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Old 08-10-2018, 03:17 PM   #21
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Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Lewis View Post
There is a modification of the gooseneck hitch that allows the hitch ball to retract beneath the truck bed when not in use. A cousin of mine, a retired ag teacher, has one. He pulls horse and cattle trailers with his pickup, and when he is not using the hitch the ball is retracted so he has the full use of his pickup truck bed. I have not looked the mechanism over closely so I'm not sure how it works.
There are a few variations of this:
  • removable ball (usually locked with a pin that is pulled by a rod mounted under the bed and accessed through the wheel well)
  • ball that removed, is turned over, and then is stored back in the same hole (same pin as above)
  • ball on a plate that hinges so it can flip over 180 degrees
  • ball that drops straight down, controlled by a latch and cam plate under the bed floor
  • ... and maybe more
My guess is that the vast majority of bed-mounted balls are in one of these retractable configurations.
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Old 08-10-2018, 03:21 PM   #22
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The "modification" of the trailer to use one of these systems doesn't require the factory's assistance. The Andersen Ranch Hitch Adapter just bolts on to the pin box like the Andersen Ultimate, the Reese Goose Box bolts on to the fixed part of the existing pin box in place of the stock lower pin box, and if you built your own extension it would logically be bolted in like the Goose Box. Any of these could be readily removed and the trailer returned to an unmodified stock condition.

What I believe Escape is saying (and that Perry has accepted) is not just that they will not bolt it on for you, but that you shouldn't do it either, due to the risk of frame damage.
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Old 08-10-2018, 04:28 PM   #23
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Location: Lanesboro, MN, between Whalan and Fountain, Minnesota
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian B-P View Post
What I believe Escape is saying (and that Perry has accepted) is not just that they will not bolt it on for you, but that you shouldn't do it either, due to the risk of frame damage.
I was ONLY told that they will not bolt it on for you. The rest is up to speculation. Perhaps someone would want to talk to Rease, but I have no problem accepting their decision. My GUESS is they haven't done the engineering and probably don't wish to.

Enjoy,

Perry
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Old 08-10-2018, 04:33 PM   #24
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Perryb67 View Post
My GUESS is they haven't done the engineering and probably don't wish to.
I don't doubt this. In their shoes I would likely take the same approach. While the idea seems good, in practice I would worry.
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