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

Look at the bed floor, toward the front. 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 bed liner can hide the holes, so pull it back first. 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 toward the front half of the bed — 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 usually find a 7-pin trailer connector on the driver's-side bed wall.

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

Usually it's the bed liner. The pucks are often hidden under a drop-in or spray-in liner — pull it back, or look for square cutouts molded into the liner, and check the actual bed floor. 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.' Ram calls it the 'Fifth Wheel/Gooseneck Prep Group' (sales code AHU). GM (Chevy and GMC) calls it the 'Gooseneck/5th Wheel Prep Package,' identified by RPO code Z6A on the glovebox label. 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?

Not the true factory one. The factory prep is a heavy under-bed structure that's built into the truck at the assembly line, so it can't be bolted on afterward. But you can get the same drop-in convenience with an aftermarket under-bed kit (like a B&W Turnoverball or a rail system) that mounts to your frame. It's a bigger job, but it works.

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 the only pair they're made to fit. 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 — the front half. 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 bed liner? Pull it back or look for the molded cutouts first — a liner is the #1 thing that hides pucks.

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, toward the front half of the bed. 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)
• Usually a 7-pin trailer plug on the driver's-side bed wall

One catch: a bed liner can hide the holes. If you've got a drop-in or spray-in liner, pull it back or look for the square cutouts molded into it — that's the #1 reason people think they don't have pucks when they actually do.

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 — the only pair they fit.

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) — the only pair they fit, and 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"

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

Ram

"Fifth Wheel/Gooseneck 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: open the glovebox and find the silver RPO code label. If Z6A is on that list, the truck was built with the pucks. Ford and Ram don't put it on a glovebox label, 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

Prep-equipped trucks often ship with the gooseneck ball and safety-chain anchors in a padded case — check the glovebox, under the back seat, or ask the previous owner.

The Bed-Wall Plug

A 7-pin (and sometimes 4-pin) trailer connector mounted inside the bed, usually on the driver's-side wall, almost always means factory tow prep.

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 — 2500/3500 pucks starting around 2013
• 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. The factory pucks can't be retrofitted (they're welded in at the plant), but an aftermarket rail or under-bed kit gives you the same drop-in setup. Start with Rails vs. Pucks to see your options.