Solution for Towing 5th Wheel Trailer Equipped with Sidewinder with Gooseneck Hitch

Question

Question:

Looking at buying one of your gooseneck couplers and having a welder weld to a 34’ triple axle enclosed car hauler I bought. The trailer came with a Reese sidewinder 5th wheel hitch installed that was designed for short bed trucks. The only fifth wheel hitch we have is a convert a hitch that fits on the gooseneck ball. Not recommended for the sidewinder. Question is - What is the plus and minus of each style hitch gooseneck vs 5th wheel in this application towing up to 20,000 lbs gross trailer and cargo weight.

asked by: Reese R

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Expert Reply:

It sounds like you are trying to decide if it's better to attach a gooseneck coupler/adapter to your fifth-wheel trailer or simply add a fifth-wheel hitch to your truck for towing. You may already have the solution.

The Convert-A-Ball Cushioned Gooseneck Adapter # CAB-C5G that you have isn't recommended for use with a Sidewinder pin box because the Sidewinder produces an additional pivot point. However, if you happen to have a long bed truck, you can simply lock out the Sidewinder and use it with the Convert-A-Ball without an issue. A long bed truck wouldn't require the pivot point to be pushed back for making tight turns, so locking the turret so that it pivots at the hitch like a standard king pin will work great. Just remember to also remove the wedge at the bottom of the Sidewinder.

Another option is with a Reese Goose Box like # RP85FR. These are designed to replace specific model pin boxes on a fifth-wheel trailer so that you can tow it with your gooseneck hitch. In order to pick out the correct unit, you will first need to determine the pin box model on your trailer. This particular Goose Box is designed to replace the Lippert 1621 and 0719 pin boxes.

Going with one of the above two routes will allow you to leave your truck as it is, as I'm sure you enjoy having a clear bed when you aren't towing. This will be your best option in terms of convenience.

If you can tell me what type of gooseneck hitch you have installed on your truck, I will be happy to recommend other possible solutions that will allow you to leave the trailer untouched. For example the B&W Companion 5th Wheel Trailer Hitch # BWRVK3500 is designed to attach to the B&W Gooseneck Turnoverball ball hole to provide you with an excellent fifth-wheel hitch. You would still need to lock out the Sidewinder for this application.

Adding a fifth-wheel hitch like this or completely replacing the gooseneck hitch on your truck with base rails and a hitch will be your most secure/stable option.

expert reply by: Chris R

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