2024 3500. Bumper pulling gooseneck hitch.

[RidgeRunner_167]

I have a 2024 3500 CCSB 4x4. Owner’s manual shows my Class V to be good for 2300 lbs tongue weight. We are purchasing a 5th wheel camper that is 29’ long, 7500 GVWR, and a 1250 pound tongue weight. I have to drag this thing down a gravel county road to our property, and there’s one sharp knot in the road where I think I might bind. I’ve already decided to change out the 5th wheel pin box to a Gen Y gooseneck as I have a B&W turnover ball and no current 5th wheel hitch. My question is this: can I pull that trailer over the knot in question with my receiver using the gooseneck on the trailer? I have a Gen Y rated for 21000. Tongue weight is good. Would only be pulling this at low speed for about 300 feet. Am I crazy?

 

[OC455]

CLass V is the hitch under the bumper...if you are talking 5th wheel, you need to check what your payload for your truck is on the driver's side B pillar door jamb.

When you say knot in the road, is that a sharp rise or a sharp turn? You should have at least 5-6 inches of clearance over the bedsides from the bottom of the front overhang and if it is that hard, I'd have someone outside watching so you don't smack the bed rails. Not knowing how you are going to get it set, we'd just be guessing.

 

[RidgeRunner_167]

Sharp rise and drop in the road.

I was asking if I could mount the trailer gooseneck to the bumper/frame/Class V hitch for a short distance. Like just set the gooseneck right down on the 2 5/16 ball on my receiver. That would provide plenty of articulation. I’ve seen people do it, but I didn’t know if it was too risky. Looks odd, but the numbers work out.

 

[OC455]

Sharp rise and drop in the road.

I was asking if I could mount the trailer gooseneck to the bumper/frame/Class V hitch for a short distance. Like just set the gooseneck right down on the 2 5/16 ball on my receiver. That would provide plenty of articulation. I’ve seen people do it, but I didn’t know if it was too risky. Looks odd, but the numbers work out.

Too risky...even though it may have the rating for the weight, I doubt you have enough clearance, plus dropping the front of the 5th wheel that low would probably cause suspension issues with the 5th wheel itself. That and it being a new 5'ver, why run the risk of causing damage. Just my opinion.

 

[KeithP]

Google “bumper tow dolly for gooseneck trailers”. You’ll find options that may fit your needs.

 

[Bigskyroadglide]

What is your alternative if you don't do this sketchy maneuver? Not get the trailer, hire someone to do it for you?

You have insurance on the truck and trailer right?

The choices are all yours

 

[2003F350]

1. The best place for a fifth wheel to be hooked up is in the bed of the truck, and properly set up there should be 5-6" between the bed rails and the bottom of the overhang. If it's a sharp rise/drop, you should have no issues.
2. You have a B&W Turnover. Just buy the Companion. Less work IMO, an absolutely solid connection, and no need to change out the pin box.

 

[nlambert182]

I've had the companion and swapped all of my trailers over to a Reese Goosebox. For me, it was absolutely worth it especially if you're going over a lot of uneven surfaces. The articulation between a gooseneck and a fifth wheel are night and day. Not to mention, it didn't require me to lift 300 lbs out of the bed when I needed to use it.

I do not suggest trying to hook up to a bumper receiver though. You can turn sharper with a gooseneck than a bumper pull. If it's an issue with touching the bed rails, I don't see how attaching to the bumper would solve that problem. At that point you may hang landing gear, high center the trailer, etc... If it were me I'd either hook it up properly and send it, or find some equipment and fix the spot in the road (as a worst case scenario).

 

[runamuck]

I'm thinking the front jacks of the 5er would be too close to the ground when hooked up that way.

 

[RidgeRunner_167]

I appreciate the input. In the end, I’m not sure my original question even matters. SWMBO has stumbled across a tag-a-long camper she’s now interested in.

To answer a few questions above (and to help create good search results), I’ll address some comments.

Firstly, I don’t want a 5th wheel because I pull a gooseneck equipment trailer several times a month with this vehicle. The Curt X5 adapter with a S20/A20 combination, or the B&W Companion Slider are both excellent options, but I don’t want to move them in and out frequently. I also have a crossover toolbox that I believe would interfere. For about the same money as the 5’ers, I could simply get and install the Gen-Y gooseneck option and not worry about either issue.

Also, the Gen Y receiver hitch I have now hangs down quite low. I followed their instructions on their website to measure and order the largest hitch that was feasible for my truck. Flipping this hitch yields a ball height that appears to only be about an inch lower than the Turnover in my bed. Extended shank inserts are available as well. Perhaps the nose of a fifth wheel camper would protrude far enough to be a problem, but I don’t think it’s a guaranteed issue. Would depend on the coach. I do not believe, though, that the belly of the trailer would drag.

Again, thanks for the responses.

 

[nlambert182]

The belly won't drag, but I will almost guarantee you that the truck will sag enough that the landing legs will. You've moved the pivot point from over the rear axle to the far rear of the truck. It isn't designed to carry the weight that way. Fifth wheels are generally nose heavy (compared to a TT) and most of that is static weight, so you won't be able to adjust enough weight to get rid of the sag. Fifth wheel weight needs to be over the axle.

No issues on the Gen Y. A proper gooseneck pinbox conversion such as a Reese Goosebox or a Gen-Y is far better (in my opinion) than lugging a fifth wheel hitch in and out of the truck. I did this to all of my fifth wheels and they towed like a dream. Not to mention I kept my bed free.

 

[NewBlackDak]

My suggestion is find someone with a gooseball in a flat bed. They don’t have bed or tailgate interference to worry about.