Does Using an Offset Gooseneck Ball Change where the Pin Weight is Carried in the Truck Bed

Question:

I have a 2015 Silverado 2500 HD short bed towing a 33foot 5th wheel using a Reese Goose Box. By moving the ball back 4inch will this effect the weight of the trailer on the ball being 4inch further back from the rear axle? Or does the pin weight remain where the ball was normally? Thank you,

asked by: Wayne

Expert Reply:

If you were to use the 4 inch offset ball # BWGNXA4085 the pin weight on the ball will not be changed. What will change is where the weight is carried on the truck. Using the offset ball will put more weight 4 inches back from the center of the gooseneck ball hole in the truck bed.

This may or may not affect the truck. Some things that could happen include reduced steering and braking and headlights angled upward. If the weight is far enough behind the rear axle it can lift the front of the truck a little which is what causes these things to happen. If that does occur then I recommend adding some helper springs, # TGMRCK25D, to your 2015 Chevy Silverado 2500 which will help alleviate those issues.

expert reply by: Michael H

Quade

10/16/2024

How does it move the weight back if the ball is elevated and still coupled in the same connection point?

Bryce D.

10/16/2024

@Quade Because the weight is resting on the hitch ball which is 4" from where the hitch is dropped in.

Quade

10/16/2024

@BryceD but the ball is elevated and pinned in the same place as the original ball in turn transfers the weight to the square tube not directly under the new ball. So far we’ve not found that it shifts the weight. I’m still weighing and checking but so far I’ve seen no reel transfer of weight any farther to the rear of the truck and I’m running a long extender to keep our horse trailer off the glass.

Paul

3/9/2025

@Quade I have a similar set up and question. I think the answer is not that simple and requires an answer by the hitch designer. If you offset the ball by 4" it still has the same down force but it also puts a torque on it. For example, my trailer has a 2850lb hitch weight it still applies 2850lb on the hitch, but there is an added torque on the hitch (2850x4/12= 950 ft-lbs). That would be eqv. to a 200lb person hanging on a 4.75ft arm off of the hitch. Can the hitch handle the offset torque, I am not sure? It probably can, but over time it could fatigue, again need the hitch designer to answer. Technically the hitch weight would be reduced by about 25lb because of the added length but it is negligible really. If you add in a 10" offset on the gooseneck it would reduce the weight further without adding load or torque to the hitch, maybe about 90lbs, but still not much difference.