Gooseneck to 5th wheel adapter

krazymatt wrote:

laknox wrote:

krazymatt wrote:
So I hate to bring up an old topic but I'm looking at a used 5th Wheel with a Gooseneck adapter. Actually the GS adapter was my plan regardless due to truck bed use and convenience. Warranty isn't an issue but I don't understand how the gooseneck hitch puts more "stress" on the frame when a 5th wheel hitch puts both the truck and trailer frame under extreme stress when trying to maneuver into or out of on a non level surface like a forest dry camp spot when the gooseneck adapter allows more freedom??? Of course the other issue is damaging the camper or bed rail if it pivots too much.

When you need to break a stuck bolt loose, what do you do? You grab a longer wrench or a cheater pipe for more leverage. In normal towing, NMDriver is right, you won't see much difference. It's when you hit a bump or pull over a rise in the ground that you'll get the greater stresses. You've now got about an 18" long "lever" trying to twist the pinbox, which puts much more strain on the underlying frame. Look at =any= gooseneck trailer and notice how the hitch area is beefed up and gusseted. No FW trailer is built as heavy as this. IMO, this isn't an issue with smaller FWs, say 25' and less, but for heavier rigs, it's just not smart. Now. if you get something =in writing= from the manufacturer stating that their frame will not have any problems, that's a different story.

Lyle

I understand what you're saying. For normal towing I don't see a problem unless you chained the 5er to a fixed object and yanked and jerked on it. Yes gs trailers have extreme gussets and heavy steel but then again they're made to tow backhoes and livestock. The ranch adapter I'm looking at is rated at 30,000lbs. If it was such a big deal I don't think Andersen would be in business. The trailer im getting is a 2003 so I could care less about warranties. Thanks

With most manufacturers voiding warranties on new FWs if an adapter is used, that =should= tell you something. It's not the adapter that's the weak link, it's the underlying frame of the FW. An Anderson hitch doesn't have the problem in that it moves the ball up nearly to the level of the king pin, so you have much less leverage on the pin box. Several mfrs specifically allow the Anderson because of this. When frames on the vintage FW you're looking at were breaking under NORMAL towing, why chance adding any stress to the equation. There are any number of threads on here, with pictures, showing what happened to peoples' FWs when the frame failed, including a couple on FWs on their first or second trip out. Our roadways in many locations are in such poor condition that you don't have to "chained the 5er to a fixed object and yanked and jerked on it" as you said, to cause problems; just tow down the freeway for a couple thousand miles.

Lyle