class V hitch install

[NSperduto]

Anyone installed a class V that did not go below the class IV. I was looking at the Reese Titan and see that it says you have to raise the bed to get the old hitch out.
Anybody know if that the case if you want to get the old hitch out whole. If I were to cut the main portion of the hitch off and just wanted to get the frame pieces off would I still need to raise the bed.

Not looking forward to trying to loosed the bed bolts due to I'm guessing they are all rusted.

 

[Blu-meanie]

If it's like the 2005 hitch, it's welded and you need a sawzall with a long blade. I cut mine off in 2008 to install a class V. No removing the bed. There are bolt on hitches or you can buy one that goes below the factory hitch if you don't want to cut it off. I just replaced that hitch (which went out of business) with a Curt 15704, it hangs down 3" below the bumper. The hitch I ordered is no longer made, of course. I wanted one that hugged the bumper. It also has a 2½" receiver so you need an insert. If you want my tales of woe about that part, send me a pm and I will elaborate about that fiasco.

 

[NSperduto]

I didn't want a hitch that hangs below the stock one. I want to remove the stock one and put another one on. The reese directions say removing the oem hitch as a whole unit requires you to lift the bed to rotate the hitch up and out of some slots that are on the top of the frame. I was just wondering if I could cut the main portion of the hitch off because I don't want it anymore if I could then gets whats left off the frame without rasing the bed.
Who makes a class V that you cut the OEM off and leave the rest there?

 

[Blu-meanie]

The Curt 15704 is the only one I could find, other than the $700-900 ones. I would rather leave that support the OEM hitch is welded to. This Curt hitch only hangs down 3".

 

[Blu-meanie]

1000 words:

 

[FJfonda]

I just did the Reese Titan V which requires removing 6 of the 8 bed bolts to raise the bed in order to remove the factory hitch. Removing the bed bolts and jacking up the bed only adds 30 min to the project at most. The problem with the Curtis mfg hitch is that it will require you to buy new drawbars as the hitch height changes, the Reese Titan centerline is at the same height +- 1/2" as the factory hitch. Shop around, I found mine online (ecustomhitch.com) for $336. Here is a picture of the height and my "special" hitch cover, my bro owns one of those other brand names, gotta poke at every chance!!

 

[NSperduto]

You didnt have any trouble with rusted bed bolts? I'm not as worried about height change. All my drawbars are adjustable.

 

[FJfonda]

You didnt have any trouble with rusted bed bolts? I'm not as worried about height change. All my drawbars are adjustable.

I thought I would have rust problems as I am in the northeast and the underside of the truck is a mess. I hit them daily with WD 40 -- gotta bend the straw to get to the bolt ends -- for a few days and used an impact wrench. The eased out pretty quickly. You will need an impact extension to fit through the frame.... all the hitch, bumper and bed bolts came off pretty easy. One note since your truck is an '04 as well, if you go with the Titan V you will be short 6 12mm - 1.5 nuts to refasten the bumper bolts. The oem hitch has both speed nuts and welded nuts that are not reusable and the hitch hardware kit does not have replacements. You might wanna double check the size, simply spin one of the bumper bracket bolts out and match a shouldered nut up to it. I thought the bed bolts and wire snaking the front brackets with the bolts would be the worst part but they were the easier pieces of the project. Holding the hitch on the jack to install the 1st 2 bolts was probably the most difficult... has to coerce some spousal assist on that one.

 

[AH64ID]

Blu-meanie, I am not sure where you got your info but the hitch on the 05's, or any 3rd gen, is not welded to the frame. It does appear that way at first glance, but it's not.

The bed does have to be lifted to remove the OEM hitch as it wraps around the top of the frame. This really isn't a bad job, and the bed is lighter than you might think.

I removed my OEM hitch and installed a Reese 45299, class V hitch. It's rated for 18K lbs towing, and up to 2500 TW with a WDH. It is a 2 1/2" receiver, but you can have a reducing sleeve welded in if your don't need it. I had that done, and it works well.

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You can see here where the OEM hitch was installed. The main reason I chose this hitch is because of how it installed, everything else used too few bolts and looked sketchy at best.

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