Which Hitch? 5th Wheel or Goose Neck?

BucknMindy wrote:

Artum Snowbird wrote:
If you tell us what truck you have, engine, gears, tires and what the weight of your fifth wheel is it might help.

2014 Silverado 5.3, 6" lift with 35 12.50's towing a 22' prowler dry weight is 4300lbs

Put the right hitch on for what you're towing. Do not use a GN adapter if you don't have a GN equipped trailer.

You're gonna have more problems with that six inch lift.

Best bet is a TrailerSaver air ride hitch.

Friends bought a Jayco with the Goose Box (****) hitch and hated the ride. When aired to the recommended level, the ride was rough. They pulled it off and installed a Mor/Ryde pin box and a standard B&W Companion. The ride was much better.

Ken

BucknMindy wrote:
I have owned a couple of RV's, TT and Motorhomes. Just bought my first 5th Wheel. Not sure what kind of hitch. I was thinking a goose neck with an adapter so I still have my bed when not towing. Or am I better off just getting a 5th wheel hitch? All advice is greatly appreciated, thanks in advance.

Do your truck, 5th wheel and you a favor and spend the money for a 25K air safe hitch with the Brinkley Holland Head or a Hensley air hitch with the Brinkley Holland Head. No sense in having the truck and 5th wheel in a bind going down the road. And you putting up with a rough ride.

ToddD wrote:

johndeerefarmer wrote:
Lippert says it doesn't void the warranty because they own Reese.

Lippert owns Reese? Now it all makes sense!

Last time I checked, Lippert does not own Reese. Nor does the parent company of Lippert own Cequent (Reese). I belive there is a contractual relationship between the 2 parties as related to the Goosebox product, but I do not believe they're in the same family tree.

johndeerefarmer wrote:
Lippert says it doesn't void the warranty because they own Reese.

Lippert owns Reese? Now it all makes sense!

newtondak wrote:
We've had both and greatly prefer the fifth-wheel hitch over the gooseneck. Much less "bucking" while we're towing and more stable when in tight turning situations.

I have towed gooseneck trailers for nearly 40 years and no issues. Been towing fivers for five years and they buck more. Now if you are talking about towing a fiver with a gooseneck adapter then that is why you have bucking- any adapter added will cause more bucking.

The Reese Goosebox is NOT an adapter. It replaces the entire pin box. Lippert says it doesn't void the warranty because they own Reese.

I use a Reese Goose Box on my Crusader 5th wheel and love it.
I have had no problems at all with it and never have to refill the air bag.I have 40lbs.of air pressure in it and only greased the one fitting once. It makes the trailer ride smooth and very little bounce.It cost me about the same as a regular 5th wheel hitch.It may be a little more difficult to hook up because the ball is down low in the bed, but I line the truck up to the hitch box with the back up camera first then lower the tail gate and back up the rest of the way. I really like it a lot!
After use I have my full bed back and there is very little work involved.

I've enjoyed the STAR PERFORMANCE Gooseneck adapter which includes a glider motion that nearly eliminates any chucking (except for the VERY worst roads).
I tried the Reese Goosebox and in less than a year it didn't prevent a significant front frame crack from a West TX mega-pothole. The sagging frame led to bending the Goosebox before the damage was realized/became critical.
Lippert refused to replace the Goosebox, so I got a 16K Pinbox installed on my newly repaired and strengthened frame and returned to the STAR PERFORMANCE adapter.
Unlike the Goosebox it doesn't have to be greased every journey or refill the airbag after every journey.
The Ball is usually very easy to connect to and once on the Ball, it'll never drop the trailer on the truck bed rails.

We've had both and greatly prefer the fifth-wheel hitch over the gooseneck. Much less "bucking" while we're towing and more stable when in tight turning situations.

valhalla360 wrote:


Standard CYA answer. Bottom line is if they decide the adapter was a cause, then you are SOL for warranty repairs. That's a pretty clear answer to me. They aren't willing to say it's OK, so good chance it's not designed for it.

I think it's pretty clear and a very careful answer.

They won't automatically void your warranty if they see a non-Reese gooseneck hitch on there, but if you try to get frame damage covered under warranty and they see you had a non-Reese gooseneck hitch on there they will deny the claim.

Warranty on the balance of the frame might be intact, but the damage you are trying to get covered won't happen.

Like running 87 octane in a car that requires super unleaded. As long as nothing goes wrong with the engine running 87 octane, your car's full warranty is intact. But if you have detonation issues and damage and they do a fuel sample, your engine claim will be denied. Warranty on vehicle is still intact, however.