Any last warnings before I buy Reese Goose Box?

[Searching_Ut]

Originally Posted by DJNCJ

FWIW, I have basically the same truck as you (should be the same height) and removed the 1621HD from my trailer when I installed the GB. I have the factory puck system (do you?) and use 2 different GN balls (Curt and B&W). There is about 1.5” height difference between the balls (B&W is taller). So with a couple inches adjustability at the pinbox as well as 1.5” at the ball, I am able to adjust my bed rail clearance as desired along with a level trailer. I suspect you would too.

I really appreciate this information. I have the factory puck system, and rear air suspension. In looking at the specs on your trailer it looks like we're almost identical on empty weights in both pin and total vehicle, although my trailer GVWR is 1k less. I would think I can expect the pin box to perform for me very similar to how it does for you, which is comforting.

Unlike your setup my truck is a short bed SRW. I figure turning radius will be virtually identical to what I had when using the Andersen hitch. While that hitch moved the ball back 4 inches, I had to turn the pin adapter around so that the ball was behind the pin or it would hit my bedrails in turns. My B&W is adjust full aft so it gives me a better turning radius than I got with the Andersen, and better than what I anticipate I'll get with the Goose Box. It appears the Goose Box is also at most maybe 30lbs heavier than the fifth airborne I currently have installed so I'll loose a fair bit of weight by not having the hitch in the truck, which in my situation is really needed. I love the Fifth Airborne/B&W combination, but it just isn't working due to the nose high issue.


I have a Reese ball and safety chain hook set which hopefully will be the right height, and I should be able to use the safety chains I used with the Andersen hitch.



I think I have enough information now to where I'll order a goose box on Monday, with the expectation that it'll be here and I can install it prior to a trip we have scheduled for two weeks from now. It's just a short trip of approximately 550 miles round trip which would be a reasonable shakedown for the much longer trip we have planned for August. I'll feel a whole lot more comfortable if I can get things balanced out enough that there isn't a noticeable difference in tire heat and pressure between the front and rear trailer axles when I'm going down the road.

[DJNCJ]

If it were up to me...I’d install the GB in the upper bolt holes (I had two options, this would provide the shortest bed rail clearance) when using the B&W ball. If you find you’re still too high ther is always the option of going with the Curt ball... heck I’d even sell you mine as I prefer the B&W.

You have another option if you find the cab clearance is too tight with your short bed. B&W turnover gooseneck hitch can be installed in place of the factory GN hitch. They make a 4” offset GN ball that will move the pivot point closer to the tail gate if needed.

[MorganT69]

I spun mine around in a cove Friday night with no issues and I have the short box on my truck, I dont have any issue with the short box on my truck my my cap might be different than yours

[Searching_Ut]

Originally Posted by MorganT69

I spun mine around in a cove Friday night with no issues and I have the short box on my truck, I dont have any issue with the short box on my truck my my cap might be different than yours

Good to hear. I doubt I'll have any issues, at least I haven't really with anything I've used so far. Of course I have to watch what I'm doing when backing up as it's easy to turn to tight then. For turns going forward, so far the Andersen Ultimate gave me the least capability there being as how I had to put the pin adapter on with the ball aft of the pin. When doing a tight turn in a parking lot with the truck wheel turned to the steering lock the cab to truck bed clearance slowly decreases the longer you stay in the turn. With the Andersen I could get a little past a U-turn, or 180 if you will prior to getting to the point of hitting. With my B&W I can go a full 360 and then some with it adjusted as I have it now. As long as I can at least do a U-turn I'm happy and can obviously work with whatever I have. Having towed bumper pulls for 40 years or so I'm used to having to watch for jackknifing. It's just nice not to have to worry about it when you are trying to keep track of so many other things.


As for getting a goose box, looks like I'll have to wait until after my trip on the 22nd. I couldn't find anyone who could guarantee I would get it by then, and they can't promise it won't be returned to them if I'm not here when they try to deliver. I'll have a two week period after we get back from that one prior to a much longer trip where I'd really like to have things sorted out. Hopefully I can work something out with E-trailer on delivery then. Seems it gets a little less manageable when you get Heavy enough UPS won't take the package and you have to go truck freight. My fifth Airborne was just light enough to be delivered by UPS.

[MorganT69]

I dont have any offset on my ball, here is a picture of the ball.

[Searching_Ut]

I now have a 20k goose box installed and will be hitting the road for a relatively short (approx 1000 mile) road trip in a couple days to test it out. Distance wise we won't be going far, but it will be mostly hwy rather than freeway driving, with a few curvy mountain passes, one of which will be the million dollar hwy as we move from our spot near Ouray Co, to Durango. Downhills with full engine braking, resulting in the trailer leaning on and trying to push the truck downhill are where I started having issues with my Andersen Ultimate, so it should be a good test for the new setup.


Using a Reese ball setup for the factory Ram installed fifth wheel mount and setting the goose box at the lowest set of mount holes in the pin box mount gave me right at 7 inches of tailgate/bed rail clearance which is about 3 inches lower than I had with my previous setup. About as good as I can hope for. Didn't unhook and measure distances on a level spot, but with the trailer hooked up in a relatively level parking lot the trailer body measurements at the front of the trailer to ground and the rear to ground are within 3 inches of each other with the nose still being slightly high, but much better than what it was before. It should tow better.


Using my short bed truck I can still do a U-turn at full steering lock without cab to trailer contact, but of course will have to watch things backing up as I obviously can't do a full 90 degree jackknife. I didn't see any issues with hitting the rails for my BakFlip cover rails, or truck bed rails. Couldn't use the chains from my Andersen hitch as they were too short to allow tight turns so I had to get new chains due to the different part of the hitch the chains attach at.


I already had a wireless camera I had configured for backing up with the Andersen hitch due to the fact I couldn't see the ball because of the 4 door truck and added interference with the BakFlip bed cover. I simply made a new mounting bracket so it sits almost on the ground right in front of the ball. I put a connector on the end of the camera that plugs into the trailer connector for power so I just plug it in prior to backing up, then take it out when I'm hooking up the trailer plug. So far very easy to hitch up, but of course neither of the ball hitches was as simple as the pin box B&W combo. With the autolevel system on the trailer returning me to the height I disconnected at, it was easy to back into the B&W with just the mirrors, backing up until I heard the click. With any hitch backing in where you're at enough of an angle where the tailgate is going to hit the trailer things of course get more complicated, and I haven't tried that yet, but I don't see it being any more an issue with the goose box than it has been with any other hitch I've used.


Once I get some miles behind the goosebox, I'll post my comparison of the three different hitch setups.

[TRNewsom]

Wondering if someone could post a picture of what the “green line” is supposed to look like. We have the goose box and just air it to 35 lbs but we’ve never figured out what you’re supposed to see when it’s correct. There are tons of videos but not a single one shows the procedure for airing it up.

[DKRITTER]

Our trailer has about a 3000 lb tongue weight, we run about 50 psi in ours. When we do it's about the top of the green line.

[Beerbuggy]

Originally Posted by TRNewsom

Wondering if someone could post a picture of what the “green line” is supposed to look like. We have the goose box and just air it to 35 lbs but we’ve never figured out what you’re supposed to see when it’s correct. There are tons of videos but not a single one shows the procedure for airing it up.

I wouldn't be too concerned about the air pressure being too high. It's going to self-regulate itself being it's got a pressure release valve. I would just set it at 50 psi and while towing its going to adjust itself.

Here's a pic of. Mine at 50 psi.

[Whitewolf]

I was told that as long as you're in the green zone you're ok. It's my understanding that you can play with it to get the best ride depending on your tongue weight. I run mine to the top of the hole in the middle of the green.

[deltam]

Love mine towing. Not so much hooking up. A friend gave me these tennis balls on two magnet rods. One for truck, one for hitch. When the two line up and touch, lower the hitch.

[TRNewsom]

Originally Posted by Whitewolf

I was told that as long as you're in the green zone you're ok. It's my understanding that you can play with it to get the best ride depending on your tongue weight. I run mine to the top of the hole in the middle of the green.

I’ve never seen that “add air” or the green area. Now I’m wondering if that’s missing on ours. The air valve is in the same place. I’ll have to look when I get home.

[deltam]

Something else for the OP:

I didn't have time or my tools available and had the RV dealer take off the 5th wheel part on our camper and install the Goosebox. They didn't have my truck and I only had 4 inches of clearance at the bed rail. I had to take it off and move the hitch to the next available set of holes. Ended up about 6.5 inches.

Make sure whoever installs the hitch has the truck available and allows for the truck to squat a bit when the 5th wheel is loaded. Instructions said 210 lbs torque on my directions. No one I knew had a torque wrench that high. I know the dealer used a air-wrench. My torque wrench topped out at 150. I had to use 150 plus a bit of teeth grinding.

[Whitewolf]

Originally Posted by TRNewsom

I’ve never seen that “add air” or the green area. Now I’m wondering if that’s missing on ours. The air valve is in the same place. I’ll have to look when I get home.

Hmmm....Wonder if the sticker never got put on. If not, you should be able together one from Reese.