Can't you just buy a new hitch that will fit your 97 3500?

Adapting a hitch from a different vehicle can cause all kinds of problems for both the hitch, and the guy that modified it to fit on your truck. Insurance companies look at people that install modified hitches with a pretty negative attitude, if the guy doing it is running a business, his company will likely cancel his business policy! They take that stuff pretty seriously.

I ran a welding shop for 25 years, even with a certified welder, my insurance would not cover me (and threatened to cancel my policy) if I built a new hitch, I could only install hitches built by a hitch manufacturing company. The last 4 years I was in business, I couldn't even install a hitch made by a hitch manufacturing company, according to my insurance, they were only covering one company to install hitches in a specific area, and it wasn't me in my area.

So words from this "hitch gurw": buy a new hitch that bolts onto and is designed for your vehicle and have it installed by a hitch installer, or do it yourself. Gene