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Swap OEM Gooseneck Hitch for B&W Turnover Ball

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rymorg

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Has anyone swapped out the Gooseball reciever in the OEM 5th wheel prep kit for a B&W turnover hitch? Any issues? I would like the extra 4” of clearance I could get with the B&W offset ball since I plan to use a Goosebox on a 5th wheel.

Thank!
 
I haven't and am quite happy with the factory puck setup. But I would get the instructions for your rig and see what the measurement is for drilling the hole. See if it lines up with factory. If you have to massage it out bigger it might not make you happy.

Does b&w have a puck setup you can install for these ? Otherwise you would certainly want to keep the plastic caps in the other 4 holes. Or I would.


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Indeed, the OEM system ball is just a straight up ball. Only the turnover has the offset. The OEM ball fits in a circular hole, while the turnover is a square hole. Probably couldn't do an offset in the OEM hole.
 
Thanks, yep I agree, just was curious if anyone had swapped the factory hitch mount for the B&W. Looking underneath the frame, I can’t see why one couldn’t. Looks like the OEM mounts in the same holes as the B&W turnover. Nothing looks welded to the frame. As long as I can get the vertical screws out of the OEM version, it looks like the B&W will fit perfectly.
 

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Well I talked to my local hitch shop and we are going to try it on Friday. Looks pretty simple to me, although the shop was a little concerned they would have to lift the bed to get out the four vertical bolts. I know plenty of people run without the 4" offset ball, but to me the piece of mind and extra leeway it gives me is worth it in this scenario with a brand new truck and new fifth wheel. I'll let everyone know how it goes on Friday.
 
should bolt up, but it might not be centered under the hole in the bed
 
I put a gooseneck ball in the OEM hitch receiver. I bought an Anderson hitch. Been towing with it around the country and I love it! Hitch only weighs 35 pounds so I can take it in and out easily . Check them out. Anderson Ultimate Hitch.
 
rymorg said:
All good on the B&W install. Bolts right up and fits into the factory cutout. Getting an offset ball on Monday and will be all set.
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This is all good info for me. I am looking forward to ordering a dually in the near future and I have been doing some research on the gooseneck setup to learn how it is set up. I also have the Andersen Ultimate fifth wheel hitch and would like to continue using it if I could. The problem I was having with the SRW 6'4" SB was an annoying bounce in the front end on rough roads. The Andersen hitch puts the ball behind the axle a couple inches, so I made my own 4" offset and the bounce was eliminated entirely. I used a 1" x 4" x 8" plate to make the offset. I didn't turn a ball on my offset, but you really don't need a ball to do the job with the Andersen hitch.

DSC02362Crop.JPG DSC02363.JPGDSC02367Crop.JPG DSC02369.JPG
 
NWWIRAM said:
This is all good info for me. I am looking forward to ordering a dually in the near future and I have been doing some research on the gooseneck setup to learn how it is set up. I also have the Andersen Ultimate fifth wheel hitch and would like to continue using it if I could. The problem I was having with the SRW 6'4" SB was an annoying bounce in the front end on rough roads. The Andersen hitch puts the ball behind the axle a couple inches, so I made my own 4" offset and the bounce was eliminated entirely. I used a 1" x 4" x 8" plate to make the offset. I didn't turn a ball on my offset, but you really don't need a ball to do the job with the Andersen hitch.

View attachment 9181 View attachment 9182View attachment 9183 View attachment 9184
Click to expand...

That's a good looking result. Great welds and looks like due overkill that should guarantee peace of mind.
 
farmallboy said:
That's a good looking result. Great welds and looks like due overkill that should guarantee peace of mind.
Click to expand...

Thanks farmallboy. I understand that the Andersen hitch is a light duty hitch, so I am trying not to cut corners to make it any worse than what it is. Since this photo was taken, I started using inverted aluminum channels under the base of the hitch. The aluminum channels measure 2.5” x 8” x ~60”. I also use shim blocks where appropriate and sheet vinyl between the components. It doesn’t make a sound and stays put. The reason I went with the Andersen is I couldn’t afford the 200+ lbs. of a conventional fifth wheel hitch. If I don’t load my camper correctly, I can easily go 500-1000 lbs. over the payload rating of my 3500 SRW. I can’t wait to order a new dually in the near future.


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NWWIRAM said:
This is all good info for me. I am looking forward to ordering a dually in the near future and I have been doing some research on the gooseneck setup to learn how it is set up. I also have the Andersen Ultimate fifth wheel hitch and would like to continue using it if I could. The problem I was having with the SRW 6'4" SB was an annoying bounce in the front end on rough roads. The Andersen hitch puts the ball behind the axle a couple inches, so I made my own 4" offset and the bounce was eliminated entirely. I used a 1" x 4" x 8" plate to make the offset. I didn't turn a ball on my offset, but you really don't need a ball to do the job with the Andersen hitch.

View attachment 9181 View attachment 9182View attachment 9183 View attachment 9184
Click to expand...
So, do I see it correctly that you are using the offset to move the hitch FORWARD the 4"? Is this to eliminate the bounce you're talking about? I have a PullRite Superlite and it similarly moves the pivot point back behind the axle. Its my first fifth wheel and I hate the bounce but thought it was normal.
How is your turn radius without the offset on your short bed? Maybe I should look at rearranging my hitch to bring the pivot forward since I think the PullRite has adjustment built into it.
 
jpaeth said:
So, do I see it correctly that you are using the offset to move the hitch FORWARD the 4"? Is this to eliminate the bounce you're talking about? I have a PullRite Superlite and it similarly moves the pivot point back behind the axle. Its my first fifth wheel and I hate the bounce but thought it was normal.
How is your turn radius without the offset on your short bed? Maybe I should look at rearranging my hitch to bring the pivot forward since I think the PullRite has adjustment built into it.
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Yes, jpaeth, you see that right. I could have turned the Andersen hitch 180 degrees and used the 5” offset that is built into the hitch, but that would have moved the ball forward 10” and I thought that would be too much. So I settled for the 4” change and that did make a notable difference in the amount of front end bounce. B&W does sell a 4” offset, but I had the ability to make one and I like to make stuff, so I made it myself to my own standards. I don’t always trust the quality of some of the mass produced items, but B&W isn’t one of the companies that cuts corners when it comes to built in quality.

As far as making sharp turns, I have always tried to avoid excessive turning because it is so hard on the suspension, wheels and tires. I have seen the photos of broken tire belts, cracked wheels and broken or cracked suspension components and I think most of that is caused by sharp turns. I have been able to drive or back into some really tight spots without making tight turns, but I still keep a close eye on clearance between the cab and the front of the fifth wheel RV. If your trailer front has rounded corners, then I would make some adjustments to the hitch to decrease or eliminate the bounce. You should still have plenty of cab clearance, but I would keep an eye on it when making tight maneuvers.

As long as we are on the subject of the ways a B&W gooseneck hitch can be used, I thought I would include a photo of how I have had my Andersen hitch attached to the goose ball for the past couple of years. Raising the Andersen hitch 2 1/2" has allowed me to move the ball down to the lowest hole which decreases the leverage distance between the top ball and the base of the aluminum frame. I replaced the original draw down bolt, because it didn't feel smooth to me and I didn't think it would last very long with a lot of use. I replaced it with a 16mm bolt which has a finer thread pitch and I replaced what was supposed to be the nut with a 2" long bronze nut I threaded to 16mm. I torque it down to 80 ft-lbs which you can not do with the original draw down bolt.

IMG_0357Crop.jpg
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rymorg said:
Has anyone swapped out the Gooseball reciever in the OEM 5th wheel prep kit for a B&W turnover hitch? Any issues? I would like the extra 4” of clearance I could get with the B&W offset ball since I plan to use a Goosebox on a 5th wheel.

Thank!
Click to expand...
FWIW....you can void the warranty on the FW and cause frame cracking using a gooseneck. I was a rep in the RV industry and know
 
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