I think there are a couple of valid answers here. And I have to admit that I was very confused by the "need" for the 2 different systems. I have had the stock trailers and the big flatbed with the gooseneck ball, and have found that system to be very satisfactory and safe. But the trailer frame must definitely be stronger than a 5th wheel RV. My son lost his 5th wheel RV last fall in a fire, so we got to study the frame and it is hugely different (thinner gauge, lighter metal) than what a gooseneck trailer has.
Admittedly, the gooseneck is harder to hitch up as you can not see the ball in the PU bed, so it is similar to a "bumper pull" trailer in that respect. It will take a few tries of backing, getting out to look where you must go, and then try again (maybe 5 or 6 times). Even with my long crew cab PU, I can see the 5th wheel pin from the center rear view mirror, and usually make the hitch in 1 or 2 tries.
And then there is "history". The RV industry adopted the 5th wheel hitch universally, and the farm and equiptment manufacturers adopted the gooseneck universally. The early 5th wheel hitches took up a lot of bed space, but the B&W hitch company of Kansas decided there is a good market for a hitch system that can be either gooseneck or 5th wheel. So the B&W turnover ball base, along with the B&W Companion for the 5th wheel. Both are very well made and allow a truck to have either hitch system, or even a completely flat floor in the bed. As a gooseneck setup, it has a 30,000# trailer capacity, and as a 5th wheel unit, it is rated for 18,000#. Both exceed what your pickup should be pulling.
There are some adapters for the 5th wheel trailer that allows them to be hooked up to a GN ball, but most trailer manufacturers will void their frame warantee if you install an adapter.
We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]
Today's Featured Article - An AC Model M Crawler - by Anthony West. Neil Atkins is a man in his late thirties, a mild and patient character who talks fondly of his farming heritage. He farms around a hundred and fifty acres of arable land, in a village called Southam, located just outside Leamington Spa in Warwickshire. The soil is a rich dark brown and is well looked after. unlike some areas in the midlands it is also fairly flat, broken only by hedgerows and the occasional valley and brook. A copse of wildbreaking silver birch and oak trees surround the top si
... [Read Article]
All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy
TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.
