What is the Ram puck system for fifth wheel hitches?

Ram's puck system is a factory towing prep option on Ram 2500 and 3500 Heavy Duty trucks. 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. Ram calls it the Fifth Wheel/Gooseneck Prep Group.

Which Ram trucks have the factory puck system?

The puck system is available on Ram 2500 and Ram 3500 trucks as an optional package. It arrived on the Ram 3500 for the 2013 model year and on the Ram 2500 for 2014. Not every Ram HD has it: it's a factory option, the 5th Wheel/Gooseneck Towing Prep Group (sales code AHU), that Ram doesn't offer on trucks with the RamBox, though a dealer can add it later with Mopar's prep kit.

Do I need to remove my Ram's tailgate to tow a fifth wheel?

No. Lower the tailgate to hitch and unhitch, and tow with it closed; the trailer's overhang rides above the bed rails. The split, barn-door Multifunction Tailgate is a Ram 1500 option, so don't count on it on a 2500 or 3500. If you'd rather not lower the tailgate every time, a fifth wheel tailgate with a V-notch or louvers lets the pin box pass.

Are Ram pucks the same as Ford and GM pucks?

The concept is the same (four corner pucks plus a center gooseneck hole), but the spacing differs between Ram, Ford and GM, so a puck-mount fifth wheel hitch is made in truck-specific versions. Hitch lines like the B&W Companion OEM and CURT Q-Series are offered for all three brands, but buy the Ram version and check it against your model year.

Ram Puck System

Q: How do I know if my Ram 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. Check your window sticker for the 5th Wheel/Gooseneck Towing Prep Group, sales code AHU (XHC is a different option, the integrated trailer brake controller). For certainty, give a Ram dealer your VIN and ask them to read the build sheet.

Q: What fifth wheel hitches fit Ram pucks?

Most major brands make a Ram version of their puck-mount hitch. Popular options include the B&W Companion OEM, CURT A-Series and Q20, and the PullRite OEX Super 5th. Look for hitches specifically listed as Ram-compatible. Always verify fitment for your specific model year.

Written by a towing industry expert Updated September 2026

The short answer: Ram's puck-style system has some quirks. Here's what you need to know before buying.

What is Ram's Puck System?

Ram's factory fifth wheel/gooseneck prep group installs mounting points in your truck bed. Like Ford and GM, it allows drop-in hitch installation without drilling — quick, clean, and reversible.

Not sure your truck actually has it? Or see why Ram's puck pattern is the odd one out in Puck System Dimensions & Fitment.

Which Ram Trucks Have It?

HD models with the prep group

Ram 2500

Heavy Duty

See hitches that fit

Ram 3500

Heavy Duty

See hitches that fit

Important

The puck system is an optional package. Not all Ram HD trucks have it — it's a factory option (the 5th Wheel/Gooseneck Towing Prep Group, sales code AHU) that Ram won't combine with the RamBox, and a Ram dealer can also add it later with Mopar's prep kit.

What's It Called?

Look for these on the window sticker

• 5th Wheel/Gooseneck Towing Prep Group (sales code AHU)
• Also printed as Fifth-Wheel/Gooseneck Prep Group
• Not XHC — that's the trailer brake controller, a different option

The prep group gives you the pucks, their covers and an in-bed 7-pin plug. The hitch and the gooseneck ball are bought separately.

How Do I Know If My Ram Has Factory Pucks?

Visual check

Look in your truck bed, between the wheel wells, for the mounting points.

Ram Puck Layout:

• Four pucks in a rectangle, plus a center gooseneck hole
• May have rubber covers
• Between the wheel wells, over or just ahead of the rear axle
• An in-bed 7-pin trailer plug comes with the package

Ram's pattern is specific to Ram, so buy a hitch made for Ram's pucks and check it against your model year.

What Fifth Wheel Hitches Fit Ram Pucks?

What works with Ram pucks

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

B&W Companion

Ram-specific mounting options

See B&W hitches

CURT Q-Series

OEM puck system compatible

See CURT hitches

Reese

OEM-compatible fifth wheels

See Reese hitches

PullRite

OE Series puck-mount

See PullRite hitches

Which hitch fits your Ram?

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

What year is your Ram?

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 Ram Model Years Have the Puck System?

When Ram offered the puck system

Ram has offered puck systems on HD trucks:

• 2019+ — Current gen Ram HD with puck option
• 2013-2018 — Previous gen offered it too: Ram 3500 from 2013, Ram 2500 from 2014

Ram's puck pattern is standardized, but always verify your specific year has the prep installed.

Does the RamBox Affect Fifth Wheel Hitch Compatibility?

Cargo management system

Yes. Ram won't build a 2500 or 3500 with both the RamBox (the storage bins built into the bed sides) and the 5th Wheel/Gooseneck Towing Prep Group — its buyer's guide lists them as not available together — so a RamBox truck didn't leave the factory with pucks.

Some owners have had a dealer add Mopar's prep kit to a RamBox truck afterward, but others report pin box clearance problems against the bins in tight turns, so check your hitch and trailer setup before you buy anything.