5th wheel hitch vs gooseneck

[cajflynn]

I agree that a lot of loads are not set up right or axle position is wrong for the load on top if the trailer has an adjustable position axle.

BUT... you are misrepresenting my "Terms" lol..........

I am talking the Average Joe's boats and pontoons, things under 30 feet long and 8 feet wide or narrower...........Not Yachts and cruisers , Also I am talking about just "pulling" again a misrepresentation of meaning, I was not talking about manuvering.

I worked for a contractor for a while pulling 52" triple axle belly dump gravel trailers regraveling country back roads and county roads so I know a thing or two about tight manuvering.

I guess I need to learn read better. Sorry.

[Wild and Free]

check to see if there are any differences on how your trailer is taxed (plates)

All my stuff is ball mounted, but I've heard over the years that plated stuff is higher. Least in my great state.

Here in ND all trailers being pulled behind a pickup are a flat $20 a year liscence fee. Regaurdless if it is an RV, stock trailer or car/utility trailers 14' and over.

Things like boat trailers that transport a dedicated load like a boat which is already liscensed doesn't need to be liscensed here or small utility trailers pickup box trailers ect, they do not enforce unliscensed trailers for the average Joe that I have ever seen or heard of.

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I guess I need to learn read better. Sorry.

Hey nothing personal but there are just a bit of diffferences between what you pull and what the "Average" guy sees. but your input is always nice to hear as it opens eyes for some who never get to see loads like you pull and would not know what it is like to do so.

Last post wasn't intended to be negative as it was poking fun.

[Mopar1973Man]

LOL................... I pull a trailer about the same size with bigger loads of woods than that behind my Honda 300 4 wheeler. When the load gets too big my wife has to sit on the front rack for more traction. Pulling it is easy, stopping it is a bit more tricky though when it gets that heavy. Wife and I would get lots of fire wood years ago, I had two bumper pull pickup box trailers tagged together so 3 full sized pickup boxes heaped with unsplit wood then my second pickup with a bumper pull 16 foot by 5.5 foot wide stock trailer filled to the roof and the bed heaped in a single afternoon from the cotton wooded river bottoms of the Missouri river. when we would get those loads we would already have it pre cut into splitting lengths prior to picking it up. I now have two gooseneck trailers, a 30 foot triple axle flatbed and a 20 foot by 6'8" wide stock trailer for the big loads. Pulling my travel trailer or bumper stock trailer sucks after pulling the goosenecks, loaded up they weigh in at around 7-8K lbs and pull worse and harder than having 3 times the weight on the goosenecks. Boat trailers are a lot easier to tow as they tend to be a lot longer and the weight tends to be further back on the trailer versus the heavy tongue weight of stock and travel trailers.

I can't complain... It only 1/2 ton axle (dodge axle) with Load Range C tires. That load was a bit wet and heavy had the trailer axle pinned to the stops. I've piled on bigger loads of dry wood. Just this picture was the first one I grabbed out of the picture album on the site. But back to the thread. There is a reason, design, and purpose for each style of trailer and hitch. They all have pluses and minuses to each one. Might now be a bad idea of listing some of these pluses and minuses for a RV / Trailer article about each style of hitch and trailer. Like my RV I choose a bumper pull for the simple reason I could load my ATV in the bed of the truck and still haul the trailer. With a 5th or goose I would lose the bed for hauling once again then have to haul doubles. Then there is a good chunk of camping areas I would have trouble in because of length. As for utility trailer like a car hauler if I was to buy one I would clearly go for a gooseneck myself because then I could use a turn over ball and still never have to mess with rails or 5th wheel frame in the bed. As for my little 8x8 utility trailer that was a $5 trailer I bought years ago. The only thing change was the pickup box (junked) and the flat bed was built and added a storage box for chainsaws and tools. I made that trailer because it follows the exact path of the truck through the woods and rather easy to maneuver through the trees getting firewood. Has the same axle height so if the truck clear the trailer will too. Then yes I could pile on the weight but with grades as steep as 16% in some roads in just not a good idea to over load or over pile the wood on the trailer. I've got a nasty dent/crease in the rear bumper from a large round falling out of the trailer and hitting the rear bumper. I like to haul loads without damaging the truck or trailer.

[dripley]

When I bought my first trailer I chose a 5th wheel because of all the bumper pulls I had seen on the highway that were just wrong. By that I mean trailers swaying back and forth, and tow vehicles almost dragging there bumpers. A proper hitch and a properly loaded trailer would help cure both of those problems. Another thing I considered, especially since I basically live in mine, was total length. That is why I settled on a 5th wheel. As far as the hitch it the bed, it is not to bothersome to me. I just take it out and the rails only occasionally get in the way. I do have to pull the tailgate every once in a while to slide something heavy into the bed. That all depends on what type of forklift is loading the truck.

[hex0rz]

When I bought my first trailer I chose a 5th wheel because of all the bumper pulls I had seen on the highway that were just wrong. By that I mean trailers swaying back and forth, and tow vehicles almost dragging there bumpers. A proper hitch and a properly loaded trailer would help cure both of those problems. Another thing I considered, especially since I basically live in mine, was total length. That is why I settled on a 5th wheel. As far as the hitch it the bed, it is not to bothersome to me. I just take it out and the rails only occasionally get in the way. I do have to pull the tailgate every once in a while to slide something heavy into the bed. That all depends on what type of forklift is loading the truck.

Hey, whats the specs on your trailer? Length, weight, etc?

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Well, who could point me in the right direction for a mounting kit for a 5th hitch? Can't seem to find a kit for a 99?

[Wild and Free]

Hey, whats the specs on your trailer? Length, weight, etc?

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Well, who could point me in the right direction for a mounting kit for a 5th hitch? Can't seem to find a kit for a 99?[/QUOTE]

That is a pretty broad question, There are several styles brands ect. What kind or brand are you looking for? The type with the rails on the bed floor? I would run a B&W flip over ball with the "B&W Companion" 5th wheel plate that mounts to the gooseneck ball and can be removed and has nothing that mounts to the bed floor.

[dripley]

Hey, whats the specs on your trailer? Length, weight, etc?

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Well, who could point me in the right direction for a mounting kit for a 5th hitch? Can't seem to find a kit for a 99?

The trailer is 35' long and 12' 8'' high. I forget the gwr on it. I would have to go back to it and check. The last time I went over a scale I weighed 22.4K. As I remember it broke like this, front axle 4K, rear axle 6K and the trailer axles 12.4K. My truck and what I usually carry in it weighs near 7.5K. that leaves me about 15k on the trailer. I believe the trailer is rated for 16K, I would have to check that. If is important to you I will this evening. Like W&F says there are a lot of ways to go with a hitch. I was pretty naïve when I bought mine first rv and let the dealer point me to some one who sold and installed hitches. I ended up with a Reese frame rail mounted hitch that has been with me for about 14 years. I had it in my 96 and had it reinstalled on my 02 where it sill resides. The rails occasionally bother me, but for the most part with the hitch out it is no big deal. That is all a personal preference. Be sure you get one that is rated for what you want to pull. Mine is so old I cant read it any more, but I do remember checking it before I bought the Cardinal I have now and had room to spare. You should not have any trouble finding a hitch for your truck.

[flagmanruss]

I only have the gooseneck now... I have a Hidden Hitch. There's a release in the driver's side wheel well & the hitch ball lifts out to store under the back seat. I installed my own from underneath. I ran a pilot drill (I made a bushing to reduce to 1/4") up through the bed & bed liner & then went on top with the right sized hole saw. The one thing I didn't like is the hitch is centered on the rear axle where my mentor prefered it an inch or so forward of axle center line. But it hasn't been a noticeable problem... and if I had, I'd not be able to lower my tailgate. So maybe it's like that for a reason.

[hex0rz]

Well, I went to a trailer show locally, and a guy offered to sell me his reese 18k 5th hitch. I dunno if its a slider or not. All of the 5th's I'm looking at have the noses made to allow for tighter turn radius' with a short bed, but I dunno if that still means I need the slider for tight turn negotiations backing into spots, etc. :shrug:I hope that his is a slider if I need one as he is only wanting $400 for it. A family member maybe put on 5k miles on the hitch before they passed away and the wife wanted to sell it. I'm concerned that I will need the brackets for it to fit my truck, as I don't think it will be a universal and he thinks it came off of a ford...I would love to run the under the bed rails and have the gooseneck option with it, but I gotta budget myself so I can get into a trailer. Its not the most opportune time for me to get into one, but I've kinda worn out my welcome here with family and need to get outta here. :doh:Was looking on reeses site and they have the hidden style for $300 and change. :ahhh:I will need your guys' input when I get the hitch as to where I need to place the hitch in the bed! Thanks for those specs, dripley, was just trying to get an idea of what you were pulling. I'm trying not to go anymore than what your pulling...

[Wild and Free]

I have always assumed the slider hitches are designed for the 5 foot boxes, if you have a 6.5 foot or longer you don't need a slider, at least this is what I have seen them marketed for mainly.

[War Eagle]

Don't know if you already bought the Reese Hitch or not but there is a brand called Pullright Superglide that is an automatic slider (you don't have to get out of the truck to unhook the slider before you make a sharp turn or backup. The slider latches and unlatches automatically. So you don't have to stop or remember to manually unhook the slider. There are several other manufacturers that make auto sliders. They are all more spendier than the manual sliders. But the reason why I bring up the Pullrite Superglide is because there are no bed rails mounted in the bed. The mounting attachments used to mount the hitch are removeable via hitch pins at the four corners of the hitch (where it sits on the bed floor) and it leaves the bed perfectly flat. There will be ~ 1" hole ate each corner of the floor where each corner of the hitch is attached to the frame below the box. There is no unbolting, just remove the hitch pins and the whole hitch frame rails and hitch lift out of the truck. I have one of these and it is super easy to setup and remove. I bought it specifically because It doesn't need frame rail mounting in the bed and there is no obstruction in the bed when you remove the hitch. I also have heard many war stories of folks with a manual slider that have inadvertantly forgotten to unlatch the slider when needing to make a sharp corner and punching out the back window of the truck and messing up the corner of the 5er. With the auto slider I don't even have to think about it, ever. The are really slick and I see used ones for sale quite often on craisglist. http://www.pullrite.com/superglide.htm

[hex0rz]

Well, I'd have to say this is a bit of a gimmick, the idea of these new trailers having a sloped side and allowing a short bed truck to use a regular hitch is seemingly to be a crock of crap.For our trucks, our beds should be 6.5', right?The hitch me and the guy were thinking about doing a deal on was not a slider. I was speaking of manual slider. It was a regular non-manual slider. I posed the question to him today and we got a 3rd person to deliberate on it. He said that it would not work, even if it was a manual-slider.So apparently, even if you tow a 5th wheel with the sloped sides, you still need an auto-sliding hitch. He did say it was possible to use a manual-sliding hitch, but if there is ever a time to turn sharply in traffic, you would have to slide it. But my problem is, how the heck are you ever gonna know when that turn is the one that will cause you a problem? Besides the safety risk it would be to jump out of your truck in traffic just to slide the hitch.I looked on CL here locally and only found one at $1000. Its crazy how much they can cost..I'm disappointed as I thought the sloped nose on the 5th wheel would help keep me from buying an auto slider. :banghead:

[AH64ID]

I have always assumed the slider hitches are designed for the 5 foot boxes, if you have a 6.5 foot or longer you don't need a slider, at least this is what I have seen them marketed for mainly.

5' boxes are some super short box 1/2 tons right? My understanding as been a slider is needed (recommended, warranted, etc) by and 2500/3500 short box, and not needed for a long box. I have understood that short box trucks in the 2500 and 3500 class are ±6.25' and long box are ±8'. I have never noticed a 5' box on anything but a super crew, crew max, etc 1/2 ton.

[Wild and Free]

5' boxes are some super short box 1/2 tons right?

My understanding as been a slider is needed (recommended, warranted, etc) by and 2500/3500 short box, and not needed for a long box.

I have understood that short box trucks in the 2500 and 3500 class are ±6.25' and long box are ±8'. I have never noticed a 5' box on anything but a super crew, crew max, etc 1/2 ton.

I think the 2500/3500 Mega cabs only have 5 foot boxes also don't they?

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I looked on CL here locally and only found one at $1000. Its crazy how much they can cost..

I'm disappointed as I thought the sloped nose on the 5th wheel would help keep me from buying an auto slider. :banghead:

Lol, you defiinately would not be impressed with the B&W then, The Gooseneck runs in the 400-500 range and the Companion 5er plate that works with it is over $800.

Having a box that is not cluttered ..........PRICELESS.

[cajflynn]

I think the 2500/3500 Mega cabs only have 5 foot boxes also don't they?

My mega cab has a 6.5 box. They all have the 6.5 short box. I am thinking about making it a long box though.

[AH64ID]

I think the 2500/3500 Mega cabs only have 5 foot boxes also don't they?

They use the standard 6.25' short box from a QCSB.