GMC 3500HD with Gooseneck hitch but want to use BW Companion

Thanks for all the help!
The FW we are looking at is about 16.5k GVWR and a dry pin of 2.4k, loaded I could see it being at least 4k, so I don't want to get near the limits of the gooseneck B&W. Seems there are more than a few instances of problems when the B&W gets to close to its limit. We're just going to wait it out and keep looking for a GM/Ford factory FW puck system to come up.
Thanks again,
Tom

steadfastrock wrote:
I would not recommend the companion hitch in a GM truck if you are running near max weight of the hitch. I had two bases fail.
http://www.irv2.com/forums/f44/b-and-w-failure-287912.html

With a 5000 lb pin weight I would want a gooseneck hitch anyway. Fiver hitches will never be as strong as a gooseneck

steadfastrock wrote:
I would not recommend the companion hitch in a GM truck if you are running near max weight of the hitch. I had two bases fail.
http://www.irv2.com/forums/f44/b-and-w-failure-287912.html

When you say fail, I think broke...I would say deformed is a better description.

I would not recommend the companion hitch in a GM truck if you are running near max weight of the hitch. I had two bases fail.
http://www.irv2.com/forums/f44/b-and-w-failure-287912.html

Oops, misspoke! I got it right in my OP that it is a Curt. Thanks for the correction and suggestion.

atperci wrote:

kennethwooster wrote:
I really thought the B&lW would fit on any ball. I've talked to people that had that setup. I'm using a B&W that fits on factory puck system. After 4 other hitches non of them compared to the B&W.

Thanks for the reply Kenneth,

I had hoped to use a B&W hitch because of all the great reviews. But it looks like the Andersen gets just a high marks, so I don't think I can go wrong either way.

I searched for a B&W adapter for the GMC gooseneck and found out it is a Reese product they use that is welded to the truck frame. It is not the four puck system that is used for the fifth wheel hitch attachment. I would have thought GMC would sell it as a combination package where it includes both the FW and GN puck attachment points. I think that's the only way Ford does it.

Also, it is a completely different shaped attachment than the B&W. It will fit but apparently there is a lot of play in it. As I said in my OP, the Reese is shank is round and uses a double pin system to secure the ball in place.

Regards,
Tom

The round double pin is a Curt not Reese. Its what I have in my current truck & I use the Andersen. As said, there is what Curt calls X-Rail that is a removable rail but IIRC it's only rated for 20K but its availible for B&W also.

laknox wrote:
Any decent machine shop could build you an adapter that would fit the round Curt-style base and that the B&W Companion would bolt down to. Frankly, it's always surprised me a bit that B&W doesn't make an adapter for this.

Lyle

Thanks for the idea, Lyle.

However, I would rather go with a tried and true method. Especially if something unthinkable were to go wrong, that it would be backed and warranted by someplace that would have deeper pockets or at least greater liability insurance. I just read that last year Andersen increased their warranty to Limited Lifetime, and added what they call a $5 million supplemental warranty. Whatever that means.

I am surprised too that B&W doesn't offer an adapter, but I suspect Reese would probably try to sue them for some type of infringement. What surprises me even more is that Reese hasn't made they're own hitch/adapter that is compatible with it!

Thanks again,
Tom

kennethwooster wrote:
I really thought the B&lW would fit on any ball. I've talked to people that had that setup. I'm using a B&W that fits on factory puck system. After 4 other hitches non of them compared to the B&W.

Thanks for the reply Kenneth,

I had hoped to use a B&W hitch because of all the great reviews. But it looks like the Andersen gets just a high marks, so I don't think I can go wrong either way.

I searched for a B&W adapter for the GMC gooseneck and found out it is a Reese product they use that is welded to the truck frame. It is not the four puck system that is used for the fifth wheel hitch attachment. I would have thought GMC would sell it as a combination package where it includes both the FW and GN puck attachment points. I think that's the only way Ford does it.

Also, it is a completely different shaped attachment than the B&W. It will fit but apparently there is a lot of play in it. As I said in my OP, the Reese is shank is round and uses a double pin system to secure the ball in place.

Regards,
Tom

atperci wrote:
Thanks for the replies!

We don't have the truck or the hitch, yet. Just trying to figure out how it could work. I didn't know the Andersen Ultimate would work with a gooseneck hitch (like I said, I'm still trying to grasp all the concepts involved with a FW.) I have read good things about Andersen, but also B&W.

All the trucks I had been looking at (Ford and GM) had the fifth wheel puck system, which is why I was thinking only about B&W. Then I found this one, which meets all our criteria at a good price, but had the gooseneck instead, so I was stuck not knowing how a FW hitch would work without major modifications.

I'm going to do some more research on the Andersen, to get a better grasp of its features and usage.

Thanks again for the help!
Tom

Any decent machine shop could build you an adapter that would fit the round Curt-style base and that the B&W Companion would bolt down to. Frankly, it's always surprised me a bit that B&W doesn't make an adapter for this.

Lyle

I really thought the B&lW would fit on any ball. I've talked to people that had that setup. I'm using a B&W that fits on factory puck system. After 4 other hitches non of them compared to the B&W.