I just ordered a 35' 5th wheel toybox, should get it at the end of August.
I have a 2005 F350 Crew Cab LB 4x4. Was wondering what kind of hook-up I should get. I would like to be able to remove what ever it is. Im not familiar with any of them at all so I would really like some help/ comments. The RV Dealer said I could get a gooseneck type or a slider. What do you recommend and why. Advantages/Disadvantages?

Thanks for any help you can give me!

 

I have a reese 15,000 pound slider that serves me very well.With the fifth wheel removed all is left is the two rails that are barely sticking up.In fact I load my prarie 650 on and off with no problems.I see that you ordered a fifth wheel trailer so,a goose neck in your bed would be confusing to me versus just getting a fifth wheel hitch.
Being that you are ordering a new trailer AND that your truck is a long box I really doubt you would need to pay extra for a slider unless you got a good deal on a used package which I did.Hope that helps some.Someone else may give you facts on the gooseneck setup/fifth wheel trailer setup.Have fun.

 

jaybird said it all. I used to work for a local RV dealership and Reese is the only brand we carried. True the slider version is for the short bed to give you more turning radius when trying to park those huge toys.

 

JCD, I've got a 2005 F350 CC SWB 4x4. I've been looking into 5th wheel toyhaulers myself and I'm probably going to get the pullright slider hitch because I've got a shortbox and don't want to take out my cab or back window. The pullright is a lot more expense, but it is an automatic slider vs. manual. I've been looking at the KZ Sportsmen Sportster 33P. It's just the wife and I now and the 2 goldens, since the kids left for college, so I'm sure the 33P will be just fine for us. Just curious, what model have you been looking at? Good luck in your purchase and many years of dependable service!

 

We ordered an 2006 LE 35 Weekend Warrior with everything. Do the trailers come with different connections? Havn't looked at any hitches yet. Just want easy, BEST, and that can be removed. I want to do it right the first time. Im sure there are a ton of people with similar rigs, so let me know!


Thanks

 

05 250 v10 have a Reese 15kSlider to pull a 36 foot FW about 10,700 dry weight. works great. i would love to take my hitch out and in to, but that thing is extremely heavy to lift by yourself or without a cable elbow jack. good luck....you might be like me and just leave it in.

 

Check out the Reese "Signature" series of hitches. They have an "under-bed" mounting system so you don't even have the little rails left in the bed when you take the hitch out... just 4 little holes in the floor.

Also, with a long bed truck, there's no reason to spend the $$ for a sliding hitch.

 

be willing to pay the $$$$ for a reese hitch, but they are worth it. the signature series has a nice design to it. the underrail system nomo is speaking of looks clean. good luck.

 

JCD,Just wanted to buzz in before, I go to bed and comment once more.There is maybe another alternative that you could choose, that could be the cats meow.Possibly, you could amend your order and have them send you a GOOSENECK warrior instead of a FIFTH WHEEL warrior.Should be no price difference in the two.Then you could buy the rails(120dollars) that, mount in your bed or the tabs and then for only 280 -350 dollars you could order a reese removable 30,000 pound goosneck that is probably only 20 pounds or so and it would be held in ;the same as a fifth wheel would with 4 pins.It would probably even stand on it's side behind the rear seat.

PS:I agree as stated above; these fifth wheels are somewhat heavy and awkward.

 

1. What about what was said above would that be the best way to go?


2. Is the fith wheel or the gooseneck better than the other one. What is the reason to go with each type?

The reese signature gooseneck (16k) us 95lbs the 15k is 117lbs. Could take it out by myself but would be heavy.

3. Is one easier for hooking up the trailer

 

jcd, here is a site that might help you.(rv.net)Like this board they are very informative there.Just add the www when you type it in.

 

1- Fifth wheel hitch is the better way to go in my book
2-Fifth wheel hitch is the most common in RV trailers
Gooseneck is more common in utilty trailers-horse trailers
Fifth wheel hitch seems more stable in side to side travel
Gooseneck is basicly a trailer ball mounted in the floor of the trailer
Fifth wheel hitch is basicly like a tractor trailer rig and the meeting surface is higher up than a gooseneck
3- I think the fifth wheel hitch is a easier hook up with one person
You don't have to be dead on to get it to hitch
The pin on the trailer has a bigger opening to hit and latch by itself.
The only draw back to the fifth wheel is the weight if you want to take it out of the truck .

 

I have no experience with a gooseneck trailer and none with a fifth wheel in a small truck. But I do have lots of experience with a fifth wheel on a big truck.

With a gooseneck hitch it is just like a fixed fifth wheel, where the hitch is located is where it stays.

With a slider you can move it to get the best weight distribution.
In commercial vehicles that means you can cross the scales or you have to run around them.

Since most states do not weigh RV's that does not come into play. But where the weight is located can make a big difference in how the truck rides. If you can not move the hitch, you can only move the load. But with a fixed hitch you can only transfer weight from the truck to the trailer or the other way around. With a slider you can also move the weight from the back of the truck to the front or the other way around.
In a big rig you can move thousands of pounds with a slider, in a little truck this would only be hundreds of pounds, but a couple of hundred pounds on or off the front axle can make a huge difference in ride quality.

As far as hooking up the fifth wheel would be much easier to slide the pin into the hitch than it would be to drop a pipe over a ball that you can not see.

 

Jcd,
All the input from everyone and mine also are just options.
To try and clarify my last post I should start by saying,I agree fifth wheels are more common but there are gooseneckers out there too.Also,a gooseneck can pivot up and down(vertically) on uneven terrain very generiously.
You can indeed order a gooseneck that mounts to the fifth wheel rails by 4 locking pins.Go to this web site www.reeseprod.com .That is reese website now do a PRODUCT SEARCH for part #58079 then click on and you should see GOOSE as the second one down click on it.There you should see it, "THE GOOSE" removable 30,000pound GOOSE(Part#58079) that is secured by 4 locking pins and uses the same rail kit as the fifth wheel I mentioned. It's not the signature one;I do believe the GOOSE weighs very little.Hope this clarify's some of my previous mentionings.Any will work.I just personally thought about this option myself; for a future purchase being that ,it's small and light and can be stowed inside the truck cab when not in use. Take care.

 

I just want to base a few facts for refernce:1.I have fifth wheel slider and when slide back it is locked in the "locked manuvering"position;for tight turning radius'.2.When slide forward it is in the "locked towed"position and in fact that is the only legal tow position that is intended for towing(4inches over and infront of rear axle)3.A tractor trailer slider on the other hand is,on the trailer and thus alows the trailer weight to be slide forward or back as to balance the whole load legally and safer.