Who's using this hitch?

GreatWhitehunter · Sep 5, 2007

I'm considering purchasing a fifth wheel camper. I also was planning on buying a GN flat deck trailer to haul the toys around with. I was going to order a B&W turnover ball and install it myself. Then we started thinking about the camper it dawned on me that I would need two different hitch setups. Lucky for me B&W already addressed this issue. They have a GN to fifthwheel conversion hitch. What I want to know is if anyone here is using this setup. Any pro's and con's would be great and pics if you got them.

Thanks
Matt T.

Reg · Sep 5, 2007

As I understand it you would be better off with the gooseneck hitch, period.
Then either convert the camper or get the 5th to goose adapter, but not the other way round. I don't see a good case for messing with a mini 5th wheel.

I have a Hillsboro platform bed with a gooseball under the trap door.
There is NO ball locking mechanism to slop around, rust in place, mess around with. "Greasing the dog" is not an issue, the trap door covers it ALL completely when not in use.

Skyco · Sep 5, 2007

The gooseneck makes more sense to me intuitively than the 5th wheel.
I have heard that some trailers have had stress problems when a gooseneck adapter was used mounted on the trailer if the original design wasn't stout enough to handle the added leverage the adapter has...I understand B&W has an adapter that goes in the truck bed attaching to the ball socket, that shouldn't be a problem with trailer stress.

Dozernut · Sep 6, 2007

It depends on the length of your truck bed. The standard bed on GM trucks is 6' 6" and you will need a slider hitch for a fifth wheel camper. Not having a hitch that slides back can be a problem when making a rather sharp turn, damaging the truck and trailer. As you mentioned, most of the companies that sell the slider hitch also sell a goose neck adapter so you can have the best of both worlds. Just do a search on hitches and look at the brands that offerer the adapter. I have a Pullrite 5th wheel hitch with a goose neck adapter.
If you have the 8" bed on your truck I don't think you could go wrong with the B&W hitch, they are a good reputable company with a great hitch.

firedog · Sep 7, 2007

I'm using both the 5th & gooseneck. I've heard there are some issues with adapter kits out there to convert the 5th over to a goose neck on the trailer.

I/m running a reese 16k 5th wheel removable hitch and also "the goose" (made by reese) that sits in the same rails as the 5th hitch. (it will actually sit under the 5th, so I leave in all the time and pull the 5th hitch when I use the goose)

firefighter9208 · Sep 7, 2007

GreatWhitehunter said:
I'm considering purchasing a fifth wheel camper. I also was planning on buying a GN flat deck trailer to haul the toys around with. I was going to order a B&W turnover ball and install it myself. Then we started thinking about the camper it dawned on me that I would need two different hitch setups. Lucky for me B&W already addressed this issue. They have a GN to fifthwheel conversion hitch. What I want to know is if anyone here is using this setup. Any pro's and con's would be great and pics if you got them.

Thanks
Matt T.

Matt,

I have the B&W gooseneck hitch in stalled on a 99F250 and love it. When I got ready to purchase a fifth wheel I began researching hitches. When we bought our first fifth wheel the saleman talked me into installing a fifth wheel to gooseneck adapter on the trailer (we bought it used). I then found out that most RV manufacturers will void the warranty on the frame and hitch if using one of these adapters.

When we got ready to trade the camper on our new 34' Cougar I decided to buy the B&W Companion 5th wheel hitch. The difference in towing is night and day. Not near as jerky as the adapter. Also, the B&W hitch has full wrap around jaws that completely enclose the kingpin. A lot of the other brand hitches basicall have a plate the closes behind the kingpin. The hitch also has a shock that dampens side to side movement and urethane bushings. Very well built!!!

The B&W hitch installs in literally 5 minutes. I pull the gooseneck ball, set the base in the back of the truck and slide the pin in. Torque the bolts to 40 ftlbs. and set the top on the hitch. It can be installed on top of a bedliner, etc... I have a factory bedliner and rubber mat (cut a square whole in it) that I install my hitch on top of. I pulled the camper from Birmingham, Alabama to Gatlinburg, TN and back and checked the bolts when we got to TN and when we got home and they still were at 40ftlbs. When you remove the hitch and install the ball "turned over" you have a perfectly flat bed that you can slide a pallet into with a fork lift. Try that with normal hitch rails.

What's funny about the whole deal is that the RV dealer didn't even want the gooseneck adapter when we traded the first trailer in. He said that he had a whole pile of them behind his service department that had been on trade ins that he had removed.

JMHO

Chris

Dozernut · Sep 7, 2007

firedog and firefighter9208 said it much better than I did. On my Pullrite the goose neck adapter sits on the same rails as the 5th wheel head, pull four pins and change heads. Pull another four pins and lift out the rails, remove the locking studs and I have a clean bed to haul with. The Pullrite is an excellent hitch if you have need of an auto slider with the gn adaptability.
The B&W is really a good hitch and I would have one if I had an 8' bed on my truck and had no need for the slider.

Here is a discussion on a rv forum about the B&W: RV.Net Open Roads Forum: B & W Hitches - Good and/or Bad Experiences.........

GreatWhitehunter · Sep 8, 2007

That's exactly the answers I was looking for. I wanted the GN more that the 5th wheel. I'll be using the GN more also. I can't see hindering my bead with a bulky 5th. I'm sure the 5er I get will be in the 10k range so the B&W will be more that adequate. Does anyone have a pic of there setup? I would like to see the bolting process.

Thanks
Matt T.