Fifth Wheel

[CJ2A]

I need to install a fifth wheel ball inmy 1971 K20 to pull our stock trailer and horse trailer. I have not found a manufacturer that makes a fifth wheel hitch for the 67-72 pickups. Should like a hide away ball. What have others done ?

[tdangle]

You may need to adapt a hitch for a newer truck and do some fabrication. A lot of trucks have a 34" wide frame, so it shouldn't be too bad.

[Sheepdip]

I bought this one and made my own parts to attach/mount to my frame.

https://www.etrailer.com/Accessories...All%20Products

[burnin oil]

You wond find a kit. Most cheap universal's are weld in. Looknfor the highest wieght capacity and you will not buckle it. By the way you want a gooseneck ball and plate. A fifth wheel is the thing on the back of a semi. I don't mean for that to sound mean but I can see how it could be taken that way in print.

[CJ2A]

Thanks Everyone

I like the pricing on the Curt

I tried to specify what I was looking for in the description by saying “fifth wheel ball”

B&W responded that the under bed hide-away-hitch for a 1973 Chevy 3/4 ton 4x4 will fit a 1971 Chevy 3/4 ton 4x4 pickup. I do not have a square body and was wondering the frame inside dimensions & out side dimensions ? Are the measurements similar to a 1971 ?

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by CJ2A

Should like a hide away ball.

Originally Posted by CJ2A

I tried to specify what I was looking for in the description by saying “fifth wheel ball”

That sounds more like a "gooseneck" to me.

[Mike C]

I bought a ‘83 crew cab recently that had a smooth 2.2” sleeve in the bed and tried to figure out what sort of ball shank THAT was! I found that it is a setup to make your own gooseneck hitch. The sleeve and the ball can be bought from 4 Wheel parts. Then with an 8” wide c-channel and a 4” wide c-channel you can make your own.

On my truck the 8” is welded to the frame, but I would put flanges on it and bolt it in. The 8” piece fits flat to the bottom of the bed over the top of the frame rails. Flanges would be welded to the ends of the channel and bolted to the outside of the frame. The 4” channel is about 15” long and welded to the bottom the 8” channel the opposite direction forming a box. Then the sleeve is welded between the two pieces of channel. Now the smooth ball drops in and is kept from pulling out with a hitch pin. Add your self some spring loaded tie down loops like the B&W turnover ball setup has.

Not as slick as the turnover ball in action since you have to crawl under the truck to pin/un-pin, but you should be able to build it for not much more than a $100 and still have a removeable ball. I’ll get link to pieces and edit post.

Cheapest place I found. Get the 3” sleeve since it minimizes up/down movement with the pin. I think they have free shipping if you spend $75.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.4wheelparts.com/p/bw-hit...R-BQVL-HB94013

https://www.4wheelparts.com/p/bw-hit...iABEgKUq_D_BwE