I am thinking of getting rid of my F-350 and getting a 2003 3500 SLT Quadcab LB DRW with a 6spd Cummins.<br> I am curious what people are using for 5th wheel hitches.<br> I have called Reese they said the will have a kit to put hitches in with their standard bed rails within a day or two, they even had a part number for it. The deal is though the guy I talked to said you would have to drill the frame to install the Reese.<br> I called Pull Rite at the end of last week. They said they had put a Superslide in a shortbed successfully but it would be a while before they would have something for a long bed. He said it might even be the end of the year before they have anything.<br> I have read up on the B&amp;W hitch but from what I have read I am not to fired up about there fifth wheel hitch. I was considering their Gooseneck set up and putting a converter on my RV to adapt it to Gooseneck. I called NuWa, the builder of my RV frame does not recommend that.<br> Anyway that is all I could come up with so far. Was hoping some one has done better than I have on finding an available fifth wheel hitch for a 2003 and post what they came up with or are using.<br>Thanks Randy

 

Randy,<br><br>Welcome to the forum. <br><br>Try this thread - - you just didn't go far enough in this topic.<br><br>http://www.dodge-diesel.org/yabbse/i...;threadid=5479<br><br>See if some of your questions might be answered there. We are all sort of in limbo waiting for Reese or someone to come up with something for real without drilling.<br><br>Bob

 

Bob,<br>Thanks for the welcome. <br> I talked to a man at Reese today and he said their kit will require drilling. I asked him about voiding the warranty on the truck. He proceeded to explain to me that everyone says that driiling will void the warranty on a truck but no one can ever produce proof of that in writing.<br> I read a post on TDR. The guy wrote Dodge directly asking about drilling on the frame. Here is a quote from the reply from Dodge,<br>&quot;The manufacturer of the fifth wheel hitch is responsible for providing an approved procedure to install the hitch to the vehicle. DaimlerChrysler Canada recommends not to drill or to weld the fifth wheel hitch to the frame. Please consult your fifth wheel hitch manufacturer for further information.. &quot;<br> So I am unsure if it is true if drilling the frame voids your warranty if Reese says that is how you install their hitch. <br> I will try writing DaimlerChrysler Canada and flat out ask them if the warranty is voided if you follow Reese's instructions and drill the frame to install their fifth wheel hitch. Unless someone here knows the answer and could educate me as to what the answer is.<br> Randy<br>

 

Ok, so Dodge builds this truck. It's meant for towing. They know people are going to want to install 5ver hitches on their vehicle. They also know that almost any hitch install requires drilling into the frame. So what are they thinking with this? Did they not even think about how a hitch was going to be attached to the vehicle? What is the deal with this frame? Is it that weak?

 

I read somewhere I believe it was a thread talking about the B&amp;W hitch that on the 2003 it clamps on to the frame. I can not help you much except I know that on a 2001 the B&amp;W bolts up to holes that are in the frame. I recommend this hitch. I can pull goose neck or 5ers with my truck and I do not have rails in my bed to put dings in stuff. If I recall correctly the 5er hitch is rated at 15k and the GN is more.<br><br>I don't think I would want holes drilled into the frame. Isn't the new 2003 frame a boxed frame?? If you drill it and tighten a bolt what is going to stop the frame from being pinching togather??<br>Good luck, I hope theabove helped you out.<br>See Ya<br>Chris

 

I called Chrysler this morning at 1-800-992-1997. After punching enough buttons I finally got to speak to a person. <br> I asked them if I could follow Reese's instructions on installing the Reese hitch and drill holes in the frame on a 2003 3500. They put me on hold for a couple of minutes and returned and said their technical person framilar with the capabilities of the trucks said yes it was OK to drill the frame to install a reese fifth wheel hitch.<br> I questioned the statement several times with the person and they said that was the offical word from the source Chrysler.<br> So I guess before I sign the papers for a new 2003 3500, I will insist the dealership confirm this and put it in writing. <br>FWIW Randy

 

O.K. so what if you do drill the frame. You still have to run a bolt all the way throught the frame and that will pull the box frame together and then you will have truble on your hands. I would go with the B&amp;W hands down. Thats what we are putting in all of our new 03's and it has worked wonderful. B&amp;W RULES 8) 8) 8)

 

You would have to drill the one side out to bolt size, and over size the whole on the other side of the frame so you can get the bolt head through. Pretty simple to do.

 

[quote author=Luke S link=board=11;threadid=6234;start=0#57544 date=1035575216]<br>O.K. so what if you do drill the frame. You still have to run a bolt all the way throught the frame and that will pull the box frame together and then you will have truble on your hands. I would go with the B&amp;W hands down. Thats what we are putting in all of our new 03's and it has worked wonderful. B&amp;W RULES 8) 8) 8)<br>[/quote]<br><br>Luke,<br><br>Now you did it. I am completely confused. The B&amp;W clamps on both sides of the frame - - the Reese clamps on both sides of the frame. One has the bolt going above and below the frame (if I am correct there) and other bolts go thru the frame. Both squeeze the frame. If the frame is so weak it will collapse with the Reese, why will it not collapse with the B&amp;W? Help me out here. I have not seen the installation of the B&amp;W so I am possibly incorrectly surmising how this hitch installs. And, if my White Ghost has a frame that weak, why did I buy it? Where can I see how the B&amp;W installation differs from the Reese?<br><br>ReallyReallyConfusedBob

 

Hey Luke, take a picture of one of those apple turnovers attached to a 2003 that you keep talking about. I think it would help us visualize what the hitch is like. Also, I have a set of instructions for the installation - obtained from a dealer who told me to throw them away once I got a hitch from B&amp;W for they could be different.<br><br>Question, do you have to lift one side of the truck bed to get part of the hitch on? My copy of the instructions says, &quot;We recommend removing the bed bots on the driver's side and lifting the bed, to give you more clearnace during installation of the hitch parts under the bed floor.&quot;<br><br>Here is a pic of the diagram: that is if I can figure out how to do it?<br><br><br><br><br><br>

 

Congrats to FiverBob on getting the puddy cat home- and in one piece I assume? I await mine (6-8 weeks), but it may take me that long to figure out what to for a hitch. I agree about how the seat feels to the butt (6'3&quot; here), I sat in one at the Sunbelt Expo last week. Oh so goooooood. Beats my 2002 Suburban. :

 

The actuall instruction with pictures are right on their web site, here is the link:<br><br>Instructions

 

I have received several messages as to how I mounted my hitch. Here is a description.<br><br>Daimler-Chrysler prefers that you don't weld or drill frame, that has been there position since at least 1990. At the time I needed mine mounted, none of the hitch manufacturers had their new mountinag systems tested and in production. D-C customer assistance informed me and others there was no drilling or welding problem with respect to the warranty. I talked to a certifed welder hitch installer used by the D-C dealer in our area . He stated that he would prefer to weld the brackets to the frame.<br><br>The standard brackets were used. The two longest brackets used to support the front bed rail must be installed outside the frame with the top leg of the bracket turned inward above the the frame. (The width between frame members is greater than the 94-2002 models.) The two shortest L-brackets are used for the rear bed rail. These two L-brackets must be installed inside the frame with the top leg turned away from the frame inward. Because of the spacing under bed reinforcing it may be necessary to drill an extra 1/2&quot; hole through the center each end on one bed-rail for the 2nd bolt. I would suggest use of a grade 8 by 1/2&quot; bolt of appropriate length. Use the number of washers needed as spacers to support the bed rail before tightening.<br><br>Both Reese (Draw-Tite is Reese) and Valley Industries should have their mounting systems for the 03 HDs available now.<br><br>My hitch-pin is 3 inches forward of axle center-line with my 8 ft bed. I positioned the bed rails and drilled all holes myself. I then used a wire brush to clean the surfaces for welding. I then tightened all bolts with the brackets in place. The welder finished welding the 4 brackets in 20 minutes. I was charged $35. Two hours later I was towing my 5er.

 

I just bought 2003 3500 hd 4x4 single with a 6 speed manual transmission. The arrangement with the dealer was to remove my 16k reese slider from my trade in vehicle (93 chev silverado. and install it in the new dodge 1 ton. They used a local hitch co. The dealer at the time of the sale told me they would have to drill the frame. I agreed, assuming that this was standard procedure. I talked to the installer when I picked up the vehicle about the mounting procedure, this is how the did it.<br>They had to fabricate or alter frame brackets the had in stock by shortening and then welding . Then they drilled the frame from one side only and used a spiral threaded self-taping bolt to anchor to the frame, 3 brackets per rail were used..They also place a spacer bar between the rails and bed(approx. 1/2&quot thick so I could keep the factory box liner in place. I also found out later that this was the first insallation on the new frame style they had done and that they used the dimensions from my truck to design a prototype bracket that is channel shape to fit side ways along the frame with rail brackets prewelded to the bracket and using existing holes in fram for positive location. Guess I jumped the gun a little on the installation but the manufacturer of the new bracket has promised to give me 1 of the first production run brackets. The installer, name is The Hitch Co. in Brunaby B.C. Canada. Hope this is helpful for others in the similar predicament.