Gooseneck Hitch

[Flyone]

My previous experince has all been with a bumper hitch, however that may be changing shortly. I'm considering going to a Cruiser fifthwheel for various reasons. My question--I have a 2001 F250 7.3L short bed--it has a pop up gooseneck ball in the bedpreviously installed (by someone else). My instinct tells me to go ahead and use it, of course after having it checked out to insure it is installed properly.Is a goosneck better/worse, eaiser/harderto use than a traditional fitfhwheel hitch? Isit more trouble to hitch up? You just don't see them that often and I was kind of wonderingand thought maybe someone here couldadvise. Use it or lose it?



Flyone

[Brad]

Under no circumstances do we recommend the conversion of a fifth wheel to a gooseneck. The conversion or use of an adapter voids the structural warranty of the fifth wheel.

Goosenecks are:

1 harder to hitch/couple
2 a rougher ride as you have no movement or mechanical give hitch to hitch
3 more prone to damage/fatigue
4 requires more leverage at the chassis to accept all hitching movement and torsion in the RV, so the cargo "ride" is diminished

RVs are not engineered to be towed as a gooseneck.

[caedenspa]

Do you know what brand the gooseneck hitch is? B&W makes a Fifthwheel Companion that works with their gooseneck hitches. I've never used it, but it is out there.

[jeb]

Short bed?

Back window of the tow vehicle?

Are you sure you want to do this?

[Dayle1]

I would not use a gooseneck adaptor with a fiver. Just look at the frame on a real gooseneck trailer, much stronger than a fiver frame. GNs aren't worried about unit height and the distance between the main frame rails is less. But for a fiver to have decent bedroom height, the frame rails are a full 8 ft apart and the crossmembers are minimal height, just not the same strength. A GN adaptor adds about 14-18 inches additional leverage on the fiver frame, something the frame is probably not designed for.



With my volunteer work, there are times I have to move a 38 ft GN tool trailer. Hooking up is more difficult since you can't see the ball from the driver's seat and you can't be off by more than about 3/8 inch in any direction, so a spotter is needed or lots of trial and error. Plus you need to climb into the bed to remove or install the safety pin and safety chains are required. By comparison, I have been using a standard fifth wheel hitch for 21 yrs, it is a solo job.



Just because your truck came with a GN ball already mounted, if you don't have a need for both GN and fifth wheel towing, why cheap out with the wrong hitch? If you need both, then the B&W companion setup may be the way to go.

[Flyone]

Thanks to all--- was looking forinformation from knoweladgeable source. I have no reason to keep the GN other than it is already there. With no FW experince these are the kind of answers I was looking for, a pretty definative "No" don't use it. Ok then, now I know, out it comes to make way for a conventional FW hitch. Thanks



Flyone