2008-2010 Ford 6.4L Powerstroke 5th Wheel Hitches

Fifth-wheel towing on the 2008-2010 Ford 6.4L Powerstroke

These trucks came with a frame receiver and trailer plugs at the bumper, but nothing in the bed. The usual setup is a rail kit with either a fixed hitch or a sliding hitch on top. Capacity depends on the truck. Ford's 2010 guide lists 15,300-16,300 lb for an SRW F-250 or F-350 with the 3.31 or 3.55 axle, 15,200-16,300 lb for a DRW with the 3.73, 17,700-18,800 lb for the F-350 DRW TowBoss with the 4.10, and 24,200-24,600 lb for the F-450 with the 4.30 and the automatic. With the manual, that F-450 drops to 18,200 lb. In 2008 the top number was 24,500 lb on the F-450 with the 4.88 axle.

What goes wrong and why

No failure pattern is documented for fifth-wheel hardware on this generation. The common problem is overloading. King-pin weight runs 15 to 25 percent of the trailer, and it counts against the GVWR and rear axle rating on your door label. A 14,000-lb camper at 20 percent puts 2,800 lb in the bed before anyone climbs in. Leave that out of the math and you end up with an overloaded rear axle and poor braking.

Fixed hitch or slider

Bed length decides it. Long-bed trucks can run a fixed hitch. Short-bed trucks need a slider to get turning clearance between the trailer and the cab. Then check height. Ford lists tailgate height for fifth-wheel clearance at about 56-57 in on the F-250, F-350 DRW and F-450, and 59-60 in on the F-350 SRW, which sits roughly 3 in taller than a dually. Compare that to the clearance under your trailer's front overhang with the trailer level.

What we carry

This collection carries Lucas Oil 10030 5th Wheel & Slider Lube. It goes on the hitch plate where the trailer's pin box rides and on the moving parts of a slider hitch. If you'd rather keep the bed floor clear, the B&W Turnoverball under-bed gooseneck hitch, listed in this truck's gooseneck hitch collection, accepts fifth-wheel conversion heads. Other hitch hardware is on our main hitches page.

Fitment notes

A finished fifth-wheel install needs more than the hitch. Plan on an in-bed 7-way connector and a trailer brake controller setup. F-250 and F-350 trucks came with a short box or an 8-ft box, and the F-450 pickup came only as a dually crew cab with the 8-ft box. Confirm your bed length, the axle code on the door-jamb label and your transmission before you buy rails or a hitch, then verify by VIN. Engine parts live under the Powerstroke hub.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get a factory fifth-wheel prep package on a 2008-2010 Super Duty?

No. Ford did not offer a factory fifth-wheel hitch or puck system on these trucks. You'll use an aftermarket rail kit with a fixed or slider hitch, or an under-bed gooseneck hitch that takes a fifth-wheel conversion head.

Do I need a slider hitch on my short-bed F-250?

Yes. Short-bed trucks need a slider for turning clearance between the trailer and the cab. Long-bed trucks can run a fixed hitch.

What's the heaviest fifth-wheel a 6.4L Super Duty is rated for?

The 2010 F-450 with the 4.30 axle and the automatic is rated for 24,200 to 24,600 lb. F-250 and F-350 automatics land between 15,200 and 18,800 lb depending on axle and rear wheels. Read the axle code on your door-jamb label to find your line in Ford's guide.

Not sure what fits? Call the shop at the number in the header, or use the fitment checker on any product page. We install everything we sell.