Do it yourself heat shield trim

[Ag Teacher]

Does anyone have any suggestions for a do it yourself install of a B & W Turnover Ball hitch. It just requires a 4" hole in the bed but instructions say the heat shield beneath the bed must be removed or trimmed between two crossmembers.

 

What's the best way to do the trim job with limited tools? I can get access to a plasma torch but I'm thinking it might be enough heat to mess up the paint on the inside of the bed, plus taking the primer off of the bottom of the bed.

 

Will a hammer and chisel do it or a blade on a skil saw or will I have to find a air grinder or air chisel?

[maverickseb]

When I installed my hide-away ball I used a plasma torch to cut away the heat sheild. There wasn't enough heat to discolor or harm the paint in any way. Not to say that if you used one that your paint wouldn't get damaged. In my case, I really didn't care what the bed looked like, it is a truck and the bed is made to be used.

[BigBlockHead]

I just installed a B&W hitch a few months ago and I was able to do it without trimming the heat shield but it wasn't easy. I made the effort because the truck has a flowmaster exhaust and they made the comment that the muffler may run hotter than stock and to make sure all the heat shields were in place. I have a bed liner and I was concerned about getting too much heat to it if I trimmed the shields. It was a pain because I had to install and remove the crossrails several times to get all the hardware tight to the center section. You can't reach the center section hardware with the hitch in place without trimming the shields. You're also supposed to trim a notch out of the inner fender to slide the rails in over the frame under the bed. I'm kind of anal and didn't want the notch so I loosened the bed and jacked it up enough to get the rails in without any notching. With the bed loose, the hitch can be installed without trimming the shields. I just used a jig saw to cut the 4" hole and then cut about a 10" by 20" section out of the bedliner to clear the safety chain hooks. I put a tab with a hole in it on that section of bedliner so it locks back in place using the hitch pin. I don't like storing the ball upside down in the hitch anyway because it gets so dirty. I angled the cut in the bedliner so the patch holds the rest of the bedliner down, it works good for me. Mines a longbed, don't know if it matters.

 

Good luck!

[Roofer]

I didn't install mine. I paid $150 to have it done. They are a good hitch though from what I hear. Mine seems to work nice.

[Ag Teacher]

Thanks for the feedback.

[Colorado Kid]

I didn't install mine. I paid $150 to have it done. They are a good hitch though from what I hear. Mine seems to work nice.

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

I trimmed the shield with tin snips. Just got it started and didn't worry about bending it. Plasma cutter the thought never enterred my mind. I considerred using a 4" angle grinder, but while my helper was getting it out of the tool box I finished up with the snips. Not the prettiest work I ever did, but you have to lie on the ground and look up to see it.

[Ag Teacher]

After looking at the shield from the underside, it is just screwed on with Torx screws. I'm thinking now it might be best to just take it off and take a skilsaw with an abrasive blade and saw it off and then put the two pieces back on. That would at least give me a good straight cut instead of the zig zag I'd get using a plasma while basically standing on my head. Or the plasma might work even better while it's off the truck. I assume those screws won't be too hard to take out but who knows till I try.