Towing a Brinkley - offset required?

[Mark Halwa]

I'll be purchasing a Brinkley Z3100 in the near future and wondering if other 3500 owners, who also own a Brinkley 3100 use an offset with their gooseneck hitch.

I have a 2021 3500 shortbox and didn't get the gooseneck option, which I will be doing now, but luckily did get factory air suspension. If anyone else has this combo I'd be very interested to hear how your 3500 handles the Brinkley and how the factory air suspension takes care of any squat.

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

I would go with a slider 5th wheel hitch over an offset GN especially at the pin weight you will see once loaded

 

[AH64ID]

If you want to use a GN hitch then I wouldn't use an offset, but rather deal with the reduced turning radius.

The Reese Goosebox is the hitch I would run, it's a pretty sweet GN conversion and I've been very happy with mine.

If you want the added clearance than I would stick to a traditional slider 5th wheel hitch.

 

[darrellr]

I have a heavier trailer and use an Gen Y executive with their 5" offset ball in my megacab. Works great so far with no issues turning. Previously used a Pullrite Superglide - happy to have that out of the bed for good. Even with an electric hoist in the garage that was a pain to get in and out compared to what I have now.

 

[Thompsre08]

I ran a B&W turnover ball with a 5" offset ball and a Reese Goosebox on my last GD Reflection 31MB. It was a great setup and turning radius was not hindered much. I could get to about 75-80 degrees without too much worry of cab strike assuming the ground was relatively level. The towing manners of the setup and a clear bed when you get to your destination were great features. We just downsized to a bumper pull toyhauler otherwise I would still rock that setup. And don't be afraid of the install on a B&W hitch in your bed. Its pretty easy and very stout.

 

[Mark Halwa]

I would go with a slider 5th wheel hitch over an offset GN especially at the pin weight you will see once loaded

If you don't mind me asking, why would you go with a fifth wheel hitch vs. a gooseneck? I thought a gooseneck setup (all other things being equal) could tow more than a fifth wheel pin hitch.....

 

[darrellr]

If you don't mind me asking, why would you go with a fifth wheel hitch vs. a gooseneck? I thought a gooseneck setup (all other things being equal) could tow more than a fifth wheel pin hitch.....

One reason is that it will likely invalidate the warranty on your frame. Lippert only approves Lippert Goosebox for their frames and says they have not determined other designs will not cause frame damage. A fifth-wheel hitch is also arguably more secure than a ball / coupler.

 

[CdnHO]

The pin weight on my fifth wheel is over 5000 pounds and the air suspension handles it just fine. Truck is always level. I use the Alt Trailer Height setting.

 

[Mark Halwa]

As for warranty, do you mean the truck, or the trailer? I’ll have my RAM dealer install the ball (should have done that when I ordered the 3500) and Brinkley has now approved, and is installing, Gen Y gooseneck hitches on their toy haulers. A number of owners asked if it would invalidate the warranty and Brinkley says no.

 

[darrellr]

As for warranty, do you mean the truck, or the trailer? I’ll have my RAM dealer install the ball (should have done that when I ordered the 3500) and Brinkley has now approved, and is installing, Gen Y gooseneck hitches on their toy haulers. A number of owners asked if it would invalidate the warranty and Brinkley says no.

Trailer frame. Again, if Brinkley doesn't use Lippert Frames, or doesn't care to cover the warranty themselves, then you may not have a concern. If it is a Lippert frame, Lippert has said they will not cover damage if it has a gooseneck other than their own.

ETA: I looked and it does look like they may use a Lippert Frame (like 90% of the others out there).

 

[AH64ID]

If you don't mind me asking, why would you go with a fifth wheel hitch vs. a gooseneck? I thought a gooseneck setup (all other things being equal) could tow more than a fifth wheel pin hitch.....

Weight placement is why I would. Having a 5" offset will remove weight from the front axle and have an impact on handling. 4th gen goosenecks are already further aft than the previous 03-12 frame.

 

[gimmie11s]

Weight placement is why I would. Having a 5" offset will remove weight from the front axle and have an impact on handling. 4th gen goosenecks are already further aft than the previous 03-12 frame.

Exactly.

This is the main reason to tow with a slider (or an auto slider preferably) so 99% of your towing is with the weight directly over the rear axle instead of behind it.

OP, I have a Superglide that I wouldn't trade for the world. It's a heavy bitch, but I don't ever take it out of the bed so not a big concern to me. It slides to the rear of the bed automatically when you turn then returns to center over axle when going straight which is awesome.

 

[Clayinfl]

Brinkley warranties the Gen Y gooseneck. Just fyi.

 

[darrellr]

Weight placement is why I would. Having a 5" offset will remove weight from the front axle and have an impact on handling. 4th gen goosenecks are already further aft than the previous 03-12 frame.

My front is 20# lighter with the trailer than without, with a 5" offset. This does not affect handling at all.

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

If you don't mind me asking, why would you go with a fifth wheel hitch vs. a gooseneck? I thought a gooseneck setup (all other things being equal) could tow more than a fifth wheel pin hitch.....

Moving the weight back behind the axle removes weight from the front axle. There is nothing wrong with a proper GN trailer but when that offset is involved it hurts the handling.

besides hooking up to a GN is more of a pain not much but still the simplicity and function of a 5th wheel hitch is just great and my preferred method i actually changed my GN float to a 5th wheel pin lol. besides 5th wheel is stronger thats why transports use them.

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

My front is 20# lighter with the trailer than without, with a 5" offset. This does not affect handling at all.

A 5th wheel should be adding weight to the front axle not removing it. I can feel the difference towing with a GM with their ball 2” behind the axle vs the centred position of the Ram

 

[AH64ID]

My front is 20# lighter with the trailer than without, with a 5" offset. This does not affect handling at all.

The physics behind the weight says that it’s more than 20lbs. Something is off in the weight measurement, by at least 100 lbs. a CCSB will have a greater reduction in FAW for the same pin weight than a MC.

5” ahead of the axle makes more than 20# of difference in the front axle, and 5” behind will do the same.

Bottom line is a proper GN or 5th wheel setup won’t remove any weight from the front axle.

 

[Thorvald]

Have a watch of the YouTube channel “Wild RV Life” in their earlier episodes. They have a 6’ 4” box as I recall, Brinkley and added a gen Y with offset gooseball. Awesome looking setup but you can see whatever issues (if any) they ran into. They are in Alaska right now abusing the heck out of that RV and Truck.

Last I read only Reese Goosebox is the model that Lippert will approve of any repairs on but Brinkley offers the Gen Y from the factory which is who your warranty will be with for the first couple years anyways.

I’ll be doing the one day when I move up from my towable Toy Hauler, gooseneck and ball.

 

[Lonestar]

Have a watch of the YouTube channel “Wild RV Life” in their earlier episodes. They have a 6’ 4” box as I recall, Brinkley and. gen Y from the factory with offset gooseball. Awesome looking setup but you can see whatever issues (if any) they ran into. They are in Alaska right now abusing the heck out of that RV and Truck.

Last I read only Reese Goosebox is the model that Lippert will approve of any repairs on but Brinkley offers the Gen Y from the factory which is who your warranty will be with for the first couple years anyways.

I’ll be doing the one day when I move up from my towable Toy Hauler, gooseneck and ball.

Their Gen Y did not come on the Brinkley from the factory. They (Craig and Victoria) installed it in one of the episodes while they were in Florida. I watch their channel

 

[MarkCO1]

One reason is that it will likely invalidate the warranty on your frame. Lippert only approves Lippert Goosebox for their frames and says they have not determined other designs will not cause frame damage. A fifth-wheel hitch is also arguably more secure than a ball / coupler.

GD. Alliance and Brinkley all have approvals for the Gen-Y for warranty, and from their frame manufacturers as well. However, Brinkley just switched the "factory" box to a suspension style (shock and spring) for the 2025s.