Gooseneck Hitches

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Gooseneck hitches are particularly common among individuals who have heavy towing needs such as the ones involving huge RVs and horse trailers. It’s a class of 5th wheel kind of hitch that is firmly attached to the frames of a pickup or whatever vehicle it’s mounted on. Its humorous name is derived from the visual appearance of the hitch which is characterized by an “overhang” on its extended front end which is then secured over the bed of the truck.

In terms of weight capacity, Gooseneck hitches are among the kings of its class. It is capable of a maximum load of 30,000 pounds which bumps it onwards as a class V hitch. Class IV and III are rated at 10,000 pounds while Class II and I hitches are only limited to 3500 pounds. Similar to most trailer hitches, Gooseneck hitches features a hitch ball system that goes through a hole in the bed of the vehicle. The whole thing is secured by the arched arm which then locks on the hitch ball. This makes it different and considerably more secure compared to most trailer hitches out there which is only attached to the rear bumper. This type of setup often required additional work in the form of welds and bolts in order to be relatively secure.

Gooseneck hitches also have two more distinct advantages compared to its counterparts. First, as mentioned earlier, is its ability to easily handle greater tow weights and second is its ability to create tighter radius turns which makes it extremely maneuverable. Its tight turns are made possible by the fact that the pivoting point for the trailer’s hookup is located at the bed of the truck and not on the rear bumper which limits pivoting movement greatly.

One downside to Gooseneck hitches is in its installation. Installation can be a lot more complicated compared to most trailer hitches out there. It basically requires the removal of the vehicle’s cargo bed which is then followed by the process of bolting the gooseneck hitches into the frame of the vehicle. Removing the cargo bed of the vehicle would enable us to easily measure and drill the appropriate holes on the vehicle’s frame. This must be done in such a way as to make the hitch ball rise thru the cargo bed when it’s assembled right back on the frame. The hitch ball of the Gooseneck hitch should fit in nicely thru the hole when the vehicle’s cargo bed is placed back again.
This type of trailer hitch is one of the most wonderful and efficient of its kind.

It’s a great mechanism for pulling relatively large loads such as campers, RV’s and horse trailers. It can even very well pull other types of trailers. Its use is specifically designed for a pickup truck but I suppose any other vehicles designed to pull weight would do just as well. It’s greater weight capacity and great tighter turns make gooseneck hitches a good choice for heavy duty use across long distances. It’s also one of the most secure so you won’t have to worry about your trailer coming lose on the road which would make it quite a disaster. All these features and advantages are open to you. That is of course, if you can manage to get through the difficulties of installing one which will be worth all the effort.