Gooseneck or Fifth Wheel Recommendation for a Car Hauler Trailer

Updated 05/09/2016 | Published 05/08/2016

Question:

I am planning to haul autos on a flatbed trailer using a pickup truck. Which is better: 5th wheel or gooseneck? I transport travel trailers campers and 5th wheel campers, but I have never towed a gooseneck trailer. Which hitch do you feel is the best for towing autos?

asked by: Robert B

Expert Reply:

If your truck is a long bed I would go with a gooseneck setup as they are just a much simpler design that have higher capacities. The only advantage fifth wheels have is that they make slider hitches which will allow you more clearance around corners with short bed trucks.

I like goosenecks because they also allow your truck bed to be clear much easier. Fifth wheel hitches can weigh several hundred lbs and removing them is no easy task. A gooseneck hitch allows you to easily flip the ball over or remove it all together and you have a totally empty truck bed.

There are also quite a bit more moving parts and areas that wear out with a fifth wheel over a gooseneck. I also like that with a gooseneck it is much easier to know when the hitch is connected. With a fifth wheel hitch some people end up high-pinning the trailer and go to take off and end up dropping the trailer on the bed rails. A gooseneck hitch won't have that risk at all.

I attached a help article on gooseneck hitches for you to check out as well.

expert reply by: Jameson C