The Gooseneck Hitch Vs The 5th Wheel Hitch

By Author: Bancroft Martinez
Total Articles: 9
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The fifth wheel hitch, just like the gooseneck hitch, is used with a pickup truck. The 5th
Wheel hitch cannot be concealed as well as the gooseneck hitch. The CODY GOOSENECK
HITCH as well as several others, have a reversible ball which completely removes the presence
of the ball thus allowing the full use of the bed bottom of your truck. A gooseneck hitch is
most often used for towing livestock trailers and other types of agricultural/industrial purposes,
while the 5th Wheel type of kingpin is most commonly found on travel trailers. Both the
Gooseneck Type of hitch and the 5th wheel hitch type are thought to be superior in maneuvering
abilities when compared to bumper mount trailers.

Mounting a 5th wheel hitch on your pickup is tasking as it involves boring holes into the
truck's bed. It also means that you have to dismount the hitch to use the bed for other
purposes. The gooseneck on the other hand involves minimal bed interference in that just a
single hole is reuired for the ball. Many variations of the gooseneck hitch, such as THE CODY
GOOSENECK ...
... HITCH, allow or reveal the protruding ball and it can be inverted thus leaveing
it flush with the bed. This is also achievable in other gooseneck systems where the ball is
oldable. All these gooseneck ball variations allow for the full use of the pickup's bed.

In a situation where a truck is not equipped with a 5th Wheel hitch but instead with the
gooseneck type, and yet we have to tow a fifth wheeler, available is an adapter that can
couple the two. THE CODY COUPLER is a good example of this and can be seen at
www.codyhitch.com The coupler takes in the kingpin at one end and the gooseneck ball
at the other. This affixation procedure is simple and lasts only 15 to 20 minutes. There are,
however, a few safety measures to be observed since the coupler subjects the kingpin to
greater pressure than with the fifth wheel hitch. Truck starts and stops have to be done
fluidly to avoid jerking the trailer. The kingpin should at all times be firmly attached to
the pin box of the trailer, and the trailer's braking system should always be in proper
working condition.

Steps have been taken to ensure that the coupler guarantees the safety of the trailer, it's
cargo, the truck and the driver. This is realized in a safety latch mechanism which prevents
any accidental disconnecting of the coupler from the ball. On hitching up the coupler, the
safety latch mechanically engages. When unhitching, the latch has to be manually released
by pushing the spring-loaded arm on the side of the coupler. With such safety measures
considered, the coupler is a really worthwhile alternative to the costlier 5th wheel hitch.

For more information about 5th Wheel hitch please visit http://www.codyhitch.com/