i can try and crawl under the truck and take a few tonight. Don't know how well i can see it with the bed on.

 

I would greatly appreciate it!

 

I'm no artist but maybe this clears it up.
The C channel welds over the axel, the ends are cut out to fit down on the frame rail. Use a good qualified welder to do this. Don't get t he frame rails too hot or it could weaken them but get good penetration on the weld to hold strong. I don't know about bracing, this is exactly how mine is.

 

You'd want your bracing running from the center back to the frame sorta like the lines below in red. The channel iron on mine is butt welded between the flatbed frame rails, but Clays hitch would probably be stronger since it has more area welded then a regular butt weld.

 

Just be carefull welding to a chasis of any kind of truck. Chasis welding is a profession all in it's own and it's tricky stuff to do right. To cold and it's to weak to hot and it doesn't set the bead deep enough to be strong, but make it to hot and you weaken the metal. It's an art to do it right.

 

u should be fine welding to the frame, if ur lookin for a gooseneck ball let me know i might have a spare plate at home.

 

I will be needing one I'll PM you

 

Do the hitches that you can buy bolt on or weld on? Im just wondering if I can make a bolt on design instead of welding on the frame.

 

I bolt mine on, make up spacers if needed bolt four bolts on each side and then small weld on the edges to keep it there.

Andy

 

first pickups we had with a ball in them were way back in 1973 when we built the first gooseneck trailer around this area. we used half inch plate alittle wider than the frame and 16" front to back and it sat on top of the bed floor with four bolts and box to frame spacers. my brother wore the ball flat with all the towing he did with his 84 pickup never bent anything. not saying it couldn't happen. next one i do is going to be a plate on the floor again. always bought some fancy hida ball thing and never put it away.