yes it just leaves two rails flat in the bed

 

You can, but if you haul wood, or dirt or something like that, you get chips or dirt stuck under the plates, which has to be cleaned out sometimes to get the 5th wheel to lock in,or you can't shovel the bed outbecause of the crossplates, or you can do like i do and take the cross plates out, which isn't hard, just a PITA. With a hideahitch gooseneck you won't have to do any of that, your bed is totally functional.

 

That's only if you take out the cross plates.

 

It's true dirt and debris gets stuck in the plates if you load dirt or similar in the bed. However you can avoid much of the fuss by tossing down a rubber bed mat, it covers the plates and keeps most of the load on the mat instead of in the plates.

 

I guess I didn't look at the first link very well. You definitely want a 2-way pivoting head. Makes things a lot nicer.

The mounting rails only stick up about 1 1/4" or so. They don't really get in the way with big stuff like bikes or fourwheelers, but like these guys said, if you're hauling dirt, gravel, or sheetrock or something, they're a nuisance. Nothing will sit flat in the bed.

 

Personally I prefer the 5th wheel hitch over the gooseneck .The 5th wheel has a flat and larger bearing surface the gives a smoother ride than the Gooseneck.Much less trailer roll/sway. I have had a few different Mfg. and presently have the Hijacker hitch.. it's a 16 K and cost $ 845 installed .Regarding debris collection under the hitch rails ? Takes a couple seconds when your washing your truck to squirt the hose under the rails ,,Problem solved .If you do go with the 5er be sure to buy a friction plate for $ 10 ..Ends the need for grease on the plate..
Roadie

 

the idea behind the 5th wheel is it moves with the truck more, cant tow as much but it moves with the truck so you can get closer to the box and not rub the box sides, the goose neck is for loads ment to stay on somewhat level ground, theres two different heights of goosenecks, one for 2wd pickups and one for 4x4's, i have a flatbed goose neck that was originaly for a 2wd flatbed pickup with a 5th wheel. i converted it for my gooseneck in my pickup but it only works cause i dont have box sides, it will tear the box sides off my dads pickup if he is not careful. 5th wheels on trailors are so they follow the pickup better. better articulation from the higher piviot. ow and i hate 5 wheel rails when you want to shovel the snow out of your pickup. cant take a garden hose to snow, just my .02

 

your pickup/trailor can only haul as much as your tires will hold legaly, load range E tires can haul roughly 3000lbs, on a pickup with 4 tires and trailor with 6, 10x3000 is 30,000lbs. oviously a dually can haul more.

 

we have been using gooseneck home built trailer since we built it in ag shop in 1972. had a trailerhouse that was fifth wheel in 78 or so. when dad bought his brand new in 87 we removed the complete hitch out of the trailer house frame. it unbolts and built a new ball style hitch and it still is on it today. trailer made two trips to to the yukon and five or more trips to the east coast and all over the west coast with no issues. i would not use those cheesy adaptors i had one and sold it. my 38 foot park model i own has been changed over to a ball to by building a new hitch. all our farm pickups have ball hitches so it makes it easy for any one of use to swap rigs or trailers. anymore with all that being said i would find a good used fifth wheel hitch off the craigslist or here and not worry about it.

 

http://changingears.com/rv-art-fifth....shtml?sec-art

this might help you decide