Gooseneck ball removal question?

[Trusty Steed]

I just purchased a truck with a gooseneck ball. I will be using the truck with a tag, and need to remove the gooseneck ball. I know they make a couple different designs where the ball can drop down to use the bed. I am trying to figure out what I have here, and how to get it level in the bed again with the least amount of work possible.



In the bed on either side of the ball are holes. One is occupied with a bolt. If I remove the bolt, I can knock a plate loose that goes around the ball. There is a pin with Spring on the bottom of the hitch, but the pin does not seem to want to come out. It rotates on the pin, but will not remove. The ball looks like a big solid shaft that goes through that pivoting plate down several inches. From the bottom side, all I can see is what appears to be a grease zerk on the bottom of the ball shaft. I can not tell what retains the ball as there is steel all around the bottom of the ball shaft, with the exception of where the "zerk" is visible. I can not understand why the top plate will pivot up, and hit the ball, but will seem to do nothing else. Is this a drop down ball type of mechanism, or do I need to unbolt the whole hitch assembly.



Help please.



Thanks

Jay

 

[Trusty Steed]

I figured it out. My ball was so frozen in, when I beat on it, it did not move, so it did not seem like it would fold down. Anyway, I lubed it to death, lifted the plate a bit, and wailed on the ball and got some movement. It will in fact pivot so that it will pass through the pivoting plate and pass down into the bed with the plate folding over the top. I am in good shape now.



Jay