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Old 05-22-2009, 02:41 PM   #1
stiles watson
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Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Leona
Posts: 6,382
M.O.C. #2059
B&W Companion Hitch

Wow, not only is the MOC Forum helpful, but so are the rallies. Here at the Lake Siskiyou Rally I ran across Bill Napier (xthread). He had a B&W Companion hitch too. In comparing notes, I decided on investigating the possibility of repositioning my hitch. On investigation, what I found upset me significantly. The eight bolts that hold part of the hitch were apparently never fully tightened and torqued. The holes were wallowed out and the bolts were significantly worn.

Bill also noticed that the hitch pin that fits into the gooseneck hole was not installed properly. He produced installation instructions which I never had since my hitch was installed at a shop. I also called B&W Customer Service. The tech confirmed everything that Bill stated.

I went to every store (4) in Mt Shasta City to find the right replacement bolts, nuts, and washers, reassembled it in the new configuration and torqued everything to specifications. It was a major catastrophe just waiting to happen, but avoided by a conversation with a fellow MOCer. Thanks Bill!!
 
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Old 05-23-2009, 07:24 AM   #2
KTManiac
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I re-torque all of the bolts on a regular basis on mine, the 8 bolts that hold the arms on, and especially the U-bolts that clamp the Companion to the post. On the same schedule as checking the lug nuts on the wheels, might as well, 'cause I already have the torque wrench in my hand.

I have not dis-assembled the arms to look at the bolts and holes yet, but that sounds like something to add to the maintenance list. You didn't say if it was the holes on the arms, the Companion frame, or both were the ones that were messed up. If it is just the arms, you could buy replacements, if it's both, you might want to look at drilling the holes out to the next bigger bolt size to get them round again. It has been my experience with motorcycle sprockets & hubs that once the holes have been obrounded (wallowed out), they never stay put together again and keep failing, usually with a very bad outcome. There should be plenty of material to be able to re-drill all of the components without affecting the strength of them, but you should call B&W about it just to be sure.

Also, I need to get under the truck to check the nuts & bolts that hold the Turnover Ball hitch to the frame.
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Old 05-23-2009, 08:05 AM   #3
stiles watson
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Location: Leona
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M.O.C. #2059
Only the frame holes were elongated. The holes on the arms were unaffected (strange, but true) I repositioned the arms forward and used different frame holes. We will see what happens.

I did want to reposition them forward to see if it might address the sag which I should not be having on a 1-ton dually. I also discovered that the arm position meant that the center of the king pin was located about and inch behind the center of the axle. Now it is about an inch to an inch and a half in front of the axle.
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Old 05-24-2009, 02:09 AM   #4
greener
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Join Date: Nov 2007
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M.O.C. #7882
I want to add to this. Something DH found was the suare tube that the hitch sits on was set for the depth of a bedliner. So he had to adjust for that by moving the U bolts to the upper position. We have a spray-in bedliner. And to SW our hitch is in the forward position and the highest hole settings. We have about 8 inch bedrail clearance. Our truck only goes down a half inch with the trailer pin weight.(F450)
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