Single Point Attachment hitches mount to the underbed gooseneck ball, and they've become one of the most popular ways to tow a fifth wheel. They're light, they're easy to drop in, and the truck bed stays clear when the hitch comes out. But that round ball is the only thing anchoring the hitch to the truck frame, and that single connection puts real stress on your bed. PullRite's exclusive Bed Saver Rails are our answer to a problem most companies don't talk about.
The problem with a single anchor point
Your truck bed is a big, thin sheet of steel or aluminum. A Single Point Attachment hitch sits on top of it and ties to the frame at exactly one spot, the gooseneck ball. Because that ball is round, the hitch rocks back and forth as the trailer pushes and pulls against the truck during acceleration and braking.
That rocking concentrates force at the front and rear edges of the hitch base. Those edges dig into the bed like an old can opener, working a point into the sheet metal over and over. The result is worn paint, crushed bed channels, and over time a bed that can weaken and eventually tear through. We looked at every Single Point Attachment hitch on the market and saw plenty of room to do better.
Our #3900 Super 5th and #2600 SuperLite Single Point Attachment hitches use Bed Saver Rails to spread that load and protect the bed. Here is how they work.
How Bed Saver Rails protect your truck
They spread the load instead of digging in
Bed Saver Rails are detachable rails that lie flat against the bed channels and run perpendicular to them. They're tabbed in place while you tow, but on purpose they are not bolted or welded to the hitch base. That separation lets the rails insulate the bed from the hitch's back-and-forth motion.
Most competitor systems weld the base rails right to the hitch. During stops and starts, one end of that welded assembly lifts while the other end drives down into the bed. Picture the difference this way: a competitor's hitch is a pointed can opener, and Bed Saver Rails are a flat spatula. The spatula won't pierce the can. By staying flat and perpendicular, our rails distribute towing stress over a wider area than any other single point hitch.
They stop galvanic corrosion on aluminum beds
When steel and aluminum sit in contact for a long time, galvanic corrosion sets in and rust starts eating at the truck bed. That matters a lot on aluminum-bed trucks like Ford. Bed Saver Rails are sprayed with a coating much like a rubberized bed liner, and that coating acts as insulation between the steel base rails and the aluminum bed. With that barrier in place, the two metals never touch, so the galvanic reaction never starts.
They reduce paint scratches
Every single point hitch rotates on the ball front-to-back during stops and starts. That motion marks up the bed and eventually wears the paint off. Bed Saver Rails are independent of that motion, so most of that wear never reaches your paint.
Some friction still exists between the rails and the hitch base, which would let the rails shift a little against the bed. This is where the spray coating earns its keep a second time. Its textured, rubbery surface grips the bed, so more of the slight movement happens on top of the rails and less against your paint. And because it's a softer, less abrasive material sitting between the bed and the rails, there's simply less marking to begin with.
They cut down lateral rotation on the ball
A single point hitch can also rotate sideways around the ball, which throws the hitch out of alignment with the bed. Let enough of that lateral rotation build up, then hit a hard stop, and the offset between the gooseneck ball and the king pin can swing the whole hitch around the ball. In a short bed truck during a turn, that swing raises the odds of the trailer making contact with the truck.
The grip from the Bed Saver Rails coating fights this too. More friction between the rails and the bed means less lateral rotation. That's a weak spot for most competitor single point hitches, and it's one we designed out.
Is a single point system right for you?
Underbed gooseneck towing is a strong choice for a lot of owners, and a Super 5th or SuperLite with Bed Saver Rails gives you the convenience of that setup without sacrificing your bed. The rails drop the wear, the corrosion, and the rotation that come standard with every other single point hitch. If you tow a fifth wheel and want your truck bed to look as good in five years as it does today, this is the protection to ask for.