B&W in 3rd gen

[SLinse]

I'm looking at getting the B&W gooseneck, and was wondering if there is any drilling on the 3rd gen trucks? With this hydro formed frame it looks like it could be a pain bolting on. How far ahead of the axel is the ball?? or, I guess I should say, how far ahead CAN you get the ball? What's the going price for them? (couldn't find a price on there website) Thanks

 

[lschultz]

I was gonna put a B&W gooseneck with the companion 5th on my 03 but I have since traded it for a 04. I still am going to put it on the 04. The prices are on there website. At least they were.

 

[Peter Campbell]

The installation pretty much dictates where the ball is, it ends up around 4-6" ahead of the axle centerline ( measure up around 48" in the bed, the axle is behind that. No drilling of the frame is involved, can get the hitch for aroud 300 without shipping on line- some even 50-cheaper than that.

 

[TCDiesel]

B&W

I did not like the B&W for the reason it 48. 5 {TDC}from the end of the box which is 5"in front of TDC of rear axle. This is not the ideal position for it. I talk to B&W and ask why put it so far ahead their answer was DC specification require it. Is DC going to pay to have your bed or rails fix when the box hits your bunk. this will happen when you travel in ditch's and steep drive ways. I spec mine at 44. 5 and can go just about anywhere. also to far ahead makes for a very discomforting ride.

 

[SLinse]

I preffer at least 4 inches forward, but would like to get 6. That way you have a little weight on the front end. That sounds like this system might work. Thanks for the input guys!

 

[TCDiesel]

B&W

Go weight your front axle it"s max out,if you put than 700 lbs on it ,Most applications out their or going to add weight to places that were never design to have,It will cause premature wear on them. depending on weight and application it has to be spec out properly

 

[Mopar_Mudder]

Re: B&W

Originally posted by TWest

Go weight your front axle it"s max out,if you put than 700 lbs on it ,

I think you are a tad off base on this. Don't know what your truck is but mine is rated at 5200# on the front axle. And it is a fully optioned out dually, so it is the heaviest you are going to find I would think.



That said I pull around a 40' gooseneck hauling 2 trucks on it with a B&W hitch mounted where they say to.



The GCVW was 29,980#

The GVW of the truck was 11,860 (rated at 12,000)

Rear axle was 7,140#

Front axle was 4,720#



That is well with in it's 5,200# rating and I am guessing that most your 5th wheel campers and such don't have near the pin weight. I don't have any empty weights on my truck as of yet, just been to lazy to go do it so far

 

[klenger]

Assuming a 2000 lb pin weight and a 160" wheelbase, the weight transfered to the front axle is 12. 5 lbs for every 1" you move the hitch forward. Same ratio if you move it backwards. Bottom line is, hitch location has very little to do with the weight distribution (within reason).

 

[TCDiesel]

B&W

My figures were with my 100 gallon auxiliary tank full which adds 1. 204 more LBS ,with added equipments with driver and one passenger net weight 7,888 4820 on steer axle/3068 on rear axle. I will pull a scale ticket and post it.

 

[Mopar_Mudder]

Your 100 Gallons of extra fuel add by far more weight to the front axle then your pin weight ever will. And adding that extra fuel is something you have to take into consideration, the hitch manufactures are desighing around a stock truck. Either way you would have to have a pile of pin weight to go over your front axle weight, and if you had that much pin weight you would be over your GVW and most likely the rear axle weight also.



The most you can have is 1,712# of pin weight, assuming it is a 1 ton single wheel, and keep under the GVW. Of that you probably wont see more the 70-80# on the front axle.





I did some figuring, this is based on what Dodge's site says the dry weights of my truck are. I know they are not totaly right but % wise it will be very close.



Come out to 5% of pin weight goes to the front axle.



So based on your 4,820# now and a 5,200# rating you would need around 7,500# of pin weight to get your front axle to 5,200#

 

[TCDiesel]

Re: B&W

Originally posted by TWest

My figures were with my 100 gallon auxiliary tank full which adds 1. 204 more LBS ,with added equipments with driver and one passenger net weight 7,888 4820 on steer axle/3068 on rear axle. I will pull a scale ticket and post it.

14. 960 is empty/ 28. 260 is gross This is with tri-axle end dump,and I have scale tickets higher gross but did not want to post them, I been pulling this weight for over 10 years ,With no problems with . drive line,engine,trans,And it is legal in MN according to bridge weight laws. DC may feel different if I was asking for warranty repairs regularly.



8,660 Gross/ 4,820 front axle/ 3,840 rear axle . both truck and auxiliary tanks full with one passenger.

 

[TCDiesel]

B&W

Gross ticket. 28. 260 empty 14,960,with tri-axle end dump