New B&W Companion Slider - Trouble Removing?

jglow27 wrote:
This post could have been written by me, as I recently have had the exact issue with my new B&W slider. I did the install myself, and issue with removal.

I also ran into a problem with our plastic bed liner. The instructions state that the bed liner must be removed so that the Companion base sits directly on the truck bed. Spray in bed liners are ok. I cut two strips of bed liner out under where the base rests. Well, that wasn't enough, because the remaining plastic bed liner under the Companion interfered with the slide lock mechanism. I had to remove the Companion and the cut out the plastic under the whole Companion assembly.

For hitch removal, I picked up a cheep harbor freight 1 ton chain hoist chained to my garage truss rafters. I spanned an 8 foot 2x8" across the rafters to reinforce. Use a pry bad to loosen the hitch after lifting force is applied. I don't see how it would be humanly possible to lift the hitch without mechanics.

Also, make sure that you lube the square tube that goes into the truck bed. I lathered it up with anti seize compound, but the factory rep suggested lithium grease.

You =do= remember that the hitch comes apart in 2 pieces, right? :B I thought about lubing my tube (and the GN ball when the hitch is out), but I =use= my truck bed for lots of other stuff and the dirt that gets in the hole just binds things up even worse. Maybe some graphite powder would work...

Lyle