Are all puck systems the same?

No. Ford, GM (Chevrolet/GMC), and Ram all use four corner pucks plus a center gooseneck hole, but the spacing is very different: about 30 x 13 inches on a Ford Super Duty, 39 x 30-1/4 inches on a Ram, and 27 x 22 inches on a 2016-2019 GM (GM changed it for 2020). Puck-mount hitches are sold in truck-specific versions, so buy the one built for your make and model year.

Can I use a puck-mount hitch if my truck doesn't have pucks?

Not until you add puck receivers under the bed. Without them your options are a rail-mount hitch, an under-bed gooseneck kit, a dealer-installed OEM prep package (Ford and Mopar sell them as accessories), or an aftermarket under-bed puck system such as Reese's Elite Series, which uses Ford's puck pattern.

Can I convert my truck to a puck system after purchase?

Ford and Ram dealers can retrofit the maker's own prep kit (GM doesn't sell one), but it's not cheap or simple since the under-bed structure bolts to the frame and the holes are cut through the bed floor. A more common alternative is installing an aftermarket mounting system like B&W Turnoverball (gooseneck) or ISR rails, which give you different hitch options without factory pucks.

Do Ford, GM, and Ram pucks work the same way?

The concept is identical — four puck-style mounting points in the bed for drop-in hitches. However, the spacing is very different between manufacturers (and GM changed its pattern for 2020), so the hitches are not interchangeable. Major hitch brands (B&W, CURT, PullRite) sell a separate version or leg kit for each truck. Always verify fitment for your specific truck year and make.

What is a Puck System?

Q: What is a puck system?

A puck system is a factory-installed towing prep option that uses five mounting points in your truck bed: four hockey puck-sized sockets in a rectangle for a fifth wheel hitch, plus a center hole for a gooseneck ball. It allows for quick installation and removal of fifth wheel hitches and gooseneck balls without drilling.

Q: How do I know if my truck has a puck system?

Look in your truck bed for five round covers or holes: four in a rectangle plus one in the center. They sit in the middle of the bed, between the wheel wells. You can also check your window sticker for terms like 'Fifth Wheel Prep Package' or 'Gooseneck/Fifth Wheel Prep'.

Written by a towing industry expert Updated September 2026

The short answer: Your truck might already have the best mounting system built in. Here's what puck mounts are and why they matter.

The Short Answer

A puck system is a set of five mounting points built into your truck bed from the factory: four corner pucks for a fifth wheel hitch plus a center hole for a gooseneck ball. Instead of drilling holes and bolting in rails, you just drop a compatible hitch into the pucks and you're ready to tow.

How Do I Know If My Truck Has a Puck System?

Check your truck bed

Look in your truck bed. If you have a puck system, you'll see five round covers (or open holes): four in a rectangle plus one in the center. They sit in the middle of the bed, roughly between the wheel wells.

What to Look For:

• Five round holes or covers — four in a rectangle, plus a larger one in the center for the gooseneck ball
• Location — Middle of the bed, between the wheel wells
• Window sticker terms — Ford "5th Wheel/Gooseneck Hitch Prep Package" (code 53W), Ram "5th Wheel/Gooseneck Towing Prep Group" (AHU), or GM "Gooseneck/5th Wheel Prep Package" (RPO Z6A, bundled into a bigger package on many 2020+ trims)

Want the full walkthrough — pucks vs. dimples, the codes to look for, and how to check by VIN? See Does My Truck Have the Prep Package?

Which Trucks Have Puck Systems?

Heavy-duty trucks from the Big 3

Most heavy-duty trucks from Ford, GM, and Ram offer a factory puck system as an option. It's usually part of a towing package or prep package. Nissan's Titan XD (2016–2024) offered one too.

Ford

F-250, F-350, F-450 Super Duty trucks with the "Fifth Wheel/Gooseneck Hitch Prep Package"

Chevrolet/GMC

Silverado/Sierra 2500HD and 3500HD with the "Gooseneck/5th Wheel Prep Package" (RPO Z6A)

Ram

Ram 2500 and 3500 with the "5th Wheel/Gooseneck Towing Prep Group" (sales code AHU)

Each brand's pattern is different — and GM even changed its spacing for 2020. Dig into your truck: Ford, GM (Chevy/GMC), or Ram — or compare them side by side in Puck System Dimensions & Fitment.

What Are the Advantages of a Puck System?

Why it's the easiest setup

No Drilling

Mounting points are already there

Quick Install

Most hitches in/out in minutes

Clean Bed

Remove hitch, get full bed back

Factory Strength

Engineered by the manufacturer

What Hitches Work With Pucks?

Three options

Drop-In Fifth Wheel Hitches

These are 4-point fifth wheel hitches — they plug directly into your pucks (four points of connection). Brands like B&W Companion and CURT Q-Series are popular choices. This is the easiest option if you're towing a fifth wheel trailer.

Gooseneck Ball Adapters

These convert your pucks to a gooseneck ball. From there you can run a single-point fifth wheel hitch (like the PullRite 3900, which mounts to the ball and keeps your trailer's kingpin), or swap your trailer's pin box for a gooseneck pin box. Great for a flush ball and a clean bed.

Puck-to-Rail Adapters

These give you standard rails on top of your pucks, opening up compatibility with most standard rail-mount fifth wheel hitches. More options, but adds some height and complexity.

Which hitch fits your truck?

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

What year is your truck?

Older model? Select year (1994–2020)

What's the make?

Which model?

What's in your bed?

What's your bed length?

Ready to shop? See the best puck-mount fifth wheel hitches, or learn how to install one.

What If My Truck Doesn't Have Pucks?

No problem

If your truck doesn't have the factory puck system, you have two main options:

Install Aftermarket Rails

Industry-standard rails bolt through the bed to a bracket kit on the frame (usually truck-specific, and you'll drill the bed) and work with rail-mount hitches.

Get a Complete Kit

Some kits include rails and a hitch together for a simpler purchase.

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Community

Questions & Answers

StupidHitches answered: That screech is normal and easy to fix. It's just metal twisting on metal down in the puck holes, usually because they're dry or a little dirt got in. Do this: Clean first. Pull the rubber puck covers and wipe or blow out any dirt or sand. Grit is usually the real cause of the noise — lubing over it doesn't help. Spray, don't grease. Hit the levers and puck holes with a dry spray lube (look for "dry PTFE" or "dry lithium" at any auto parts store). Skip thick grease — it grabs dirt and the squeal comes right back. Optional, for winter: A thin wipe of anti-seize on the metal legs keeps them from rusting and sticking in the pucks. That's it. The squeal should be gone. Heads up: This is just for the pucks in your bed where the hitch locks in. It's a different spot than the top of the hitch head where your trailer rides — that part gets grease or a lube plate, not this.

Jun 18, 2026