What type of gooseneck hitch?

Discussion in 'Towing Equipment' started by RJF's Red Cummins, Feb 16, 2005.

  1. RJF's Red Cummins

    RJF's Red Cummins TRC Staff Moderator

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    I am trying to get my dodge cummins ready for our gooseneck and have to figure out what style of in bed reciever I want to go with. Our goosneck uses a 1 5/16" ball in the bed that goes up into the neck on the trailer, not a fifth wheel. A friend has the same style trailer and he just welded the ball to a big heavy steel plate 2'x2' and bolted it to the bed by drilling through both the plate and bed at each of the four corners. I am considering this way since it's probably the cheapest and need to still get a brake controller.
     
  2. Seventy4Blazer

    Seventy4Blazer Well-Known Member

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    i have a B&W turnover ball. i have yet to see it in person, but it looks great in the pictures. im driving an 04.5 ram 3500 SRW short box 2WD. it was a litle expensive, but is load rated to 30k if i remember right. when not in use you turn over the ball and its nice and flat.

    i dont like welding the hitches to the frame due to liability. its best to get a specific instal kit and use it. easier to prove not yoru fault if something goes wrong.
    Grant
     
  3. RJF's Red Cummins

    RJF's Red Cummins TRC Staff Moderator

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    Do you have pictures of this setup? A link to where I could find the kit? I meant weld the ball on to a steel plate that is then bolted to the bed, but I like the idea of being able to flip the ball over.
     
  4. joez

    joez Well-Known Member

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    I personally like the DrawTite offering, with the removeable ball. The whole hitch is under the bed, the only part exposed is the ball and safety chain loops, and when the ball is removed you only have two small loops exposed. They are 30K pound rated.

    EDIT: Forgot the link. http://www.hitchestogo.com/gooseneck_hitches.htm
     
  5. Seventy4Blazer

    Seventy4Blazer Well-Known Member

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  6. RJF's Red Cummins

    RJF's Red Cummins TRC Staff Moderator

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    Thanks for the links guys!;)
     
  7. Super Trucker

    Super Trucker Well-Known Member

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    Did you mean a 2 5/16"s ball? Your friends setup would have a subframe or crossmember under the bed that ties it into the main frame if it was done by a pro, have you looked underneath his truck?
     
  8. RJF's Red Cummins

    RJF's Red Cummins TRC Staff Moderator

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    Yeah, I meant 2 5/16". He did not use anything under the bed, just a heavy guage 1/2" plate of steel 24"x24" bolted through the bed at each corner with the ball welded in the middle of the plate.
     
  9. Super Trucker

    Super Trucker Well-Known Member

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    I have a friend that repairs big rig trucks and trailers plus installs hitches too. Be it a gooseneck or fifth wheel hitch in a pickup, it needs to be tied into the frame, not just bolted to the bed. Bolting the hitch to the bed only is asking for the hitch to tear away under the stress placed onto it. Would you trust a bumper hitch bolted only to the bed of a truck? I wouldn't!
     
  10. RJF's Red Cummins

    RJF's Red Cummins TRC Staff Moderator

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    That is why I posted asking for opinions on that setup and any other setups guys are using. I am probably going to go with one of the two systems that have links above.
     
  11. Super Trucker

    Super Trucker Well-Known Member

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  12. therobzilla

    therobzilla Well-Known Member

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    RJF,

    This is going to rub a few raw, but here is something to consider. If you live in TX, and want to have a Gooseneck hitch installed they weld their setup. If you go to RJ Trailer on the Internet, they and other even sell the U-Channel for the hitch. I don't disagree with the thoughts behind the idea of welding to a truck frame, but it has been done and is being done quite a bit. Most of the horse people have the hitches installed by local companies in TX, OK etc. And never have issues with them.



    How you decide to do it is your choice. I welded my to the frame with a 1/2" channel and reinforced it to the frame then drilled it for the 2 5/16" ball. It worked out no problem and I have around $30.00 in the whole setup.



    I tow heavy and I tow hard with my truck, and I have had the shops look at it that make custom hitches and they said no problems.



    I won't defend my decision to anyone, but it's my opinion, and what I did.



    I just bring a different opinion or idea to the discussion.



    Rob
     
  13. RJF's Red Cummins

    RJF's Red Cummins TRC Staff Moderator

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    Thats basically what my dad did with his '76 C30. He welded a crossmember under the bed between the frame rails, cut a 4" hole in the bed right above it, drilled through his crossmember, welded a nut to the bottom of the crossmember, and screwed the ball right in through the crossmember and into the welded nut. He then welded the 4" whole to the crossmember to "seal" out water. It works great but am not interested really for my Dodge because I don't want to weld on it...but we'll see.
     
  14. BadDog

    BadDog TRC Staff Staff Member

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    The one posted by SuperTrucker is the one I have. I got the 30,000 lb Reese 5th wheel setup with frame plates, and the 30,000 lb "Goosy" adapter. Over kill is good...
     
  15. Seventy4Blazer

    Seventy4Blazer Well-Known Member

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    i just like the idea that IF something happens, i can say "they made it and tested it, it was instaled as per direction, sue them" thats just me. i fully agree that it is strong enough, more of a back up plan.

    Grant
     
  16. rdhamill

    rdhamill Member

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  17. az-k5

    az-k5 Active Member

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    That will hardly work. What they send YOU is a box of metal. How YOU have it installed and how YOU use it is entirely on YOU. Towing is a whole new ballgame with placing blame. If your tires are underinflated or your rig is over/incorrectly loaded it is ultimately the drivers fault. The kicker is speed rating. Most towing related accessories (not just tires) have a lower speed rating (55-65) knowing that the big accidents happen above those speeds. Read the fine print.

    I work at a tire shop and have seen everything while under the 1 tons. From the 1/2" plate with a ball welded in the bed to a custom $25K flat bed. The real heavy non CDL rigs (F550, Kodiaks, and Isuzu's) usually have a large C-channel welded between the rails and the ball bolted through it.
     
  18. Super Trucker

    Super Trucker Well-Known Member

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    Every late model Class 8 truck I've seen has a warning not to weld the frame rails as it ruins the heat treatment. If you have a heat treated frame don't weld to it.
     
  19. az-k5

    az-k5 Active Member

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    You have me corrected. I looked a little closer. The hitch is hard mounted to the flat bed wich is bolted on the frame. Some are still welded across the rail's though. I wasn't aware the most of the civy chassis' were heat treated. I know the kodiak 6500 and up is.
     
  20. Super Trucker

    Super Trucker Well-Known Member

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    I don't know either if they're heat treated or not, but if they are you shouldn't weld them.
     

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