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Old 10-05-2017, 10:20 AM   #21
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Originally Posted by phalaney View Post
Did TM say why? If they did and if the answer was because of the frame being blocked by wire, lines, gismos, then what is holding your rails down? I could probably figure this out on my own, but you know for sure.

Time to review my e mail trail from TM. I might have read lazily and missed something...
OK, I THINK I'm caught up. We're looking at the bed rails, and the frame rail brackets are mounted to your frame (which had to have some holes drilled in it), under the bed. The idea of being able to dispense with the bed rails was magical thinking on my part.

Except for some possibly bad nomenclature, which you can figure out from context, would you please point out any untruths in my post? Also, if I've got my story straight, would love to see pix of the frame rail brackets and their mounting, which admittedly means contact with the ground. Maybe you can point me to a stock pic, or just demur. Thanks for your time and pix already volunteered, either way
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Old 10-05-2017, 07:39 PM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tford View Post
Can you put a B&W hidden ball in a Colorado and end up with a flat bed with no rails?
Quote:
Originally Posted by gmchamplin View Post
Trademasters say "no".
Quote:
Originally Posted by phalaney View Post
Did TM say why? If they did and if the answer was because of the frame being blocked by wire, lines, gismos, then what is holding your rails down?
Unlike the brackets for the rails, the B&W Turnoverball (like similar under-bed ball hitches) has structure right across, frame rail to frame rail, under the bed floor. B&W does not list a version of this product for the Colorado/Canyon. I don't know if the issue is interference, lack of frame holes for mounting, or just lack of demand for this product for a smaller truck.

There are no Colorado/Canyon brackets from Curt or Reese for their equivalent hitches, either, although there might be another brand that would fit. If I had a Colorado or Canyon I would look under the bed, near the axle, to see what might be in the way. Perhaps custom brackets would be possible?
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Old 10-05-2017, 10:55 PM   #23
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It was a long time ago when I asked about the turnover ball for the canyon, but I believe the answer was that the parts to install it were just not available.

I did confirm today that I can hitch and tow with the Backflip bed cover in the forward horizontal position, as shown in this picture.
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Old 10-05-2017, 10:59 PM   #24
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this picture:
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Old 10-06-2017, 06:48 AM   #25
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Originally Posted by Brian B-P View Post
Unlike the brackets for the rails, the B&W Turnoverball (like similar under-bed ball hitches) has structure right across, frame rail to frame rail, under the bed floor. B&W does not list a version of this product for the Colorado/Canyon. I don't know if the issue is interference, lack of frame holes for mounting, or just lack of demand for this product for a smaller truck.

There are no Colorado/Canyon brackets from Curt or Reese for their equivalent hitches, either, although there might be another brand that would fit. If I had a Colorado or Canyon I would look under the bed, near the axle, to see what might be in the way. Perhaps custom brackets would be possible?
Thx, but I'm just gonna ask TM, and accept their reply. We want to stay as "stock" as possible, and the bed rails that Gary and Peggy have are acceptable to us. We went 22 years in the old K2500 with uglier, more intrusive ones...
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Old 10-14-2017, 10:49 PM   #26
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done

We dropped our truck off at trademasters at 8:30, and they weren't done until about 3:30pm. He said he's going to add time to further Colorados as they ran into some unexpected tight areas/difficulty. But the final job looks great.
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Old 10-15-2017, 12:32 AM   #27
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We dropped our truck off at trademasters at 8:30, and they weren't done until about 3:30pm. He said he's going to add time to further Colorados as they ran into some unexpected tight areas/difficulty.
Do you know what brand of rails and brackets Trademasters used?
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Old 10-15-2017, 08:53 AM   #28
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We dropped our truck off at trademasters at 8:30, and they weren't done until about 3:30pm. He said he's going to add time to further Colorados as they ran into some unexpected tight areas/difficulty. But the final job looks great.
Attachment 27692
Indeed it does. And when it's our turn we'll plan for the extra time, financially and with more books and puzzles.

This might be obvious to more informed trailer towers, but what hitch lock, if any, will you be using?
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Old 10-15-2017, 12:55 PM   #29
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Do you know what brand of rails and brackets Trademasters used?
When I made the appt, I remember she said that Andersons has a "universal bracket" that they were going to use, as there is not a specific "colorado" one. It was all ordered at the same time as the hitch itself.
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Old 10-15-2017, 01:14 PM   #30
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Indeed it does. And when it's our turn we'll plan for the extra time, financially and with more books and puzzles.

This might be obvious to more informed trailer towers, but what hitch lock, if any, will you be using?
Off of advice I got from another thread, I've ordered this:
https://ftknoxlocks.com/shop?olsFocu...onnection-lock
with this lock option:
Model No. A2010 | Master Lock

In hindsight, I should have ordered without the lock and got this lock:
Abloy Sentry PUCK Padlock offers High Security Protection
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Old 10-15-2017, 01:21 PM   #31
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When I made the appt, I remember she said that Andersons has a "universal bracket" that they were going to use, as there is not a specific "colorado" one. It was all ordered at the same time as the hitch itself.
Exactly the wording in our estimate. They look fine to me and are similar to those in an "installation with brackets" video for the Anderson Ultimate in their site.
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Old 10-15-2017, 03:04 PM   #32
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Originally Posted by drjenk View Post
Off of advice I got from another thread, I've ordered this:
https://ftknoxlocks.com/shop?olsFocu...onnection-lock
with this lock option:
Model No. A2010 | Master Lock

In hindsight, I should have ordered without the lock and got this lock:
Abloy Sentry PUCK Padlock offers High Security Protection
Thx, and just the thing. Especially good lead because I have nosed around in some of these sites and don't recall seeing either the encasement or the lock. They'll be in the truck when we leave next month...
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Old 10-16-2017, 08:37 PM   #33
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No problem! I'm happy so far with the install, won't be using it until feb '18 but glad to have it done.
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Old 02-21-2018, 11:29 AM   #34
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Safety chains for our setups.

Quote:
Originally Posted by drjenk View Post
Off of advice I got from another thread, I've ordered this:
https://ftknoxlocks.com/shop?olsFocu...onnection-lock
with this lock option:
Model No. A2010 | Master Lock

In hindsight, I should have ordered without the lock and got this lock:
Abloy Sentry PUCK Padlock offers High Security Protection
Hi drjenk. I'm sending this to you both privately and publicly. I'm wondering if you ran into this. We have almost identical vehicles and the same hitch and hitch lock. We're happy with all of it. But I would like to use safety chains and got them shipped in from Anderson yesterday. The eye bolts do not appear compatible with the ftknoxlock. I.e. the space for safety chain U's is not wide enough for the eye bolts, and are offset. I wrote Anderson with a link to the ftknoxloxk and they forwarded it to ftknoxlock. On hindsight that's probably whatI should have done. Right now I'm guessing that I'll be cutting on theftknoxloxk to make room for the eye bolts. Do you run safety chains? If so, then how? Thx drjenk, we need to get this sorted out within a couple of months...
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Old 02-21-2018, 11:46 AM   #35
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I use the FtKnoxLock and do not have any problem with the eye bolts for the chains fitting the lock. I have found it way easier to attach the chains to the truck and clip to the trailer as needed, opposite to a bumper pull setup.
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Old 02-21-2018, 11:47 AM   #36
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Hi drjenk. I'm sending this to you both privately and publicly. I'm wondering if you ran into this. We have almost identical vehicles and the same hitch and hitch lock. We're happy with all of it. But I would like to use safety chains and got them shipped in from Anderson yesterday. The eye bolts do not appear compatible with the ftknoxlock. I.e. the space for safety chain U's is not wide enough for the eye bolts, and are offset. I wrote Anderson with a link to the ftknoxloxk and they forwarded it to ftknoxlock. On hindsight that's probably whatI should have done. Right now I'm guessing that I'll be cutting on theftknoxloxk to make room for the eye bolts. Do you run safety chains? If so, then how? Thx drjenk, we need to get this sorted out within a couple of months...


I just responded privately but meant to do it publicly. Maybe there is a way to mount safety chains on the trailer frame itself. I’m kind of surprised escape does not provide these chains, as every bumper pull trailer I’ve owned came with safety chains.


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Old 02-21-2018, 12:31 PM   #37
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I’m kind of surprised escape does not provide these chains, as every bumper pull trailer I’ve owned came with safety chains.
Are we talking about a bumper pull or a 5th wheel? Every bumper pull trailer Escape makes does have safety chains. The 5th wheel of course does not - it's a 5th wheel.
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Old 02-21-2018, 01:58 PM   #38
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Maybe there is a way to mount safety chains on the trailer frame itself
Yes, that could be done, and it could be safer because it would keep the trailer and truck connected even in the (very unlikely) case of a coupler failure.

On the other hand, the further the chain attachment is from the pivot point, the longer the chain(s) would need to be to allow for normal turning and pitching and rolling. More chain length is more rattling, and more movement between the trailer and the truck if the chains are ever needed. Cables could be used, instead of chain, to reduce the rattling issue.
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Old 02-21-2018, 02:08 PM   #39
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Are we talking about a bumper pull or a 5th wheel? Every bumper pull trailer Escape makes does have safety chains. The 5th wheel of course does not - it's a 5th wheel.
In my case, a "5th wheel", with a ball mount. Consensus is that many US states require them, because it's a ball hitch, bed or rear mounted. FYI, my 19' Scamp bed mounted ball hitch, had chains and probably still does..
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Old 02-21-2018, 02:21 PM   #40
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I use the FtKnoxLock and do not have any problem with the eye bolts for the chains fitting the lock. I have found it way easier to attach the chains to the truck and clip to the trailer as needed, opposite to a bumper pull setup.
Thanks Chris. I might have made a goofy mistake on imagining how far my eye bolts thread in. The threads only extend ~1.5", and there's so much extra length to the eye bolts that I thought they stuck out more. But maybe they thread far enough in that I will end up like your pix.

No instructions, no vid that I can find. Maybe I take off all 4 nuts and thread the eye bolts into the far threads, which would offset the eye bolts and allow them to sit in the slots. That would make sense, as they would be pulling nearer to the meat of receiver. Is that what I was missing? if so, sorry for the fuss folks....
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