Chillimau
Silver Member
- Joined
- Mar 23, 2001
- Messages
- 211
- Location
- Prairie View, OK
- Tractor
- Yanmar 147, 1987 Model Made for USA (not a grey)
Part of the reason for locating the gooseneck hitch forward of the axle, specifically the differential, is for clearance between the differential and the ball holder or mount. In fact on the B&W turnover ball you should not store the ball upside down in the socket on a 2wd Dodge because it may hit the differential with a heavy load or severe bumps and suspension action. Mine is a 4wd truck but they caution against this for the 2WD. I also had a Atwood fold over ball in a GMC truck that would have been pretty tight if it were directly over the axle. This would only apply to the hide away type hitches. Being forward of the rear axle helps get tongue weight on the front axle also.