Sam Memmolo
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TDR - LET'S TOW WITH OUR NEW TRUCKS,
...maybe! Well as we all know by now the 2003 Turbo Diesel 2500 and 3500 series are selling like crazy. Most every dealer anxiously awaits that wonderful sight of the car haulers pulling in with a load of shiny new heavy-duty hardware. The red ones look especially hot! That's why Diana and I selected the red truck as the poster truck on our website. I know, the black duallies look great, but having owned one, I can attest to the incredible job it is to keep one of these "Black Beauties" looking sharp. In fact, I can personally take credit for relieving the drought in Georgia last year. Yep, you guessed it. It would not rain for weeks, and maybe even months. Then as soon as I washed and waxed "Midnite", bingo, it would rain enough to at least make the rear fenders dirty. With all of her stainless steel, and that sharp black paint job, that truck was a handful to keep up that showroom shine.
Well here's a tip. Do not, repeat, do not drill the new style frames to add accessories. The manufacturer will void the frame warranty. These new frames are structurally engineered very closely. The holes that are already there are not drilled. They use the same process as wheel manufacturers use to punch or extrude those holes. If you drill the chassis, you can weaken it. Think about how many times you've seen the "DO NOT DRILL" placard on the chassis of class 8 trucks. They also have hydro-formed frames. So you bought your new 2500 or 3500 to tow the horse trailer or fifth- wheel travel trailer. Now what? Most hitches require drilling or worse yet, welding to install. Many dealers who have an accessory department have experienced an unhappy customer who purchased and took delivery of their new truck, only to find out that they could not drill the chassis to add the gooseneck or fifth wheel hitch. Most require some form of drilling or welding to the chassis. Dealers who are on top of their game know how to handle the situation.
For those who want the best, here's the simple solution. B & W Custom Truck Beds in Humboldt, Kansas has a setup that works great. I spoke with Scott Marsh, their National Sales and Marketing manager at a recent taping of Two Guys Garage. We installed their unit on an F 250 4X4. It was a pretty truck all dressed up in its black suit. I know it's a Ford, but I don't make the decisions as to what makes appear on our TV show. We have had Chevy, Ford, and Dodge trucks make an appearance, so we think it's pretty even at this point. B & W manufactures the "Turnover Ball" gooseneck hitch. It's the only one approved for the Turbo Diesel 2500 and 3500 series trucks. This hitch installs easily, in less than an hour, with No drilling of the chassis. The only holes that are made are a four-inch hole in the bed sheet metal, and four half-inch holes for the spring-loaded safety chain hooks. This unit bolts in, and has a rugged, well-engineered steel frame that assembles under the bed. Even the safety chain hooks anchor directly into this steel framework. The "Turnover Ball" gooseneck hitch has a 30,000-pound "GTW "or "Gross Towing Weight" rating, and carries a seventy-five hundred pound tongue weight rating. It's slick, and convenient to use. The ball comes out, and turns over to store within itself, leaving the truck's bed floor fully unobstructed. The receiver for the ball is machined steel with a very close tolerance for a trailer hitch. This means that there is smoother towing, and when stowed, it repels dirt and other debris which could otherwise get down inside. So if you haul feed or grain for the livestock, and then need to tow the agricultural trailer, no problem. An as an aside, they offer a complete line of accessories that allow you to tow most configurations of gooseneck trailers. They have available the "Kingpin", "Eyelet". And "Inverted Ball" type adapters, as well as the two and five sixteenths in standard and high-rise models. There's even a three-inch ball available. The ball release hides neatly out of the way in the driver's side rear wheel opening. This makes it easy to lock and unlock the turnover ball. B & W has a lifetime warranty on this product. That suggests to me that they have confidence in their product. Okay, so much for the folks with gooseneck needs. What about you "Fifth-Wheelers"? Gotcha covered! They make the "Companion" fifth wheel RV Hitch. Again, no drilling, except for the four-inch hole and four small holes for the safety chain hooks. Here's the neat part. The "Companion" fifth wheel hitch mounts right onto the turnover ball setup. There are no mounting rails in the bed as in conventional fifth wheel setups, and with a few quick-release pins to remove, the fifth wheel unit comes right out to also leave the bed floor open for hauling sheets of plywood or anything else that would otherwise be a problem with all the usual apparatus in the bed. The "Companion" fifth wheel RV hitch has patented hydraulic dampeners for smooth towing with seven degree side to side tilt. The smooth acting locking jaw is a snap to release with a single lever, but is also well machined to a full one and one eighth inches for solid pin latching. The hitch also has vibration dampening polyurethane bushings for a quiet towing experience. The fifth wheel RV hitch is rated at eighteen thousand pounds, GTW With this setup, you have the best of "Three" worlds. You have an open bed with no obstructions, and with the flick of the wrist, you have a gooseneck hitch. With a little more effort, 9still very easy), you have the ability to tow a fifth wheel trailer. It's a great setup! If you want to dedicate your truck to a full time tow vehicle, or if you buy a cab & chassis unit, B & W makes a full line of custom truck beds. These are super premium all welded steel with exceptional craftsmanship. Each one is an individual creation, and a work of art. You can see their products in the accompanying photos, or log onto their website by logging on to www.turnoverball.com Scott and his crews support the truck manufacturers at the Professional Bull Rider's events nationwide. B&W sponsors this competition in arenas around the country. They have installed their hitches on several trucks in the parking area, lying on their backs. Each installation took less than one hour. When Dave Bowman and I installed the unit the Ford F-250 Super Duty for the TV show, it took us less than two hours, and that's with stopping for cameras and lighting. Besides, we're two old guys! I also made a simple jig to help with the drilling of the four-inch hole in the bed floor. Since we were using a four-inch hole saw, I did not want it to get away from me, (especially on camera where everyone could see). We took a piece of three-quarter inch plywood (any wood will do), and we drilled a hole in it using the hole saw. Then I put it in place on the bed floor, and was able to kneel on it. That helped to stabilize the hole saw. This is a worthwhile step, and a great little piece of safety insurance! The drill motor that I was using on TV was the biggest old relic that I've ever used. I think it was used to build the coliseum! It weighed a ton, had a defective switch, and more torque that a Cummins. If the hole saw bit, I was going around for a ride. The wood guide was a blessing. The layout is simple to measure, and the installation instructions were easy to follow. All these hitches are manufactured to exacting standards with state of the art laser cutters, robotic welders, and turret punch presses. B&W Custom Truck Beds, Inc. is a family owned business and was founded in 1986, and is still owned by one of the founding partners. I like stuff that's built by the original guy! If Diana and I ever sell our motor home, and decide to "Fifth-Wheel" it, we just might spring for one of B & W's custom truck beds. It's a thought! It may not be a mini Freightliner or a nifty International like Jim & Peg Anderson's rig, but it sure has lots of flash and function. So if you have a new truck and you need a hitch or a complete hand welded custom bed, B & W has the solution. They can be reached @ 800-248-6564. Happy Motoring!
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