Getting through a ram oem puck system installation isn't nearly as intimidating as it looks once you've got the right tools laid out on the garage floor. If you bought your Ram 2500 or 3500 off the lot and it didn't come with that fancy fifth-wheel prep package, you've probably spent some time staring at the empty bed of your truck, wondering how much of a pain it's going to be to add it yourself. The good news is that it's a totally doable weekend project for anyone who isn't afraid to get a little dirty and—more importantly—isn't afraid to drill some holes in their truck bed.
The OEM puck system is honestly one of the best things to happen to heavy-duty towing. Instead of having those permanent, annoying rails bolted across your bed floor that catch every shovel or piece of plywood you try to slide in, the puck system stays flush. When you aren't towing, you just pop the covers back on, and you've got a flat bed again. But before you get to that point, you have to actually get the hardware mounted to the frame.
Why Go OEM Over Standard Rails?
If you're on the fence about whether to go through the trouble of a ram oem puck system installation or just slap some universal rails in there, think about the long-term use of your truck. Universal rails are fine, they've worked for decades, but they are a constant obstacle. The OEM puck system is designed specifically for the Ram frame. It uses the existing mounting points that the factory would have used if the truck had been built with the prep package on day one.
Going the OEM route means you're getting a cleaner look and, arguably, a much sturdier connection to the frame. You're not just sandwiching the bed metal; you're bolting heavy-duty brackets directly into the high-strength steel frame of the truck. It gives you a lot more confidence when you're pulling a 15,000-pound fifth wheel through the mountains.
Getting Your Tools Ready
Before you even think about crawling under the truck, make sure you have everything you need. There's nothing worse than being halfway through a bolt-up and realizing you don't have the right socket size.
You'll definitely need a high-quality drill and a set of hole saws. Specifically, you're going to need a 3-and-a-half-inch hole saw for the center gooseneck hole and usually a 3-and-1-quarter-inch saw for the puck holes, though you should double-check the instructions that come with your specific kit. A torque wrench is non-negotiable here. You're dealing with massive amounts of towing weight; "hand tight" or "good enough" isn't going to cut it. You want those bolts torqued exactly to the manufacturer's specs.
The Prep Work
First things first: you have to make room. If your truck has a spare tire tucked up under the bed (which most Rams do), drop it and move it out of the way. It gives you so much more breathing room to move around. Some guys even prefer to lift the bed off the frame entirely. While that sounds like a massive chore, it actually makes the ram oem puck system installation incredibly easy because you have total access to everything. However, if you have a couple of jacks and some patience, you can definitely do this with the bed on.
If you're keeping the bed on, you'll likely need to loosen the bed bolts and jack the bed up a few inches on one side at a time to slide the heavy cross-member into place. It's a bit of a balancing act, but it beats having to recruit four friends to help you lift a heavy truck bed off the frame.
The Scariest Part: Drilling the Holes
I won't lie to you—the first time you press a hole saw against the paint of your expensive truck, your heart is going to beat a little faster. It's the point of no return. The key here is measurement. Most kits come with a template, or at the very least, very specific measurements based on the center of the bed and the rear wheel wells.
Measure three times, drill once. Once you have your pilot holes drilled, double-check the alignment from underneath. You want to make sure those holes are lining up perfectly with the brackets you're about to bolt to the frame. When you actually start cutting the large holes, take it slow. Don't let the drill bit overheat, and try to keep it as level as possible. Once the holes are cut, I always recommend hitting the raw edges with some touch-up paint or a bit of rust inhibitor. You don't want your brand-new puck system to be the starting point for bed rust five years down the road.
Bolting the Brackets to the Frame
With the holes cut, you can start the heavy lifting. The puck system consists of a large center section (for the gooseneck) and the four outer pucks. These are supported by heavy-duty brackets that bolt directly to the frame rails.
One thing people often run into during a ram oem puck system installation is clearance issues with the exhaust or the heat shields. You might have to temporarily drop the exhaust hangers to get the passenger-side bracket into place. It's a bit of a juggle, but it's part of the process.
When you're threading the bolts, start them all by hand. You want everything to be loose and "floppy" until all the hardware is in place. If you tighten one side down completely, you'll likely find that the holes on the other side are just a fraction of an inch off, and you'll be fighting the metal the whole time. Once every bolt is started, then you can go through and snug them up before finally hitting them with the torque wrench.
Dealing with the Electrical
If your kit came with the 7-pin connector for the bed, you'll also be cutting a hole in the side of the bed wall. This is a huge convenience feature. No one wants to drape their trailer cord over the tailgate. Most Ram trucks already have a plug-and-play harness underneath, so you just unplug the rear bumper connector, plug in the "T" harness that comes with the kit, and run the new wire up into the bed. It's probably the easiest part of the whole job, but it makes the biggest difference in how professional the final setup looks.
Finishing Touches and Testing
After everything is bolted down and torqued, it's time to lower the bed back down (if you moved it) and re-install the bed bolts. Take a look at your pucks—they should be sitting nice and flush within the holes you cut. Most kits come with plastic trim rings that snap into place to hide the cut metal and give it that factory-finished look.
Before you hook up your 15,000-pound trailer and head for the highway, do a test fit. Drop your fifth-wheel hitch or your gooseneck ball into the system. It should slide in and lock smoothly. If you have to hammer it in, something might be slightly out of alignment, and you'll want to loosen the frame bolts and nudge things around until it's perfect.
Is It Worth Doing Yourself?
At the end of the day, a ram oem puck system installation is a big job, but it's rewarding. You'll save a few hundred bucks in labor costs at the dealership, and you'll know exactly how it was put together. There's a certain peace of mind that comes from knowing you personally torqued every bolt that's holding your trailer to your truck.
If you take your time, keep your workspace organized, and follow the measurements to the letter, you'll end up with a towing setup that looks like it rolled right off the assembly line in Detroit. Plus, you get to keep that flat bed floor that makes these trucks so versatile in the first place. Just grab a buddy, a solid set of sockets, and maybe a cold drink for when you finish—you're going to love the results.