Community Forums

stymie37771 · 06-08-2005, 09:19 AM

Bought '05 Everest 343L, dealer installed goose neck extension.. sitting in park and fellow asks about the setup and lo and behold calls to manufacter and frame builder say NOT RECOMENDED..Now I donot know what to do...

stymie37771 · 06-08-2005, 09:19 AM

Bought '05 Everest 343L, dealer installed goose neck extension.. sitting in park and fellow asks about the setup and lo and behold calls to manufacter and frame builder say NOT RECOMENDED..Now I donot know what to do...

Hitchhiker · 06-08-2005, 09:41 AM

Welcome to iRV2!

There has been lots of dialog posted on iRV2 discussing the pro's and con's of a goose neck adapter for a fifth wheel trailer. I did a search on the words 'goose neck' and got 49 hits, plenty to read.

In general, some fiver's might tolerate an adapter OK. But I have heard of a number who tore the front king pin loose with such an adapter. Fiver's are not stressed like goose neck trailers and many at least will not stand the added stresses.

The front of the frame on a 5th wheel is significantly different that that of a goose neck trailer, take a look at the steel and reinforcing in the area of the front frame. If you try to use a goose neck hitch on a 5th wheel you may seriously damage the frame. Then, on the other hand, it may travel thousands of miles without incident.

Good luck with yours, I hope it accomplishes whatever objectives you had in mind for it.

Two Bit · 06-08-2005, 12:40 PM

Tell your dealer to put it back the way it came (at no expense to you) or you are going to have a nice conversation with the manufacturer about one of their dealers installing warranty voiding equipment on their products. He should have known whether that manufacturer would approve a gooseneck conversion or not.

Dont use that dealer again for anything.

Put in a 5th wheel hitch. If you also pull goosenecks, a gooseneck ball plate accessory can be purchased that will fit the fiver rails. There are several hitch systems that can be used for both fivers and goosenecks. (but you change out the parts in the truck bed, not on the fiver!)

R.G.Wise · 06-08-2005, 02:39 PM

You will have structual problems on the frame; as Hitchhiker said, fiver frames arent made to take the same stress as gooseneck trailers. Very few fiver mfgs. accept gooseneck adaptors.

Ken Lenger · 06-08-2005, 04:59 PM

I agree. Get rid of the adapter and either get something like the TurnOverBall hitch with the 5th wheel companion hitch or get a conventional 5th wheel hitch and get the gooseneck adapter plate if you need to pull a gooseneck trailer. If all you are trying to do is to have a clean bed when your 5th wheel hitch is removed, consider the PullRite hitch with Superails. See http://www.klenger.net/dodge/pullrite/index.htmlfor more info.

mjstef · 06-09-2005, 05:50 PM

Guess it depends on the trailer and the frame. I have a full box frame on an 95 dutchman 30RK royal and have towed with mine for over 40K miles over some pretty rough terrain. Memorial Day weekend i had the trailer in a foot of mud and pulled it out without any damage. Guess im a lucky one?? I like all the exra room it gives me in the bed. Anyone remember the backward 5er hitches years ago?? Pin in the bed and a small 5th wheek reciever on a piece of pipe sticking down from the frame??

Ray,IN · 06-09-2005, 06:24 PM

Most 5er mfgrs. void their warranty if the gooseneck adaptor is used, a few will permit the use. I really don't understand why one would want to switch to the ball hitch. It requires the use of safety chains in the majority of states towing laws.

stymie37771 · 06-17-2005, 03:53 AM

I am dumbfounded that a dealer would install something that would compromise my waranty and posible warping the frame....

RustyJC · 06-17-2005, 04:17 AM

As Ken Lenger mentioned, the B&W Turnoverball gooseneck hitch (rated 30K) with the double-pivot, 18K rated companion 5th wheel RV hitch is a good solution. It provides gooseneck and 5th wheel towing capabilities with a clean bed when neither is required.

Some get away using the gooseneck adapters - some don't! The use of these kluges is probably best summed up in the immortal words of Dirty Harry (Clint Eastwood) - "Are ya feelin' lucky today?"

Rusty

Two Bit · 06-17-2005, 04:46 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I am dumbfounded that a dealer would install something that would compromise my waranty and posible warping the frame.... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Dont be so surprised. They (and the big RV catalogs) also sell "slide-out supports" that all RV and slide manufacturers say "never use". Picture what would happen if you had your open slide supported by what amounts to "jack stands" and one of your tires went down overnight or your rig settled in some other way. It would literally rip the slide from your RV. Just because someone sells something, dont assume it is safe for you or your rig.

charliez · 06-21-2005, 06:07 AM

Did you ask for the gooseneck hitch?

stymie37771 · 06-22-2005, 08:22 AM

No I did not. They put it in because they said they could not fit the other hitch in (REESE) but here in Indiana I went to a RV place and they can put the Reese Hitch in ...Go Figure..

charliez · 06-22-2005, 10:31 AM

Couldn't fit it in what? You truck bed?

Sounds like you got a bum deal from your dealer. I wonder if he just had a batch he needed to deplete. What place in Indiana did you go to?