What is the Ford puck system for fifth wheel hitches?

The Ford puck system is a factory-installed towing prep option on Super Duty trucks (F-250, F-350, F-450). It builds five mounting points into the truck bed, four corner pucks for a fifth wheel hitch plus a center hole for a gooseneck ball, so compatible hitches drop in and lock down without drilling. Ford calls it the Fifth Wheel and Gooseneck Hitch Prep Package.

Which Ford trucks have the factory puck system?

Ford's puck system is available on F-250, F-350, and F-450 Super Duty trucks. It's normally an option on the F-250 and F-350 (code 53W) and standard on recent F-450 pickups. Ford introduced it for the 2011 model year. Check your window sticker or look in the bed for five round covers or holes (four in a rectangle plus one in the center) to confirm whether your truck has it.

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

Look in your truck bed, between the wheel wells, for five round covers or holes: four in a rectangle plus one in the center. You can also check your window sticker for the 5th Wheel/Gooseneck Hitch Prep Package, option code 53W. For certainty, give a Ford dealer your VIN and ask them to read the build sheet.

Can I add pucks to my Ford truck after purchase?

It's possible but not simple. The factory puck system includes reinforced mounting points in the frame. Ford sells the same prep package as a dealer-installed Genuine Ford Accessory, matched to your VIN, with a different kit for each Super Duty generation. The bed has to be unbolted and lifted, the crossmember bolts to the frame, and the five holes are cut in the bed floor; after that, Ford puck-mount hitches drop in just like on a factory-prepped truck. The alternatives are aftermarket ISR rails or an under-bed gooseneck hitch such as the B&W Turnoverball, which can also carry B&W's Companion fifth wheel hitch.

What year did Ford start offering the puck system?

Ford introduced the factory Fifth Wheel and Gooseneck Hitch Prep Package on Super Duty trucks starting with the 2011 model year. It has been offered on F-250, F-350, and F-450 models ever since (recent F-450 pickups get it as standard), and the puck pattern has not changed, so Ford puck-mount hitches are sold for 2011-and-newer trucks.

Do all Ford Super Duty trucks come with pucks?

No. On the F-250 and F-350 it's normally an option (code 53W) that had to be ordered with the truck, so plenty of them don't have it; recent F-450 pickups get it as standard. If yours doesn't have it, a Ford dealer can install Ford's own prep kit, or you can go with aftermarket rails or an under-bed gooseneck kit.

Ford Puck System

Q: What fifth wheel hitches fit Ford pucks?

Most major brands make puck-mount (OE) fifth wheel hitches for Ford. Popular options include the B&W Companion OEM (RVK3300), CURT A-Series and Q20, and the PullRite Super 5th in its OE puck version. Puck-mount hitches come in truck-specific versions, so buy the Ford one and check it against your model year and bed length: Ford's own fifth wheel hitch kits and several fixed aftermarket Ford puck hitches (CURT's A20, A25 and Q20 kits, for example) are listed for the 8 ft box only. A Reese Goose Box is something different: it replaces the trailer's pin box so the trailer tows off a gooseneck ball. It is a trailer-side pin box, not a fifth wheel hitch.

Written by a towing industry expert Updated September 2026

The short answer: Ford's factory prep package is one of the best in the industry. Here's exactly how it works.

What is Ford's Puck System?

Ford's factory fifth wheel/gooseneck prep package installs four corner pucks plus a center gooseneck hole in your truck bed. These accept drop-in hitches without drilling — making installation and removal a breeze.

Not sure your truck actually has it? Or see how Ford's puck spacing stacks up against Ram and GM in Puck System Dimensions & Fitment.

Which Ford Trucks Have It?

Super Duty models with the prep package

F-250

Super Duty

See hitches that fit

F-350

Super Duty

See hitches that fit

F-450

Super Duty

See Ford hitches

Important

The puck system is an optional package. Not all Super Duty trucks have it (recent F-450 pickups get it as standard). Order it from the factory as option 53W, or have a Ford dealer install Ford's own prep kit later — the bed has to be lifted for that, so it's a bigger job than ticking the box at order time.

What's It Called?

Look for these on the window sticker

• 5th Wheel/Gooseneck Hitch Prep Package (option code 53W)
• Standard on recent F-450 pickups, optional on F-250/F-350
• Not the Trailer Tow Package — that's the standard 7/4-pin hitch wiring, not pucks

Check your original window sticker or build sheet. If buying used, the seller may not know — look in the bed.

How Do I Know If My Ford Has Factory Pucks?

Visual check

Look in your truck bed, between the wheel wells. You're looking for five round holes (or covers): four in a rectangle plus one in the center.

Ford Puck Layout:

• Four pucks in a rectangle, plus a center gooseneck hole
• Between the wheel wells, over or just ahead of the rear axle
• May have rubber covers or be open
• Pattern: about 30" wide × 13" deep, center to center

If the holes are in a different configuration, it might be an aftermarket setup. Ford's pattern is specific to Ford, so buy a hitch made for Ford's pucks.

What Fifth Wheel Hitches Fit Ford Pucks?

What works with Ford pucks

Ford's pucks take hitches (or leg kits) built for the Ford OEM puck system — a GM or Ram puck hitch won't drop in. Major brands all make Ford versions:

B&W

Companion series — very popular with Ford owners

See B&W hitches

CURT

Q-Series puck system compatible

See CURT hitches

Reese

OE puck-mount fifth wheel hitches

See Reese hitches

PullRite

OE Puck Series and OEX puck-mount

See PullRite hitches

Which hitch fits your Ford?

Pick your truck and we'll show only the hitches that actually bolt on — with prices.

What year is your Ford?

Older model? Select year (1994–2020)

What's the make?

Which model?

What's in your bed?

What's your bed length?

Want a shortlist instead? See the best puck-mount fifth wheel hitches, or how to install one.

Which Ford Model Years Have the Puck System?

When Ford offered the puck system

Ford has offered the puck system on Super Duty trucks since the 2011 model year, and the puck pattern hasn't changed since:

• 2017+ — The 2017-2022 generation and the current 2023+ generation (standard on recent F-450 pickups)
• 2011-2016 — The generation that introduced it

Always verify your specific truck has pucks before ordering a puck-mount hitch.