Goosneck Ball

[Wumba]

Looking at a used TV. The bed currently has a gooseneck ball in it. I'll need to have it removed to put the 5th rails in the bed. By drilling more holes in the frame for the 5th rails, will this affect the frame integrity? Has anyone done this before, or should I just pass on the truck and look for one with a clean bed. Thanks!

[Gary_C]

fly-boy wrote:
Sell your hitch and get the B&W Companion.
It's a great unit and if the truck is a long bed you are good to go.

Do this^^

No need to go hacking up the truck bed when you can just drop in a companion and go, it's already set up for it.

[carpetguy2]

I have a reese HI rise fifthwheel Hitch that drops into my gooseneck.Had it awhile no issuses at all.Price was very fair .And don't have to deal with them dam rails .

[tinner12002]

45Ricochet wrote:

Bedlam wrote:
There are drop in fifth wheel hitches that use the gooseneck mount. There shouldn't be a need to make modifications.

X2

B&W hitches is one brand that will work.

Only if its a B&W turnover ball will it work or if it has a square base to prevent the ball from turning. If your gooseneck ball has a round base where it fits in the frame it won't work with the 5th wheel hitches that use to ball as a mounting point.

[Davidg53]

Before buying any hitch, take a close look at the Reese Goosebox. Use the B&W Turnover ball that's already in your truck, and replace the fifth wheel's pin box. B&W also makes an extender for the turnoverball that moves the center of hitch to the rear 4". The Goosebox incorporates the Fifth Airborne technology with shocks and an airbag. Nice soft ride and takes out 95% of the chucking.
Fwiw

[fly-boy]

Sell your hitch and get the B&W Companion.
It's a great unit and if the truck is a long bed you are good to go.

[Wumba]

Yes on the slider hitch! Mu current 2500hd is a short bed. The 3500HD will be a long bed. Seeing as I just bought the hitch, and now am looking at a newer truck, I can only push the DW so far...LOL

[Dayle1]

Many gooseneck and fifth wheel setups do not have holes drilled in the frame, they use existing holes as manufactured. So, while you may have multiple holes in the floor of the truck bed, there may be zero installation holes drilled thru the frame.

[Me_Again]

I think it maybe a short bed and he wants an auto slider??? Chris

[gkainz]

If it were me, I would go with the Andersen Ultimate. It mounts over the ball hitch. 34 lbs and super simple to install and remove.

Oh wait ... it WAS me! And I DID go with an Andersen! 🙂

[mkirsch]

Yup, no problem. The B&W just bolts into existing holes in the frame.

You could also go with a B&W Companion Hitch, and leave the gooseneck in place.

Too bad the truck isn't a few years older. I'd be sending you a PM right now.

[Wumba]

Ok, I had the salesman send me some pics. The gooseneck ball is a BW Turnoverball. The brackets that comes with it mount into existing frame holes, so nothing was drilled. Basically all I have to do is remove it, find a 4" hole plug and install ISR rails and drop my pullrite in. Now comes the fun part of haggling over price with the dealer! Thanks everyone and have a Merry Christmas!

[mkirsch]

What kind of gooseneck does it have in it now?

There are many minimum-drill options on the market for both 5th wheel and gooseneck hitches. The only holes that need to be drilled are in the sheet metal of the truck bed. All frame connections are using existing holes in the frame.

Then there is the Andersen "Ultimate" Fifth Wheel that connects to your existing gooseneck ball. It's a little different from the typical 5th wheel: It puts a raised gooseneck ball in your bed, and there is an adapter to install on the kingpin of the trailer.

[enblethen]

These Pullrite under-bed brackets do not require drilling of the frame. Looks like it should clear the goose neck ball.
Pullrite brackets.

[IdaD]

I know on my Ram there are custom fit rail kits that don't require any new holes to be drilled into the frame - it just uses existing mounting points. I would check out etrailer to see what they have, but I assume you could get something similar for a 2013 Chevy.