B&W Turnover GN - Self Install?

[ARedmon]

I'm thinking about buying a B&W Turnover Ball Gooseneck hitch for my 2005 Dodge Ram diesel. The shop wants $300 to install. Is this something that I can install myself? What do you use to make the 4 inch hole through the bed and bedliner ( I have a Mopar drop-in bedliner in the truck)?

After that I want to get the 5th wheel B&W Companion Hitch. Anyone have any experience with this combination? I'm planning to buy a 26 - 28 ft 5th Wheel and a gooseneck flat-bed trailer to haul hay rolls. Am I on the right track here?

 

[JCrockett]

I think that would be your best bet. My buddy had the Companion hitch with his RV and said it worked nicely. I have installed a B&W on my 05, very straight forward. You need to buy a 4" hole saw for your hole. Measure 3 or 4 times cut once. Just follow the instruction, it is all a bolt on procedure. I would remove your drop in liner and measure the dimensions on the bed itself, cut the hole, then throw your liner back in and cut the hole for that up from the bottom through your bed. That way you can be certain your hole is in the right spot, the drop in liners are not an exact fit and it would suck if your hole was in the wrong place by 1/2" or so.



Good luck.

 

[MRiley]

I have the same set up in my truck. I started with a pop up but switched to B&W so that I could use the Companion Hitch. I have a 30 ft toy hauler. I like the hitch (both as a goose and a 5er) it seems to be very well made. The 5th is really a nice htich. Good features and well made. Just make sure not to forget to torque down the bolts when you instal each time. (just ask me how I know)

As far as install goes. .



You'll need a hole saw for the bed cut. I let the dealer install mine. I would think your looking at about 1/2 day in the drive way with all the right tools. It usually takes me a bit longer than the shops. The kit is pretty much a bolt up, so there should be very little drilling. I think the only drilling was on the hitch hole in the bed on my truck. Just make sure you measure the hole carefully befor you cut. The directions are pretty complete. I was going to instal mine but then I had surgery and got lazy!



By the way I talked my uncle in to the same set up for his ford. He had a 40 ft toy hauler. He has had the same experience that I had. Good hitch / well made. He did his own install and said that it wasn't bad...

 

[Pavemen]

I installed mine with help from my dad (lucky he was here visiting). Its not really a one man job just for the shear weight of the components and the lack of room to manuever. It was easier for my to get under the truck and have my dad slide me parts.

Took about two hours to install once we went back and chased all the threaded parts that were gummed up with paint (I didn't check before starting the intsall).

I used a jigsaw with a metal blade to cut the main hole. I used a 4" hole saw as a tempalte to trace the lines. It wasn't a metal cutting holesaw, so I needed to use the jig. Cam out nicely and fits well.

Overall the install went well, but the rear angle iron piece is taller than the bed cross braces, so my bed it pushed up near the hitch. I have not heard of this issue from anyone else though.

 

[KSears]

As the others have said ,, it is a very well made product, good instructions, and doesn't take much time. I installed mine in a little over an hour. Definately remove the bedliner first,,(mine is a spray in). Buy a good brand of hole saw and be sure it will be ok for cutting metal ( Lennox,Starrett,etc). You will probably need a drill with a 1/2" chuck,larger bits usually take larger arbors,, measure very carefully,, it goes together very well ,just follow the instructions,,torgue all the bolts good, you will be set,,the companion hitch works great. .

 

[mitchC]

I have installed a few myself. All have good things to point out. Drop your spare tire out of there it makes a huge difference. I placed a 2x4 on the bed rails and a small come along to crank up the center piece up. You can use a drift to line up the bolt holes. Read those directions two or three times make sure of your dimension Short bed or Long bed.

 

[Pavemen]

above poster mentioned using a come-along. i ended up run a chunk of chain through the hole in the bed into the receiver and then closed the pin. bolted the chain together above the bed and slid a chunk of DOM through the now looped chain. my dad lifted on end of the tube to lever the hitch up flush to the underside of the bed so i could bolt it up.

 

[Crash&Burn]

Aredmon... ...

Did you shop around for the best price?

 

[KEnglish]

I did mine myself in a few hours. As mentioned above measure accurately and use a 4' hole saw and a come along and it goes very smoothly. They make a quality product, powder coated instead of painted and everything lines up and fits very well. Good luck.

 

[ARedmon]

Thanks, guys! You've talked me into it. I believe I can do it with a little help from a friend.

I was thinking of getting a gooeseneck adapter for the 5th wheel until I read some posts about it. Seems too risky now. That's what led me to look at the B&W GN with the companion 5th wheel.

Now, another thing. What should I expect to pay to get the electrical plug-in put in the bed? I'm guessing that a splitter of some sort is used because I want to keep the plug-in at the back bumper also for my small trailer. I won't be doing this myself because I'm not knowledgable about electrical stuff at all. I'm a retired machinist and have worked on my own vehicles enough to do the hitch install after you guys gave me your ideas but I don't know electrical stuff at all.

Thanks again guys

 

[Posm]

I am slow and did mine in about two hours. The come-along through the hole trick makes it very easy. The directions were great! I put a piece of masking tape in the bed and market it with a pen. Then I read the directions again and measued once more, and just to be sure I measured again and then I center punched it and never looked back.

I bought mine from Autagga Hitches. They had great prices and quick delivery.

Autauga Hitches



If a profesional charges over $100. 00 for this install they are too high. THe wild card is a light plug. I use my factory plug.



Bryan

 

[IC Smoke]

I did mine on both the 01 and 06 biggest issue was drilling the hole 2nd was using a 2x4 and a ratchet strap to bring the "plate" up close to where I could handle it to get the bolts in. Other than that its straight forward and the directions are great!



enjoy!



Ian

 

[Russknh]

T/O Hitch

The advice you have been given is right on the mark, pay attention to removing the spare and use a slow turning half inch drill motor with a side handle if you can find one, when that 4" hole saw hangs up it will wrap you around the bed a couple of times if it don't rip off your fingers--ask my kid--it was a good show

 

[jelag]

We've installed a group of these... and a jig saw with a metal blade works better for us than a hole saw... if the hole saw hangs up as mentioned your in for a ride... the jig saw follows your line well and actually is faster... .

I own a big mag drill and would have tried that but it won't mount that big of a hole saw in it... .

 

[JCrockett]

7 pin plug in bed

https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/towing-hauling-rv-forum/122764-wiring-new-7-pin-plug.html





half way down the posts there is a link to a kit you can buy, for your plug in the bed