OK Henry,
Here are my pics of the hitch ball and the trailer hitch on mine:
Click For Full-Size Image.
Click For Full-Size Image.
Click For Full-Size Image.
Click For Full-Size Image.
I have owned the Andersen hitch that hooks up to an in bed (on the bed bottom) gooseneck ball in another truck that only had a gooseneck ball like this:
https://andersenhitches.com/Catalog/...onnection.aspx
But mine was the previous steel model. If you already have a gooseneck ball installed that would be the way to go.
However if you are installing the first hitch in the bed, it would be wise I think to get the Reese because you can then pin in the ball hitch for the
Scamp, and any Reese regular fifth wheel hitch as they both bolt right in to the same rails once installed.
Those pics above are of my 2004 low miles like new Ram 2500 Cummins Diesel long bed truck. That's right a big diesel with a full eight foot bed. I am 66 years young and hated the bumpier ride of the shorter wheelbase short bed trucks. I've owned and towed two 36 foot fiver trailers, a HitchHiker and a 1999 Challenger. Both with slides and towed them both while full-time RVing from 1997-2003, with a 1992 Ram Cummins 12 valve diesel, turbo and Intercooler with the 1993 Ram under bed tranny oil cooler added. I used an RBW hitch that only rocked forward and back. The little rocker and others came out after I set my truck up. I
sold that truck to my mechanic who paid top dollar as I also had put in a 64 gallon TransferFlow diesel tank and dash controls. It also had a Pac brake installed after I had my
brakes get smoking hot, literally, on the long 6% down of the I-5 grapevine North side with the Flying J at the bottom.
I have since owned a 2002 16 valve Ram quad cab long bed diesel, then a 4 cyl long bed (7') Ranger but decided to get another fiver so that one lasted only six months. That was when I got a beautiful low mileage 2006 short bed Ram diesel with a gooseneck hitch already installed and got a deal on an Anderson hitch. great hitch! But compared to the Cadillac ride of a long bed truck, it rode rough, just physics. It took me six months to find the current truck and fifth wheel hitch already installed. Then I got the
scamp and the new rails and hitch from the Scamp's owner's truck, but on a whim tried to get the
Scamp Reese ball hitch on the rails already in. The fit like a hand in a glove! But with the stock tailgate, no way it would hitch level. It did! OK, I don't care how small the fiver, there are spaces that we will try to get into which require a 90' jackknife or more backing in. Yep, I would have bet greenback dollars it would hit the bumper. I had two spotters as I slowly backed it on grass to 90 degrees. It had about two inches clearance! Unbelievable. So I
sold the Andersen and now have the rails If I ever decide to sell the other fiver hitch, with bolts, and bolt on frame brackets.
The rails are not Rhino lined like the bed. They are just nine years older than the 2013 hitch, and the
paint is faded on the rails. They are not Rhino lined.
There's nothing wrong with building your own. I won't because I am not a pro welder and Reese paid engineers good money to over engineer them to prevent lawsuits. Same with Scamp and their female hitch and framework. PM me for my RV website with more on
propane systems etc. Nothing
for sale, RV Roadie tales from the road and technical articles.
Just make sure those rails are over the rear axles and within the specs of the hitch. MY taller truck tows the Scamp level; and clear all the bed walls and tail;gate perfectly because my Scamp was built with the taller suspension. However that makes the single entry step really tall for old folks and my pup, so we are making a little wooden step we can throw in the bed.
One other thing. If all you have ever towed were bumper pull rigs you are in for a pleasant surprise as a fiver doesn't wag around when passed by bigger trucks and if the hitch installed correctly are much more stable than Motorhomes, vans or bumper pulls in storms and high winds.
We actually traveled and in that seven years did everything West of the Mississippi, and from Mexico up to and including Alaska, and everything in between. Following our noses, fully retired at 45 years young. So we could hike, dive, and do anything we wanted physically. Then we took care of aging parents starting at my age 52. Now we are re-tired again, free to move and are moving up North for four seasons. We will search for the right town and house for a few months in the Scamp.
Safe travels!