I am planning on getting a 5er in the spring. I was wondering if there was any benefit from 5th wheel hitch to gooseneck hitch adaptor. Some one told me that with the gooseneck adaptor is better. For the reason you get more movement out of it when it tight situations like parking on angles and just being crank off on a 45 angle and that there is alot more space in your bed. and some say that the 5er hitch is better for easy hook up and thats all I heard.
I have a pull behind now and I am up grading can't wait

any info greatly apreciated, thanks

 

If you buy a trailer with a 5th wheel hitch; get a 5th wheel hitch. If your trailer has a gooseneck then get a gooseneck hitch. It isn't worth changing over a trailer hitch just because you like the alternative better.

 

Lots of debate on the 5R to GN adapters. Have read plenty of posts saying not a problem and plenty saying it overloads the pin box and frame with stress. I read enough bad posts that I would hesitate to try it. I'd get the 5R hitch and a GN adapter plate for it if I needed to pull a GN also.

 

Gooseneck "adapters" on campers are just plain silly in my opinion. There is already a chance for flex in the super structure front section of a 5'er, no sense in compounding the problem......

If you think you'll ever have the occasion to need a GN, get either a B&W or Reese Signature Series, for about 300 bucks you can buy the 30K GN hitch that slips right into the same pucks for the Reese hitch. (signature series only

 

If you get a regular 5th wheel hitch and pull your camper with that, then you decide to buy a gooseneck equipment or livestock or whatever trailer, you can take the gooseneck coupler out of the neck of the trailer and put in a pin style coupler on it. It is fine to convert a gooseneck trailer to 5th wheel but not good convert the other way.

just my $0.019.

 

I run the drawtite 5er rail hitch with a GN adaptor plate. However, I do not pull a 5er at all. I can say that I haven't had any issues with it being like that, and I've pulled up to about 20k.

 

Definitely reconsider that option. Too many bad stories about converting a fiver setup to goose neck. Having had major frame collapse at the kingpin framing, you don't want to go thru that. Go back to your physics days - - (mercy, brings back memories having taught physics and math for many years), you are adding length to your kingpin setup - - that length means it is like a lever increasing the amount of flexing applied to the kingpin. Some RV manufacturers void their frame warranty if a goose adapter is used on their coach.
Bob

 

hey guys I appreciate all the info I Am definatly goin to go with the 5er hitch I looked at a nice one from B&W I really like any of you guys run the B&w?

 

I think thats a wise decision, I've got my 5th wheel converted to a gooseneck because I pull horse, livestock and flatbed goosenecks regularly so I thought why not my 5th wheel travel trailer. Anyways, like stated above, I believe Im putting unneeded stress on the kingpin box and it BUCKS bad. So I will be purchasing a 5th wheel hitch and remove the gooseneck conversion from my travel trailer in the next week!!

 

Many around here run B&W hitches. I have one and love it. They are great hitches. you wont look back.

 

I agree with the above. The extra length of the adapter to run a 5th wheel trailer with a goose neck ball acts like a longer lever, like a cheater bar slipped over a wrench. It amplifies the forward and backward stress on the frame. Unless I got something in writing from the frame builder that they would warranty the frame with the use of the adapter, I wouldn't do it.


With regard to B&W's hitch, I really like mine, too. It pivots 4 ways, which is nice when hitching and unhitching on uneven ground. It has a good range of vertical and back and forth adjustability. The Jaws fully enclose the king pin, and it is easy to see that the jaws are in the groove on the king pin.

The biggest advantage is that it leaves a flat bed when removed. The only downside is that you have to break out tools to remove/install. Since I carry a set of deep wells and a torque wrench (to check trailer lug nuts) it isn't that big of a deal, but not as handy as pulling pins from a rail.

 

Good thing I had mine re-inforced. Mine was given to me, and the truck had prior holes in the bed from the previous owner. And in a time of low money (and needing a gooseneck to make some $$$) I went with the Drawtite setup. But not without getting some extra support underneath.

 

Its not using the fifth wheel rails in your bed with a gooseneck plate that causes problems, its the adapter guys bolt to there fifth wheel trailer that converts the trailer to a gooseneck.

I saw a couple come through the rv dealer I worked at that had stressed the frame of the trailer and caused structural damage. Its just a bad idea.

 

Is your truck a long or a short bed? If its a short bed the B&W may not be the right choice since its not available as a slider.

 

Oh, gotcha!