[clev]

My 2012 long bed KR came with the 5th wheel hitch option. I've never had a fiver, always had trailers, and know little or nothing about fifth wheel hitches. I DO KNOW that I do not want to fool with, nor have the big hitch in the bed of the truck. Can someone advise me on what I need for a turnover ball that will fit the hardware that came with the truck?

 

[larrgh]

If this is the Ford/Reese factory hitch system, there is no "turn over ball". There were plugs that came with the truck to cover the 5 holes.

If it is a turn over ball hitch with a release lever in the fenderwell area, then you will need to determine what hitch system you and and what balls work with it.

Is there 5 holes in the bed or just the one for the gooseneck ball?

 

[clev]

Hi larrgh; as I posted, I know little or nothing about fifth wheels or hitches. I was referring to basically any type of ball mount for a goose neck and my truck does have the 5 holes. I did find the Curt ball kit made for ford trucks with the 5th option; number 60609. It appears to be exactly what I'm looking for.

 

[larrgh]

Reese and Ford also has the balls.

Reese - Elite Series Gooseneck

https://accessories.ford.com/gooseneck-kit.html

 

[MRH2008]

Clev-

Just to be clear the 60609 Ball you said you are looking for is a gooseneck ball and not a fifth wheel hitch.

A fifth wheel hitch, 16039 will mount in your factory system as well and is removable.

Just depending on what you are hauling, the gooseneck ball may or may not be adequate for your application.

My travel trailer requires 16039, it would void warranty and not be as safe if I hauled with a gooseneck adapter kit to fit the 60609 ball mount, and my flatbed gooseneck trailer requires 60609.

My 19k lb 5ver pulls better than my 10k trailer fully loaded with skid steer and tractor that weighs about the same as the 5ver, and I can only equate it to the different hitch styles.

Dont want to sound like I know it all, but safety is my only concern when I go down the road.
Hope this has helped.

MRH2008

 

[dirtytires]

Just my 2 cents, but a fifth wheel is easier hook up and, as stated, seems to provide a better ride. The big hitch is easily removable when not in use.

Also, a gooseneck ball/kit should come with 3 pieces. The ball goes in the big center hole and 2 "eye bolts" that fit in two of the outer holes for the safety chains.

 

[DKR]

Clev,

I have a 2015 F350 CCLB SRW with the factory hitch and I tow a 15000 lb 5th wheel trailer. When traveling I need access to the bed and like you really didn't want a large hitch taking up most of the bed.

There were 2 options we looked at very hard, one was the Andersen Ultimate Hitch we chose not to go through this route because I didn't want to install this every time we hooked/unhooked the trailer. Below is a link.

Aluminum Ultimate 5th Wheel Connection 2


The second choice was the Reese Goose Box which is an approved kingpin replacement of the frame manufacturer.
We ultimately went with this for a couple of reasons the first being it has a built in suspension system and the second the simplicity of hooking up.
All we have to do is put the GN ball in the truck and back up and hook up, when we get where we're going the only thing in the bed is the ball and it comes out in a few seconds easily. We've had no issues with it except replacing a faulty valve core and will highly recommend the product. Here is a link.

Reese - Goose Box

 

[johndeerefarmer]

Clev,

I have a 2015 F350 CCLB SRW with the factory hitch and I tow a 15000 lb 5th wheel trailer. When traveling I need access to the bed and like you really didn't want a large hitch taking up most of the bed.

There were 2 options we looked at very hard, one was the Andersen Ultimate Hitch we chose not to go through this route because I didn't want to install this every time we hooked/unhooked the trailer. Below is a link.

Aluminum Ultimate 5th Wheel Connection 2


The second choice was the Reese Goose Box which is an approved kingpin replacement of the frame manufacturer.
We ultimately went with this for a couple of reasons the first being it has a built in suspension system and the second the simplicity of hooking up.
All we have to do is put the GN ball in the truck and back up and hook up, when we get where we're going the only thing in the bed is the ball and it comes out in a few seconds easily. We've had no issues with it except replacing a faulty valve core and will highly recommend the product. Here is a link.

Reese - Goose Box

How long is your truck bed?
What kind of turning angle can you get?
How many inches of clearance do you have from the bed rails to your fiver? The instructions for the Goosebox say to install it one hole lower than your old pin box. If you did this do you have any holes left? (I am wondering about height since the 17 SD has 1" taller bed walls)
I am trying to decide if I want a Goosebox or not. Thanks

 

[larrgh]

Reese sells a gooseneck ball that is 1" taller than the standard ball. This should help alleviate the problem with the 2017 bed height being 1" taller.

High-Rise Pop-In Ball for Reese Elite Series Underbed Gooseneck Hitch - 1" Rise - 2-5/16" Reese Balls RP19315

 

[dirtytires]

I did similar research and looked seriously at the Reese goose box. At the time, Reese (who I contacted directly) was not willing to tell me that my trailer frame would hold up as well as the original pin box. It was concluded that 5th wheels and goose necks are designed differently and the stresses on the trailer frame are different. I feel changing one to another is just not a good idea.

 

[DKR]

How long is your truck bed?
What kind of turning angle can you get?
How many inches of clearance do you have from the bed rails to your fiver? The instructions for the Goosebox say to install it one hole lower than your old pin box. If you did this do you have any holes left? (I am wondering about height since the 17 SD has 1" taller bed walls)
I am trying to decide if I want a Goosebox or not. Thanks

We're in Northern New Mexico on vacation right now and somewhat internet challenged but we hooking up later this morning and I'll take some measurements and upload some pics if I have a good connection tonight if not I know I'll have a good connection Wednesday



The truck is a stock 2015 F350 4x4 CC SRW LB.

 

[DKR]

Ok I'll give this a whirl. Like I said it's an 8' bed and when I hooked up this morning the space between the bed and the trailer was about 7 3/4".

Here is what my truck usually looks like.

Here it is with the 5th wheel this morning. Camper weighs about 15k all together loaded for a 2 week trip, with 12k on the axles and 3k on the hitch per the scale.

I took these pics for the folks that built my stainless big dog box so they could build me a small box for the 5th wheel. (Note the hitch was moved down one bolt setting.

These plastic boxes are 24" tall and the trailer is about 5 1/2 above them. This was at about 90 degrees with the eyeballometer.

 

[DKR]

Just my 2 cents, but a fifth wheel is easier hook up and, as stated, seems to provide a better ride. The big hitch is easily removable when not in use.

We have had no issues hooking this up, the ride from the Goose Box is an air ride and in my opinion wonderful. I have a ball that weighs a few pounds compared to a 5th wheel hitch which is over 100lbs.

Also, a gooseneck ball/kit should come with 3 pieces. The ball goes in the big center hole and 2 "eye bolts" that fit in two of the outer holes for the safety chains.

Our kit did come with 3 pieces however the laws for gooseneck trailers and 5th wheel trailers differ GN are required to have safety chains 5W are not. (That said I keep a set of chains in my tool box in case I run into Barney Fife who doesn't actually know the law.)

I did similar research and looked seriously at the Reese goose box. At the time, Reese (who I contacted directly) was not willing to tell me that my trailer frame would hold up as well as the original pin box. It was concluded that 5th wheels and goose necks are designed differently and the stresses on the trailer frame are different. I feel changing one to another is just not a good idea.

I also spoke to Lippert (the Frame Manufacturer) and the Reese GooseBox is an approved product and will not void the warranty.

 

[dirtytires]

It was 3 years ago when I looked at them and they were fairly new to the market. Nobody (Reese or lippert) would back it and my trailer manufacturer had sold out a few years earlier. I very much wanted to use the goose box could not get an expert anywhere to say yes tho I found many to say no.

I am glad to hear that it is working for you and hope you keep us updated. in the meantime, I would watch for stress cracks at the top of the trailer frame as this was cited as the biggest risk area.

I'm also jealous....I would love to take a 2 week vacation!