B&W Turnover ball install question

[Dieselnerd]

The dealer where I purchased my B&W turnover ball hitch advised me to cut a 4. 25" hole instead of the 4. 00" hole called for in the instructions. He said this is because the truck beds are not all exactly installed perfect at the factory. I was wondering if those of you who installed your own found this to be the case? I hate to cut a larger hole but if it doesn't match up you end up filing or grinding and that might look worse than the slightly larger hole. Comments?

 

[RustyJC]

I cut a 4" hole using a hole saw and have a perfect (although small) gap all the way around the raised portion of the receiver. And, yes, I measured half a dozen times and even had my wife come out to double-check me before I cut the hole. :-laf



Rusty

 

[CLAYTON]

Mine has a 4" hole as well... That's the first I've heard of someone saying to cut the hole a half inch bigger.

 

[JL penner]

Same here... I measured, then remeasured, then remeasured, then remeasured, then remeasured again, then I got another tape, and measured some more. Then I cut the hole. I have a slight gap all the way around, but not very noticable. When I get the LineX in you won't even be able to see it. If this guy is saying that he can't get it done without having to cut a bigger hole, then I would find another installer. If he cuts the 4" hole and it's off then his company will be buying you a new bed. That's the risk they take. And that's why I measured so many times :-laf

 

[BGlidewell]

I would not cut a larger hole...



I had the hitch dealer install mine but from the looks of things, it appears that you could drill the pilot hole for the hole-saw from under the bed using the hole in the hitch as a guide. Then cut the 4" hole from the top of the bed.

 

[tomg]

I had mine cut by the service center where I bought it. When I installed it it was cut about 1/8 to 3/16 th off but when you run the last group of nuts down it will crinkel the thin bed and doesn't look too bad with the mat over it. Very little in life is perfect.

 

[Dieselnerd]

Thanks for the quick responses. I think I'll use the 4" hole saw and make sure I use a lot of care doing my measurements. It could be the installer doesn't measure as carefully as I will on my own truck and uses the 4. 25 hole to make up for their errors in measurement. I'll be doing a spray in bedliner after the hitch is in.

 

[BGlidewell]

let me know if you need pictures

 

[dhill]

Thanks for the quick responses. I think I'll use the 4" hole saw and make sure I use a lot of care doing my measurements. It could be the installer doesn't measure as carefully as I will on my own truck and uses the 4. 25 hole to make up for their errors in measurement. I'll be doing a spray in bedliner after the hitch is in.

I just put mine in a couple of days ago. I too am going to have a spray in liner. The hole fits perfectly, that's the problem. I want to have the linex on the inside of the hole to cover up the edge that I cut. I now need to take out the hitch and enlarge the hole to allow for this. I need to remove the chain anchor u-bolts anyway. I think I should have cut this hole 4-1/8" instead of 4".



Dave

 

[DIESELMAN]

Your dealer is a dope. You have about 3/32 slop before you tighten all the bolts. Measure twice, cut once, 4". It will fit prefectly if you don't wallow it out, and spray in bed liner material can cover the seam right up to the square hole, none of mine have torn or peeled yet, leaves you with a square hole.



After drilling, then install the hardware, pulling the receiver through the hole before tightening, it looks trick.



Also, if you have the plastic bedline, the outside holes for the safety chain allow the safety loops to drop completely into the slots, it sucks getting them out, but its trick.

 

[Dieselnerd]

Just an update, I cut a 4" hole and the hitch fits perfect. I'm glad I asked you guys instead of taking the dealers advice on hole size. The hardest part was mental, getting ready to cut a big hole in a brand new truck. After that it was just bolting everything together. Much easier than the last hitch install on my 2nd gen which took a lot of drilling.

 

[klenger]

Did you do the whole installation yourself? Glad to hear it went well. Got to get that HH-II hooked up and go somewhere.

 

[Dieselnerd]

Ken, I did do it all myself. Very clean installation with just the one hole in the center of the bed. Very high quality hitch, all the parts were painted well and it's very overbuilt.

 

[Jumbo Jet]

I'm still carrying around that round 4" piece of sheet metal that was removed. Might need to weld it back in place one of these days.



My Rhino liner sealed the small gap and it is a very clean installation.



I understand the mental part. At my age, I typically screw everything up at least once or twice before getting it right, and you don't get a second chance to cut the 4" hole right!!

 

[lawdog]

You know. The 4" hole in the bed was as not a big of a deal as the 3/4" hole I drilled in the cab roof for the Sirius antenna... ... . ... . All is well with the B&W and the Sirius... ... . but the B&W being well painted... well built yes, well painted... . probly not. . mine was chipping just carefully installing it...