WHY not gooseneck instead of 5th wheel?

[mtnranch]

WHY do RV fifth wheels use the giant bed consuming fifth wheel hitch and us workin cowboys use the gooseneck ball hitch that we just flip over and make disappear into the pickup bed. They both seem to mount the same to the frame.

Is it safety, load rating or what???? Comments please!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[SnoKing]

The Gooseneck trailer frame comes together in the front to give support to the extended hitch. The 5er frame is spread out in the frame to provide for the wide front area. The whole design of the 5er would have to be changed. Also hitching a 5th wheel is easier than a gooseneck. SNOKING

 

[mymtnhauler]

The Gooseneck trailer frame comes together in the front to give support to the extended hitch. The 5er frame is spread out in the frame to provide for the wide front area. The whole design of the 5er would have to be changed. Also hitching a 5th wheel is easier than a gooseneck. SNOKING

My gooseneck is a 34 foot H&H cargo, and the intire frame is spread out over the hitch with 2x6 and 2x2 steel tubing and is all inclosed. So is my old gooseneck 4 horse trailer with a small tack room over the hitch.

Now my H&H gooseneck flat bed is like what was described. Having said that, it all depends on you. There are conversions on the market that will alow you too use the ball hitch for your 5th wheel. I personally have not noticed a difference in how hard it is too hitch both kinds of trailers to a truck .

 

[RustyJC]

The 5th wheel hitch is considered a positive locking hitch (no safety chains required) and provides additional stability via the load plate. The gooseneck hitch is more widely used for agricultural (off-road) applications where additional articulation is beneficial.



If the gooseneck design were the be-all/end-all in hitches, the Class 8 semis out on the Interstate would be running them. A little trivia - a 5th wheel RV can hitch directly to a Class 8 semi's 5th wheel hitch - the pin diameters are the same.



Rusty

 

[Forrest Nearing]

5th wheel is much easier to hook up to and rides smoother... so for maw and paw that only use their truck to haul their travel trailer, it's a no brainer...



for jimmy joe farmer, the GN allows him to use his truck bed when he's not pulling a trailer...

 

[RustyJC]

Actually, most modern 5th wheel hitches can be removed to leave a clean bed. An example is the B&W gooseneck with companion 5th wheel RV hitch that I use.



Rusty

 

[richardcoxid]

I think that the question that mtnranch is asking- WHY did the farm/ranch industry settle on the gooseneck hitch method and the RV industry settle on the 5W hitch method at the very get-go? What is the advantage of one system over the other?



It looks to me that the Rv industry is the Johnny-come-lately to the hitch field unless you include the "big" truck field. Maybe somebody could do some research on the "history" of car/RV/big truck hitches



Just my $0. 02

 

[J&LRam]

its all about articulation in the field/pasture/construction site with the GN. I can take my 38' GN stock trailer just about anywhere off the road compared to my 28' 5er with a 5th wheel hitch.

JIM

 

[MChildress]

We had the dealer replace the 5'er hitch with a GN hitch on a Presidential Holiday Rambler upon delivery, gross trailer weight 16,000 and have not looked back. We love it and have had no problems. The GN hitch in the truck is a B&W turn over ball and is rated for 30,000 LBS. Sure beats the heck out of lifting the 5'er hitch in and out of the bed. I don't think they make a GN ball rated high enough for the big trucks yet.

 

[mtnranch]

All you folks who responded brought up some great talking points. I have never heard anyone talk about most points mentioned. This is great stuff and I'll bet there's more out there.
>I see the benefit of the GN articulation in the field/pasture/construction site with the usually narrow and higher GN framework.
>GN requires safety chains, 5th does not.
>GN is a ++ if you need a quick open bed for hauling
>Just back up to a 5th and the "V" guides in the pin. (my neighbor says back up till you hit something, truck looks like he's hit everything)
>No "slider hitch" with a GN
>5th wheel RV can hitch directly to a Class 8 semi's 5th wheel hitch - same pin diameters
>5th wheel RV pin structure simpler/cheaper to hang on a flat bottom 5'er trailer
>5th has much less articulation than a GN. In a sense, the 5th protects the bed rails by limiting articulation? Wait, I still have heard 5'ers whacking the bed rails.

One last question, how does a 5'er "automatic slider hitch" work?

Thanks for the chatter, Mtnranch

 

[CPittman]

Just chimeing in... I like the fact that it is easier to hitch to the GN when you are boondocking with your RV due to unlevel terrain. We did a home-made conversion on my RV to the GN - see Reader's Rigs Gallery.



In my case, as has been stated here, it makes more sense to have just the one hitch - so I can go from Ag / Construction trailer to RV without having to stop and swap.

 

[lcaad1249]

I've been told that the adapters going from a fifth wheel to a gooseneck put a lot of additional stress due to leverage on the necks of the fifth wheel trailer. Might be a cheaper solution for the fifth wheel trailer builders.

 

[RustyJC]

It's worth doing a search on "gooseneck adapters" on the RV-related forums such as iRV2.com and RV.net. These adapters act like cheater pipes to increase the moment arm that applies torque forces to the 5th wheel pinbox. A 5th wheel trailer's frame is not designed to take the torsional forces imposed by a gooseneck hitch - compare a 5th wheel frame to a gooseneck frame and you'll notice all the extra steel in the "crown" of the gooseneck. It's there for a reason!



A number of 5th wheel owners have experienced pinbox/frame failures from the use of gooseneck adapters, and few (if any) 5th wheel manufacturers will honor their structural warranties when gooseneck adapters have been used.



Caveat emptor!!



Rusty

 

[CPittman]

Rusty is right about pin box failures with the out-of-the-box adapters. That's why we made mine a dedicated GN adapter. We welded additional stiffener plates around the king pin plate AND added 2. 5 square tubing 'kicker' to handle the torque generated by the adapter moment-arm due to braking forces. See my pics.



The next to the last thing you want while towing an RV is a panic stop, and the last thing you want is to fold your GN adapter over and stick your camper in your back seat. If you're going to make the conversion be ready to 1. ) keep your camper forever (the value will be shot), and 2. ) weld the hell out of it with an eye toward the engineering of what forces you're working against.

 

[SnoKing]

It would also effect what you have behind the hitch. I have a V-box screwed down in the back of my bed. That would not work with a gooseneck, as you would have to Really raise the front of the trailer to clear it.



As CPittman points out, this is for a very few users and just the marketed adaptors are not the way to go.



SNOKING

 

[terrywerm]

There is one more reason that I can see for using a kingpin and fifth wheel for RV's that most may have overlooked: Age and/or Agility



Many people that pull fifth wheel RVs are in their retirement years and are not necessarily nimble enough to crawl up into the bed to hook up safety chains as required for GN hitches, or to lock or unlock the GN coupler. Using a fifth wheel hitch eliminates those problems, as safety chains are not required, and FW hitches can be released from the side without crawling into the bed. The light cord socket can usually be placed in a location where it is easier to get to than the coupler or safety chains. Most people in this age group don't usually pull flatbeds or livestock trailers like us younger folks do.



I've got both hitches in mine. I have a Reese hitch that utilizes the crossways bed rails on the floor of the bed. When I need to use the GN hitch, I slide the FW forward so that the rear tabs of the FW hitch are in the front rail. I can then pin it there so that it isn't sliding around in the bed. The GN hitch then pins to both rails. When I am using the FW hitch, the GN hitch is sitting in the forward position. I'll post a photo later on, I don't have one handy at the moment.



In my experience, it is easier to hook up to the FW unless I am on extremely uneven ground. I do have the side rocker on my FW, so some unevenness is not a problem. If I go boondocking, I do what I can to make sure that I am sitting pretty even before I unhook.

 

[wtfd6]

I use the same setup as Terry. I have the gn adapter under my fifth wheel. when I need the gooseneck I just slide the fifth wheel forward. my gn adapter fits under my fifth wheel when not in use. so there isnt any need for me to take it out. that is unless I want a clear bed.

Mark

 

[mtnranch]

It's worth doing a search on "gooseneck adapters" on the RV-related forums such as iRV2.com and RV.net. These adapters act like cheater pipes to increase the moment arm that applies torque forces to the 5th wheel pinbox. A 5th wheel trailer's frame is not designed to take the torsional forces imposed by a gooseneck hitch - compare a 5th wheel frame to a gooseneck frame and you'll notice all the extra steel in the "crown" of the gooseneck. It's there for a reason!



A number of 5th wheel owners have experienced pinbox/frame failures from the use of gooseneck adapters, and few (if any) 5th wheel manufacturers will honor their structural warranties when gooseneck adapters have been used.



Caveat emptor!!



Rusty

Rusty, I trust your word. Hey Guys, Rusty is right. Rusty's posts on this subject go back over 2 years. Each type of hitch has it's advantages, but in no way would I ever mess with a 5th to GN conversion, no cheater pipes for me. My hills around here are way too steep. After reading all this and owning a shortbed, I'll stick with a regular "Ma & Pa" bumper pull trailer for now.
Thanks for the great thread, opinions and answers... .....

 

[SSage]

I never liked the 5th wheel hitch in a truck bed. I don't understand why you need the big heavy thing. My big toy hauler was ordered from the factory with a real goose neck frame. I have a turn over ball hitch on the truck, unhitch, pull a lever, pull out the ball which weighs very little and my bed is clear. No need to do a pull test, the chains are no big deal, I just lean over the bed to hook them up. The GN coupler latches when I drop it over the ball, there is a simple safety pin.



No need to fight a 5th wheel hitch while on the road, I use my truck bed to haul the ATV, wood, etc... . I see no advantage to the 5th wheel, I have both types and can go either way if I have the B&W Companion, it is a great hitch if you have a need for it. .



I love my GN equipped KZ New Vision Sportster.

 

[mymtnhauler]

Sorry guys if I gave the wrong impresion. Since I bought the horse trailer it has never been used too hall horses. The flat bed GN only halls things the inclosed cargo cant. All these trailers are used only onhighway, no off road or rughf road condistions.