Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Gooseneck Hitch Problem

I have an RV trailer that I converted to use a goose neck ball. It works great except for the fact that the bottom of the RV's overhang is only about 4" from the bed rails of the truck. It hasn't hit yet, but I've gotten uncomfortably close a few times. The truck is a 2019 Ram 3500 with the factory gooseneck hitch. I've looked for a taller ball that will fit into the OEM goose neck hitch without success. Does anyone make one? This ball has a tab you pull up and turn 90 degrees to install and remove.

Can't adjust the height of the trailer tube?

Extend the gooseneck tube a couple of inches. Any welder worthy of the name can splice a spool into the tube that fits over the ball. That's "pipe welding 101" for anybody who has ever worked industrial maintenance. Find a piece of pipe that is a snug slip fit inside the gooseneck tube so you're not stressing the weld with the whole towing force.

Does a 5th wheel trailer (like the OP has modified) have an adjustable tube like a proper gooseneck trailer does?

I don’t think so. The adapters are somewhat controversial among ‘5’ers’, as they add stress to the pin box and void the warranty of almost every trailer brand. The taller the tube, the more stress. 5th wheels aren’t build the same or as strong as a gooseneck.

I have a little camp trailer that was converted like that. It hit the top of my 2004 dodge. I had to get it fixed. It would have been fine on the Highway, but getting it in my deer lease over the rocky ground jacked up my truck.

If the welder is worth his salt their is no need to "slip a pipe inside." The weld is stronger than the base metal

That will hit the top of the bed in rough/uneven terrain.

Saw it happen on a 5th wheel to gooseneck conversion once. Shortly after I saw that, I converted on myself and made sure to get the tongue conversion that was adjustable height. You really want that anyway to have a more level trailer platform.

You may also want the conversion to come forward some to avoid the top deck of the RV hitting the cab of your pickup when turning or backing sharply.

flatbeds fix that......

All I've had for years.

I'll never go back to a conventional bed on a pickup that I drive.

Wife's pickup has a regular bed.

Are you using an adapter that goes on your existing pinbox or an actual goose box? The adapter will VOID your factory frame warranty if its a newer camper. YYou need more than 4" off your bedrails. You will hit at that length. 6" is what we shoot for when setting ours up. Reese makes a full goose pinbox that works nicely. You should have some adjustment in the pinbox mount to help get that bedrail clearance

I could not even imagine a shop that would be willing to modify someones hitch. The amount of liabililty that one would take on would make that a job that no one in their right mind would want to do

I've never used one but it's said that this Andersen adapter will deal with any of those problems. They aren't cheap but you get what you pay for.

^^^^

Also works

This may be about the simplest solution that also will address some other issues. We use Shocker Hitches on all our race car rigs and have noticed a material difference and how much easier they are on the truck, trailer, and cargo.

Gooseneck Shocker Hitch