How do I know if my truck has the factory fifth wheel prep package?

Look at the bed floor between the wheel wells. The factory prep package has five round, capped holes — four in a rectangle plus one in the center for the gooseneck ball. Five capped holes means you have it. Fewer holes, or just molded dimples with no actual holes, means you don't (that's usually aftermarket, or nothing). A drop-in plastic bed liner can hide the holes, so lift it out first (a properly done spray-in liner goes around them). To be 100% sure, give your VIN to a dealer and ask them to check the build sheet.

What does the fifth wheel prep package look like in the bed?

It's five round covers (pucks) set flush into the bed floor between the wheel wells — four in a rectangle plus one in the center. The covers pop out to reveal the mounting holes: the four outer ones hold a fifth-wheel hitch and the center one takes a gooseneck ball. You'll also find a 7-pin trailer connector inside the bed, normally on the driver's-side wall near the front — every factory puck installation includes one.

My window sticker says gooseneck prep but I don't see holes in the bed. What's going on?

Usually it's a drop-in bed liner. A drop-in plastic liner can cover the pucks completely, so lift it out and check the actual bed floor. A spray-in liner shouldn't hide them, because a proper job is sprayed around the caps; if a spray-in bed shows no caps, either the liner was sprayed over them (feel for five raised bumps) or the truck was never prepped, and a missing in-bed 7-way plug points to the second. Window stickers also aren't always accurate. The definitive check is to give your VIN to a dealer and have them read the build sheet.

What's the difference between pucks and dimples in the truck bed?

Pucks are real, capped mounting holes — the covers pop out and there's an actual hole underneath that goes to a frame-mounted bracket. Dimples are just molded indentations that press inward (often in a drop-in bed liner) with no hole beneath them. If you have removable covers, you have the factory prep. If you have solid dimples, you don't.

What is the factory prep package called on each brand?

Ford calls it the '5th Wheel/Gooseneck Hitch Prep Package' (option code 53W). Ram calls it the '5th Wheel/Gooseneck Towing Prep Group' (sales code AHU). GM (Chevy and GMC) calls it the 'Gooseneck/5th Wheel Prep Package,' identified by RPO code Z6A, which is on the silver sticker in the glovebox on older trucks and in the QR code on the driver's door-jamb label on 2018 and newer ones. Look for those names or codes on your window sticker, build sheet, or RPO label.

Can I add a factory puck system to my truck later?

On a Ford or Ram, yes: a dealer can install the maker's own prep kit (Ford's is matched to your VIN; Ram's comes from Mopar), though it's a big job because the under-bed structure bolts to the frame and the holes are cut through the bed floor. GM doesn't sell its factory prep as an add-on. On any truck you can get the same drop-in convenience with an aftermarket under-bed kit (like a B&W Turnoverball for a gooseneck) or a rail system that mounts to your frame.

How many of the puck holes does a gooseneck hitch use?

Three. The gooseneck ball drops into the center hole and locks with a quarter turn, and the two safety-chain anchors drop into the two rear pucks — the pair nearest the tailgate, away from the cab, which is always the pair they go in. Safety chains are required for gooseneck towing. The two front pucks stay capped.

Does a fifth wheel hitch use all five pucks?

No. A 4-point fifth wheel hitch (like the B&W Companion OEM or CURT puck legs) connects at the four corner pucks; the center gooseneck hole stays capped. The exception is a single-point fifth wheel hitch, which mounts to the center gooseneck ball instead and doesn't use the corner pucks at all.

Does My Truck Have the Prep Package?

Written by a towing industry expert Updated July 2026

The short answer: Look at your bed floor for five capped holes — four in a rectangle plus one in the center. That's the factory prep. Fewer holes, or just dimples? It's not.

The 2-Minute Answer

Look at your bed floor between the wheel wells. Five round, capped holes (four in a rectangle plus one in the center) means you've got the factory prep package. Fewer holes, or just molded dimples with no real holes? It's not the factory system. That's 90% of the answer right there.

Got a drop-in bed liner? Lift it out first — a drop-in liner is the #1 thing that hides pucks. (A properly done spray-in liner goes around them, so they should be in plain sight.)

Step 1: Look in the Bed

The visual check anyone can do

Every factory puck system — Ford, Ram, or GM — puts the same thing in your bed: five round mounting points set flush into the floor between the wheel wells. Pop a cover out and there's a hole that drops straight down to a frame-mounted bracket.

Here's what you're looking for:

• Five capped holes total — that's the factory pattern
• Four in a rectangle — where the fifth-wheel hitch drops in
• One in the center — where the gooseneck ball goes
• The covers actually pop out (they're not just for looks)
• A 7-pin trailer plug inside the bed, normally on the driver's-side wall near the front — every factory puck install has one

One catch: a drop-in bed liner can hide the holes, so lift it out and look at the floor underneath — that's the #1 reason people think they don't have pucks when they actually do. A spray-in liner is different: a proper job is sprayed around the caps, so they stay in plain sight. If a spray-in bed shows no caps at all, see Finding Your Prep Package Under a Bed Liner.

Pucks vs. Dimples — The Part People Get Wrong

This trips up almost everyone

The single most common mix-up: real pucks versus fake dimples.

✓ Real Pucks

Removable covers with an actual hole underneath. Pop the cover and you can see down to a metal bracket. You have the prep.

✗ Just Dimples

Molded indentations with no hole — often just shapes pressed into a drop-in liner. You don't have the prep.

If you can't tell, step on the spot. A real puck sits over an open pocket; a fake dimple is solid bed floor. Still unsure? Look underneath the bed — if it's the real deal, you'll see the hitch brackets bolted to the frame.

Five Holes = Factory. Fewer = Aftermarket.

The hole count is the tell

Here's the rule that clears up most of the confusion: the real factory prep package always has five holes — four pucks in a rectangle for the fifth-wheel hitch, plus one in the center for the gooseneck ball. All five, every time, on Ford, Ram, and GM.

Only towing a fifth wheel? You just leave the center hole capped. But it's still there — and that's how you know the setup came from the factory.

So what about 4 holes — or just 1?

That's aftermarket, not factory. Some aftermarket under-bed kits give you four pucks with no gooseneck, and the popular B&W Turnoverball uses a single center hole. Both tow fine — they're just not the factory 5-hole system, so double-check which hitches fit before you buy.

What Are the 5 Holes For?

You don't use all five at once

Here's the part that makes it click: those five holes give you a few different ways to hook up, and each one uses a different set of holes.

Top of each diagram is the front (cab side). A gooseneck's chains anchor in the two rear pucks — always that pair.

Gooseneck — 3 holes

The 2-5/16" ball drops into the center hole and quarter-turns to lock. The two safety-chain anchors go in the two rear pucks (the pair away from the cab) — always that pair, because anchoring behind the ball keeps an unhooked trailer from swinging into your cab.

4-point fifth wheel hitch

A 4-point fifth wheel hitch (an OE puck-mount like the B&W Companion OEM, or an ISR rail-mount) connects at four points — here, four legs lock into the four corner pucks. The center gooseneck hole stays capped. Four points = rock solid.

Single-point fifth wheel hitch

A single-point fifth wheel hitch (like the PullRite 3900) skips the corner pucks and mounts to the center ball instead — one point of attachment. It keeps your trailer's kingpin and only needs the one center hole.

So why five holes? So one bed can do it all — run a gooseneck today, drop in a puck fifth wheel tomorrow, and cap whatever you're not using. That flexibility is the whole reason the factory system exists.

Step 2: Check the Sticker or Code

Every brand names it differently

If you've still got the window sticker or build sheet, look for your brand's name for the package. Each one calls it something different:

Ford

"5th Wheel/Gooseneck Hitch Prep Package" — option code 53W

F-250 / F-350 / F-450 Super Duty

Ram

"5th Wheel/Gooseneck Towing Prep Group" — sales code AHU

2500 / 3500

GM (Chevy/GMC)

"Gooseneck/5th Wheel Prep Package" — RPO code Z6A

Silverado / Sierra 2500HD / 3500HD (2016+)

On a Chevy or GMC, there's a shortcut: the RPO codes. Older trucks list them on a silver sticker in the glovebox; 2018 and newer ones put them in the QR code on the driver's door-jamb label. If Z6A is on that list, the truck was built with the pucks (on 2020 and newer trucks it can also sit inside a package code such as CMT, so a missing Z6A alone proves nothing). Ford and Ram don't use RPO labels, so check the window sticker for those.

Heads up: window stickers aren't gospel — plenty of owners find the code missing or wrong. If the sticker and the bed disagree, trust the bed (or the build sheet below).

Step 3: The Dead-Certain Way

When you need a definitive yes or no

No sticker? Buying used and the seller has no clue? Call any dealer of your truck's brand, give them the VIN, and ask: "Does this truck have the factory fifth-wheel/gooseneck prep package?" They'll read the build sheet and tell you in about thirty seconds. It's free, and it settles it for good.

Other Dead Giveaways

Little clues that confirm it

A Ball in a Case

The prep package itself doesn't include the gooseneck ball or the safety-chain anchors, but some prepped trucks got the ball kit too (a factory option on Ford, or a dealer add-on), and it comes in its own bag or case. Check under the back seat or ask the previous owner — finding one is a good hint the pucks are real.

The Bed-Wall Plug

Every factory puck installation includes a 7-pin trailer connector mounted inside the bed, normally on the driver's-side wall near the front. No plug in the bed is strong evidence the truck was never prepped. It doesn't work in reverse, though — a plug can be added aftermarket or come with a different tow package.

Heads Up: The Year Matters

Old holes are probably aftermarket

The factory puck systems didn't always exist. Rough timeline:

• Ford — Super Duty prep package from around 2011 on
• Ram — 3500 pucks from 2013, 2500 from 2014
• GM — Silverado/Sierra HD from 2016 on (2016–2019 and 2020+)

GM owners: 2016–2019 and 2020+ aren't the same

GM has offered the puck prep (RPO Z6A) since 2016 — but when the HD trucks were redesigned for 2020, they moved the puck spacing. The gooseneck ball still swaps between them, but fifth-wheel hitch legs are year-specific: a 2016–2019 leg set won't fit a 2020+ truck, and vice versa. Match the hitch to your exact year.

And if you see puck-style holes in a truck older than these ranges? It's almost certainly an aftermarket setup, not factory. Worth knowing, because it changes which hitches drop in.

Okay — Now What?

Depends on your answer

You Have Pucks

You're in the easy lane. You want an OE puck-mount hitch that drops straight in — no drilling, no rails. See the brand-specific guides for exactly what fits: Ford, Ram, or GM.

You Don't

Still totally doable. Ford and Ram dealers can retrofit the factory prep (it's a big job), GM doesn't offer it, and on any truck an aftermarket rail or under-bed kit gives you the same drop-in setup. Start with Rails vs. Pucks to see your options.