gooseneck adapter

leftybj wrote:
Im back from the holiday. Thanks to everyone for the replies. I have much more info now. It really helps to get different points of view to help in the education and decision process.
Thanks again!

Since you don't want to give up bed space, you should consider the Andersen Ultimate. It is light weight, so ez to remove. It elevates the ball to the same height as the king pin so it is visible from the driver's seat for easier hook-up. And with the elevated ball, there is almost no change in leverage on the fiver pin box and frame.

Endricken wrote:
What extra stresses? They can't be much. Some incorrectly perceive a lever is at work, but if the extension connection is solid / strong enough there is no way it can rotate the Pinbox (it becomes one solid "cantilever"). The approved for Lippert frames Goosebox demonstrates this as it totally replaces the Pinbox.

I replaced my 25K lbs rated adapter with the Goosebox only because it was strong enough to "rotate" (Bend slightly upward) the rear of the kingpin plate (the flat piece of steel the kingpin is welded to). This only occurred on the VERY roughest section of post Katrina beat up I-10 in New Orleans I ever encountered a few years ago. This bend was so slight I lived/traveled with it for two more years until this past summer when another encounter with horrible concrete in IL bent it just slightly more so I became afraid the plate could someday fail or even worse, separate from the Pinbox, however unlikely that probably was. This was a real world "Physics" test that demonstrated the fallacy of the theory that the whole pinbox would rotate from lever action and damage the frame. The adapter was much stronger than the Lippert Pinbox Plate, which dissuaded me from just replacing the Lippert Pinbox.

You have heard the saying about the weakest link. So, you have a very strong adapter and you found the weak link in the "solid cantilever", the flat plate. Good thing that the plate was the weak link since that is one of the cheaper repairs. But I'm not aware of any owners reporting similar failures when using a conventional fifth wheel setup, maybe the added stress with an adapter is more than just minimal??

Im back from the holiday. Thanks to everyone for the replies. I have much more info now. It really helps to get different points of view to help in the education and decision process.
Thanks again!

What extra stresses? They can't be much. Some incorrectly perceive a lever is at work, but if the extension connection is solid / strong enough there is no way it can rotate the Pinbox (it becomes one solid "cantilever"). The approved for Lippert frames Goosebox demonstrates this as it totally replaces the Pinbox.

I replaced my 25K lbs rated adapter with the Goosebox only because it was strong enough to "rotate" (Bend slightly upward) the rear of the kingpin plate (the flat piece of steel the kingpin is welded to). This only occurred on the VERY roughest section of post Katrina beat up I-10 in New Orleans I ever encountered a few years ago. This bend was so slight I lived/traveled with it for two more years until this past summer when another encounter with horrible concrete in IL bent it just slightly more so I became afraid the plate could someday fail or even worse, separate from the Pinbox, however unlikely that probably was. This was a real world "Physics" test that demonstrated the fallacy of the theory that the whole pinbox would rotate from lever action and damage the frame. The adapter was much stronger than the Lippert Pinbox Plate, which dissuaded me from just replacing the Lippert Pinbox.

I see what you're saying JohnDeere. I mistook you for the OP. You already have the Companion.

All I would add is that I see a lot of gooseneck adapters on fivers around where I camp, and it proves to me that plenty of people are doing it without damage to their frame. I believe it all comes down to how well that frame is built. A few people break those frames using regular pinboxes, so you know they would have broken using GN adapters too. Most people won't have any issue either way, but you may be increasing your odds of having an issue, slightly. If it suits you to use a GN adapter, I say go for it. Frames can be repaired and improved if needed.

TXiceman wrote:
As for the extra stresses on the trailer, a Goose Box is no different than a GN adapter. Most trailer manufacturers will void the frame warranty if you use a GN adapter.

A short box trucks are a real pain for pulling a 5er and I would not have one.

Ken

Lippert approves the Goosebox for some of their frames which is why I am interested in it.

I prefer the shorter bed due to the already longer truck due to the crew cab. Back when regular cabs were still "in style" I always had 8' beds. I see many fifth wheels pulled with short beds. This is why the manufacturers gave us extended pin boxes and beveled the corners of the trailer

bpounds wrote:

johndeerefarmer wrote:
I don't want any rails at as they extend past the ball toward the front of the truck as this keeps me from placing my generator at the front of the truck. The idea of just using my B&W gooseneck and the Reese Goosebox frees up that space for me. If I had the 8' bed the rails might not be a problem but with the 6 3/4' bed it is.

That's not much of a reason really. Just lay a couple of pieces of lumber up there level with the rail, and put your gen on top of that. Also, when you start looking at hitches, you may find that the feet of the B&W have a larger footprint than hitches on rails.

Obviously you will choose what you want. Just sharing options with you.

I already have a B&W companion that I got from a neighbor but the rails are huge. Even if I built up a wood platform that gave me a flat surface to set the generator I would have to use a tractor to get the genny in the back of the truck as it weighs 200 lb. I have to use the tractor to load it anyway but I don't like lifting it in and out over the side of the truck. I load it from the back and and roll it to the front.
Yes the smaller rails would be better. I could load the generator from the back and maybe drag it over the rails to the front of the truck and then install the hitch. I suppose since I have the B&W hitch the Curt adapter would be the way to go.

As for the extra stresses on the trailer, a Goose Box is no different than a GN adapter. Most trailer manufacturers will void the frame warranty if you use a GN adapter.

A short box trucks are a real pain for pulling a 5er and I would not have one.

Ken

johndeerefarmer wrote:
I don't want any rails at as they extend past the ball toward the front of the truck as this keeps me from placing my generator at the front of the truck. The idea of just using my B&W gooseneck and the Reese Goosebox frees up that space for me. If I had the 8' bed the rails might not be a problem but with the 6 3/4' bed it is.

That's not much of a reason really. Just lay a couple of pieces of lumber up there level with the rail, and put your gen on top of that. Also, when you start looking at hitches, you may find that the feet of the B&W have a larger footprint than hitches on rails.

Obviously you will choose what you want. Just sharing options with you.

johndeerefarmer wrote:
I don't want any rails at as they extend past the ball toward the front of the truck as this keeps me from placing my generator at the front of the truck. The idea of just using my B&W gooseneck and the Reese Goosebox frees up that space for me. If I had the 8' bed the rails might not be a problem but with the 6 3/4' bed it is.

Sounds like your mind is made up. That's the great thing about having options, many solutions to problems.