I have been looking at GN hitches. I like the B&W turn-over ball. One place here that carries them wants $335 for the hitch, the other place will install one for a total price of $575. I don't plan on towing that much (once a month or so, more in the cooler month here in Texas). Other GN hitchs where you can remove the ball or set if flush with the bed go for $250 or so online.
Is the B&W worth it? I know they make the 5th wheel companion for it, but if I ever needed a 5th wheel hitch, I would get an auto slider. For my light occasional use, is the B&W worth it?

Thanks,
~Rob

 

The hitch is very nice and it is not light duty by any means. I have used one and it performs well and ducks out of the way when not needed.

 

the B&W is a nice product but i think it is over rated. if you were to get a goose neck ball that just unscrews that woud be fine. that what i have. and since your are not going to have to change it a lot, taking a minute to unscrew it would not be bad. BUt on the other had if you had to do it everyday that would suck. but for once a month just go with the cheaper ones. they will pull tha same amount just takes a little longer to remove the ball

 

If you think you may need a 5th wheel hitch in the future, bear in mind that the gooseneck you've already installed may preclude the installation of a 5th wheel slider hitch. That's a key advantage of the B&W and (along with the clean bed feature) one of the reasons I chose it.

Rusty

 

Don't cheap out, yes there are cheaper ones on the market but are they as good/safe? As far as install price goes, just do it yourself it only takes 1-1.5 hours. A guy I work for bought a new 04.5 dually loaded 4x4 6spd, and then cheaped out and had some trailer shop WELD a hitch to only the top of the frame A $40k truck and he cheaps out and saves $100 and now has a hitch on a new truck I refuse to drive. Get a good DOT approved hitch, you might someday need/want to tow something heavy and you will be glad you got the good one

 

My truck already had the B&W Turnover Ball hitch installed when I bought it. When we upgraded to a 5th Wheel, every shop I talked to said they wouldn't even attempt to install a new 5th wheel hitch unless they removed the gooseneck first. They said they were sure they wouldn't fit together. I even downloaded the instructions for a few hitches and crawled underneath to see if I thought they could fit together, and the hitches I looked at definitely would require the gooseneck to be removed.

So I just bought the 5th wheel companion and kept the gooseneck. So far, I couldn't be happier. In my opinion, they are underrated!

 

I've got no problem removing any GN hitch that I put in if I ever upgrade to a 5th. I never considered having both in at the same time, I always just assumed it was one or the other, my question is: if I remove said GN hitch, there should be no problem installing a 5th, correct?
If I go with B&W, I would probably just buy their companion 5th, I don't think I would "have to have" a slider, even though I have a swb truck.

BTW, I called another shop in Dallas about installing a B&W turnover ball, they want $875+tax!!!! Bwaahhaaaahhhaaa. I can buy the B&W for $335 locally and do it myself. Might even get it cheaper if I looked around on the internet.

~Rob

 

If you remove the gooseneck, there should be no problem. The B&W is a bolt on install, so if you remove it, nothing is left that would interfere with any other hitch.

$875? Ouch. That should almost cover both the gooseneck and the 5th wheel companion. I got my companion for $550.

And it's kind of nice having both capabilities. That way there is almost no trailer you can't tow - within reason of course.

 

The B&W GN is a nice unit. And by no means is it light duty, rated at 30,000lbs.

 

I had Ashland Hitch install the Hidden Hitch GN in mine. Was like $515 installed and it folds down out of the way.

 

I just had mine turnover ball installed for 600 bucks, that included hitch, brake controller, and plug in the bed. I didn't think that was to bad for all of that. I would go ahead with the B&W, they are a nice gooseneck and easy to change.

 

My sons 3500 had the B&W in it and it got stuck every now and then. OK other than that.

 

If you haul sand or gravel put a piece of cardboard over it. Dirt and grit will make it difficult to turn over. I love mine..and no it isn't light duty...

 

When my bw gets stuck I just put a piece of rope around it and pull it out with that

 

Thanks to all who replied, and I realize it is not a light duty hitch, I meant my use will be light duty

Got an appointment Friday to get it installed

~Rob