I am very close to deciding to convert my fifth wheel standard hitch set up to the Reese Goosebox, which uses a gooseneck connection. My back and age are making it increasingly more difficult to remove my current hitch. I know I could get a lighter hitch like the Andersen but I would like to have my bed free when we travel. Plus, I have a Trailer Saver BD3 air ride hitch and want to keep the cushioned ride, which the Goosebox does. Right now I have to leave our current hitch in the bed for our whole travel season, April to November. With the Goosebox all I would need to do is remove the ball.

I have the gooseneck ball kit from my previous truck. I put it in the truck to see if I could see it with my cab mounted camera. No problem. I can see it and the centering line on the screen sits right over it. I used the camera on my previous Ford to line up the hitch pin on the fifth wheel and the receiver on the hitch. I could hit it perfect just about every time. I'm thinking it will be about as easy with the gooseneck but since I've never done it I wanted to see what others have found. I kind of figure there may be an issue getting it directly over the receiver which may require getting out of the truck to see iif it is directly over the ball. I also figure with the camera I'll at least have half the chore of lining up front to rear correctly out of the way.

 

No issues. And if it is close it will slide onto the ball. You can get at least close with the camera.

 

Within a few tries, you'll get a visual of how much of the ball needs to disappear under the hitch to know how far back to go. Like stated above, if it's pretty close to centered, it will slide on the ball.

 

After my first time hooking up the GN I can get it centered enough to go on the ball each time without getting out of the truck. Just have to zoom in on the camera and is easy. I keep a small step stool beside my trailer so I use that to hook up the break away and safety chains since I hate climbing in the truck. Quick and easy with minimal effort.

 

That stepstool is a good idea...

 

Thanks. Exactly what I was hoping to hear. The Trailer Saver is going on Craigslist today.

 

If I had to do it over I would go GooseBox. I have the Andersen Ultimate Hitch, I consider it a distant second to the GooseBox.

 

Can you explain why? We are buying our first 5th wheel in the next couple months, never towed before. Bought 2019 CCLB with 5th wheel prep package, and shopping hitches right now. After much reading, I narrowed it down to Andersen Ultimate and Reese Goosebox. Really interested in your experience and reasons why GB over AU.

Thanks.

 

The bed camera is hit or miss, resolution is really bad.

Here's what I did and it works 100% of the time:

Garmin 780 RV nav and paired it with their BC40 camera.

BC40 camera is AA powered and I have it mounted on the side of the bed, looking at the ball. Very nice crisp resolution.

I line up the Goose Box to where it is centered in my rear seat center headrest and then watch the Garmin screen until I am over the ball. So much easier than before, where I'd have to get out to eyeball if I hit it.

I didn't dare put a fold up tonneau cover into the mix before, because sometimes I would sit up and crane my neck to see the ball from inside and the tonneau would have been in the way. Now I also have a tonneau that I fold down between tows.

(and I added heavy duty lift rings to the Goose Box and leave the safety chains in the bed between tows, I can hook them up with the tailgate down now, and the brake cable is on its own spring clip that gets clipped to a tie down on the side.)

 

I actually like how my 5th wheel tows with the Andersen Ultimate. The GooseBox requires a gooseneck ball and hook it up. The Ultimate requires getting it out and torqueing it down, not a big deal just one more thing to do. My garage is 22 x 26 so storage is a premium and the Ultimate is a little bit of space hog. I won't be going to a GooseBox anytime soon, just would do it different if I started over.
I towed my RV to the dealer this morning so the hitch is in my truck.

 

Thanks, appreciate it. Knowing what you know now, would you still recommend GB over AU to the complete newbie who has never towed before?

 

I can't be of much help with the Goosebox since I don't have it yet but we have owned a fifth wheel of some sort for over 30 years. I've towed with several brands of hitches and my favorite solid hitch was a B&W Companion. Easy hook up and solid. Solid is why we went to the Trailer Saver air ride hitch. Any solid hitch is going to get some of the movement of the trailer transmitted to the truck. Your suspension system in the truck and the trailer helps to mitigate some but not all of it. The better your suspension systems the better your ride should be. The air ride hitch takes care of most of what the suspensions can't. You can go with an air ride or other cushioned pin boxes or a hitch. We chose the hitch to help with some bucking and chucking and it cured almost all of it. The Goosebox also has an air bladder and 2 shocks. It completely replaces your pin box and hooks up to a goose ball on the bed floor of your truck. If it works half as good as my hitch I'll be happy.

I have no experience with the Andersen hitches but have read good things about them.

 

The Andersen hitch is my first 5th wheel hitch and I would recommend it. I think the GooseBox is a better mouse trap, another plus is Lippert does not void the trailer warranty(I think Lippert owns Reese) if you use a GooseBox.
I believe either one would serve you well, they both are a good choice.

FishRanger said ,"I know I could get a lighter hitch like the Andersen but I would like to have my bed free when we travel." I agree with this 100%.

 

Thank you guys!

 

Lippert doesn't own Reese, but they did sew up exclusive wholesale distribution rights on the Goose Box several years ago.