Turn Ball Hitch

[FullPull]

Anybody here install a turn ball hitch themselves, if so how dificult was it ?

Scott

[ropinfool]

If you are refering to the B & W turnover ball, I have installed several. Pretty easy to do as long as you follow instructions. I think the hardest one was on a short bed new body style chev. The drivers side holes were tough to reach the back side of. Great hitch though. Good luck. John

[MaxRock]

ropinfool,

I have a couple of questions for you! Do you have any experience with the companion 5th wheel hitch for the B&W? Second, where are you buying your hithes or where is a good place to purchase?

Thanks,
MaxRock

[DalDMax]

I installed mine about a month ago after getting experience installing the B&W on SilverBullet's truck ;)

The one thing that I learned and did on my install was to devise a way to hold the hitch tightly in place from above the bed. I got a piece of chain that the hitch latch pin would go through, then wrapped the other end of the chain around a 2x4 in the bed of the truck.

I set one end of the 2x4 on one wheel hump, then using a bottle jack under the other end I "jacked" the hitch tightly into place. This made all the difference when attaching the cross bars and allowed me to install the thing by my self in about 3 hours.

Get a top notch 4" hole saw and a POWERFUL drill for making the hole in the bed. After drilling the 4" hole, apply some paint to the metal edge to help seal it before sticking the hitch in.

[ropinfool]

I do have a little experience with the companion (I am putting one in my truck). I bought my B & W turnover ball off ebay for $259 + $60 shipping. Best deal I found anywhere. I haven't found a great deal on the companion yet, But I'm looking! :D John

[DBlake]

I have the BW Turnover Ball and Compainion 5th wheel hitch. I can't say that I have found any fault with it. It seems to work as advertised. It installs and comes out easily. I would recommend it to anyone. The best part is a flat bed when it comes out!

[cowboywildbill]

I replaced a reese rail system goose neck and fifth wheel hitch system with the B&W turn over ball in my truck. Then had we the bed rinolined. I love the B&W hitch. The reese hitch had those rails that remained in the bed, even after I removed whichever hitch I was towing with, and if you hauled anything like hay or firewood/dirt or gravel, it would get under the rails and was a real pain to clean out. Also, I always tripped over the rails while walking in the bed. I do a lot of heavy towing of both types, a fifth wheel and gooseneck. Instead of buying the fifthwheel companion, I purchased a goosenck adapter that bolted onto our trailer's fifth wheel (kingpin plate). I tow my Fifth wheel just like a goose neck now. To my suprise, it is easier to hook up now, and it tows and handles better than it did when I towed it with the fifth wheel hitch. And I don't have to put any other hitch in. I do it all with a ball now. If I towed other fifth wheels, like a trailer transporter does,then I guess I would buy a companion, but since I only have the one fifth wheel trailer, it was cost effective and more convenient for us. Just a thought Good luck with your hitch, you will love it.And it is so nice to have an unobstructed bed to lay things in and easy to sweep out when your done hauling. Drive safe.

[Rockin]

Just installed B&W turnover ball Sunday. It took five hours to do the hitch, airbags and the plug in the bed with two of us.

A good hole saw is very worth the expense. I think we were melting through the bed faster than cutting. The heat shield was a pain. It would be nice if they made a cutout template or something. I would say to try cutting it from the bed cross member forward to the next support and don't take out a single screw.

The guy I installed it with works for a trailer place and was able to get the hitch, air bags and prodigy for $540. The internet couldn't touch that price.