Fleet and Commercial Body
Fifth Wheel and Gooseneck Hitch Plate Installation
Typical range
$1,500 to $5,500
Shop hours
8 to 22
Labor rate
$210/hr
The short answer
Fifth wheel plate installation mounts in-bed fifth wheel and gooseneck hitch systems with frame brackets, under-bed rails, and wiring on pickups and chassis cabs. Work runs $1,500 to $5,500, or 8 to 22 hours at $210 per hour plus the hitch. In shop install only.
01
What this work actually involves
A fifth wheel or gooseneck plate transfers vertical pin weight directly into the truck frame, and that pin weight is not small. A loaded equipment trailer or a hotshot deck running out of the Jurupa Valley and Eastvale yards puts fifteen to twenty-five percent of the trailer weight onto that plate, applied through a coupling that also delivers every fore-and-aft load the trailer generates. The installation either ties into the frame rails properly or it slowly works itself loose, and the second version announces itself as a clunk on every launch and stop.
The work itself is systematic. Bed comes off or the bed floor gets cut and templated, depending on the system. Frame brackets bolt to the rails at manufacturer-specified locations with the correct hardware and torque, and on some chassis the crossmember has to be modified or a spacer fabricated to clear exhaust, fuel lines, or a spare tire carrier. Under-bed rails then tie the brackets together so the load is spread across multiple frame points instead of concentrating at one. On chassis cab applications with a flatbed or a service body, we fabricate the mounting structure rather than bolting a pickup kit into a body that was never designed for it.
Wiring and finishing matter more than people expect. A seven-way in the bed has to be routed, sealed, and fused so it survives being underwater in a bed full of rain in February and dust every other month. Bed cutouts have to be sealed and coated or they rust from the cut edge outward within a year in coastal air. In shop body, paint, structural, and equipment install only. Engine, drivetrain, and DOT inspection work are not performed here.
Systems and brands we work on: Curt, B&W.
Location: All work is performed at our Yorba Linda facility. We do not offer mobile, roadside, or fleet route service.
02
What the job includes
- In-bed fifth wheel hitch installation with frame bracket and under-bed rail systems
- Gooseneck ball and safety chain anchor installation, including flip-over and under-bed styles
- Bed removal, floor templating, and precision cutout with sealed and coated edges
- Frame bracket mounting to manufacturer specification with recorded torque values
- Crossmember modification, spacer fabrication, and exhaust or fuel line clearance work
- Custom mounting structure fabrication on chassis cab, flatbed, and service body trucks
- Bed-mounted seven-way connector installation, routing, sealing, and fusing
- Spare tire carrier relocation where the hitch structure conflicts
- Puck system and factory prep package hitch installation on equipped chassis
- Corrosion coating of all cut edges, fabricated brackets, and welds
03
When you need this service
- A clunk or shift from the bed area on launch and stop while towing
- Visible movement of the hitch head relative to the bed floor under load
- Elongated bolt holes or a loose frame bracket at a mounting point
- Rust blooming from the edge of a previously cut bed opening
- A seven-way in the bed that works intermittently or corrodes repeatedly
- A new truck with a factory puck prep package and no hitch installed
- A flatbed or service body that needs gooseneck capability with no bolt-on kit available
04
How we do it, step by step
- 01
Application and capacity review
Trailer weight, expected pin weight, and truck rating confirmed together, along with which hitch system and rail configuration actually fits the specific chassis, bed length, and axle position.
- 02
Access and templating
Bed removed or floor templated depending on the system. Cutouts are marked from the actual bracket geometry rather than a generic template so the head lands centered over the axle.
- 03
Clearance survey under the bed
Exhaust, fuel and brake lines, wiring harnesses, and the spare tire carrier all located from underneath and rerouted or relocated before any frame bracket goes in.
- 04
Bracket and rail installation
Frame brackets fastened at specified locations with correct hardware, then under-bed rails tied in so pin weight distributes across multiple frame points, torque values recorded.
- 05
Fabrication where required
On chassis cab, flatbed, and service body applications we fabricate the mounting structure to the frame instead of adapting a pickup kit into a body that cannot carry it.
- 06
Wiring and sealing
Seven-way connector mounted, routed, fused, and sealed, and every cut bed edge coated so the opening does not become a rust source in coastal air.
- 07
Fit check and release
Head installed and cycled, coupling clearance checked against the back of the cab at full turn, all hardware retorqued, and the installation documented for your equipment file.
05
Pricing and posted rates
| Item | Rate or range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Typical job range | $1,500 to $5,500 | Varies with extent of damage and parts availability |
| Shop hours | 8 to 22 | Quoted after teardown, not before |
| Body and paint labor | $210 per hour | 2026 posted rate |
| Paint supplies | $55 per paint hour | Calculated automatically on every estimate |
| Body supplies | $5 per body hour | Calculated automatically on every estimate |
| Parts | 100% markup under $100, 35% over | Special order parts require a non refundable deposit at order |
| Deposit | 50% at authorization over $2,000 | Additional 25% when parts arrive on jobs over $10,000 |
| Sales tax | 7.75% on parts and materials | Labor is not taxed |
Insurance billed jobs may be billed at carrier negotiated labor rates that differ from the posted retail rates above. See all posted rates.
07
Vehicles we do this work on
Vehicle
Flatbed Trucks
Flatbed trucks carry unprotected loads on an open deck, so the deck, headboard, rub rails, and stake pockets take the damage rathe
Vehicle
Utility Trucks
Utility trucks carry a compartmented service body loaded with tools, parts, and frequently a crane, and the compartments are where
Vehicle
Dump Trucks
Dump bodies take abrasive load impact, hoist stress, and tailgate hardware abuse that no other truck body sees. Floor wear-through
Vehicle
Tow Trucks
Tow trucks take structural load from vehicles they carry and pull, so the deck, subframe, wheel lift mounting, and tie-down points
Vehicle
Mobile Workshops
Mobile workshops carry benches, vises, compressors, welders, and dense tool inventory, which makes weight and mounting the definin
08
Questions about fifth wheel plate installation
Frequently asked questions
What does fifth wheel plate installation cost?
Work runs $1,500 to $5,500, or 8 to 22 hours at $210 per hour, plus the hitch itself. A puck system head dropped into a factory prep package sits at the low end. A full bracket and rail installation on a truck with no prep, requiring bed removal, crossmember modification, and wiring, sits at the high end. Parts carry 100 percent markup under $100 and 35 percent over $100.
How long is the truck out of service?
A puck system head installation on a prepped truck is a few hours. A full bracket and rail install with bed removal, clearance work, and wiring is typically two to four working days. Fabricated mounting on a chassis cab or flatbed runs four to seven days. We confirm hitch availability before scheduling so the truck is not sitting in a parts wait.
Which fifth wheel and gooseneck brands do you install?
We install Curt and B&W fifth wheel and gooseneck systems along with factory puck package hitches on equipped chassis. Brand choice usually comes down to whether you want an in-bed footprint you can remove for cargo use or a permanent plate. Tell us the truck, the trailer, and the pin weight, and we will tell you which configuration actually suits the work.
Can you install a gooseneck on a flatbed or service body truck?
Yes, and it is fabrication work rather than a kit installation. Pickup hitch kits are designed around a pickup bed and frame geometry that a chassis cab body does not share. We fabricate mounting structure that ties into the frame rails, spread the load across multiple points, and finish and coat everything. You see the design and price before we cut material.
Do you inspect or certify the hitch for commercial use?
No. We install to the hitch manufacturer specification, record torque values, and document the installation with photographs so you have a file on it. DOT inspection work is not performed at this facility, and neither is engine or drivetrain work. Any required commercial inspection or certification stays with the vendor who handles that side of your fleet.
09
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Ready to move on fifth wheel plate installation? Bring it to Yorba Linda.