2002 2500HD - Solid Axle Tow Rig

I really wish I knew the guy that welded this dumbass gooseneck hitch on this truck so I could kick him square in the vagina. This crap is starting to be a lot of work! Whoever it was literally went through more trouble than it was worth and put more effort in to making and installing that dumpster fire of a hitch than if they had just spent a few bucks on a good hitch. At the very least they could have used something that wouldn't make your insurance company drop you if there was a wreck.

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I got everything cut off/ ground down and cut out the heat shield under the bed to make room for the new hitch. Now I just have to fit the patch piece in the bed floor, weld it in, and shoot some paint. Then the new hitch can go together. I'm getting to the short rows now, finally!
 
Eh, I've seen worse. Other than missing the principle of it being in front of the axle, it does look like they tried pretty hard to do a good job. Looks like a good example of lots of effort and work ethic, but the wrong equipment and insufficient knowledge. Seems like there's a guy on NC4x4 who does stuff like that regularly...
 
Croatan_Kid said:
Check out this piece of shit! They mounted it directly over the center line of the axle like a dumbass and cut right through that bed crossmember.
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Never messed with one, but for future reference, where is the proper place to mount it?
 
grapehead said:
Never messed with one, but for future reference, where is the proper place to mount it?
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You want it in front of the centerline of the rear axle for weight distribution and anti-sway properties. We took an entire thread completely off topic arguing (not-arguing) about this a couple months ago :D
 
Oh we were definitely arguing.
 
:lol:
 
Slowly, but surely. I'm hoping to get the patch welded in tomorrow and install the hitch too....after a trip to the eye doctor. I got a piece of metal in my eye Wednesday night when I was grinding the welds off the frame. Yes, I was wearing safety glasses and I have been every time I've gotten something in my eye. Go figure. Must be time for me to start wearing birth control goggles instead!

I drilled the spot welds so it'd be easier to fix. I can weld in the crossmember piece and then lay the sheetmetal on top. I can trace the shape of it this way also.

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Shows what I'll be cutting out.
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All trimmed up and cut out.
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Ready for some welds...gotta do proper surface prep!
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I'd still like to find the original owner that did all of this and thump him firmly on the scrotum!

Edit: Just noticed that you guys can see my shaft in a few of those pictures!
 
Aside from wearing full goggles or a face shield, I like these to help keep metal out of the eye. Cheap and comfortable and more effective than regular safety glasses.

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They have a foam ring around the glasses and reduce the gap between the glasses and your face yet aren’t uncomfortable like regular goggles, etc. they seem to work well as we use them regularly. They make some with elastic band that seal more than those but I don’t like those.
 
Shitchea. I'll have to snag a few pairs of those.
 
Jackson Calico V50 Safety Eyewear - Clear 25672 I wear the Jackson nemesis and love em besides non scratch resistant I've dropped em from 50'+ and still wearing em with little scratches. I have 3m goggles for metal cutting bc a blade on my eye ball scratching rust off sucked ass, I'll never be going through that again! The calico are sweet I've seen em without strap and aren't as heavy as they look and stay put well for their size without the strap!
 
Got my eye taken care of this morning. They dug out the chunk of metal and did a little dremel work. Good to go.

I got everything cut out and trimmed to fit today. Didn't take a picture of the bed support, but I obviously welded it up solid first and then got the floor patch tacked in before I had to leave for a softball game.

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If everybody will leave me the hell alone tomorrow, I plan to finish welding it in, grind everything flush, spray bomb everything (top side and bottom), and get the hitch mounted finally. I was planning to be tearing down for injectors already.
 
rockcity said:
Aside from wearing full goggles or a face shield, I like these to help keep metal out of the eye. Cheap and comfortable and more effective than regular safety glasses.

View attachment 266787

They have a foam ring around the glasses and reduce the gap between the glasses and your face yet aren’t uncomfortable like regular goggles, etc. they seem to work well as we use them regularly. They make some with elastic band that seal more than those but I don’t like those.
Click to expand...
Do they allow enough air movement to not fog up?
 
Mildly successful day...didn't get the hitch mounted, but that's the next step. Got a late start to the day because my eye was killing me. I did at least get the patch welded up, ground down, hole drilled, and painted.

I still want to kick the original owner square in the tallywacker. I don't remember the last time I had to grind so many welds. That shit took FOREVER.

Hoping to get the hitch bolted up tomorrow before work. We'll see.

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Croatan_Kid said:
Whoever made this booty fab gooseneck hitch...
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Croatan_Kid said:
Check out this piece of shit!
Click to expand...

Croatan_Kid said:
I really wish I knew the guy that welded this dumbass gooseneck hitch on this truck so I could kick him square in the vagina.
Click to expand...

Croatan_Kid said:
I'd still like to find the original owner that did all of this and thump him firmly on the scrotum!
Click to expand...

Croatan_Kid said:
I still want to kick the original owner square in the tallywacker.
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Just keeping track of how many times that poor bastard is going to get the cunt punt! :lol:
 
ALL of the times, twice on Sundays, and double or nothing on alternating Wednesdays!
 
Finalllllly :smokin:

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Now I am no longer living in fear of killing a bus load of children and nuns because my shitty hitch broke! :driver:
 
That may be the most effort anyone has had to put in to mounting a simple, bolt on hitch!
 
Croatan_Kid said:
That may be the most effort anyone has had to put in to mounting a simple, bolt on hitch!
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And in 6 months when that sucker is a beautiful shade of solid rust, you'll take it off and paint it :D (the B&W that is..YOUR work will be fine)
 
I won't take it off. It'll get some Rustoleum Universal gloss black shot on it right where it sits! If I had the equipment, I would have blasted and painted it before installing it.
 
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