Fifth wheel hitch with bedliner

[koribustard]

As always to Admins, move if duplicate.

I purchased a 2020 GMC 2500 HD to tow my fifth wheel trailer. It has the standard, factory installed bedliner. Anyone have experience with installing a hitch with this bedliner (Denali)? I'll probably have a Curt installed (maybe a Reese) non-sliding (I have a Turning Point king pin). Do I need to remove the whole bedliner? Can I cut and seal it? I don't want water, sand and grit getting between the liner and floor of to box. All opinions appreciated.

[Oaklevel]

If you don't want sand etc between the bed liner and the bed............. best bet is to use a spray in liner and get rid of the factory one.

[richp]

Interesting question. The bedliner in my 2019 Duramax was sprayed in -- not a separate piece.

On an earlier truck, my installation involved cutting slots in the removable bedliner so that the rails would install metal to metal. On the rare occasion I had bedliner out, I seem to recall there was abrasive wear on the bed from the liner itself shifting around, not particularly from intrusive grit.

Hope this helps.

Rich Phillips

[TowPro]

I agree. Spray in bed liners are the cats meow.
but they are hard on the knees climbing in and out of bed with shorts on.

[koribustard]

I've had drop in liners in previous trucks. This one is odd in that it doesn't look like a drop in or a spray in and I see no obvious points of attachment. I'll just take it to the installer and see what they think. Thanks for the comments!!

[EdJunior]

My first truck had the drop in bedliner, and I just had it cut for the installation of the hitch. I had no problems with it, but then again, I didn't really pay close attention to it. The trick was made to work, and that what it did. My current truck I had the spray in bedliner. Maintenance free (mostly), durable, and no need to worry about it. But yeah, it is pretty rough on the knees, and any other parts of your exposed skin.

[DrLewie]

Originally Posted by Oaklevel

If you don't want sand etc between the bed liner and the bed............. best bet is to use a spray in liner and get rid of the factory one.

X2

[Lumberton1956]

I have a 2500 Chevrolet Duramax and the bed liner is sprayed in. I have puck system so there are four removable caps to secure your hitch. Most manufactures make one for the puck systems. Easy to install and secure. We are using Pull-rite. Very happy with it.

[Thomas ho]

you could go with a b and m turnover ball . ranch hitch adarpter . " easy self install on fithwheel" or a companion hitch set up.

[BMullins46]

Like others have said I'd get rid of the drop in bed liner, they are so slippery when wet., all they are good for is making you fall. Spend the $500-600 and have a spray in bed liner installed.

[Gsykora]

Wow, lots of opinions here on bedliners but not many answers to his question about the hitch. If you're installing industry standard rails, you'll need to cut the liner so the rails can mount straight to the bed. If you're installing factory puck system, you'll need to cut opening for each puck and for the gooseneck opening.

[Thomas ho]

you can turn the bedliner upside down and make a redneck bed cover. 2 ratchet straps , keep contents dry . got complements on it in a rainy day in colorado.

[FlaNative]

When I bought my '05 Duramax Diesel we had the intention of installing a fifth wheel hitch, so we had a Line-X spray in bed liner done before the installation of the hitch. No problems with it at all. Line-X has a lifetime warranty with it so I would consider Line-X for the bed in your truck. There are other manufacturers of spray ins, but I preferred Line-X.

[BM Welder]

My 04 pickup had a Rhino liner and my 14 has the factory spray on my hitch rails were installed right on top of the liners and never had any problems with many miles of towing.

[W5CI]

Originally Posted by koribustard

As always to Admins, move if duplicate.

I purchased a 2020 GMC 2500 HD to tow my fifth wheel trailer. It has the standard, factory installed bedliner. Anyone have experience with installing a hitch with this bedliner (Denali)? I'll probably have a Curt installed (maybe a Reese) non-sliding (I have a Turning Point king pin). Do I need to remove the whole bedliner? Can I cut and seal it? I don't want water, sand and grit getting between the liner and floor of to box. All opinions appreciated.

Does your new truck not have the fifth wheel prep package, puck system? I would expect that in a new HD truck

[cc102bob]

My current truck has a drop in bed liner. The rails for the fifth wheel hitch are bolted directly to the floor of the bed and the bed liner just sits on top of them. There are holes cut in the bed liner where the hitch needs to fit through to sit down on the rails properly. I bought the truck from my Dad with this setup already in place and I've never quite felt like spending the $'s to have a spray in bed liner installed. If I had purchased the truck without a bed liner included, I would have had the spray in version installed.

Having those holes cut in the bed liner allows some debris to get underneath it, but I have found that it's not that big of a deal to pull the liner out and hose out the bed of the truck once in a while.

[Tall frog]

If the OP has a factory Denali it is a spray in and no you dont need to do any thing but put the hitch in. Based on what OP said he has a rear pivot king pin so he can't use a goose ball mounting hitch. Using the built in puck system will prevent any sliding or rubbing on the bed liner, even so that stuff is almost indestructible. I have it in my truck and no problems

[HAMMDOWN]

Originally Posted by Oaklevel

If you don't want sand etc between the bed liner and the bed............. best bet is to use a spray in liner and get rid of the factory one.

Yes I agree get rid of that drop in bed liner and go with spray in you won’t be sorry

[koribustard]

Originally Posted by Tall frog

If the OP has a factory Denali it is a spray in and no you dont need to do any thing but put the hitch in. Based on what OP said he has a rear pivot king pin so he can't use a goose ball mounting hitch. Using the built in puck system will prevent any sliding or rubbing on the bed liner, even so that stuff is almost indestructible. I have it in my truck and no problems

Yes, I just looked at my specs and is says CGN-Bed Liner, Spray-on. It doesn't look like spray-ons I have in the past so it made me think it was a drop in. I have the 6 3/4 foot box and the dealer said the Turning Point king pin does not require a sliding hitch; however, some have recommended getting one anyway should I ever want to change RVs. Thanks to everyone for the information. If I'd just pulled my Vehicle Information Sheet I could have answered my own question.

[Tall frog]

You don't need the sliding hitch, about 80lb more weight and more things that will need maintenance.
We have an Andersen 5th wheel hitch and use the goose ball as an anchor point. I can get about 80deg. Turning with our CC36CK2