5th Wheel prep Install - 2022 3500

[landocarlesien]

I am installing the 5th wheel prep kit (Part # 82215837AC). I didnt realize it said to remove 4 bolts connecting the box to the frame to install the pucks. Has anyone done this before? If so how did you do it? Can you confirm this is the correct bolt?

 

[Timsdually]

Did you have to cut your own holes in the bed floor?

 

[18CrewDually]

Yes that is one of the bolts that holds the box to the chassis.

 

[OC455]

Did this last year.

 

[18CrewDually]

Did you have to cut your own holes in the bed floor?

Well the kit doesn't come with an Elf that will do it for you.

 

[OC455]

I wish I took some pictures of how I did it instead of the finished result.

I removed the bolts holding the bed on while inside of a friends garage and used four ratchet straps hooked to the loops in each corner of the bed and attached them to the rafters in the garage. Raised the bed up little by little as to not stretch any of the wiring harnesses or the fuel lines.

If you have the kit with the covers included, you can take the caps to make templates you need. The caps should be the same size as the round part of the puck mount. Use a light colored piece of cardboard. Cut them out and mark the center of the template circle. Draw a line through the middle with an arrow to indicate the front of the puck.

I used Scotch tape to attach them to the top circle part of the puck mount. Installed them with the supplied bolts and torqued them to spec. It is a bit of tight fit to get them in but they will go. Put the bed back in place and secure the bed again.

Following the instructions, and the measurements provided I marked everything in the bed on top of blue painters tape in the areas that were indicated in the instructions.

I used a small 1/8 inch drill bit and drilled one hole through the bed and into the template. I removed the template from the top of the puck mount and then lined up the holes with the arrow pointed to the front of the truck and then adjusted where the next hole needs to be using the center marked on the template. Drilled the pilot hole and then used the bi-metal hole saw (3 3/4 inch) and cut the holes into the bed. One hole was slightly off but it still worked out and looked right. Make sure to use a sealer/primer to prevent any rust from happening.

When I installed the trim rings for the holes, I used tire bead sealer and coated the underside of the bed trim rings and pushed them into the holes and waited for the sealer to dry.

 

[OC455]

So This Is What Ill Be Towing From Now On

Ok, Guys with 5'vers, how much space do you guys have between the top of the bed sides and the bottom of the 5'ver's front overhang? I haven't measured, but would guess 5, maybe 6"

www.ramforum.com

 

[Timsdually]

Well the kit doesn't come with an Elf that will do it for you.

Thought by now they would have "knock outs" marked in the bed floor since this is such a common option these days.

 

[2003F350]

Thought by now they would have "knock outs" marked in the bed floor since this is such a common option these days.

I believe that the floor of the bed does have 'flat spots' roughly where the holes go. But I doubt they'll ever put in a true 'knock out' in the stamping - That would end up being an incredibly weak spot for anyone who DOESN'T want the option.

 

[Timsdually]

I believe that the floor of the bed does have 'flat spots' roughly where the holes go. But I doubt they'll ever put in a true 'knock out' in the stamping - That would end up being an incredibly weak spot for anyone who DOESN'T want the option.

Yeah, that was what I meant, not something like an electrical box. There are so many mechanics are, I wouldn't trust them to cut the holes in the right spot and apparently Ram doesn't either.

 

[Riccochet]

Kind of amazed that the puck prep isn't standard equipment on a 3500. It's a $500 option.

Good luck with your install! Take pics!

 

[stevenP]

When I was in the market, I saw so many 3500s on the lots.... with no prep installed. I always thought that was a huge oversight on the ordering dealer.

 

[18CrewDually]

Kind of amazed that the puck prep isn't standard equipment on a 3500. It's a $500 option.

Good luck with your install! Take pics!

We can't even get mudflaps standard. 5th wheel prep is useless for many that never tow, tow tag alongs, use a slip in camper, ect. Plus the plastic block off covers break or get lost if you use the bed for work. I can't see it ever being standard for those reasons and more.
With that said, back when I was shopping, I turned away from a white pearl that didn't have the prep. before getting my current truck. Neither truck came with mudflaps.

 

[2003F350]

When I was in the market, I saw so many 3500s on the lots.... with no prep installed. I always thought that was a huge oversight on the ordering dealer.

I think they take a few things into consideration, for instance if there's a shortage of the components in the prep group (wire harness for the bed plug might be delayed, bed plug might be temporarily unavailable, etc), when they're ordering for their lot. It also depends on where you're shopping - my local dealer gets 5th wheel prep in almost every HD truck because I live in farm country, while a dealer 30 miles away in the city rarely has one with the prep kit on its lot unless it was a special order that someone walked on.

So it's not necessarily an oversight but a determination of what the management thinks their typical client is going to want. Personally I'd think you would want some kind of mix to give people options, but I don't run a dealership.

 

[diymirage]

i bought my 2500 used, and it had a 5th wheel at some point
i only bought the 2500 instead of a 1500 because i plow with it

long story short, i now have a bunch of holes in my bed
(and 2 curt 5th wheel plates i got no use for)

 

[OC455]

I believe that the floor of the bed does have 'flat spots' roughly where the holes go. But I doubt they'll ever put in a true 'knock out' in the stamping - That would end up being an incredibly weak spot for anyone who DOESN'T want the option.

What would be nice for this would be if they put a dimple in the area of where the hole should be in the bed for where to drill with a hole saw pilot bit if someone wants to install the 5th prep kit.

 

[nlambert182]

I think a big reason they don't offer 5th wheel prep in a 2500 is because they don't intend for most to tow a fifth wheel with a 2500 because of the low payload. On the 3500, it's odd to me that all don't come standard with 5th wheel prep.

 

[2003F350]

I think a big reason they don't offer 5th wheel prep in a 2500 is because they don't intend for most to tow a fifth wheel with a 2500 because of the low payload. On the 3500, it's odd to me that all don't come standard with 5th wheel prep.

My 2500 has the 5th wheel prep...so it IS offered, and it shows up on the 'build your own' site as well for 2024s.

Those who spring for it might not need the 5th wheel locations, but they may have a gooseneck they intend to pull with it, which is entirely possible to load so the truck stays under payload/rear axle ratings.

 

[Lsujker]

Not needed.

 

[TRK_GANG74]

Not needed.

That looks like a disaster waiting to happen! No way I would ever attempt that setup!