Converting TT hitch to gooseneck?

[macdaddy]

Anyone in the So Ca area know of a good weld shop or similar company that can convert my standard hitch Toy Box to a "gooseneck" type trailer hitch.





The trailer is a 30' Terry pull with 950 lbs of tongue weight.



I gaze with envy at the ride that these type of trailers provide .



Mac

 

[TowPro]

So some more research first. I have heard converting a 5er to gooseneck can put additional stress on the RV frame causing it to crack. I have no first hand knowledge.

 

[bmoeller]

He said TT, so I suspect that it is a tag trailer, not a 5er. Correct?



I know of a couple of people that have made a framework that is attached to the trailer hitch utilizing the trailers original ball hitch and has some heavy clamps that go around the area of where a set of weight distributing bars would hook up. That way it is not permanant, and easily removed. The one guy built a dolly with wheels, so that slips into place and he can unhook the gooseneck frame and pull it out, so that the trailer can be towed on a regulat trailer ball again. Or to use on a different trailer. That guy that had the dolly setup, also used it on a flatbed trailer as well.

 

[KBalzuweit]

I few years back I worked at an rv dealer and we received a dealer packet for a company that made a kit to do a conversion. Can't remember the name though. I am sure a good welder could fab something up.

 

[NVR FNSH]

I think you would probably be better off spending the money on a Hensley (sp?) hitch. The only structurally 'clean' way I can see converting the TT to 5th wheel is welding in a frame/subframe. I can't see a cosmetically clean way of doing it.



Is it doable? Yes. Would I trust a welder w/o some legit engineering background to do the design work? No.



Brian

 

[Slow Six]

I did this kind of a conversion on a flat bed trailer. It turned out okay but the weight distribution on the pin and axles was out of proportion. I ended up trading for a properly built gooseneck/5th wheel setup.

 

[macdaddy]

He said TT, so I suspect that it is a tag trailer, not a 5er. Correct?



I know of a couple of people that have made a framework that is attached to the trailer hitch utilizing the trailers original ball hitch and has some heavy clamps that go around the area of where a set of weight distributing bars would hook up. That way it is not permanant, and easily removed. The one guy built a dolly with wheels, so that slips into place and he can unhook the gooseneck frame and pull it out, so that the trailer can be towed on a regulat trailer ball again. Or to use on a different trailer. That guy that had the dolly setup, also used it on a flatbed trailer as well.

It is a tag trailer,The design of the chassis is a good one . The axel's are located way back towards the rear of the trailer, allowing 15% plus of the trailers weight on the ball.



The trailer in it's current configuration allows very good handling for a tag set up. It is the hop that I get on urban sections of interstates while on the road that gets to me.



The reason I didn't get a 5ver was due to the fact that I drag this thing offroad and get into some really aggressive angles virtually eliminating the fifth wheel option.



Mac