[RONDOBANDY]

I have a 2007.5 Ext Cab Dually. The largest trailer I tow is a 34' bumper pull and we are considering a 5th wheel. I spotted an old timer at a campground this summer with a Goose Neck hitch for his 36 or 38 foot 5th wheel with 4 slides......seemed to make sense to me because you do not take up your bed with all the conventional hitch mechanism. So my questions:

1. Which system is better?
2. How much clearance do you need from the top of the bedrail to the underside of the 5th wheel......that distance always seems too close for my comfort level.

Thank you,

Randy

 

[jtaylor11]

I've wondered about what would be the down side of just using a gooseneck instead of a 5th wheel too.

 

[kcb37]

Pretty sure a 5th wheel gets closer to the bed then a gooseneck.
Generally the only part of a gooseneck over the bed is the tounge/frame. Where a 5th wheel is (generally camper) has trailer body over the bed.
A gooseneck should be more free to move or pivot as it is a ball. Unless your doing off road pulling not really a necesity, but nice to know you have more room.
Also like you said, you only have a ball with a gooseneck.

 

[GMC034U]

Gentlemen,
Hopefully I can give you my thoughts on this setup.. I have a 2003 GMC Longbed duramax that I use on the ranch pulling gooseneck trailers with cattle and heavy machinery. I also use this truck to pull my 38 foot Holiday Rambler 5th wheel. Being that I needed my truck for work as well as play, I went with a gooseneck setup in my truck called the "pop up", by Pop Up Industries that is rated to 30,000 lbs. To use my 5th wheel, I had them install a gooseneck setup on my trailer from a company called "demand the brand". The gooseneck ball setup is pretty slick in regards to sliding down hands free underneath the bed so it allows for complete bed use when not needed. I pull my 5th wheel up and down off road without issue. Can't say enough about having this flexability. Hopefully this helps.

 

[kcb37]

I know their is also a company that makes a 5th wheel / gooseneck combo.
It was B&N or B&W something like that.
I think it has a plate or bracket on each side and it's a drop in for both like a gooseneck.
But the 5th wheel has pins or something to keep it striaght in the truck.

 

[Snickers]

The company that kcb mentioned is B&W. Web site is www.turnoverball.com They do make the fifth wheel hitch that will fit the gooseneck hitch. You jus pull one pin remove the ball and install the fifth wheel assembly. Reinsertthe pin and you are ready to go, no other pins,bolts are needed. Ipull a goosneck so don't know about clearence fot the fifth wheel. Think I have 7-9 inches of clearence.Cost from a quick check was @ 300 for the gooseneck and @600 for the fifthwheel.

 

[wynot]

I have a 2007.5 Ext Cab Dually. The largest trailer I tow is a 34' bumper pull and we are considering a 5th wheel. I spotted an old timer at a campground this summer with a Goose Neck hitch for his 36 or 38 foot 5th wheel with 4 slides......seemed to make sense to me because you do not take up your bed with all the conventional hitch mechanism. So my questions:

1. Which system is better?
2. How much clearance do you need from the top of the bedrail to the underside of the 5th wheel......that distance always seems too close for my comfort level.

Thank you,

Randy

OK, I'm going to make some general statements then run for a foxhole.

I had some time selling RVs (not a good move, but it's amazing what you consider when you are unemployed). Fortunately, I am an avid RVer.

Anyhow, this issue would come up about weekly. I've towed all the above. You'll be satisfied with the fifth wheel over a tagalong (probably except for the fuel consumption).

Clearance to bedrail is not that big an issue, towing level is more of an issue. I would guesstimate that I have about a foot or so, maybe more. My saddle has height adjustment options, so I actually have mine fairly low. You would have to see what your comfort level is. But for your tailgate or bedrail to hit the RV would be one daggone big ditch or dropoff.

Which system is better? That is opinion. I like the fifth wheel hitch. They're a dream to couple and lock, plus I can see the kingpin slipping into the hitch. Goosenecks are more akin to hooking up with a ballmount hitch, plus you end up having to climb into the bed to hook up safety chains. Farmers and ranchers like goosenecks because of two things, their stock trailers are gooseneck, and it can be a hitch that drops out of the way in the bed.

They do make conversion kits to run 5ers with goosenecks. I've also seen folks who cut off the kingpin and weld on the gooseneck - this does NOT help resale values.

 

[RONDOBANDY]

The system that I reffered to had an adaptor of sorts that bolted onto the 5th wheel that had adjustable height capability and a cable that ran up and mounted to the underside of the 5th wheel to lock/unlock the onto the ball.

So it sounds like the only drawback would be eaze of hitching up, climbing in and out of the truck to hook safety chains....(which I might add this guy did not have, in fact he told me he towed for many miles before realizing he did not even lock the ball on..oops!), and making sure you do not alter the 5th wheel so it can still be towed with either option.

Personally, If that was it, I would rather deal with those issues then the a big bulky hitch in my way.....

Thanks for your input. I am going to do some online research on product, if I find anything intersting I will post it.

 

[WayneZat]

The only thing I would consider is your brand of 5th wheel. Several manufacturers do not recommend the 5th wheel to gooseneck conversion units because they claim changes in angle and force cause breakage of the 5th wheel frame at the pin box. This varies by manufacturer, some say no to the conversions some say it doesn't matter with their 5ers. Based on the fact that I read about pin box failures in RV Nets forums about once every few months I would say it's something to consider.

Wayne z.

 

[gander]

One more point about using a gooseneck adapter on an RV 5th wheel hitch is that the RV kingpin assembly may be not be designed for the additional stresses a gooseneck adapter will impose (not just the kingpin, but all of the welding associated with the pinbox). Effectively you are creating 14 to 18 inch lever arm (from the ball to the kingpin). While I have seen alot of people use them (and apparently without issue), on the RV forums there are always people warning about the additional stresses.

 

[blizzardplowman]

Ok, I have both hitch set up in all 3 of the trucks, I use the B&W turnover ball along with the fifth wheel companion. They both work well when used for the intended application, the cattle trailer and the Flatbed are a std goose neck hitch, the toy hauler is a fifth wheel hitch. There is a big difference when towing, the GN is a lot rougher then the fifth and the road jointws get real nasty at times. The fifth is alot more smooth, thus a lot less likely move things around in the camper. The frame company (Lippert) will not warranty the trailer frame on the toy hauler if a GN adapter is used. Just for back ground the GN has 30k, the cattle trailer has 5k and the toy box has 39k, so I have towed a fair amount. (no I'm not close to Haulin'rv ):h )

 

[Lone Wolf]

I went and got the Reese combination Gooseneck/5th wheel system cause im starting to run hotshoot runs until I turn 21yrs old, but I can switch between 5th or gooseneck depending on the job/trailer I need to pull. I also put a 7 & 6way plug in the bed so I didn't have to add a 6 to 7way plug for the gooseneck trailers.

 

[CHV_FRK]

gander nailed it.

I would NEVER pull a 5th wheel of that size with a gooseneck adapter. I'm many cases the structure of the king pin box is not designed to take the torque that you are putting on it with an adapter. You're looking at nearly 10 times the torque placed on the box than with a standard fifth wheel hitch.

If you're looking at something under 7500lbs you would be alot better off. 38' with 4 slides is probably in the ballpark of 13000 or greater once loaded.

 

[gschulte]

I have had my 5th wheel trailer set up both ways. Currently I have it set up with a goose neck style hookup. As far as pulling goes, the RV trailer pulled the same way with either hitch. I like the connivence of not having to switch over when I pull my other trailers. But I think it is harder on the front of the trailer when you are unhitching. You have to raise the trailer 3 to 4 inches higher to clear the ball. Also I have noticed that some times the hitch wants to hang on the ball when unhitching. Especially when you are parked on unleveled ground. When I raise the trailer, the truck sometime wants to follow it, once it starts to slip you can see the truck come back down. How much extra stress is this putting on the front structure of the trailer?
Have you ever had to jump on the bumper of your truck when unhooking from a bumper pull trailer? Anyway If I ever get another RV trailer, I will go back to a 5th wheel style hookup.

 

[dragoonranch]

I have had a 25k Super5th for about 8 or 9 years now so when I got the 07 I called them up and had them send me the mounting kit for it and also the gooseneck ball 'attachment' for it also. Now all I have are a few bolt holes in the bed instead of the large gooseneck ball in the middle. I prefer pulling with the 5th wheel because of the ease of hookup and no need for safety chains (and not having the 'oh crap' moments on the highway when you remember that you didn't lock the gn ). I have a 32' Pro'Trak flatbed w/ a 5th kingpin in that I haul my toys around on, and it's nice being able to dally off in a parking lot knowing that most folks that 'could' actually back up and hook up to this don't fit into the demographics of the folks that 'would'. Not to mention, it keeps most folks from asking to borrow the trailer while I am overseas.