Frame modification information from D/C - 5th wheel hitches, etc

[Steve St.Laurent]

The TDR was sent this by D/C today regarding the installation of 5th wheel hitches, etc on the 03 frame. This is straight out of their chassis manual.



-Steve St. Laurent

Webmaster



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[LM6000]

air bags

I received an email from Air Lift today saying they did offer a 5000lb air bag kit for our trucks but only for SRWs. The part number is 57241. When I emailed them I told them of the hazy issue involving drilling the frame but their reply stated that their kit required drilling and that they had not heard anything about this. Scary!

 

[Casey Balvert]

I don't suppose that TDR would be willing to share the name, title and phone number of the person that sent that information on modifying the 2003 frames?



Casey

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

From Robert:



"This is a relatively new document taken directly from the Body Builders Guide Drilling Guidelines (dated December 4, 2002). Since it is a new document, it won't be in the Dealer's hands yet. It has been approved by the following DCX departments: Chassis, Vehicle Development, Safety and Legal. "



It will be provided in Issue 39 of the Turbo Diesel Register as well.

 

[Sled Puller]

There is nothing abnormal about those rules, common sense, really.

Is there any documents that say no sled pulling?

 

[Casey Balvert]

Steve and Robert:



Thanks for sharing that. However, one would think that with people cancelling orders or holding off on making an order, DC would want this document in the hands of the dealers, the hitch makers and the Customer Service Managers ASAP. Given the document was completed on December 4th, they are not in any particular hurry. Better late than never but I will certainly include my thoughts on their next customer service survey.



Casey

 

[Steve M]

I stopped by our local hitch and truck supply service center today to inquire about the new brackets. He had two sets of brackets for '03 2500 and 3500 with auxiliary springs. He called his supplier to confirm that they were for the '03. They are made by Drawtite and are compatible with my 15k Reese. I didn't get to see what they look like but it sounded promising.

 

[Casey Balvert]

Finally

I received an official response form DC today. It is Bulletin #03DR120902. I will forward it to TDR for posting as I cannot attach a pdf file. If anyone wants a copy before that, email me directly at -- email address removed --



Casey

 

[SteveH]

Steve M

I got my 5th wheel (22k tilt Reese) installed a couple of weeks ago by a very reputable trailer shop. They got a fax from Draw Tite giving the installation procedures for the 03. The brackets had to be ordered but they showed up in 3 or 4 days at a cost of $58 (dealer cost). I could be wrong but it looked like there were some "fishing holes" bigger than the recommendition mentioned by Steve above. These brackets that are required for the rear-most rail aren't just simple "L" brackets but have quite a lot of other cuts made in them. After spending this money on the brackets, it was discovered that Draw Tite didn't make the brackets as they should have. Both were for the driver's side and did not have the right holes in them for the passenger side. You'd think Draw Tite would make some kind of refund for this but, what the hey!

Steve H.

 

[Steve M]

http://www.drawtite-hitches.com/5th_wheel_hitches/15k_5th_wheel.html



Here's the part number and price for the adapter kit from Drawtite. I looks like I might be able to use my existing rail kit for my soon to be '03 2500.

 

[dkollar33]

I ordered a Reese Hitch back in October and was told 2 to 3 weeks for delivery. After that delay and disappointment not to get the hitch because Reese had yet to design it, the local Rv shop ordered me a Valley Hitch. It had funky brackets to mount the rear rail but the placement put them directly over holes that went clear through the frame. 13" 9/16 bolts (special made by a machine shop) completed the rear rail install. The front rail had to have a 5/8 clearance hole drilled in the top of the frame and a 1 1/4 clearance "fish hole" drilled in the side to facilitate putting on the nut. Needless to say I was satisfied to finally get the hitch in but very disappointed to find out exactly what I did wrong (drilling the top of the frame for the hitch and bottom of the frame for my Westin Nerf Bars (but that is a different story)) 4 months after I bought my truck.

 

[Steve M]

http://www.reeseprod.com/support/support/pdfs/updates_otb_63.pdf



http://www.reeseprod.com/support/support/pdfs/30056IN.pdf



Here's a couple of pages of interest. Looks like I'll have to buy a coule of items to install my Reese 15k from my '01 to my '03

 

[Steve M]

Just finished installing my Reese 15k into my '03 2500. All I needed was the updated hardware kit that includes a couple of spacer tubes that go inside the bed crossmember sill. I installed it as per the instructions for a 2002 1500 with the exception of the right rear bracket. It would have been way more trouble to mount it to the inside of the chassis so I ground flat the outside end of one of the muffler hanger rods to make room for the bracket on the outside of the chassis. I was able to torque the frame bracket bolts to 85 ft lbs but I had to use an offset box end wrench on the bed bolts and estimate 85 ft lbs until I can pick up a 1/2" drive crows foot for my torque wrench.

The installation was actually less work than I thought it would be. No worry about drilling into wires or fluid lines since it's a box steel tube. Fishing the bolts in was easy with a guitar string and electrical tape. A 17/32" drill bit is hard to find so I used a new 1/2" bit and wallered the holes out a little. The studs pulled in easy and held tight. A Dremel tool was handy for grinding off the weld and cutting the one inch holes for the spacer tubes.

I took a few pics if anyone is interested. They're in jpeg format.