Gooseneck V.S. Fithwheel

[Deleted member 995608]

We're shopping for a 30' camp trailer and can't decide which hitch to use. I have a gooseneck in the truck now and love it. It's a 04 2500 6spd 4x4. Would there be any gain by going to a 5th wheel hitch? My biggest concern is safety; I've never towed one of these house on wheels before. I move cattle around all the time but it's a lighter weight aluminum gooseneck.

Thanks

 

[RustyJC]

If you can find a gooseneck RV, go for it. If you're thinking of using a gooseneck adapter on a 5th wheel RV, I'd suggest running a search here and on some RV forums such as iRV2.com. 5th wheels aren't built to take the increased loadings imposed by the gooseneck adapter.



If you want a gooseneck hitch, a 5th wheel hitch and a clean bed when neither is in use, I suggest looking at the B&W Turnoverball gooseneck hitch with their companion 5th wheel RV hitch.



Rusty

 

[Megadesertdiesel]

i was thinking of going goose neck too. anyone have any experience in towing both? pros and cons?

 

[jelag]

I have a gooseneck on all my trailers..... my work trailers all have 2 axles under them rated at 12K each..... I couldn't find a 5th wheel hitch for the bed of the truck that was rated up to 30K... . for some safety margin so I installed gooseneck hitches in all my stuff and have converted my 5th wheel travel trailer to a gooseneck... . what I really like is the ability to flip the lever and tune the ball over... .



But it take 2 people to hook one of these up most of the time... . and safety chains are required so you have to climb into the bed... . If I do it alone it takes me usually 5 or 6 tries to get over the ball... where a normal 5th wheel hitch is get close and what in your mirror and slamb it home... so to speak... ... .



I'm now looking at a the new 5500... . and if I spring for 2 of these trucks I'm switching to a heavy 5th wheel hitch that will be mounted the same way as the goosenecks... just for the ease of backing into the things... . they make them bigger now and with ratings up 35K lbs.....



So that's what I know... btw... the 04 that I'm driving today... has almost 200K and has never been through a tank full of fuel empty..... hope this helps...

 

[Pawpaw]

But it take 2 people to hook one of these up most of the time... . and safety chains are required so you have to climb into the bed... . If I do it alone it takes me usually 5 or 6 tries to get over the ball... where a normal 5th wheel hitch is get close and what in your mirror and slamb it home... so to speak... ... .

I use a telescoping magnetic pick-up tool. Find one with a large magnet (mine's 3/4") and a high-contrast colored handle... like orange.



Place it up against the ball on the side closest to the front of the bed. When you're backing up, look in the rear-view mirror and line up the handle with the center of your gooseneck. When the tool falls over (toward the cab), you're there!



Bob



Edit: This is like the tool I use. http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200308319_200308319



Or you could use this and give one to a friend. http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200247924_200247924

 

[BRowley]

They both have pros and cons. The gooseneck has more pros, I personally think. The only real pro to the 5th wheel hitch is stability in cross wind, especially if you have a really high profile, but that is minimal because the actual plate is about 18 inches in diameter. The two big cons that I have with this setup is the bed is basically non usable, the other is when you hook up to the trailer, your pickup and trailer have to lineup on the same plain. To me the gooseneck is a lot better, because, it has a higher manufactures hitch rating, can be attached at any angle, or height, mine can be flipped over, so to leave my bed completely flat. The cons are that you tend to get a little more (( flex )) out of a gooseneck.

 

[Foil Freak 1211]

They both have pros and cons. The gooseneck has more pros, I personally think. The only real pro to the 5th wheel hitch is stability in cross wind, especially if you have a really high profile, but that is minimal because the actual plate is about 18 inches in diameter. The two big cons that I have with this setup is the bed is basically non usable, the other is when you hook up to the trailer, your pickup and trailer have to lineup on the same plain. To me the gooseneck is a lot better, because, it has a higher manufactures hitch rating, can be attached at any angle, or height, mine can be flipped over, so to leave my bed completely flat. The cons are that you tend to get a little more (( flex )) out of a gooseneck.

I spent more than my fair share of time cussing my old single pivot Reese hitch. When I bought my new 5er, I got a new hitch that pivots side to side as well as front to back. It is MUCH easier to hitch/unhitch on uneven ground with the new hitch.

 

[jimnance]

You'll have a tough time finding an RV with a stock gooseneck. Most are either pull trailers or fifth wheels. If you limit yourself to ready made gooseneck RV's your options will be very limited.



The conversion boxes to make a fifth wheel into a gooseneck work, BUT, they impose loads that the original structure of most fifth wheels are not designed for. Consequently, most RV dealers will suggest not using them. They've seem some structural problems because of the stress.



I have a standard fifth wheel hitch in my dually for pulling the big fifth wheel (+/-15K). I also have a gooseneck ball adapter plate made by Reese that lets you use the standard fifth wheel rails with the plate to pull a gooseneck. I don't recall the weight rating of the adapter, but it was pretty high.



You still have the fifth wheel mounting rails, but they really don't get in the way. The biggest PITA is getting the fifth wheel hitch muscled out of the bed. Those mothers are heavy and awkward!

 

[Deleted member 995608]

Thanks everyone! Like I said, my biggest concern is safety. I know that the new trailer won't max out my truck's capabilities but I don't want to pull something that will make me pucker up tight! :--)

 

[jelag]

JHawes.....



What made me pucker was how soft the electric brakes were on the trailer axles... . more so than the hitch, like i mentioned above... . we found that on our heavy trailers... power disc brakes would shorten a panic brake stop over electric brakes by about 40% or so... we also moved from a standard brake controller to one that is designed to give you more trailer brake the harder you put your foot on the brake pedal...



One truck has the brake smart... and the other truck has the one with the cable... don't remember the exact brand... . but when you really jam on the pedal... the power disc brakes can stop both the HD trailer of 22K lbs and the truck...



Jim

 

[CPittman]

JHawes, if your biggest concern is safety then go with the 5th wheel hitch. All of the 5er's are designed with this hitch / king pin in mind for the structure and loads it will see during acceleration and braking.



If you have a B&W Turnover Ball hitch - get the Companion RV hitch from B&W - that way you have the best of both worlds: gooseneck for your heavy equipment trailers and then slap in your Companion for the RV.



However, if you want to blow your RV warranty and you (or someone you know) are/is a certified welder, convert your 5er to a gooseneck - see my Reader's Rigs for a picture of my gooseneck conversion sitting on my B&W hitch (make sure you weld in the kicker... ) - OBTW, I had the axles flipped to line up the 5er ride height to match the 4x4. Other than the initial line-up being a challenge if you're by yourself, it hitches on any plane - pretty sweet.



But, again, if your biggest concern is safety - 5th wheel plate. Oh, and the Tekonsha Prodigy.

 

[CUMMINZ]

5th. wheel vs. gooseneck

My first 5er was a 29' Sprinter. I pulled it with a 2004. 5 CTD with a conversion kit to gooseneck. I had absolutely no problems with it except for some reason it made my truck buck on extremely rough roads.



Click below for articles & my opinion on goosenecks.

Click here for complete pin box modifications



Click here for article on pin box modifications ... Is it right for you?



Middle of last year I upgraded to 36' Cedar Creek and purchased slider hitch at my wife's insistance for a better ride.



Click below for DRW CTD & Day Dreamer

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In February we purchased a new 2006 DRW CTD to handle the new 37" Day Dreamer.



2006 DRW & Day Dreamer :-laf



I am using the new Reese 24k with the DRW. I can remove the hitch in 5 minutes. You can't say that about the companion hitch. The mounting brackets for the frame are rated at 30k.



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Don't let the nay sayers talk you out of a conversion until you have done your research. The Reese 24k is as solid as a rock and does not require any adjusting, the Companion does. It only fastens to the bed in one place.

 

[NVR FNSH]

I'll second the concerns with a gooseneck conversion on a 5th wheel trailer.



I run a Reese 20K 5th wheel hitch because it tilts fore/aft & side/side - I have no trouble hitching to my trailer as long as the truck & trailer heights match, angle doesn't matter. I tow my 36ft trailer places it really doesn't belong - toy box with the bikes in it - and I need all the movement I can get in the hitch. A gooseneck would work better but I'm not about to undertake the work required to properly convert my trailer to a gooseneck.



Brian

 

[Deleted member 995608]

I'm starting to swing for the 5th wheel plate. I've seen the adapters that utilize the GN bolt but it looks a little cheezy to me. I think I'll go ahead and invest in the rail mounting type. At least I can easily remove the plate when neccessary. And if push comes to shove, I'll buy the $1,000,000 GN adapter and give it a try. Afterall, it's only money! :-laf

 

[JRMora]

I am using the new Reese 24k with the DRW. I can remove the hitch in 5 minutes. You can't say that about the companion hitch.

Actually, getting the companion out takes me about two minutes. Not to mention it breaks down to two pieces and THAT makes it easy for me to lift out by myself.



I am very happy with my B&W/companion hitch setup. I'd buy another in a heartbeat. I also like having a gooseneck hitch built in (we recently purchased some 39' enclosed car haulers for work that are goosenecks).



You still liking that Day Dreamer? Saw another one when I went to pick up my CC from the shop (inverter died). They sure look pretty...



Juan

 

[MWilcox]

I pull the rail pins out and leave my 5th wheel hitch hanging on the camper until next trip. Saves the back and I don't have to store it.

 

[CUMMINZ]

Juan

If I have to say so myself, I think it is the prettiest RV on the market. I did have a recall on the disk brakes. Had it fixed today. They replaced the bolts and nuts on the brake calipers. Before I come out to see you I plan to have a gen set added. I ordered it with a gen prep which gave me all the prewiring. It will make the installation a breeze. The '06 makes me proud everytime I haul with it. I'll be adding an ebrake in a couple of months.

 

[JRMora]

Just got a call yesterday our trailer was ready. We ended up with a new inverter (last time out the entire 12V system died taking with it the fridge, slides, etc). Used the jumper cables to get the slides in. Hand cranking up the landing gear (we were nose down to level the trailer) in 105° heat was no fun at all.



We're off to Colorado the last week in July (work has been a pain, so trips have been short and far between). 7 days out. Gonna be great!



Sorry about the hijack!



Juan