Posted 2006-01-05 7:47 AM (#34931) Subject: Gooseneck hitch in Chevy 1 ton, problems?
Member
Posts: 14
Location: maryland
I was wondering if anyone had any info about installing a hitch in the bed of a Chevy 1 ton dually truck. A few people have told me that in these make of truck there is a crossbar ( or something like that) that needs to come out first. WHich makes it a bit more diffficult process. A friend had that same problem with his 2006 GMC 1 ton. ANy info would be great. Thanks
Posted 2006-01-05 7:57 AM (#34933 - in reply to #34931) Subject: RE: Gooseneck hitch in Chevy 1 ton, problems?
Expert
Posts: 2958 Location: North Carolina
What year truck do you have? And what brand hitch are you considering?
I installed a B&W hitch in my Chevy 2001 one ton. I did have to cut out a piece of the exhaust pipe heat shield. Nothing structural had to be removed. Took me six hours. A lot of the time was figuring and double checking. I could do it again in two hours if all the tools & materials were at hand.
Posted 2006-01-05 8:05 AM (#34934 - in reply to #34931) Subject: RE: Gooseneck hitch in Chevy 1 ton, problems?
Member
Posts: 14
Location: maryland
My truck is a 2002 1 ton ext cab dually, Chev. I am not sure what brand of hitch I would use. My friend just put one in his truck ( 2006 GMC 1 ton, not dually), and he said they had to get that peice out before he could put in the hitch, and it was a problem, due to that peice that has to come out? So he was looking at my truck and said that i would have to do the same thing. That if he had a plasma cutter it would have been easier.?? I am not too knowledgeable about this stuff. But it seems everyone who has a Chev or GMC would have the same problem?
Posted 2006-01-05 8:14 AM (#34936 - in reply to #34934) Subject: RE: Gooseneck hitch in Chevy 1 ton, problems?
Expert
Posts: 2958 Location: North Carolina
I used a Sawzall and the sheet metal zipped out.... no problem.
I can only speak for a B&W hitch and a Chevy 2001 dually. Another brand hitch may have an issue. But what ever brand hitch your friend used, I wouldn't buy ... if a structural member had to be cut out.
Posted 2006-01-05 8:19 AM (#34937 - in reply to #34931) Subject: RE: Gooseneck hitch in Chevy 1 ton, problems?
Member
Posts: 14
Location: maryland
I was thinking the same thing. It sounded like more of a problem and all. Maybe i can get more details on the peice he had to remove. But he had me worried that when i take it to a trailer dealer to get a hitch installed it is goint to be about $1,000.00? Like I said, this is all kind of new to me b/c right now i have a bumper pull trailer. Thanks
Posted 2006-01-05 8:28 AM (#34939 - in reply to #34931) Subject: RE: Gooseneck hitch in Chevy 1 ton, problems?
Elite Veteran
Posts: 634 Location: Tipton, IN
chd,
Just take it to a professional installer and have them put in a B&W, it ought to cost about $600 installed. B&W makes the most easily installed under bed hitches and have excellent history. Maybe it will be a bit higher in Maryland, but it shouldn't be that bad, nowhere near a thousand bucks.
Posted 2006-01-05 9:30 AM (#34944 - in reply to #34931) Subject: RE: Gooseneck hitch in Chevy 1 ton, problems?
Elite Veteran
Posts: 824 Location: Kansas
Another one to consider is a "Pop-up" (Brand name) hitch. They are different from the B&W in that the ball actually drops back into the bed rather than being "turned over". I like mine very well, but you do have to regularly grease them. Mine was about $300 installed, attached to the frame. The only problem is that the drop handle attaches fairly close to the tire on my truck (2000 Chev 1/2T, 6' bed) but I don't know that this would be a problem on any other kind of truck.
Posted 2006-01-05 10:02 AM (#34948 - in reply to #34931) Subject: RE: Gooseneck hitch in Chevy 1 ton, problems?
Member
Posts: 38 Location: Howard Cty, MD
I agree with Terri S. I have a PopUp gooseneck hitch installed in my 03 Ford F350 Dually and it's great. There is only a 3in hole for the ball (smallest hole of any 'drop down' hitch), plus the 2 safety chain connections. I purchased mine from R&B Steel Fabrications in Rockville, MD. They do first rate work. Find out more at: http://www.popuphitch.com/popup.htm
They can also install a 6 or 7 way plug in the bed of your truck as well as do spray in bed liners. Having the trailer plug in the bed of the truck makes it a lot easier to connect and you also don't have to worry about the cord catching on anything when making really sharp turns.
Posted 2006-01-05 3:15 PM (#34972 - in reply to #34934) Subject: RE: Gooseneck hitch in Chevy 1 ton, problems?
Expert
Posts: 2958 Location: North Carolina
Originally written by chd on 2006-01-05 7:05 AM
My friend just put one in his truck ( 2006 GMC 1 ton, not dually), ...
Just a small point ... I don't consider any single rear wheel p/u as a one ton truck since without the duals, it's just the same as a 3/4 ton truck. Marketing is the root of a lot of evil misinformation. (see the voucher thread for proof )
To paraphrase: UNless it quacks, swims, flys, walks, looks like a duck .... it ain't a duck
Posted 2006-01-05 3:30 PM (#34974 - in reply to #34931) Subject: RE: Gooseneck hitch in Chevy 1 ton, problems?
Expert
Posts: 2689
A_nother possible benefit of a pop_up MIGHT be less need for cranking.
I'm guessing that you could uncouple, crank a bit, drop the ball, crank a bit more and pull the truck away - - but ICBW.
I have an '03 1 ton, but it is a 3600 Chassis/Cab and I had a Hillsboro alumin flatbed put on it WHILE I WATCHED AND WAITED - there was NO cutting (-:
The only downside is that the ball is way down in a hole, so the trailer's coupler has to be cranked completely OUT of the trapdoor hole, but then it IS nice that I can just shut the flap and have the whole bed back again - CLEAN.
Posted 2006-01-08 8:43 AM (#35104 - in reply to #34972) Subject: RE: Gooseneck hitch in Chevy 1 ton, problems?
Regular
Posts: 54 Location: Danielsville,Ga.
Originally written by hosspuller on 2006-01-05 3:15 PM
Originally written by chd on 2006-01-05 7:05 AM
My friend just put one in his truck ( 2006 GMC 1 ton, not dually),...
Just a small point ... I don't consider any single rear wheel p/u as a one ton truck since without the duals, it's just the same as a 3/4 ton truck. Marketing is the root of a lot of evil misinformation. (see the voucher thread for proof )
To paraphrase: UNless it quacks, swims, flys, walks, looks like a duck .... it ain't a duck
PS. when is a duck not a duck?
.
.
.
.
When it's an egg ! Oh!! I crack myself up !
lol
The one ton single axle is the same as the dually,just minus two tires,the springs ,suspension,and axles are the same. the 1 ton single axle has 1,000 lbs higher payload capacity than the 3/4 ton,hence can handle a higher tongue weight than a 3/4 tongue.,but I did take note that you said in your opinion,you didn't claim it to be a fact.
Posted 2006-01-08 10:07 AM (#35108 - in reply to #34931) Subject: RE: Gooseneck hitch in Chevy 1 ton, problems?
Expert
Posts: 2689
In current colloquial usage - a 1 ton HAS dual rear wheels, sorta by definition.
Recent Mahh_ketting efforts have attempted to change that definition by using 350 and 3500 emblems on SRW trucks. They have succeeded to some extent, i.e. in the minds of some people.
With gas and diesel prices climbing steadily it is at least possible that there will be a reversal of this strategy, i.e. they will start to put the traditional "small truck emblems" on their larger trucks to convince the unwary that they aren't peddling gas hogs.
None of this should be taken too seriously, it is just a distraction from the fact that the "big 3" are still losing ground (RAPIDLY) to You_know_who
Q: What is the difference between a duck ?
A: One of it's legs is both the same.
Posted 2006-01-08 5:39 PM (#35130 - in reply to #34931) Subject: RE: Gooseneck hitch in Chevy 1 ton, problems?
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 560 Location: Mena, AR
I have a 2004 chevy 1-ton dually with a flip up ball. I went and look at it, and they did cut a cross member to install the hitch. Mine was installed at U-haul for around $400.00. I didn't see that they had any choice but to do it, to get the hitch in the right place. You would think that Chevy would take gooseneck hitches into consideration in their design. I really like my hitch (& truck). It said "Curt" on the plate in the bed of the truck. I had this same hitch in my 2002 chevy 3/4 ton. It's got a handle on it so you don't have to touch the greasy ball to pull it up or put it down.
Gooseneck hitch in Chevy 1 ton, problems?
