GN Hitch help, need custom something

[SteveMiller]

I just bought a truck that has a hole in the bed for a gooseneck. Well I need to pull a gooseneck trailer this weekend so I have to figure out something to mount up.



What I have is what looks like heavy C channel open downward below the bed and some other metal stock inside that for support between the frame rails. It leaves me a hole that is just under 2. 2" in diameter and 2" deep. it looks like there was a 1ft by 1ft plate that sat above all this in the bed but no other holes anywhere.





Does anyone have suggestions on how to mount something up? I will want to be able to remove it when I'm done. I can weld something up if need be.



I would probably just remove what I have and buy a new kit but they did some good welding to the frame and it won't be easy to remove what's there.



Any suggestion will be appreciated.



Thanks

steve



97 Dually Ext. Cab 5Sp with 188k miles and still going strong

92 With hx35 12cm housing, gauges and seats from a 2003.

 

[SRadke]

Tough for me to picture what you have to work with any chance of getting a picture? The 1' square plate that sat on the floor of the bed, did it bolt down through the bed? If the ball was attached to this what was it attached to? Do you have two channels running across, one in front and one behind the hole? Sorry for all the questions.



-Scott

 

[SteveMiller]

Well this is a little on the simplistic side but its what's there. I probably gave too much info last time and made it more confusing.



There is a support under the bed that's been welded in with a hole through it and the bed that is 2. 188" in diameter. The hole has smooth sides and is 2" deep. it appears that there was a 1ft square plate that sat around above this but did not bolt to anything. Your guess on what the plate was for is as good as mine. I was thinking weight distribution or tabs for safety chains or something. But not bolted down. But in the short of things I have a hole and need to attach a ball somehow.



hope this helps.



Thanks for anyone's help that things they can give it.

 

[SRadke]

Is there any way you can slide another plate (with a smaller hole in it) between the bottom of the bed and the top of this channel and weld it in place? If so you could bolt the ball to your new plate and access the nut through the 2. 2" hole from the bottom. Maybe attach the new plate inside the channel on the bottom?



You say the hole is 2" deep, is it sleeved? Surely the channel is not that deep?



-Scott

 

[JPope]

Just guessing, but could the plate that was there have been for a fold down type gooseneck hitch. old truck I used to have had this arrangement, which may complicate another hitch installation that uses a different ype mounting?

 

[SteveMiller]

yes its sleeved and yes it really is that deep. If it wasn't I think I would just be trying to make some plates that I coule bolt through.



I would have to lift the bed up to get to the area to weld a plate between the two but that may not be a bad idea if there is enough room.



I was also just talking to a guy and what does anyone think of this? If I can get under the bed or if I just cut say a 4" hole in the bed and then make a 3inch "washer" and weld the nut to it and put the nut down in the hole and then weld the washer made out of plate to the support under the bed and then just thread the ball in and out when I need it?



So if this makes sense and will work how think of a piece of plate should I use? I have 1/2 laying around or 3/8. It will have an inch of overlap.

 

[SteveMiller]

I have looked for hitches out there that may work with this. I would be more than willing to buy pieces that are missing if that's all I need but I haven't found anything. The closest I found was the cody hitch. It slides into something like this and then turns on some pins to lock it in place.



codyhitch.com



You can see more there but there are not pins and if there used to be then they are gone. If someone knows of a hitch that someone sells the may work that would be great.

 

[Joe G.]

There is an hitch called a turn over ball. Could it be one of these? If so all you need is the ball.

 

[wyosteve]

Steve, what the guy told you about welding the nut in the hole is exactly how mine is set up. The nut is welded and the ball screws in and out from the top. Have had the same set up on all 5 of my trucks now and works great.

 

[SteveMiller]

Joe, I think what you are talking about is the B&W turn over ball. I would love to have one of those but they have a pin that holds it in place when it turns over and this definately doesn't have a pin. It really looks like something someone made at home.



I think I'll just go with the nut welded in idea. Seems the easiest and I dont' see how it won't hold up just fine. I'll drill in some holes for safety chains just for a little extra breathing room.



Thanks all

Steve

 

[JPope]

I have a Cody hitch in my CTD now. The ball has two protruding pins (180* a part) that fit in two slots that cause the ball to rotate as it goes down and then locks in place. The ball has a spring that causes it to expand into one of the slots to keep it from backing out. This occurs when the ball is verticle or down to store the ball.

The most noticable thing you would see on the Cody sleeve still on the truck would be the two slots (180* apart ) at the top of the sleeve that go from verticle to horizontal causing the ball pins to turn and stop verticle movement of the ball

Are there provisons for safety chain attachments on either side of the ball hole?