Determining 5th Wheel Towing Capacity of 2018 Ford F-350

Question:

In the towing guide that Ford puts out there is a note that states that fifth wheel tow rating is limited to the fifth wheel hitch rating of 18k lbs despite the gooseneck towing going up to 20,600. I know that Ford makes an OEM fifth wheel that fits their puck system that is limited to 18k. Is this the limit they are referring to? I know that several manufacturers make an OEM fitting fifth wheel hitch that is rated to 20k, does this allow you to tow at that rating? Does the BandW companion hitch only fit into their gooseneck adapter or will it fit into the OEM? If the fifth wheel hitch is in the gooseneck does this make the rating at the 20,600?

asked by: John W

Expert Reply:

The note that you're seeing on Ford's towing chart for your 2018 F-350, which states that the "gooseneck tow rating is shown, 5th-wheel tow rating limited to 5th-wheel hitch rating of 18,000 pounds" certainly does seem to be referring to the 18K limit on the OEM hitch itself. I'm not sure why the truck would have a higher gooseneck towing limit than a 5th wheel limit, so it makes sense to me that a higher-rated 5th wheel hitch would allow you to tow up to the listed gooseneck capacity you see for your particular F-350 of 20,600 pounds.

With all of that being said this is still dependent on Ford and what they say your truck can handle. I absolutely recommend verifying this with a local Ford dealer or by contacting them directly with your VIN so they can tell you exactly how much weight you can pull with a 5th wheel trailer hitch.

The standard B&W Companion 5th Wheel Hitch is only compatible with their own square Turnoverball Gooseneck Trailer Hitch, however we do have the OEM Companion # BWRVK3305 that's designed to drop into the pucks on your F-350. This particular hitch features a robust 25,000 pound towing weight capacity. Just keep in mind that even with this higher-rated hitch, you will still be limited by the 20,600 pound capacity of your truck (if in fact you are able to verify that this also refers to its 5th wheel towing capacity with an appropriately rated hitch).

I have attached a short video demonstration on the Companion that you can check out as well.

expert reply by: Chris R