B&W Trailer Hitches Turnoverball Model 1105 (Ford) User Manual
Before installing, Installation instructions, Ball location
BEFORE INSTALLING
OVERHEAD LIFTING DEVICE
WARNING
Most trucks have FUEL LINES and/or BRAKE LINES and/or ELECTRICAL WIRES located along the frame rails
where B&W Turnover Ball hitches install. Carefully examine the location of fuel lines, brake lines and electrical
wires BEFORE INSTALLATION. Be certain you will not damage fuel lines, brake lines or electrical wires when
positioning hitch components, drilling holes, tightening fasteners, and lifting and lowering the truck bed. The fuel
tank vent, located on top of the gas tank, can be easily damaged during the installation of the hitch compo-
nents. Care must be taken when positioning the front crossmember and center section components.
WARNING
On Short bed trucks, BEFORE INSTALLING THIS HITCH, check for adequate turning clearance between the front
of all of your trailers and the truck cab.
WARNING
DO NOT invert the ball in the socket when carrying heavy loads on 2 wheel drive trucks. The ball may hit the top
of the differential. Remove the ball from the socket before loading. A plug for the socket is available from B & W.
An overhead-lifting device, such as chain falls, engine hoist, or cable come-a-
long, can be used to lift the center section of the hitch in place. Lower a loop of
rope or chain through the 4" hole in the truck bed floor and attach it to the latch
pin in the round hitch receiver tube in the center section. Use the lifting device to
raise the center section until the round hitch receiver tube that protrudes from the
center section fits in the 4" hole in the truck bed floor. Maintaining upward pres-
sure may facilitate fastening the crossmember to the center section, especially if
the truck bed floor has been distorted downward from heavy use. If you use an
overhead-lifting device, it should be disconnected before squaring the center
section across the frame, installing the sideplates and torquing fasteners.
INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS
The front angle-iron crossmember is able to accommodate either installation location by turning
the angle end-for-end. The notches are made at two different depths; the shallower notches would sit
on the frame for the 49 inch location and the deeper notches are used against the frame for the 46
inch location. The rear angle-iron crossmember will work for both locations.
STEP 2
Remove the heat shield located above the rear axle under the truck bed. Some
newer trucks have adhesive heat shields installed on the under side of the bed floor
and may not need to be removed.
On 2004 and older trucks the emergency brake cable located on the outside
of the driver’s side frame will have to be relocated. Knock the mounting stud out of
the frame and discard. A relocating bolt is furnished in the kit and will be installed
later.
On 2005 and newer trucks equipped with a gasoline engine the
fuel line and bracket will have to be relocated. This is located inside the
frame on the driver’s side. Remove the nut holding the fuel line retaining
clip. Rotate the retaining clip 90 degrees with the stud facing down. Install
the relocating bracket to the frame with one of the 5/16" x 1" carriage
bolts with flange nut. The bracket should have the long leg with two hole’s
facing down and to the inside of the frame when installed correctly. Next
fasten the retaining clip to the relocation bracket using the nut that was
removed earlier.
STEP 6
Select the back crossmember (2) with only one set of notches. With
the horizontal side up and the slotted side facing the Front of the truck, position it
across the top of the frame rails, between the bed and frame, by pushing it through
the opening from the wheel well on the driver’s side. When the crossmember is across
the frame rails, move it to the rear, up on the higher section of the frame rails. (The
notches may not fit down over the frame at the forward location, but will fit properly
once it is moved rearward to the top of the hump in the frame). Position it approxi-
mately 2 inches behind the hole in the truck bed floor, and use a crescent wrench or
channel locks on the slotted side of the crossmember to rotate it down on its long
axis, placing the side without slots flush against the truck bed floor. Select the front
crossmember (1) with two sets of notches. (Determine which ball location is being
installed. (Remember for the 49” location the shallow notches should be oriented
down against the truck frame. The 46” location requires the deep notches to be
against the truck frame). Position the angle so that the correct notch will set against
the truck frame, hold the angle in an inverted “V” position, and push the angle across
the frame using the notch in the bed floor flange for clearance at the apex of the
angle. With the angle spanning the frame, it can be rolled over the top of the shock
mount and moved rearward to approximately two inches in front of the hole in the
truck bed floor. (When installing at the 49" location the front crossmember will set
partially over the passenger side shock mount. The angle has been machined to
accommodate this bracket.)
The two crossmembers should be approximately parallel, about 9” apart, equally
spaced in front of and behind the hole in the truck bed floor.
BALL LOCATION:
*See Operating Instructions for further explanation
STEP 1
Begin by verifying and measuring the correct hole location in the truck bed floor. Measure from the
back end (tailgate end) of the truck bed floor by hooking a tape measure over the end of the truck
bed (not including the tailgate)and marking the floor at the correct measurement. Center the mea-
surement between the fender wheel wells. This location is critical to the correct installation of this
hitch, so measure, mark and saw carefully. If the truck has a plastic bed liner, you may drill through
both, but it is more difficult to accurately locate the midpoint between the fender wheel wells, and to
be sure that the bed liner does not move while sawing the hole. Make a 4-inch hole at this location
using a four inch hole saw, or by marking a 4 inch circle and cutting it out with a sabersaw equipped
with a metal cutting blade.
STEP 5
Install the two hitch cross members. They will be installed by sliding
them from inside the wheel well, above the tire, through the gap between the
bed and the truck’s frame and across until they span the frame rails. The gap
between the bed and frame is large enough to allow this, but the gap is
partially obstructed by a sheet metal flange (about 1 inch in height) that is
hanging down from the bottom of the truck bed floor. (see diagram). A small
notch needs to be made in this flange on the Driver’s side of the truck.
Locate front truck bed cross member. Measure over 1 1/4” from the back of
the cross member and make a mark. This will be the center point for the
notch that is needed. Mark and cut a 7/8” wide by 3/8” tall notch.
STEP 4
On 2005 and newer trucks equipped with a diesel engine the tail pipe will need to be lowered. First remove
the tail pipe bracket just behind the rear tire on the passenger side. Next install the extension bracket that is
supplied in the kit. Using the same bolt and hole in the frame that was holding the tail pipe bracket fasten the
round hole in the extension bracket to the frame. The extension bracket should have two square holes below the
round one with the center square hole toward the rear of the truck when installed correctly. Place a 5/16"
carriage bolt in the top square hole and through the frame, then fasten with a flange nut. Next fasten the tail
pipe bracket to the extension bracket using a carriage bolt placed though the bottom square hole of the exten-
sion bracket then into the tail pipe bracket. Secure with flange nut. If this does not give clearance after the
hitch is installed it may be necessary to pry between the muffler and the hanger at the rear of the muffler.
STEP 3
The 1105R mounting kit allows the hitch to be installed in two different locations.
When selecting the ball location the following should be considered. For truck cab clearance reasons
Short bed trucks are recommended to be drilled at 46” from the back of bed. This will place the ball
3-1/2” in front of the rear axle.
Long bed trucks can be drilled at two different locations 49” location will place the ball at 6-1/2” in
front of the rear axle. The 46” location (see above warning for 2WD trucks) will place the ball at
3-1/2” in front of the rear axle. Some truck / trailer combinations may not have adequate clearance
between the cab and trailer. The trailer or trailers that will be pulled should be considered when making
the decision for the ball location. See Step 1 for locating and drilling of the 4“ hole.