5ver hitch over bedliner

[Jim Smith]

Has anyone installed their hitch over the plastic bedliner?? I'd like to install the rails over the bedliner and wonder if there are any issues or problems. It seems like iI could use some spacers between the ridges of the bedliner to take up the difference. My hitch is a Reese 16k. Some hitch installers say they can't / won't do it. ??? Thanks , Jim.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Mine is over the Line-X bedliner - and uses spacers between ridges - no problems in 4 years and 40K + miles...

 

[TowPro]

If your talking about the plastic bed liners that you drop into the truck, I would be carefull.



All hitch manafacturs tell you to cut the liner and mount the rail solid on the bed.



I had 3 trucks with plastic bed liners and 5th wheel hitch. What I did was drill a 1" hole where the rail bolts pass through bed liner. I then used around 6 washers each bolt location so the rail was still solid mounted to the bed. This way the plastic liner could actualy move around in the space between the rail and bed metal. This required longer bolts be used for the rail to bed connectons.



in the new truck I have a spray in liner with the hitch rails sitting direct on top of it. If you go this way, install the hitch rails first, remove them, have the bed liner done, then open back up the holes and re-install the hitch. this way you can find any bed welds, etc that you need to align everything before you spray in the liner.

 

[SnoKing]

I cut the plastic drop in liner on my 93 after installing the hitch, and it was a really big mistake. I would suggest that you install the hitch, remove it and Linex the bed and then reinstall the hitch. That is what I did to the 2001. 5 and I am a happy camper this time around. With the old setup up, everytime I hauled gravel or bark, I had to remove the liner to clean up what went under it. BIG MISTAKE! SNOKING

 

[Jumbo Jet]

The RV dealer in my area used round bar between the ridges just like you mention and says he has never seen a problem. That's how I did my 2000 CTD and never had a problem. The liner was tough enough and I would suppose there may be a difference in liner quality - so check first.



Next two trucks all had spray in liners.



I cut 4" hole and installed the B&W. Then had it sprayed. The area around the hitch and 4" hole is still sealed going on 2-1/2 years. Spray it if you can afford it.

 

[wtfd6]

why would you want to do that? if you cut the bedliner out you will have an easier time loading anything in the bed. since the rails are just a little taller than the plastic liner. if you mount it above then you will have about an inch and a half above the liner. i know it is all personal preference. im sure that with appropriate spacers it would be ok. I just wouldnt do it myself.


mark

 

[SSage]

B&W hitch, no problem with plastic bed liner. It does smash it down a bit with a 39' 5th wheel on it. My dealer said he has not seen a problem mounting them that way. The dealers trucks are the same way. Spray in liners don't like diesel fuel from my transfer tank I fill up my tractor with. The fuel drips from the nozzle do a number on the coating type liners.