Either way works fine. If you have the spray in liner done after the Turnoverball is installed, you have the advantage of the liner covering the cut edges of the hole in the bed.
The great thing about having a square base in a round hole is that the dirt has a place to go. How much grease is needed is a function of how much it is used and how dirty the environment. If you notice that the grease coating on your ball is gone, it's probably time to apply more!
The Turnoverball will work with a Suspension Lift, but not with a Body Lift. In order for our hitch to work properly, the distance between the bed and the frame must be maintained. A body lift separates these components.
Our hitches are made to fit a particular year and make of truck and cannot be moved to a different make of truck. In some cases, a hitch can be moved from an older to a newer truck of the same make. B&W covers only the first installation under warranty. Contact our installation department for more information, 1-800-248-6564.
Other companies can manufacture items and even market them to be used with B&W products, but that does not mean that they are endorsed by us or safe to use. In addition, if these products cause ours to be used outside the 'normal use' of our product then it would void the warranty on ours.
To the best of our knowledge, Airlift and Firestone build an airbag system that is compatible with the Turnoverball for 2005 and newer trucks.
See Airlift's website at http://www.airliftcompany.com/ .
See Firestone's website at www.firestoneindustrial.com/riderite/ .
No. The latch pin system is designed to work by pulling the handle firmly outward until the spring is fully compressed, then rotating the handle clockwise about 1/8th of a turn. This locks the handle out so you can then turn the ball over. (See Image 1&2)
If the handle will not lock out using this procedure try troubleshooting with the following steps:
1. Pull the handle out and allow to pop back in 3-4 times to clear any debris from spring.
2. From under the truck check to ensure latch pin handle is properly bolted to the latch pin. There is a square tab welded to the end of the 5/8" latch pin. This tab should point up towards the bottom of the bed, and the loop of the latch pin handle should be on the cab (front) side of the tab. (See Image 3)
3. After trying the two previous solutions, clip one (and only one) coil off the end of the spring. This may allow the spring to compress enough so the latch is operational. (see pictures below)
If you have checked for proper installation and still have a problem, please call our installation department at 1-800-248-6564.
We have engineered the Turnoverball to be installed easily. Because you don't have to remove the bed, weld, or drill through the frame, the installation basically consists of drilling a four inch hole in the bed and bolting the hitch parts to the frame. Some users feel comfortable doing this themselves, but most consult one of our experienced dealers to do it for them. Installation times vary with experience of the installer and availability of tools (such as a lift or impact wrenches).
Check out our instillation videos on our YouTube page to see a hands on demonstration. http://www.youtube.com/user/BWTrailerHitches
As we all know, short bed trucks have become very popular trailer towing vehicles. The short answer is, " yes, the Turnoverball can be installed on every full-sized truck on the market." That said, it is very important that turning clearance is considered for every truck and trailer combination that will be used.
B&W offers a 4-inch extender that plugs into the receiver socket of the Turnoverball and moves the pivot point 4 inches rearward.
B&W also offers the Extend-A-Goose Coupler which offsets your trailer 10".
The first thing to try is to soak the Turnoverball with penetrating oil for up to a few days. If that doesn't loosen it up enough to pull out easily, some light tapping around the ball with a hammer may pop it loose. Just keep in mind that it should be light tapping. You don't want to damage your hitch with heavy hammer blows. If your Turnoverball is still frozen in place, you may have to unbolt the center section from under the truck and have it pressed out. One thing you don't want to do is to use heat to try to free the hitch. Heating up metal can change its temper and strength characteristics.
You will definitely want to know what your truck’s rating is before undertaking any towing activity. While we would love to be able to help our customers with those figures, they vary not only based on Make, Model and Year, but also things like Engine Size, Type of Transmission and even Gear to Axle Ratios. Luckily, there are several places to learn about your truck’s tow rating.
1 – Check your owner’s manual. Most owner’s manuals will have something regarding a tow rating, even for passenger cars. What you may find is that some manufacturers will provide extensive information on important ratings, while others provide a bare minimum.
2 – If your owner’s manual doesn’t provide the information you need, or if what is in there proves to be confusing, contact your local truck dealer. They will usually have that information readily available, or will be able to find it quickly. Having your VIN number handy will help this process along.
3 – Check the manufacturer’s website for the make and model of your truck. If you’re looking at buying a new truck, most manufacturer’s websites will offer at least some figures. If you still can’t find the pertinent information on your own, usually there will be a combination of e-mail, telephone and live chat options where you can hopefully get a direct answer.
4 – There are numerous online sites with detailed information. Here is one site that offers a good range of information. It includes PDF copies of past issues of Trailer Life magazine. Locate your year, make and model of your vehicle to find tow ratings, along with other helpful ratings. A website search will provide other sources of information.
www.trailerlife.com/trailer-towing-guides
With your trailer loaded and hitched up, pull just your vehicle onto a commecial scale, making sure the trailer is not on the scale. Weigh your vehicle with the trailer attached and note that weight.
Next, unhook the trailer and jack up the trailer until there is no trailer weight on the hitch. Make sure the trailer jack is not on the scale. Record that weight of only the truck. This is your Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW).
Now subtract your GVW from the weight with the trailer attached. This will give you your Vertical Tow Weight.