No drill frame?

[dutch6]

I was inquiring about installing a fifth wheel hitch in an '06 (or newer) 3500 and the hitch salesman said I would need a different mounting rail set (read more exoensive) as all Dodge trucks since '03 have "no drill frames". Apparently the rails for these trucks wrap around the frame somehow as drilling is not allowed.

Anyone care to comment?

 

[Hoefler]

You can drill them, but you will need to fish the bolts up to the holes you drill. Reese includes a wire you thread on the bolt to fish up to the holes for their fifth wheel rail brackets.

 

[jtwcummins]

I bit the bullet and went with the B&W companion. More expensive since their gooseneck hitch bolts up under the bed to the frame and the 5th wheel attaches to it. Only about a 4" hole in bed and when 5th hitch is removed the bed has no rails. Got a plug for the hole so have a full useable bed.



Didn't want to drill/weld to the frame to keep from having warranty issues. Dodge can get more than a little weird about things. Cost for hitches/wiring was 1200 installed. Tapped to 7 pin to get electrical for hookup.

 

[Bob4x4]

Home | Dodge Body Builder's Guide

you can pick up a little insight on what can and can not be done.



Bob

 

[DGamelin]

B&W is the cadillac of hitches. We sell a couple of different ones. I have a B&W in my 04. 5 and a reese in a 93.



04. 5 3500 4wd cc dully 373 6speed 50k

93 2500 2wd xc 354 auto 250k

 

[RVTRKN]

I went through that dilemma in 04 with my 04. 5 CTD and took me about 4 months to resolve. The odd part is, if I were to order my 5ver hitch through Frahm Dodge they would have a welder weld on brackets and if I were to have a local reputable hitch dealer install them, they would drill in the frame. Both were unacceptable to me and I had heard of a "bolt on/no drill required" bracket for the rails. It is a quarter of an inch thick and adds strength to the frame which is the opposite of the other methods. After driving my supplier nuts over this he finally found the brackets and I was able to install my hitch and tow with my new CTD.



See the pics of them installed below.



The only problem with these, are they don't work with the over load springs, as with the 3500 SRW for example, I guess they would only be for the 2500. I'm sure they could be custom fitted and welded, in which it would be better to weld on the brackets and not the frame, than void your warranty on the frame. The Reese part #50040 is a perfect fit and there is no need of locating were the pin would sit over the axle because it only fits in one position. Then all you have to do is drill from the bottom up for the rail bolt holes.



If I were to do it over again, I would install the B&W Companion, but for owners of shortbeds, they don't work and the Reese bracket with the rails will allow their slide hitches to work.

 

[DPellegrin]

Dutch6- I know this does not address your question specifically but several years ago I attended training put on by Peterbilt for customers that mount equipment on their frame rails. We were building "glider kits" at the time. According to Peterbilt engineers drilling holes in their frame was acceptable as long as you drilled in the web of the frame and stayed at least 1. 5 inches from the flanges, which is where most of the structural stress is absorbed. This is true for any truck builders frame. If you look at the Dodge truck frame it has many holes most of which are punched which is much harder on the frame than drilling a hole.



Regards,

 

[steved]

I drilled mine and used the universal kit supplied with the reese hitches... I have around 20k miles on it that way, without a problem.

 

[DKupec]

I don't think that it is the drilling of the frame rails that is the real issue with the Dodge frame. These are fully boxed frames and what they don't want you doing is drilling through and running a bolt through and tightening down a bolt on the opposite sides of the frame collapsing it. This would weaken the box and could cause the frame to buckle.

 

[dan.poitras]

Two of my brackets are bolted and the other two are welded. 112,000km no problems pulling a 14,000 lb 5th wheel

 

[JHardwick]

I don't think that it is the drilling of the frame rails that is the real issue with the Dodge frame. These are fully boxed frames and what they don't want you doing is drilling through and running a bolt through and tightening down a bolt on the opposite sides of the frame collapsing it. This would weaken the box and could cause the frame to buckle.

Exactly... ... ... ... .

 

[JHardwick]

I've had a goose plate welded in for 410,000 miles ... ... ... ... . 80% or more were towing miles.