Well, this weekend I saved myself about $750. by installing this hitch myself. I'm fairly handy, but I'm a paper pusher and not a mechanic - translation, if I can do it, you can do it.
The hitch Reese Pro Series 15K with rails took about 20 minutes to assemble out of the box. Basically bolting the legs to the head holder, dropping the head on, inserting one cotter pin and two clevis pins.
The F-350 custom brackets took about 4 hours. It would have taken less but the instructions required me to put on and take off my bifocals about 20 times! And the diagrams showing the correct bolt pattern are done very badly. Takes several tries before you can look at it and say Ah Ha, and tighten everything in place. The actual job entailed removing 2 existing brake cable hangers, enlarging one frame hole on each side of the truck from 3/8 to 1/2, and then bolting the brackets in place.
Then comes the scary part, drilling the holes in the bed. Measured very carefully, made my pilot hole and everything was right where it should be. Enlarged the bed holes to 1/2, put the bolts in and tightened everything to the proper torque. Minor problems fitting the steel spacers in place since the drilling process leaves a curl or lip on the bed bottom. Had to use a couple of fender washers on one stubborn bolt instead of the steel spacer.
All in all I spent $442. and about 5 hours doing a job that my 3 local RV dealerships wanted $1,100 to $1,300 for.
First time I ever bought from Etrailer.com and I was very satisfied with their price and delivery.
Congratulations ... Great Job ... We got lucky on our F 350 when we bought our first 5th-wheel they installed a Reese 15 K for free .. well included ... then we upgraded campers a while later and upgraded to the 16 K and it fit right in the rails that where already installed so no problem there.
Then we upgraded Trucks and it came pre-drilled for the Reese 30 K lowprofile and we just put the hitch together dropped it in and installed the included bolts. Both the 16 K and 30 K Reese came from etrailer.com and we also loved the service that we received from them. Sales people on the phone are well informed and give good advice.
2008 Newmar X-Aire 40CKSH
2007 Freightliner SportChassis RHA 114 330 hp/Mercedes Benz
2003 Ford Excursion Limited 7.3 l PSD (hers)
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