ball and i bolt style gn hitch???

[mndorf]

This older Gooseneck brand flatbed gn trailer I'm looking at has a hitch I've never seen before. Not 2+5/16" ball, not fifth wheel.

The trailer tube is an open tube with a hole drilled in the sidewall. The dealer looked at my hitch and said I take out the truck's ball, and put the trailer hitch down the sleeve of my truck's socket where the ball sat. Then the trailer apparently turns (articulates) in my sleeve and pivots on the bolt. (as when I drive over a hump)

He said this was the "original" style of hitch. Does anyone know about these, the good and bad? Obviously the industry doesn't use them anymore. Why? Can it be converted to today's ball hitch? Maybe by sliding a ball socket into the trailer's tube?

thanks,

Bruce

[CCOUGHRAN]

the biggest peoblem that i have seen with the eye/pin is that people lose the pin.

you can usually go get a round tube bulldog hitch, and it should slide up into the tube on the trailer side. then you can uses you regular 2-5/16 ball.

the thing that i have seen several ranchers do , is keep a bulldog 2-5/6 coupler and a pin, sitting in their toolbox, so that anytime they have to latch onto an older gn then they just slide the coupler into the trailer tube, pin it, then hook up as usual.


good luck,
chris

[AaronSEIA]

Sounds like the kind of hitch that needs the B&W eyelet style ball that was discussed here a few days ago. If you have a B&W you could buy the correct hitch, but I'd bet it's cheaper and easier to have a welding shop or trailer shop put a newer style hitch on the trailer.
Aaron SEIA

[kehale]

here you go! (click here)

[LongRider]

<font color="green">Believe it or not, what you are describing is a genuine original GOOSENECK brand hitch.

The neck sets over a plate mounted swiveling ring, with a pin going through neck and ring.

One thing for sure, nobody can borrow it. </font>

[lightbulb]

dont have to worry about anyone stealing it.........now that is a unique design right there....I have never seen it

[mndorf]

Thank you all very much for this info.

My next question: Is this genuine Gooseneck design the same as or compatible with the B&amp;W?

I've been reading these forums for four years and never realized what a B&amp;W was. Now I'm getting learned!

Theft is on my mind, more comforting with a used trailer compared to having a new shiny one in the yard.

[LongRider]

<font color="green">I guess the B&amp;W could be retrofitted to pull the ring-and-pin trailer; but, some serious modifications would be in order.

The ring that is mounted to the plate that gets fastened to the truck frame must be able to freely swivel 360 degrees.

Is the neck adjustable??

If it is an adjustable-height neck, then the sliding portion of the neck can be removed and swapped for a more normal 2-5/16 hitch. </font>

[444turbodiesel]

[ QUOTE ]
<font color="green">I guess the B&amp;W could be retrofitted to pull the ring-and-pin trailer; but, some serious modifications would be in order.

The ring that is mounted to the plate that gets fastened to the truck frame must be able to freely swivel 360 degrees.

Is the neck adjustable??

If it is an adjustable-height neck, then the sliding portion of the neck can be removed and swapped for a more normal 2-5/16 hitch. </font>

[/ QUOTE ]

The post above contains a link to the B&amp;W adapter specifically designed for this type trailer.
No modifications neccessary, just drop it in.

[mndorf]

Getting a better idea of what it is.

First of all, it's an EYE bolt, not i bolt! And the Gooseneck brand has a little ring to articulate on. Now I just hope that ring will fit in my hitch setup.

The trailer tube is one piece. I'm thinking I'll get a tube insert with the ball socket and convert it.

Thanks for all this info.

Bruce

[Ag__Teacher]

The easiest fix is to purchase a coupler like the one here at the top of the page (gooseneck coupler head) and weld it to the trailer your buying.

http://www.redneck-trailer.com/2004/F/PagesF-6-F-8.pdf#search='gooseneck%20coupler'

We used to have several trailers with the old eye bolt hitch and we had one of the coupler like in the link welded to a piece of pipe that would slide up into the trailer's pipe and then run the pin throught the pipe. These would convert the trailer to be pulled by a truck with a ball hitch.

However, that was 20 years ago. Today, the ball is the industry standard so just weld a new coupler to the pipe and be done with it. You can just leave the hole or fill them. However, you'll need to cap the top of the hitch pipe because most of the old eye hole trailers didn't cap the pipe top. Filling the hole will prevent it from being a haven for wasp nest though. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif[/img]