GN or 5th Wheel Question

[DraftHorse]

Having just purchased a new L5740, I need a new trailer. I believe a min rating would be about 14k and need about 25 foot.

I have a gas 97 chevy 1T dually that came with the reese system and both the 5th wheel and GN ball plate.

I Have seen trailers with both types and would like to know what the pro's and con's of both type.

Thanks
Peter

 

[RobS]

I'm kind of interested in the responses to this as well. Seems not many own both, so comparisons may be rare. I have a fifth wheel camper and can only offer the following:

Pros:
Easy hook up, can see the whole hitch out my back window plus it has lead in tapers just like a semi-truck.
I have a slider hitch which provides more clearance to cab for tight manuevering.

Cons:
Big, honkin hitch takes up a lot of room in the back of the truck.

I'm sure there are more pros/cons to each.

 

[kevinj]

Having just purchased a new L5740, I need a new trailer. I believe a min rating would be about 14k and need about 25 foot.

I have a gas 97 chevy 1T dually that came with the reese system and both the 5th wheel and GN ball plate.

I Have seen trailers with both types and would like to know what the pro's and con's of both type.

Thanks
Peter

I like the fifth wheel for easier hookups. You do not have to lift the trailer up 3" to unhook either. My corn pro has a fifth wheel post in place of the goose post.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

When we got our fifth wheel the first thing I did was replace the fifth wheel with a gooseneck coupler. (I don't in anyway recommend those gooseneck adaptors for fifth wheel trailers)

Fifth wheels are easier to hook up and disconnect and that's the only reason I can see for their existance for small trailers. With a typical gooseneck you have to be dead on for a hook up. Fifthwheels you can be close and you don't have to worry about missing the connection and crashing into the tow vehicle.

For awhile I used a gooseneck coupler on a trailer that you backed into similar to a fifth wheel in that you had to back into it. The problems with that wasn't it didn't work worth a flip when the ball was in a box in the bed.

I was told by a fifth wheel dealer that most fifth wheel manufacturers voided warranties when a gooseneck coupler adaptor was used. Before converting my trailer over I looked a the adaptors out there and felt the manufacturers of the trailers had a viable complaint. The adaptors changed the geomentry of the hook up.

The gooseneck on my fifth wheel has worked great. I didn't make an adaptor, I made a gooseneck. I'm used to hooking up trailers so the added attention hooking up a gooseneck over the fifth wheel wasn't a problem for me.

My first welding trailer was made from a fifth wheel travel trailer frame. It was great for what it was.

 

[Builder]

Having just purchased a new L5740, I need a new trailer. I believe a min rating would be about 14k and need about 25 foot.

I have a gas 97 chevy 1T dually that came with the reese system and both the 5th wheel and GN ball plate.

I Have seen trailers with both types and would like to know what the pro's and con's of both type.

Thanks
Peter

I think 14K is overweight off the bumper. If you can sacrafice most of your bedspace use a 5th wheel in the bed. I wish I could get an old road tractor with a 5th wheel trailer to pull my backhoe around. Pulling it behind my dumptruck is miserable. Can't see a thing.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Biggest problem with a 5th wheel is it takes up the bed and usually has a much lower tow rating than a goose neck. That should not be a issue with you since you are using a gas truck and staying around 14K. I like bumper pulls personally but the goose is my second choice with a flip over ball. I like the bumper pull because I like to use the bed of my truck. 99% of the towing I do I could not do with a bed pull trailer.

Chris

 

[bake321]

Hands down, B&W turn over ball (gooseneck) and if you ever have the need for a 5th wheel in the future, thier adapter is great. I have both and have no complaints.

Bake

 

[DraftHorse]

Thanks for the replies so far, but I think I need to make a little clarification here. First of all, I am not looking at bumper pull trailers at all, just king pin or gooseneck ball. Second, the 5th wheel unit is easily removed from my bed by pulling 4 pins. All that remains in the bed are the mounting rails. Third, my usage will not be constant so putting it on and off is not a issue.

What I am intrested in finding out is - if I am using a king pin trailer, the weight of the trailer on the truck would be spread out more towards the truck frame, vs the gooseneck ball being centered in the box. Is this really an issue or am I worrying too much.

Another issue might be that the 5th wheel plate may not allow much twisting if on a dirt road where a ball allows twisting in all directions, again, is this a major issue.

I don't want to spend money on the wrong type of trailer and do it right the first time (that's what I thought about my first tractor).

Again, thanks for the comments

Peter

 

[RobS]

Another issue might be that the 5th wheel plate may not allow much twisting if on a dirt road where a ball allows twisting in all directions, again, is this a major issue.
Peter

My hitch has side-to-side rotation as well as front to back so this is not an issue at all. I don't know how much an issue it is for the ones that do not rock side-to-side.

I have the same four pins/rails setup and I do remove the hitch often throughout the towing season. It's a good FEL task! The rails do become a pain if you're hauling loose material like mulch and I have to remember some wooden slats if I'm hauling building materials that shouldn't flex. I think only the hideaway GN solves those problems.

 

[Z-Michigan]

What I am intrested in finding out is - if I am using a king pin trailer, the weight of the trailer on the truck would be spread out more towards the truck frame, vs the gooseneck ball being centered in the box. Is this really an issue or am I worrying too much.

Another issue might be that the 5th wheel plate may not allow much twisting if on a dirt road where a ball allows twisting in all directions, again, is this a major issue.

I think a gooseneck and 5th wheel will distribute weight equally if you buy correct, quality hitches. The gooseneck hitch is usually underbed but it connects to both sides of the frame over a several foot spread. I havea B&W hideaball and am happy with it.

Your second issue is, I think, the main reason goosenecks are popular in the first place. Goosenecks do allow a lot of twisting between trailer and truck without straining anything. 5th wheel hitches normally allow little or no such twisting. I think this is a big issue if you will be operating over very rough fields or otherwise pulling the trailer across something that would regularly twist it relative to the tow vehicle. If all use is on roads or good driveways (whether dirt or paved) I don't think this matters much. I see goosenecks in use for small to medium size horse, farm and equipment trailers, but not for any of the really big stuff.

 

[radman1]

I would vote for the gooseneck. Gooseneck is much more common and resale would be much easier. Gooseneck will leave more room in the bed. Weight on the ball is not an issue for the truck bed. I assume you have the heavy gooseneck plate that will mount onto the bed rails? Mine pins on the rails with 4 pins. The plate will distribute the weight. If I did it over, I would instead go with a B&W flip over ball instead of rails.

 

[kevinj]

I would vote for the gooseneck. Gooseneck is much more common and resale would be much easier. Gooseneck will leave more room in the bed. Weight on the ball is not an issue for the truck bed. I assume you have the heavy gooseneck plate that will mount onto the bed rails? Mine pins on the rails with 4 pins. The plate will distribute the weight. If I did it over, I would instead go with a B&W flip over ball instead of rails.

Resale and availability are reasons that I went with the goose and put in a 5th wheel pin tube. I can easily change the tube back to goose in about 5 minutes. I prefer the fifth wheel over a goose (former truck driver) and most all the newer hitches have a top pivot to address the trailer twisting. Corn Pro does not build a 5th wheel setup so my dealer got the new post from Drawtite or Putnam which replaces the adjustable ball socket tube.

 

[mjncad]

I don't tow often, and what little towing I've done is with a bumper pull type hitch; and I am absolutely horrible at backing up a trailer with a bumper pull hitch.

Are goose-necks and fifth wheels easier to back up since the pivot point is generally over the rear axle instead of behind it?

 

[radman1]

I don't tow often, and what little towing I've done is with a bumper pull type hitch; and I am absolutely horrible at backing up a trailer with a bumper pull hitch.

Are goose-necks and fifth wheels easier to back up since the pivot point is generally over the rear axle instead of behind it?

In general, goosenecks are easier to back up. However, a bumper pull is easier to back around tighter corners or smaller areas because it will respond quicker to changes by the truck when backing up. Backing up any trailer just requires practice. Find an open area, pick a spot behind you and try to make the trailer go directly to that spot or around an obstacle. A trick my brother in law uses is to place his hand on the bottom of the steering wheel. As he then turns the wheel, the trailer will go the same direction as his hand placement. For example, start hand at 6:00, turn steering wheel to 9:00 (drivers side) position and the trailer will back toward the drivers side. After a while it becomes natural. Always try to anticipate the movement of the trailer and make corrections early before it becomes a critical change.

 

[powerstroke444e]

A gooseneck will not develop the slack a mulit pivot 5th wheel plate will. I like my gooseneck which is a steel plate in the bed, properly tied to the side of the frame on the truck. I have used & abused this setup & like the flex in the gooseneck crossing ditches & going through rough ground.

 

[mjncad]

In general, goosenecks are easier to back up. However, a bumper pull is easier to back around tighter corners or smaller areas because it will respond quicker to changes by the truck when backing up. Backing up any trailer just requires practice. Find an open area, pick a spot behind you and try to make the trailer go directly to that spot or around an obstacle. A trick my brother in law uses is to place his hand on the bottom of the steering wheel. As he then turns the wheel, the trailer will go the same direction as his hand placement. For example, start hand at 6:00, turn steering wheel to 9:00 (drivers side) position and the trailer will back toward the drivers side. After a while it becomes natural. Always try to anticipate the movement of the trailer and make corrections early before it becomes a critical change.

Thanks Radman1, I'll endeavor to remember your brother-in-law's tip and try it out the next time I do any towing.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Thats how I showed my wife to back up our boat. She is now a champ. She can put our 36' boat that 10.5' wide in a tight spot.

Chris

 

[LoganWildman]

(whether dirt or paved) I don't think this matters much. I see goosenecks in use for small to medium size horse, farm and equipment trailers, but not for any of the really big stuff.

Not sure how you define small to medium size, but goosenecks are on everything from about 20ft all the way up to 53 ft. open and enclosed trailers ranging from 10kgvw to over 25kgvw.
About the only thing you see 5th Wheel setups on is campers. As I think about the reasons for this what comes to my mind is campers (like semi's) are almost always on paved or gravel roads, and gooseneck's are on the trailers that are in fields, barn yards etc. So if your always going to be on roads, and want the extra expense but easier hook up, put a 5'ver in. If your going to be off road or in rough areas where the hitch flex is needed, go with a gooseneck.

I have owned/pulled all three trailer types and currently own a 25ft goose neck flat deck trailer and my personal favorite is a gooseneck. But then I am often in fields etc so the choice was obvious.

 

[Midsouth]

You didn't say if you already had a 5th wheel hitch or but if you do you can get a gooseneck adapter that fits in the rails for the 5th wheel. That is what i'm going to do when i trade trailers. I have a 16' bumper pull now and will be trading for a 20' gn as soon as i can.