Should I Use a CURT RockerBall with a B&W Shock Absorbing Gooseneck Pin Box?

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Question:

I have a 2026 Ford F450 with the factory fifth wheel/gooseneck setup. I bought the B and W Fifth wheel to Gooseneck adapter. I am towing a Brinkley 2900z. I want to get more distance between the tailgate and the trailer if it were to open. So the 4 inches would be nice. The B and W gooseneck adapter has the shock absorbing function. So I think k Curt makes this extender with the rocker ball, and without. I think the extra ball height of the rocker ball might be nice, I have to measure. However is it OK, or even maybe BETTER to have both shock absorption in the B and W adapter AND the Curt rocker ball?? Kevi

asked by: Kevin M

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Expert Reply:

Hi Kevin! Yes, you can use the 4 inch offset ball part # C78ZV to gain a little more clearance between your tailgate and the front of your Brinkley, and that's a pretty common reason people choose it. It will give you the added space you're after while letting the B&W pin box do the cushioning it was designed to provide.

As for the RockerBall version, I would actually stick with the standard 4 inch offset ball instead of stacking two shock absorbing systems together because they can interfere with each other rather than improving the ride. Curt also recommends against this.

Out of curiosity, is your main concern protecting the tailgate when it's down, or are you also looking for a little more cab-to-trailer clearance when turning?

expert reply by: Heather A

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Kevin M.

7/22/2026

i am looking for the tailgate clearance. my 450 is a long bed, of course. I hate that small distance in the rear between the tailgate and the trailer. i think the little extra height of the standard 4 inch offset is going to be perfect, i ordered it. the challenge with Ford long beds when used with a fifth wheel or goose eck, is that tailgate clearance. In fact even with my fifth wheel i used a B and W slider hitch, not because i needed the cab space (i didnt because its a long bed,) but because of that tailgate. thanks

Heather A.

7/22/2026

@KevinM That's great feedback, Kevin, and I appreciate you sharing it. Most people think about cab clearance first, but you make a really good point that tailgate clearance can be just as important, even with a long bed. I think the standard 4 inch offset ball is going to be exactly what you're looking for. I'd love to hear how it works out once you've had a chance to tow with it. Safe travels with that Brinkley!

Kevin M.

7/22/2026

@HeatherA YW...i have both a longbed ford, and a shortbed gmc. believe it or not, there is MORE tailgate clearance on the shortbed!! Although the cab clearance is much less. the challenge with short tailgate clearance is that you have so little margin for error. the truck has to be pretty much exactly straight when you hookup, even a slight angle can be a problem I can say that for me, a gooseck is MUCH easier to conntect. It is basically just like a conventional ball. You dont haveto worry about both left and right alignment, as well as hitch height when you connect. You just get it over the ball, and lower it. I also find the latching easier. As far as how they ride, i dont really know. I think most people are too subjective on that subject. the issue for me is ease of hitching, and security. the fifth wheel in theory would seem to be more secure, but i havent heard of safety issues with goosenecks, since MOST heavy equipment and farm people use them.

Heather A.

7/22/2026

@KevinM Oh wow that's a really interesting point. I honestly hadn't thought about a short bed giving you more tailgate clearance. I agree with you about the simplicity of a gooseneck. Being able to back over the ball and drop the coupler on is just a lot less stressful than lining up a fifth wheel. I think a lot of it comes down to personal preference. Some people really don't like the chucking they experience with one setup over the other, while others just want the easiest hookup possible. From a safety standpoint, though, I wouldn't have any concerns towing with a properly set up gooseneck. You are all good there !

See All (4) Replies to Kevin M. ∨

Jeff G.

7/23/2026

Kevin, I have a 2021 Grand Design 367BHS. Earlier this year I sold my 2004 Dodge Ram 3500 after 20 years of ownership and purchased a new 2026 Ram 3500. The 2004 truck had a Mountain Master Air Ride 5th wheel hitch with up-and-down shock-absorbing action combined with forward and backward dampening action. I lost most of my bed space in the 2004 truck due to an aux fuel tank and Mountain Master 5th wheel hitch. In the new truck, I wanted to reclaim the lost space, so I switched to the Gen-Y hitch with the rocker ball pin to obtain proper bed rail and tailgate clearance. So, wanting both dampening features is not an issue for either the truck or trailer, but actually a benefit to the trailer, preventing damage. Most gooseneck adapters are sized very short to reduce the moment-arm action on the upper 5th wheel deck. Original gooseneck adapters of 20 years ago placed too much moment-arm force on the 5th wheel upper deck because they were too tall. Given today's 5th wheel "cheap" or thinner frame material, this shortening of the gooseneck adapter height is required to prevent frame flexing damage; otherwise, manufacturers wouldn't approve adapters such as Gen-Y or B&W for use on their 5th wheels. To compensate for the shorter height of the Gen-Y or B&W, the Curt rocker ball pin adapter is an excellent option to gain back the hitch height so the 5th wheel doesn't hit your pickup bed rails and does not place any additional moment-arm force on the 5th wheel upper deck. As for the extra 4-inch offset, it does help with tailgate clearance.

Should I Use a CURT RockerBall with a B&W Shock Absorbing Gooseneck Pin Box?

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