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INSTALLATION
LONG BED G.M. 1987 TO 2001
CREW CAB G.M. 1992 TO 2001
DODGE 1994 TO 2001
FORD F250/F350 HD. SD. 1968 TO 2001
The bed does not need to be
loosened for these models.
Tools needed
3 1/4 in. hole saw (metal cutting) , drill motor to
drive it (I recommend large Spade handle type), small chain (approximately 6
ft long with hooks), small chain binder, 1/2 in. drill bit, 1/4 in drill bit,
tapered punch, some sort of jack and a piece of scrap plywood or paneling.
Drill guide, a piece of strap or angle about 8 in.
long with three in line holes 3 1/2 in apart. the end ones are 1/2 in diameter
and the middle one is 1/4 in. diameter.
The 3 1/4 inch hole saw is the size needed through the
bed floor.
The plywood is to guide the hole saw while cutting
through the bed. Cut a hole through it with the hole saw. After the 1/4 in.
pilot hole is through the bed floor, place the plywood hole so the hole saw is
guided by it. Stand on the plywood to steady the saw while sawing through the
bed.
(Practicing on scrap sheet metal might be a good idea,
holes are hard to move or erase.)
The jack is to lift the weight of the vehicle by the
frame allowing enough room over the wheels to work without removing them.
The chain and chain binder is to run through the drill
handle while drilling the holes in the frame. (Makes a drill press)
Dodge 4 wheel drive 1/2 & 3/4 Ton have
plastic fender liners that must be removed before and reinstalled after
mounting the hitch.
Some models have heat shields to be removed. (Save the
parts and replace them when the hitch is removed.)
This hitch can be bent with extreme
tongue weight. Only Dualies need be concerned. For them extra
braces are available. Single tired trucks will blow the tires before
bending the hitch. This is not a safety issue, only cosmetic. A bent hitch
looks bad.
The hitch will be shipped assembled . It will have to
be completely disassembled for installation. The main plate will be stenciled Front
G.M./Ford on one edge Dodge Front on the opposite edge. The
side opposite the mounted hardware will be stenciled TOP.
The side with the mounted hardware will be marked Bottom.. The
holes for the side brackets are, G.M. outside row, FORD and DODGE inner row.
Lock washers are used when installing in truck. Shakeproof lock washers are
included with extra bolts and nuts.
Jack up the truck by the frame enough to slide the
main plate between the frame and bed above the wheel. (note TOP and FRONT )
Without lifting the plate, start the front bolt through the bracket into the
threaded hole in the main plate, with the bracket pointing at right angle to
the frame (outward) then lift the main plate with a prybar and swing the
bracket toward the rear onto the frame top. ( Dodge will require more force
because of the snug fit)
Then align ( Using the tapered punch) and insert the
other four bolts. Same song other side. Tighten these ten bolts at this time.
On G.M. and Ford make sure the assembly is pushed to the rear against the bed
cross member. Dodge will be in place.
Under the truck. Place drill guide across the large
hole in main plate and hold in place with bolts in the tapped holes . (Align
the 1/4 hole to the bed corrugation center, pry the plate left or right to
suit.)
This is the last chance to back out. Double
check location and orientation before drilling holes.
Drill (gasp) a 1/4 in. hole through the bed through
the drill guide from the bottom.
( No Bedliner ? Skip this part.) Bedliners should be
sawed with a slightly larger hole saw (3 3/8 to 3 3/4 in.) and the cut out
part, pop riveted to the cover button to make a matching cover. The locating
hole will be drilled through the bedliner from the bottom when you locate
through the bed from the drill guide. Slide a board under the bedliner to hold
it up while cutting the hole. Then use the 3 1/4 hole saw on the bed through
the bedliner hole.
Topside, hole saw the 3 1/4 in. hole using the 1/4 in.
pilot hole punched from the bottom and the plywood or paneling to steady the
hole saw, debur & clean the edges of the hole.
Now lift the casting into place and install the 16
bolts (with shakeproof lockwashers ) and tighten. The small chain can be used
to lift the casting through the hole while starting the bolts. At this time
make sure of the alignment into the hole in the bed. There is usually a little
room to float everything into place by placing the ball into the socket and
bumping it or prying the mount from the bottom.
Now it’s time to bolt it to the frame. There will be
space between the brackets and the frame, not to worry, that’s to be filled
with flat washers when installing the bolts, to avoid distorting or
moving anything from where it is aligned.
Check inside of frame for wires and lines
and move them before drilling ; or relocate the hole to miss them.
The chain and chain binder is to run through the drill
handle to make a simple drill press while drilling the holes in the frame.
Hook the chain to some sturdy part of the vehicle about 1/3 the chain length
forward and run through the drill handle and rearward about the same distance
to another solid attachment point. Using the tire as a work table, insert the
1/2 in. drill into one of the pre drilled holes in the bracket, level the
drill motor (with thin blocks ,if necessary), hook chain binder to chain,
start drill, tension chain binder to press drill through
frame.
An alternate method is to drill small 3/16 inch pilot
holes through the frame then open them up with a 1/2 in. drill. I use the
chain because I’m a too light to push a drill through more than one frame a
day.
After drilling each hole, fill the space between the
bracket and frame with flat washers at the hole, insert a bolt through the
bracket, washers and frame. Do not tighten any bolt until all ten bolts are
placed then install lock washers and nuts and tighten. If you tighten any bolt
before the rest are inserted it could pull the hitch out of position.
Congratulations on successfully installing the Quick
Hitch mount for the 15 second gooseneck ball. Continue reading for ball
installation instructions
BALL INSTALLATION
To install the ball for use. Make sure the nut is all
the way against the shoulder above the threads. Drop the shank through the hole.
Turn the ball to the right. Lift into the notch and turn the nut to the right
until it holds the ball up tight. Then take a BIG HAMMER and
tighten the nut to the right. Don’t be shy, this ball must stay tight
while pulling your property down the road. (With practice this can be done in 10
or 15 seconds.)
To remove the ball, reverse the nut all the way left to
the shoulder above it. Turn the ball left & lift out.
The cover furnished with the hitch works just like a
thermos bottle stopper, adjustable with the wing nut to suit the need.
At this time QUICK HITCH is available for all models
large enough to pull gooseneck trailers in G.M., Ford and Dodge including the
2001 versions.
Models not listed above use different parts and slightly
different methods than those described.
INSTALLATION for
G.M. 1968 TO 1986
CREW CAB G.M. 1968 TO 1991
DODGE 1972 TO 1993
FORD F150. SD. 1968 TO 1999 and
Eastern F250 to 1986
The bed does need to be loosened
for these models.
Tools needed:
3 1/4 in. holesaw
(metal cutting) , drillmotor to drive it (I recommend large Spade handle
type), small chain( apprx. 6 ft long with hooks), small chain binder, 1/2 in.
drill bit, 1/4 in drill bit, tapered punch,some sort of jack and a piece of
scrap plywood or paneling.
Drill guide, a piece
of strap or angle about 8 in. long with three in line holes 3 1/2 in apart.
the end ones are 1/2 in diameter and the middle one is 1/4 in. diameter.
The holesaw is the
size needed through the bed floor.
The plywood is to
guide the holesaw while cutting through the bed. Cut a hole through it with
the holesaw. After the 1/4 in. pilot hole is through the bed floor,place the
plywood hole so the holesaw is guided by it. Stand on the plywood to steady
the saw while sawing through the bed.
(Practicing on scrap
sheetmetal might be a good idea, holes are hard to move or erase.)
The jack is to lift
the weight of the vehicle by the frame allowing enough room over the wheels to
work without removing them. A small bottle jack will be needed to lift the
side of the bed temporarily.
The chain and chain
binder is to run through the drill handle while drilling the holes in the
frame. (Makes a drill press)
The hitch will be
shipped assembled . It will have to be completely disassembled for
installation. The main plate will be stenciled Front G.M./Ford
on one edge Dodge Front on the opposite edge. The side opposite
the mounted hardware will be stenciled TOP. The bottom will have
an X ground in it. The holes for the side brackets will be stenciled , G.M.
outside row, FORD and DODGE inner row. Lockwashers are used when installing in
truck. Shakeproof lockwashers are included with extra bolts and nuts. Early
G.M. models use a split main plate to clear the bed cross bracing.
Jack up the truck by
the frame enough to slide the main plate between the frame and bed above the
wheel.(note TOP and FRONT ) Loosen the bed bolts to the frame (Right side G.M.,
left side on Ford, or all six from the rear on Dodge) and use the bottle jack
to lift the bed enough to slide the main plate(‘s) under the bed . Install
the mounting brackets and tighten. ( On Dodge, shims must be installed between
the frame and bed at the bolts. 1/2 in. at the rear bolts ,3/8 in. at the
bolts just behind the axle, and 1/8 in. at the bolts just in front of the
axle. {They keep the bed from being bowed by the plate under the bed.}) Then
retighten the bed mount bolts.
Under the truck. Place
drill guide across the large hole in main plate and hold in place with bolts
in the tapped holes .( Align the 1/4 hole to the bed corrugation center, pry
the plate left or right to suit )
This is the last
chance to back out. Double check location and orientation before drilling
holes.
Drill (gasp) a 1/4in.
hole through the bed through the drill guide from the bottom.
( No Bedliner ?
Skip this part.) Bedliners should be sawed with a slightly larger holesaw
(3 3/8 to 3 3/4 in.) and the cut out part pop riveted to the cover button to
make a matching cover. The locating hole will be drilled through the bedliner
from the bottom when you locate through the bed from the drill guide. Slide a
board under the bedliner to hold it up while cutting the hole. Then use the 3
1/4 holesaw on the bed through the bedliner hole.
Topside, holesaw the 3
1/4 in. hole using the 1/4 in. pilot hole punched from the bottom and the
plywood or paneling to steady the holesaw, deburr & clean the edges of the
hole.
Now lift the casting
into place and install the 16 bolts (with shakeproof lockwashers ) and
tighten. The small chain can be used to lift the casting through the hole
while starting the bolts. At this time make sure of the alignment into the
hole in the bed. There is usually a little room to float everything into place
by placing the ball into the socket and bumping it or prying the mount from
the bottom.
Now it’s time to
bolt it to the frame. There may be spaces between the brackets and the frame,
not to worry, that’s to be filled with flat washers when installing the
bolts, to avoid distorting or moving anything from where it is aligned.
Check inside of frame
for wires and lines and move them before drilling
; or relocate the hole to miss them. The G.M. 1/2 ton brake line is over the
axle in the right frame.
The chain and chain
binder is to run through the drill handle to make a simple drill press while
drilling the holes in the frame. Hook the chain to some sturdy part of the
vehicle about 1/3 the chain length forward and run through the drill handle
and rearward about the same distance to another solid attachment point. Insert
the 1/2 in.drill into one of the pre drilled holes in the bracket, level the
drillmotor, hook chain binder to chain, start drill,
tension chain binder to press drill through frame.
After drilling each
hole, fill the space between the bracket and frame with flat washers at the
hole, insert a bolt through the bracket, washers and frame. Do not tighten any
bolt until all ten bolts are placed then install lockwashers and nuts and
tighten. If you tighten a bolt before the rest are inserted it could pull the
hitch out of position.
Congratulations on
successfully installing the Quick Hitch mount for the 15 second gooseneck
ball. Continue reading for ball installation
instructions.
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