Tell me about gooseneck hitches?

[AwesomeJ10]

As many of you may know, I recently picked up a '75 GMC C35 dually which is in really good shape. I"m gonna buy a GN trailer and tow my junk around with it.

The PO installed a gooseneck hitch and it appears that it's NOT bolted/welded to the frame. It's just bolted to the bed.

Is that correct? I see lot's of GN hitches online that appear to be the same..

Seems it should be bolted/welded to the frame...

[csuengr]

There is a structure bolted to the frame. What you are seeing is the bed being sandwiched between two plates or two rails or something like those. But, there should most definitely be something bolted to the frame.

[derf]

If it is indeed only bolted to the bed, you need to chuck it and get a real hitch that ties into the frame.

If you haven't already, take a look under the truck and see if there is any structure underneath supporting the hitch.

[Cheap Hobby]

Derf is correct, look under the bed at the frame. Is it a steel square with ball? The frame mount will be directly under. With frame mount it is very solid, but you loose use of bed space. "Hidden" hitches were very spendy and hard to work when your rig was new.

If your mount has ball on large plate attached to tracks in bed then you may have a 5th wheel hitch with gn conversion kit. Still should be mounted to frame.

[AwesomeJ10]

Ok so the dually came with a bed mat installed which was covering the GN hitch. I removed the bed mat and power washed the bed. Sure enough, 100% rust free

Anyways - the GN hitch is a bed mounted unit that has 4 1/2" bolts that go through the top of the frame. Grade 5 bolts at that. It seems the plate has bent / crushed the bed a little bit from the GB pin weight. The ball itself said max of 6000lbs.

Looking to buy one of these B & W hitches. http://www.realtruck.com/b-w-turnoverba ... k1400.html

[Stuka]

Thats probably ok for a light trailer, but more modern hitches are much more robust than that. None of the weight should be applied to the bed with a newer hitch.

[AwesomeJ10]

Yup. The plate was literally crushing the bed down towards the frame. I removed those 4 bolts and the entire plate.

This one says it's rated for 30k http://www.realtruck.com/b-w-turnoverba ... k1400.html

I think I'm gonna pull the trigger and buy it.

[Grand_Wag_85]

My old F150(yes, 1/2 ton) had a GN hitch on a MASSIVE plate that occupied most of the bed mounted only to the bed. Not sure what they towed but did a number on the metal and was not reinforced to the frame.

As for the B & W hitches.....they work

[Stuka]

Yup. The plate was literally crushing the bed down towards the frame. I removed those 4 bolts and the entire plate.

This one says it's rated for 30k http://www.realtruck.com/b-w-turnoverba ... k1400.html

I think I'm gonna pull the trigger and buy it.

Provided it works for your frame width (A Ram is shown in the photo) that should work great. Just have to pull the bed off to install it most likely.

[AwesomeJ10]

... Just have to pull the bed off to install it most likely.

The instructions say to raise the bed 4".

But I would like to replace the fuel sender and perhaps even consolidate down to a single gas tank, so I may end up pulling the whole bed off....

[Bostonbob]

never ever by a gn trailer from a guy with a city name

[BRUTUS]

never ever by a gn trailer from a guy with a city name

Are either of yours for sale?

[Stuka]

never ever by a gn trailer from a guy with a city name

Are either of yours for sale?

Blake is buying one of them

Although I just heard somebody say he shouldn't.

[AwesomeJ10]

I already bought Bob's gooseneck trailer. It's got 34' of deck space and is 43' long.



Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

[carnuck]

never ever by a gn trailer from a guy with a city name

Are either of yours for sale?

Blake is buying one of them

Although I just heard somebody say he shouldn't.

I seem to recall someone on this list making it onto the "Stupid Loads" on Pirate4x4.

[AwesomeJ10]

Oh was Bob on there?

BTW - it appears that I have plenty of room to install the GN hitch with the bed on the truck. Just need to remove all 4 rear tires.