Me Again wrote:
Why would anyone buy a hitch that the manufacturer acknowledges can/does damage the truck bed that has to carry the pin weight it was not designed to carry? Chris
Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't B & W have the same problem with the Companion?
I believe that caution and wisdom go hand-in-hand for many circumstances. The OP state the following:
"...the bottom support structures should
ideally rest on top of a portion of the bed area that is directly supported by bed/frame contact. Otherwise, there is
a chance heavy braking could dent/crease/bend the bed of the truck..."
I recall reading about similar issues with 5er hitch rails, whereby the rail vendor includes spacers/shims to install in the corrugated areas underneath. I believe there are many 5er rail-mounted hitch owners that have experienced and/or do experience bed deflection due to not having the spacers.
Now, I'm going to spout off some purely opinionated rhetoric...
ITS A TRUCK AND ITS MEANT TO BE USED. If you want something to look at and think "oh my, how pretty", then go take a picture. I've owned several trucks, large and small, over the years, and while the body may look good, the bed always looks well-used. A dent/scratch/crease in the bed would go completely unnoticed in my world.
