descent, the trailer can react to the change in gradient without causing undue stress to the kingpin and hitch. It also means that there’s less chance of binding.

The ideal?

A better option is to have four-way adjustability in the form of a four-way pivot head. This additionally allows for side-to-side lateral movement. The primary advantage of this is that it makes hitching-up much easier than with a two-way hitch. In our experience, this is especially helpful when trying to hitch-up on uneven ground.

Installation

There’s no doubt that installation is much easier if you have a puck system on your truck. Installing a puck-compatible 5th wheel hitch will take considerably less time than any other system.

The advantages are that they require no measuring, drilling, or any form of adaptation to your truck. The other huge benefit is that they are easy to remove when not needed and don’t leave any permanent marks.

Take note…

If you buy any puck-style 5th wheel hitch, it’s essential to always check its compatibility with your truck’s specific year, model, and make. It will save you a lot of potential headaches.

What if you don’t have a puck system?

If you don’t have a puck system, you will most probably have to use some kind of rail system. Some have removable rails, but others are fixed. If you only occasionally tow, it’s best to look for one that has easily removable rails so your truck can be restored to its normal state for the times when you’re not towing.

Most 5th wheel hitches are heavy, so you should expect this to be a two-man job when it comes to lifting the hitch onto the rails or into the pucks. It’s not recommended to try to do this on your own as you could quickly end up hurting yourself.

Do you tow heavy loads regularly?

If so, there are a few other nifty accessories worth looking into. So, check out our Best Trailer Hitch Locks reviews, the Best Trailer Tires, the Best Wheel Bearing Grease, and the Best Kinetic Recovery Rope for your money in 2022!

You may also be interested in reviews of the Best Truck Bed Extender, the Best F150 Bed Covers, our Best Winch Reviews, the Best Truck Bed Bike Racks, the Best Soft Car Top Carriers, the Best Wide Angle Mirrors, the Best Jack Stands, and the Best Wheel Locks for your short bed truck?

Back to the best fifth wheel hitches for a short bed truck…

Our Top Choice of the Best 5th Wheel Hitches For Short Bed Truck

So, there you have it. Whatever load you’re towing, we hope our review of the best 5th wheel hitches for short-bed trucks had at least one that’s suitable for you and your towing needs.

All of the hitches on our list are high quality and well made. However, if we had to choose just one to fix onto our trucks, it would be the…

PullRite 2600 Superlite Fifth Wheel Hitch

This is our top pick because it’s built with strong all-American steel, and it has an excellent gross weight towing capacity. Plus, it’s easy to lower into the funnel, it provides a tight connection, and it’s also visible from the cab.

Happy towing!