Reese Goose Box 2-Year Owner Review & Demo - Gooseneck Coupler for Fifth Wheel (GooseBox 2nd Gen)
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- Опубликовано: 13 июл 2024
- Are you considering the Reese Goose Box for your fifth wheel? What are the pros & cons of the Reese GooseBox 2nd Gen? Does it take longer to hitch up with the Reese Goose Box Gen 2? If you install the Reese Goose Box on your fifth wheel will it void the frame warranty? What does it look like to connect and disconnect your fifth wheel with the Reese GooseBox 2nd Generation? In today’s video I’ll share my candid feedback after 2 years of ownership with the Reese Goose Box installed on my 44’ fifth wheel, the Salem Hemisphere 378FL. I've towed it with all 3 of the following: 2016 RAM 2500 Short Bed, 2019 Chevy Silverado 3500 Dually, and 2021 RAM 3500 Dually. Here are chapter markers to navigate through the video:
00:00 Intro
00:55 Pros
05:27 Cons
08:30 Hitching Demonstration
18:40 Unhitching Demonstration
20:01 Measurements
20:47 Final Thoughts
What do you think about the Reese Goose Box Gooseneck Conversion Kit for fifth wheels? Will you be adding it to your RV? Or, do you have a favorite alternative hitch and/or pinbox for your fifth wheel? Let us know in the comments below.
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I've been a truck driver for over 20 years and I think fifthwills are great for semis but for these little 5th wills campers I'd rather use a GooseBox Or something similar
I’m going to have to say that this was an exceptionally useful video. You did a fantastic job putting it together and narrating it.
Thank you! I appreciate the kind words!
I’m definitely getting this hitch. Especially cause my 21 F-350 already has the goose neck tow package. I don’t mind the extra time. I’m never in a rush to leave a campsite anyway. No one should ever be in a rush to connect. Thanks for the informative video man.
Goose box is still my favorite!
I don't have a fifth wheel yet but I'm planning for the future and this is what I intend to use. As far as time goes, I spend at least as much time, if not more, hooking up my bumper pull travel trailer.
One of the best, clear, concise instructional videos I've seen in a while.
Thank you, kindly!
Great video! While you are hitched up set your magnetic ball thingy on the truck bed so the stick just touches the goosebox. Now draw a line around it with a silver sharpie. Now you stop at first contact.
I bought one for my first fifth wheel in 2019 and transferred it to my second one in 2020, love it. Great job explaining how it all works for those that are considering switching over.
Great overview...perfect pacing, level of detail, thanks!
Most helpful video I’ve seen on any of the hitches and great video. I’ll be buying one of these now after seeing this. Thank you !
Very well done video. Direct and to the point. I am definitely leaning to this style hitch for my new rig. Thanks
Great system and product. Thanks for the video and valued information. Great job..
Very helpful video! I think the goose box is fantastic and I will be getting one!
Very informative video. I will be using the “Reese Goose Box” on my new 5th wheel
Thanks for the great info. Looking to get a new fifth wheel and was looking into this. This was a huge help
Glad to help! Still my favorite towing platform.
Awesome video man. You just answered a lot of questions for me.
Thank you. Glad to hear it
100% agreed. When I finally move up from my bumper pull to a 5th, it will be getting this adapter.
Excellent video. Had no knowledge of the reese goosneck but it was recommended for my short bed truck. Your video answered all my questions and made me a believer.
Thank you, it's still my favorite platform overall
First time rv owner and love my reese goose box.
Love my Reese Goosebox! Yes, little more time to hook up. Superior ride!
Well put together, informative without a lot of mumbo jumbo. My next 5er will have one of these.
Thank you!
Definitely worth it
Awesome video. I really like this setup.
Thank you!
Man this video is awesome. Dealer recommended Andersen, but I tow gooseneck frequently and this feels much more familiar to me. Thanks!
Glad to hear it. Still my favorite towing setup!
Great video. Thanks. Still on the fence.
I run one of these 20k units and love it. At first it took longer to hook up I think they could have used a cone shape to help get the ball in the hole but practice makes perfect. Lippert apparently owns Reese which is why it's the only one that doesn't void the warranty lol. For that reason I chose this one over the Gen-y hitch.
Agreed! 👌🏻
I really like that hitch frees up your bed for other items 👍👍
😄
Great video……thank you!
Seriously thinking of moving from a TT to a 5th wheel trailer and just learning what it will take. I saw this type of hitch on a full-timers vlog the other day and if we do make the upgrade in trailer this will be my hitch of choice. Having the bed free of all the extra hardware with the other type and the weight they add to the vehicle are the two biggest reasons. Thanks for a thorough and easy to understand video.
Sure, glad to help! I think it is extra familiar to folks used to a "bumper pull" style trailer given the way it connects. It's still my favorite towing platform, and in my opinion the smoothest ride overall.
Great video, I just got the 3rd gen version installed and this help understanding the process a little better. Had been using the BW Companion Hitch and was very nice but love that I don’t have the huge 5th wheel hitch in truck .
Thank you, I agree not having to deal with the heavy hitch is a huge advantage.
very good demonstration I am looking to buy Rv trailer and do not like the bulky 5th wheel. grew up on ranch with goosnecks.
Great vid, i’m thinking about getting one. One thing I will say is that I was told you don’t need to pull back the cable to unlock it when you are hitching up. As I understand it if you come straight down on it, it will move that lever out-of-the-way and then snap back to the lock position.
Correct. Some gooseballs have a release lever on the tip/top of ball that can get hung up/bound if you don't release it. Just depends on which one you have. Most of them its okay to leave latched/locked.
I have a Reese 20k Goosebox. A couple additions that I added to help hooking up. I bought a wireless Iball camera/monitor with my B&W extended ball similar to yours. Camera mounts on handle as camera is magnetic. It also clears my tool box. I also put a piece of tape on hitch to help with alignment. I also added shrink fit clear tubing over chains to prevent chains from kinking…..I had a chain kink and broke a bolt on hitch when backing up. This Reese Goosebox is great….no tug test needed as in a kingpin setup.
Very nice. I like those ideas. Thank you for sharing.
Great video. Gonna make the switch. Just remember the point of the safety chains are to keep your trailer at your truck if it were to come un-coupled. By using brackets in your rear puck system, if your 5th came undone, it would travel right through your tailgate since your chains are so far back. Look at the PullRite 4337 as an option. The chains attach up by the ball and the trailer will not reach the tailgate if it comes un-coupled.
Best video I’ve seen on this hitch. Great job.
I get a lot of chucking with the MorRyde Kingpin. So I’d love to switch to the Reese. I have a fifth wheel whose frame isn’t made by LCI and as far as I know the manufacturer hasn’t approved the Reese gooseneck. Maybe someday. But difficult to justify switching after the investment in a B&W companion hitch. Thanks!
Agreed! I have been testing out the Morryde lately and it is nice, but still not as smooth as the Goosebox in my opinion. Still me favorite platform overall.
Thanks for the video,we’re getting fifth wheel in august and I’m getting Reese for my Gmc 3500 shortbed.don’t want to have hitch in truck all the time
Glad to hear it! Congrats on new rig. I think you'll really like the Goose Box. Still my favorite overall platform.
I’ve been wanting to get that exact same set up for some time now. Nice review and good idea in the magnetic ball to help line it up
It's still my favorite towing platform
@@AdventureRocks my biggest challenge once I pull the trigger and buy. Is going to be able to see the goosbox get close to the ball hitch through my window because of my tool box and roll up tonneau cover. I need to research some sort of wireless camera. I know they make cameras that can plug into the head units on fords if it has the extra port. BUT us Ram/Cummins owners…..not sure if there is an option like that b
I don't have tool box, but surprisingly the old school magnetic antenna with yellow ball works pretty good for me. I basically watch for the antenna to center up on the Goosebox housing (even if it's higher up portion visible, if blocked by tool box), and then I've gotten used to seeing the antenna tip forward and at a certain angle when it hits the Goose Box so then I know it's pretty close to being centered back to front. When I first got it, it would take me several times over and over to get it lined up, but with some practice it's gotten a lot easier now and I can usually get it the first or second time. Only other thing I can think of is if you have a furion backup camera system on your RV, they offer a four-camera setup on some of the newer versions and you could take the fourth camera that normally is designed to go over your RV's entry door and wire it up so that it could rest on your wheel well in the truck bed. Just needs 12v to camera.
Just now at today years old learned about this setup, and already I know its the way Ill be going.. Thanks.
Glad to help! It's still my favorite platform.
@@AdventureRocks I'm sorry.. what's the GVW on your trailer?
@@possmguts The one in my video was 14.6K and about 2.8K tongue weight.
@@AdventureRocks I dodnt think its gonna work for me at 3176 tongue and 14,190k.. its an 18k gvw and 42' 4" long..
@@possmguts I gotcha. They also make a 20k version with 4k pin weight max. I think the big difference is the shocks are stiffer to support the additional weight.
I have a 2000 F250 with a 7.3. Use it as a truck weekly and really don't want that 5th in the bed.
About to get a 5th toybox about 30'. Want the smaller trailer to haul a small classic and quarterly getaways.
Part of the hitching process would be installing the 5th or flipping the ball. So the process will be easier with the gooseball. I have a gooseneck utility trailer for work. Loading is a known thing.
Thanks for the information.
If you were to fill it with nitrogen it will hold air much longer. If you have to fill it more often then once a quarter with nitrogen it has leaks and needs maintenance.
Excellent video and very clear instructions. Just what I needed...Thank you. I just recently got a 45 foot 5th and the service guy recommend I get this setup and glad I did! I took it on a big trip and it pulled very nicely. However, I forgot about checking the bag for air, that's something I'll keep an eye on now. Also the safety chains didn't come with my, I'll be purchasing those. I've never pulled a 5th wheel before. However, I have 20 foot cargo trailers that I have pulled over the county (bumper pull) and I can tell you the 5th wheel pulls better than the cargo trailers do.
Thank you for the feedback!
did you ever have issue with the goosebox contacting bed rails when turning sharp? want to buy new gen 3 but want to learn from others experiences if this is an issue thank you
I could seeing needing to change the air pressure in the bag as the load changes. This probably is more prevalent in a toy hauler where you might have a toy or two in it one trip and running fairly empty next time. Also as water is added or used.
Awesome video. I've been looking to get one of these for my Pinnacle 37mdqs, the same as yours. I see your explanation as to why you have not installed this on your Pinnacle. My 2022 shows a pin weight of 2920lbs and figured the 20k Goose Box with a 4000lbs pin weight capacity would be lots, but now I'm worried. Lol Also been waiting to hear back from Jayco and Lippert to see if it would void my warranty. My dealership tells me it will. Great videos man, very informative!
Glad to hear! I think if you don't have the generator or washer/dryer option, you'll be under the 4K pin weight. For some reason the 37MDQS seems to carry more of it's weight up front compared to rear, perhaps the axles are pushed back further than other floorplans. I was shocked to find my pin weight was around 4,400 lbs fully loaded.
Very good video. I've been using the 20k .1 version with a B&W TO ball since 2017. A couple of quick comments... - I never leave the TO ball in the bed... fear of it being stolen and then stuck till i get another. (Although, i do have a shorter 2nd goose ball as backup).
-I also use the Walmart yellow ball on the antenna... works very well for me.
-I leave the locking arm in the green/ locked position when i am hitching as it automatically shifts back and then forward to locked as the goosebox seats... this also provides a visual confirmation as the arm travels to the locking position.
-I use the Fort Knox locking box made especially for the .1 Goosebox when not hitched. I don't see a need to lock it in when hitched and traveling. -Also, I deflate the air bag anytime I'm not traveling. I believe the .1 manual instructed that this should be a standard practice.
All in all, we highly recommend the Reese Goosebox. The ride is smooth and secure. Thanks again for your video. Safe travels. bg
Great tips, thank you
It always a two man job to remove my 5th wheel hitch and was always a struggled to get it in and out this hitch is great and is a lot safer for your back and shoulders!!!
Agreed!
I have seen several videos showing the lock mechanism in the open position when lowering the goosebox onto the ball then releasing to the lock position. I have found by leaving it in the lock position when hitching, the lever will move to the unlock position then back to locked when the trailer is lowered. You know it is locked by watching the lever move back and forth.
Yes, very true. I used to have a gooseneck ball that had a release on top of the ball and it would sometimes get caught and hang up if the coupler wasn't in the open position, so I just got in the habit of opening up the coupler each time.
Very clear and concise review. I have ordered my first 5th wheel and the dealer is going to install the Reese Goosebox for me as I like this style of system for how clean it keeps the bed of the truck vs having a 5th wheel hitch that I have to lug in and out. Did you install the goosebox yourself? Was wondering about that as it could save me a few $ doing it myself vs having the dealer do it. I will need the 20k version of this which, on Amazon, is running for about $1500. Dealer wants $1800 installed, which isn’t bad. Also thanks for the comments on the goose ball. Was considering the Curt OEM one, but after your review looks like the B&W is better.
Yes, I did install myself. It is HEAVY, but managed to do it solo by using my tailgate as a stand and then kinda lifting the flanges/arms of Goose Box into position while the heavier coupler rested on tailgate like a seasaw/lever. Then I just got two bolts in like pegs to hold it in position. Once you get two bolts in, rest is much easier. Hope that makes sense. Then before I tightened it all the way I did a test fit with truck and I think I ended up adjusting up or down as needed. $300 isn't too bad for labor. Once in a while I see Amazon themselves stock the 20K model at $1300ish with free prime shipping. It seems they are out of stock now so only 3rd parties with $$ shipping, but if you could get it for $1300ish that'd be a nice savings over the $1,800 installed. Still though, that's not a bad price for fully installed. One advantage of doing it yourself is that you can fine-tune it and make sure it is 100% in the right position whereas dealer may kinda rush through that. Otherwise you just have to move over the eletrical box, breakaway cable, and add safety chains...pretty straightforward. Of course having a torque wrench is a must too. Congrats on your new fifth wheel though! Hope it all works out. Glad to help.
you may know this by now but the reese goosebox has an auto latch feature that you do not have to lock in the back position to hook up. it will rock back then lock once down on the ball. great video! thanks for sharing
Thank you. Yes, I used to have a gooseball with a release/clasp on top of ball and it would get hung-up with auto-latch on goosebox, so I just did it manually to be safe.
I have a motorhome and if I were to able to go back to 5th wheel this is what I would go with, and really, I don't mind the little extra time.
We currently tow a gooseneck horse trailer with a living quarter with our 2019 F350. Those beds are high in this model! Sold the horse and looking for a little more room for people, though the horse trailer makes a great toy hauler for kayaks and bicycles. I'm trying to learn all I can while deciding between a travel trailer or a fifth wheel. It seems I can get a little longer fifth wheel than travel trailer and not have the entire length of the 5ver behind me, as some of it will be over the bed. I'm wanting to stay around 30ft or less on a 5th wheel and even shorter for a tt. We're so accustomed to hooking up a gooseneck that actually hooking up a 5th wheel hitch seems intimidating! But I know that I want to keep my bed open once I reach my destination for carrying those bikes and kayaks! Thanks for a great video and informing my decision making! Great video!
Thank you!
Says he doesn’t like something lightweight like the Andersen then says sheet metal for the pin box. Yea pal, you sure know your stuff. All jokes aside, you are absolutely right though, the Reese goose box is stout and durable. No doubt about it.
I was thinking about this hitch, but decide to go with Pullrite 2600. Because if my truck break down I will have no problem to find somebody with regular 5th wheel hitch to tow my trailer somewhere to park, but not so many have a goose neck ball set up or will need to remove the heavy hitch to put goose neck ball. With Pullrite 2600 I will just need to remove the kin box adapter and anybody with regular 5th wheel hitch can town it. It is nice hitch for sure, just my preference to be more flexible. IMHO
Great tip, thank you
Great video. We're making the switch to a 5th from a TT and this is what I want to use. Need to add the puck system first though since truck didn't come prepped for it.
Great choice. The b&w turnover ball is a great choice for aftermarket. I had it on my 2016 RAM and worked great.
That was going to be my next question lol. Adding it to the bed doesn't look impossible, but quite a project I'd need help getting done for sure!
@@paulharney1739 I had a local trailer shop do it for me mainly as they've done it over and over and it is kinda heavy. But it could be a diy too. Think it was in the $700 range all in with b&w and adding 7 way connector, that was 2016.
Great. Thanks for the info!
I love my 20k Reese goose box. You don't have to open the coupler to hitch up. It will open as it lowers onto the ball and will lock automajically around the ball. I have leveling control from my phone with LCI one control so I can lower onto the ball from in the cab. I also bought the Weigh Safe goose ball so I know my trailer is transferring 2200lbs to my truck. Try that with a king pin!!
Great tip! Thank you. Love that idea with the Weigh Safe gooseball...super handy.
👍
Another benefit I see is that once you see the goose box on the ball, there is no way for it to fall off when doing the “tug test”…now just don’t forget yo lock it so it doesn’t bounce off going down the road!
Absolutely. Great point!
Great video! The information is broken down very nicely and articulated well. How would you rate lateral stability - Goose Box vs Fifth Wheel Hitch. I suspect a fifth wheel hitch would provide better stability but how much better? I've not been able to find information quantifying this. For example, Curt Manufacturing does list Stability as a feature of the fifth wheel hitch over a gooseneck, but nothing specific.
Thank you. I do notice more lateral movement on the Goose Box vs conventional fifth wheel hitch...and my Curt A24 does have some lateral flex, but not as much as Goose Box on a ball. That being said it never shifts laterally to the point of feeling unstable, but I do notice at slow speeds when covering uneven ground, the Goose Box with ball lends itself to more articulation so to speak. Guess that can be a good or bad thing depending on circumstances.
BEEN RUNNING THE ANDERSON ULTIMATE FOR NEARLY 2 YEARS. NO ISSUES. HOWEVER, BEING A 5TH WHEEL NEWBIE AND LOOKING TO KEEP GROSS WEIGHT AS LOW AS POSSIBLE I'M FINDING THE AMOUNT OF BED SPACE TO BE MUCH MORE OF A NECESSITY.
Glad to hear it! Thank you for sharing the feedback. Bed space is a premium for sure.
We bought our first 5er and we bought the Reese 20K per a friends recommendation. We love it. To assist in hitching, I've painted a white line on the center rib in the bed of the truck and the front of the hitch. My camera is blocked by my Bak Flip cover so if I can at least go in the bed straight, I just need the wife to yell stop and its centered. There's not a lot of info about greasing the ball. Do you have any ball wear yet?
Great idea on the white line! On the greasing, I've got to admit the very first time I started using the Goose Box I forgot to grease the goose ball and we were squeaking all the way to our campsite obnoxiously! It was awful. I usually lube it up before ea trip, but that's typically several weeks or a month between. I had an offset B&W ball in my 3/4 ton short bed that had a blue/gray coating on it where that coating wore off a bit at top, but my two other goose balls have not shown wear including the B&W shown in video or a similar Curt version in chrome.
SO, having had the Goosebox on my trailer for over 2000 miles, 12 seperate trips, and 3 different states, I can honestly say it was a huge improvement from the traditional 5th wheel "kingpin" setup. I had a PullRite before switching to the Reese.
One interesting experience with the Reese was when unfortunatally the wind decided to have its way with my 5th trailer 31 Dec 2021, i'll see if I can upload pics.
The trailer actually disconnected from my truck (which could be good or bad deciding on how you look at it) however I am grateful it did so that it did not take the truck with it. The trailer was held back with the chains. I am currently working with the manufacturer on what transpired and the fact that the "latch pin" deformed during the accident.
Ultimately, I will replace with another Reese as I am that happy and satisfied with the hitch.
2017 F250 4x4 Diesel, Short Bed
2020 Shasta Phoenix 336RL (no longer)
Reese 20k Goosebox
Oh no, so sorry to hear about the wind incident. How bad was the damage on your fifth wheel?
@@AdventureRocks Yea unfortunately looks like a total loss, and already looking at new ones. Thank you for the concern.
@@greggsilva9378 Dang, that's awful. Best wishes on your search for replacement and such.
that is a very unfortunate situation hopefully everyone was okay. did you ever have issue with the goosebox contacting bed rails when turning sharp? want to buy new gen 3 but want to learn from others experiences if this is an issue thank you
Great video, however as per a Reece video when lowering onto the ball you don't need to have it locked open. When the ball lowers the arm will move towards the fifth wheel the click forward into the green locked position.
Good tip! Thank you. Yes, I used to have a gooseball with a release/clasp located on top of ball and it would get hung-up with auto-latch on goosebox, so I just do it manually to be safe.
I would own a Reese GB of the Pin Weight capability was higher than 4k lbs. B&W offers a 20k hitch with 5k pin weight capacity. Maybe a few years down the road Reese will have a Gen3 with better limits. Our RV is around 4100 pin weight.
Agreed. Hopefully they'll read the comments and improve they next gen 3 model. It's surprising how heavy some fifth wheels can get on pin weight with options and personal belongings added in.
My wife and I are actually switch from the moreride rubber pin box to the Reese goose box bc we carry motocross bikes in our rig but also our truck. Those fifth wheel hitches are a pain to take in and out
Completely agree, they are back breakers.
Outstanding video! I currently have a 2019 gmc 3500 dually with the 8ft bed The current hitch is a pullrite superlite. I have about 6 1/2” of clearance between the bed rails and bottom of the camper which pullrite says is the minimum, however the hitch is on its highest setting. Our camper is a 40ft toy hauler and I’m often off the beaten path where flat, level ground does not exist. Because of the uneven terrain and articulation with the pullrite system, the bottom of the camper has made contact with the top of the bed/tailgate on occasion which makes me cringe. I’ve been lucky so far and no damage has occurred. I say all of that to ask if the Reese system will 1) give me more clearance and 2) how much up/down and side to side articulation can I expect on uneven terrain? Thanks again for a great video!!
Thank you. Sure, I'll do my best to share thoughts there. One nice beneift of Goose Box is you can raise/lower height easily with different goose balls. So you might have 2 different goose balls with different heights and then you can choose easily based on what you're towing and clearance. I believe, and I'll emphasize the "believe" that you may articulate more in some ways with any goose ball side to side compared to conventional fifth wheel...the reason I say that is I think the goose ball becomes the easiest pivot point as opposed to your truck's suspension or even the frame twisting slightly on the fifth wheel. Not to say it is a night and day difference between conventional fifth wheel hitch and goose ball, but those are my thoughts. However, the big selling point in my opinion with the Goose Box is that not only do you free your bed and not have to lug heavy fifth wheel hitch, you also can easily adjust clearance with different goose balls, or even at install like any other pinbox by raising/lowering on ears attached to frame. And, then the ride quality is SO nice...still my favorite. All that to say, you might find yourself wanting to raise your nose higher on uneven terrain with articulation side to side, but easier to do with swapping goose balls compared to changing height on a fifth wheel hitch I suppose.
Id like to try the goosebox someday, but for me the biggest obstacle is hitching solo. With no in bed camera, being able to turn around and see the kingpin going into the B&W companion is very easy.
Agree, it is a bit challenging initially compared to the king pin. I used a magnetic pole with ball on top to make it easier to line-up solo. After 20+ times I started getting more efficient and nailing it the first or 2nd time. Here's a comparision video on speed between goose ball vs king pin featuring the magnetic pole I mentioned: ruclips.net/video/fOruSHzglbU/видео.html
@@AdventureRocks I'll be doing it solo as well but I figure practice makes perfect, especially with the magnetic pole with the ball on top. And, like others, I'm in no rush when hooking up in the first place. My philosophy is "It takes as long as it takes."
@@treecatt Amen! No rush!
Great video! Thanks for putting it together. What are your thoughts on a 16K vs. 20K for say, a 13.5K RV? Can you have too much hitch?
Main difference is the tuning of the suspension. The 16K will be slightly softer ride compared to 20K. So you can go higher, for the 20K, but it may ride a bit stiffer perhaps? I believe the 16K is tuned for max 3,200 pin weight and the 20K for max 4,000 pin weight. The air bag of course is adjustable, but I'd imagine the shocks are slightly different between two models. I'm amazed how much pin weight can vary from the manufacturer estimate to reality, especially once loaded. Recently I weighed a supposed 3,200 pin weight 5er that actually weighed 4,600 lbs loaded, so all that to say check your pin weight fully loaded at CAT scale and then probably base that on whether to get 16K or 20K? Hope that helps!
Great video, was the 3500 GM srw worried about bed rail height clearance.
Thank you. I previously had a 2019 GM 3500 dually and no issues on rail height. If I recall the bed-sides of the GM are slightly taller than the RAM. But, I was still able to adjust up the Goosebox on the fifth wheel to make it work just fine.
If I didn’t have the MegaCab I would get the Goosebox. I run a SuperGlide just because of the short box(2019 Ram 3500 SRW). I do love my SuperGlide tho!
I've heard good things about the SuperGlide. When I had a short bed, I used a B&W offset Goose ball adapter that pushed it back about 4" or so. Gave peace of mind, but still not as much room as full 8' bed or slider hitch.
My solution for our Megacab was to stretch it. I now have an 8' bed DRW 3500 MegaCab. The best of all worlds, with the GooseBox.
Ok get a pool noodle and cut it to the length. For example If you set your Reese gooseneck box up 3” higher to back in when trying to couple up cut your noodle 6” and put a tape line for when 3” is inside the box and 3” below. And then back up till you see the noodle right over your attachment. Just lowers your visual Q’s to right at the ball your see if your slightly off one side or not. Just saying it saves me some headache.
Great tip, thank you!
great video - appreciate the recommendations - does the Reese goose box clear the side rails of your truck? Thank you
I'd say 99% of maneurving for me is no issue. Slight touch on tonneau cover rails if you try to get to 90 degrees. Lots of questions about tight 90 degree turns and such, but in reality I find that is pretty rare to actually need to do a 90 degree maneuver, plus don't think it is great for axles either. But, ea truck and fifth wheel is different. Some have cited some contact with the ears that hang down.
I believe the Reese girls videos says you don't have to put it in Unlock. Just set the hitch down and it will open around the ball and reclamp at settling.
Yes, you're absolutely right. I prefer to open it up beforehand...just my personal preference. I used to have a goose ball that had a lever on the top of its ball to release it and it would get hung up if it caught just right, so I just got in the habit of opening up to prevent anything from binding, even though now I've got a different gooseball.
@@AdventureRocks keep it lubed, and since you're not touching it, no mess issues if the hitch latches and releases smoothly
Great video, do you have a long or standard bed. Looking at installing this hitch and I am curious or the turning radius with a standard/short bed.
I've had both short bed 6-7' and long bed 8' with the Goose box. I used a B&W offset ball on the short bed that gave me a few more inches clearance from cab. I did not encounter issues manuevering. I never tried a 90 degree turn as really I never needed to...I don't do it on my long bed that I have now either. I don't think it's great for axles on trailer and really for me at least it's not common to need a full 90 degree when I'm manuevering. All that to say you'll probably make contact with bed rails or cab or something else with a short bed if you try a full 90 degree turn...probably exceptions with certain truck/front cap setups. For typical RVing though, it's a great choice and still my favorite as far as smooth riding without having to drag out the giant fifth wheel hitch.
Very informative. I currently have the Anderson hitch and love it. Have traveled thru 30 of the lower 48 states on a 7 month trip. It's been since spring of '17 with the Anderson and just this past June I had an issue with the hitch mount cracking. Anderson was very good about their warranty and sent a replacement base with immediately, But I have been considering this type of gooseneck hitch. The Reese is designed exactly like a 5th wheel hitch but lower. And would clear out the truck bed for better use when not towing. The Anderson covers up the "puck" holes for safety chains so I have never used any. Does the Reese come with safety chains or not?
Thanks for feedback. I think most places sell the Goosebox without the actual safety chains, though gen 2 has the holes and stays already provisioned, so easy to add. If I recall the safety chain kit was an extra $50-70.
Anderson makes a adapter plate and bolts with eyes on you king pin adapter cross bolts and safety ains
I have had the anderson hitch going on 5 years and pulled are camper all over no issues.they make a plate that sets on overwhelming ball and set the base on and tighten down works well! Chains hook up easy. I have still been considering this Reese goosebox too!
I presume your RAM is a long bed? Or is it short bed? Wondering how this would work with a short bed, 6'9" bed on a GMC Sierra 3500HD AT4. I'm new to fifth wheels and have seen where the short beds need a slider to ensure that you can do tight turns without having the front of the RV hit the cab of the truck. So wasn't sure if this configuration provides any offset that helps to alleviate that issue. Or if it still doesn't provide more clearance. Thanks for putting this together. Very helpful for a newbie.
I have a longbed now, but prior I used it with a 6'7" short bed 3/4 ton RAM. I used a B&W 4" offset gooseball on that one to give me a little more peace of mind, but in the end I found that I rarely needed to make such tight turns where I'd have the possibility of making contact with my cab. So in other words with regular maneauvering into campsites, driveways, etc. I never needed to make such a tight turn where it came close to hitting the cab. I'd imagine with your GMC bed being longer, and I believe if I recall your gooseball slot on new GMC is pushed back slightly behind axle already, so you should be good to go. Certainly depends on fifth wheel front cap too, so definitely take your time initially to scope out your limits, but I think you'll be fine in most cases. You could got to an empty parking lot first after install and see how tight you can go.
Sorry in advance for questions!! We are looking to buy our 1st 5th wheel (TH) and heavy-duty truck to fulltime and the idea of saving the truck bed for adventures (bikes/paddleboards/tent camping etc etc) is appealing! 1. what is the ride like with this set-up compared to a high-end regular 5th wheel hitch? do the chains and/or ball make a lot of noise when towing? how much was the full set up? thank you in advance!!
Sure, glad to help. So you can definitely put more in the bed while towing, but the items need to still be fairly compact and mostly sit below bed rails as the Goose Box will still pivot side to side and thus you'll need a clear path for that in bed. But, once you're at campsite and unhitched then you'll have a wide-open bed for sure...that's the major selling point compared to conventional fifth wheel hitch. 1) In my opnion the Goose Box is just a little bit smoother than the Morryde premium pin box. I have not tested it against the TrailAir pinbox with shocks and airbag, but I'd imagine the Goose Box is about the same as that premium option. So in summary Goose Box is at the top of ride quality and probably about even with premium conventional pin boxes like the TrailAir. If you go with Goose Box you'll grease the ball to avoid noise (it would squeak if you leave it dry), and as far as chains I don't notice signifcant noise. I believe it was about $1,400 or so when I bought, but may be a bit more now. It's still my favorite towing setup, and the real benefit is that open bed when unhitched and no heavy fifth wheel hitch to move around and install ea time.
From the videos I've seen of the goosebox on the road, it seems like it's moving way too much and looks like it might break off at any time. The pin box setup looks alot more stable. Just my opinion.
Thank you for sharing! Love the feedback.
Is the travel tolerance when towing and height adjustments (distance from truck bed) the same as a fifth wheel hitch might offer?
Pretty much. I think Reese recommends 7-9 inches clearance if I recall (between rails and fifth wheel). You can still go up and down with Goose Box on the frame mounts on fifth wheel, and then you can also use different goose balls with different heights or offsets as needed in truck bed. When installing I always insert all the bolts on Goose Box, snug them, but not tighten all the way and then check clearance and fit. Almost always I've had to adjust up or down on holes before settling in the ideal height and torquing the bolts to final spec. Most dealers just guess on the height and then you're stuck with whatever they settle on. When everything is leveled out and at proper height, it just rides better, looks better, and puts my mind at ease. Hope this helps!
We're you able to keep your Access Tonneau Cover with you Pennacle? I have a Northpoint 377MBRL behind my F450 4x4 and the Access had to go to do a U-Turn in my drive. Setting all the way up. Hoping the GooseBox would help but only if it raises the unit because really it's the frame brackets that hit.
Yes, on mine I was able to leave the tonneau cover rails although mine is a traditional above mount so the rails sit on top of the bed and only protrude maybe an inch (compared to the flush mount covers that stick out further). Overall, I found the goose box solves a lot of problems, so it's still my favorite platform. Another nice pro with the goose box. You can get a raised gooseball if needed.
I have the goose box and love it! I have a question how is the clearance from your bed cover rails to goose box when making a tight turn?
I want to get a bed cover and want to make sure it will work.
So on all three of my trucks that I've used it with I had an above the rails roll up tonneau cover, meaning the cover rails on both sides did not protrude further into the bed. They just stick up about an inch or so in terms of vertical clearance. I've never had any clearance issues side to side, but I rarely find myself needing to turn past 70-80 degrees to negotiate a campsite or driveway. I try to avoid those type maneuvers mainly as it's really rough on the axles of a trailer. I have heard reports of some folks experiencing clearance issues in bed, but I think a lot of it has to do with the height of the ball in the truck bed and aftermarket covers an accessories that stick out into the bed further. I know some of the low profile bed covers look really sleek, but they do protrude further into your bed and they can also potentially create a water problem as there's another opportunity for water to slip between the bed rails and the mounting hardware. So I've always gone with covers that sit on top of the existing bed rails as I think they're tried and proven. Maybe they don't look as sleek, but I'm okay with that. Really it's a personal decision though so no right or wrong necessarily. Hope this helps.
@@AdventureRocks Thanks for the information!
I have ram boxes. Considering the Reese sidewinder or the Goodesneck. I have seen the sidewinder work well with the ramboxes. Do you think the good neck would clear?
I've never towed with RAM box + Goosebox myself, but I do recall researching it years ago before ordering a truck. I believe it will make contact at sharper angles, but how sharp I'm not sure. Curious, have you tried towing with a conventional King pin/fifth wheel hitch with your RAM boxes? I would think Goosebox would make contact more than fifth wheel hitch given how it sticks down further. Let me know what you find out though as that's a great question.
So I have 7 inches of clearance between the top of the bed and the bottom of the RV with goosebox in standard bolt location. What I failed to do was air up the bag. So will I gain more clearance with air in the bag? If so I might need to go the lowest position of bolting it up.
Yes, that's correct on full airbag. Depending on pin weight, you may gain another 0.5-1.5 inches of height with air bag inflated. So you might be okay at current mounting position.
When hitched, how is the space in the bed? One nice thing about fifth wheel is the higher pivot point. I can still put alot of stuff around the hitch without worry about the kingpin swinging into it. It looks like the goosebox may not allow that
My RAM puck mounts are spaced far out compared to Ford and Chevy, so I'd say in my case I have a little more storage with Goosebox in the front of bed, but less in rear due to clearance. And kinda opposite with conventional hitch. I'd say not a huge difference in my case. I'm thinking of stuff like my tool box, waste tank, fire pit, etc.
@@AdventureRocks thanks
How is the turning radius with that hitch. I used the anderson gooseneck. But I found that I couldnt take sharp turns. Not in fear of the camper hitting my cab I have plenty of room there. But the tongue of the camper was at risk for hitting the side of my bed. I drive a 15 ram shortbox. I ended up having to go with the slider hitch to allow my sharp turns. Does this have risks of hitting the side of your bed in a sharp turn?
I never had issues in the two trucks I used it with, but both were long bed trucks and the goose ball was ever so slightly elevated too. If you read the forums online, I think you'll find some people complain that they do make contact with the very rear section of the goose box where the flanges are, but it just depends on your setup ranging from the height to any bed accessory such as a tonneau cover rail, etc. I found that I seldom ever needed to make a sharp 80 degree plus turn, so did not impact me.
Great video ! Couple questions, any issue with trailer level from front to back? Or issue with hitch clearance on bed rail when turning tight. Big Truck Big Rv channel. Had clearance issues with side rail of box. He has a f450, and he used a taller ball to help clearance.
I towed with the Goosebox both on a Chevy 3500 and RAM 2500/3500. I did have to change the mounting height of the Goosebox between the two trucks to get the right bed clerance at top of rails to fifthwheel. I was a little nose high on the 2500 as you know they kinda sit high to begin with. But on the 3500s, both RAM and Chevy, they sat lower to ground naturally so I was pretty much level with right bed clerance vertically. I haven't had issues with making contact on bed rails side to side, but I will say you'd have to be pitched pretty hard close to 90 degrees or so to get that close. I do use that B&W ball which has higher clearance compared to the OEM balls. I know there's a lot of talk about being able to turn 90 degrees without contacting your cab and bed, etc, but personally I have not found myself in a situation where I'd need to be at 90 degrees even while maneurving tight spots and driveways. I've noticed visually it can really strain your axles on those tight turns too, so I try to avoid those tight manuevers if possible. All that to say, I think for most people you'll rarely have to worry about making contact with bed rails. It is true though that if the back edge of the Goosebox was trimmed/narrower that would afford more clearance if needed, just like BTBRV pointed out. Hope this helps!
Thanks for the info! I am leaning toward buying one even more now.
@@AdventureRocks is turning radius an issue on a standard bed 2022 GMC 3500HD? I was told a sliding hitch 5th wheel hitch is recommended.
@@dh61957 For turning radius, kinda depends on the nose of your fifth wheel. Most modern fifth wheels will have some kind of "short bed" radius on the front cap to give more clearance with a short bed truck (6-foot range)...but how much can vary from brand to brand. In my experience the Goose box actually gave a bit more clerance than traditional king pin/fifthwheel hitch...by a few inches with all other factors the same. Also, one benefit of using a goose ball is you can get a B&W offset ball that scoots the actual gooseball back a few inches for even more clerance. But, all in all, it is VERY rare to need to make a 90 degree turn while maneuvering a fifth wheel, and even then it's not great on the axles, so I'd say you'll probably be fine in 95%+ conditions. Then it's just that ~5% or so where you have to watch more carefully how close you're getting to making contact cab to nose. Hope this helps!
Is it good with shortbed Gmc 3500
Would this allow me to go 90 degrees with my short bed F350? I currently run a pullrite superglide but am thinking about getting one of these because of the loss of storage with the pullrite in the bed of my truck. That and the ease of connecting and disconnecting.
@@shornz82 Great question. It would largely depend on your fifth wheel's front nose cap profile. The gooseneck alone would likely give you a little bit more clearance compared to a comparable kingpin setup, but at the end of the day it mostly just depends on the shape of your front cap. Some of them have a nice cutout that helps with clearances. They also make goose ball offset hitches that can push the ball a little bit further back in your bed if needed to. I'd say either way there's a chance that you'll get close to 90°, but probably more likely in the 70 to 80 range.
After the 3rd 5th wheel... goose box installed... not looking back 😕
Nice video. If you had to guess, how many minutes would it take to hook up a 5th wheel with a traditional kingpin hitch vs this? Thanks
Thanks. All things equal, meaning landing gear the same, truck the same, tailgate down, hitch/ball already mounted, etc... I'd estimate a minute or so? I'm planning on doing a side by side race/comparison video soon. Thought it'd be neat to see them side by side. Gotta get the other half recorded. Probably in September.
@@AdventureRocks thanks for the info!
What size bed do you have on your Ram? I'm getting a Goosebox soon but have a 3000 Watt Honda Inverter generator in my bed , in your video I looks like you have enough room for one, I have a 6' bed on my 12 Ram 2500 hoping I don't have to dump the generator to switch from a TT to a 5r 😒 the dealership said "just put it in the front compartment of the 5r" I don't think he's ever tried to pick one of them up and crawl on the ground to put something like that in the front 5r compartment.
I have a full 8' bed now, but I had a short bed 2500 previously and used it with the Goose Box. I think you'll have room for the generator in front of your bed. I can fit a full 36 gal waste tank in my 8' bed going longways with Goose Box, so pretty sure your generator will fit. Certainly let us know either way when you get a chance to try it out.
What about turning?? I want to see how it clears your truck and if there are any limitations?
I get a lot of questions like that. Honestly I never found myself in a situation while backing into campsites and such where clearances became that tight and close to making contact. There are others who have tested and tried to make 90-degree turns, but I guess for me I don't see the need to do that realistically regardless of whether you do or don't have the clearance. So I realize that doesn't really answer your question, but I think for most RVers they won't encounter issues with normal manuevers...maybe small percentage that get into a sticky situation and then have issues.
Can this hitch be used on standard / short bed trucks? I currently use a sliding 5th wheel hitch because I don’t have a long bed.
Yes, I used it on a 3/4 6'7" bed just fine. Each fifth wheel and truck combo is different, so always unique scenarious, but generally most folks seem to be fine using the Goose Box combo with short bed.
Is your truck a short bed? If so, are you concerned about clearance during sharp turns?
Mine is a full 8' bed, but previously I had a 2016 RAM 2500 with the 6'-4" bed and had no clearance issues with the Reese Goosebox. I did use a slight 4" offset goose ball from B&W that gave me just a little more clearance. There's a lot of discussion online about making 90 degree turns with a fifth wheel, but in real world use that's very rare and probably not so great for the trailer axles. But, as far as backing into campsites or a driveway with a standard two lane road...I did not encounter issues with clearance with the short bed.
The B&W goose neck hitch is great until you go to change the factory shocks on a superduty lol
Good point! I bet it's tight clearances.
@@AdventureRocks yeah you have to unbolt the bed again and unbolt the hitch to change the rear shocks
What pin box came on your trailer? I’m having a hard time finding it on mine so I order the correct goosebox. Thanks!
I recently sold the fifth wheel in the video, but I pretty sure it was 1621. I think I found it on a parts sticker hidden on it. However, unless you have one of the smaller "rhino" pin boxes, I'd say good chance it is compatible with the standard 16K or 20K model. eTrailer.com is a great resource to ask if you need help identifying though...they will even measure one for you to confirm.
@@AdventureRocks Thanks for the quick answer!
I love this gen 2 Goosebox. However, in looking @ new rv's in 2030 many mfgrs are switching to a Rhino pin box and our gen 2's are not compatible. Reese has come out with a new 20k unit
and report to be working on a replacement 16k model as well. Has anybody had any luck converting a gen 2 to fit on the new Rhino Box frames?
I've never owned a fifth wheel with the Rhino pinbox, but I thought I had heard Reese made one that is compatible with the Rhino. I think it might be this one here?:
94920
Goose Box 5th Wheel Pin Box, Air Ride 20,000 lbs. Capacity, Fits Lippert (1621, 1716, 0719, Rhino), Fabex PB 600 Series
It looks like you have a mega cab. any clearance issues when backing into tight turns? I'm about to buy the goose box and was thinking about buying an offset ball.
In my video the truck is actually a full 8-ft box, but my previous truck before was a 6-4' short bed RAM 2500 and it worked beautifully with the same setup. I did use a B&W 4" offset ball mount (amzn.to/3HV6RUz) just for peace of mind and to give a little more clearance, but I did not have issues even when backing into campsites with narrower drives and such. I definitely feel more confident driving a shortbed truck with the 4" offset ball + Goose box combo compared to a king pin and fifth wheel hitch. Hope this helps!
@@AdventureRocks thank you a ton for the reply. I did get the hitch ordered after watching your video!
I'm looking at fifth wheels now and I think I want to go with this style hookup I have a 2020 ram 3500 6 ft box how does this type of hitch handle your tight turns or 90°? I know with sliding pin hitch it moves it back to make those turns curious about the gooseneck hookup. I certainly don't want to damage my truck or blow out my rear window
I towed this same hitch with a 2016 RAM 2500 short bed and it was great, still my favorite combo. The only adjustment I made was using a B&W 4" offset gooseball that pushed the ball back slightly for more clearance. There's a lot of talk about making 90-degree turns and such on RUclips, but truthfully from a practical standpoint it is very rare to need to do such a thing in real life. Plus, it's not good for trailer axles to be stressed like that as they flex big-time during tight turns. So practically I never got stuck in a situation with my short bed and 4" offset where I couldn't manuever due to close cab contact. Biggest thing is just to be aware that you can make contact with your bed and then be cautious when you're manuevering tight situations to keep an eye on it. You can always go to an empty parking lot first to see just how far you can go before making contact so you have an idea beforehand. Also a lot of modern fifth wheels have notched out corners on the front caps to enable tight turns on short beds, so I think you'll be okay. I'm on a long bed dually now and it's nice not having to worry about making contact at all, but I did that more for the payload I needed than anything else. Hope this helps.
My F350 had a 6.75' box and the dealer that installed the Goosebox said I could get 88 degrees of cut (no slider available for gooseneck that I'm aware of). I never had to go that far which is cool.
Did you make the magnetic pole that you use for hooking up or did you buy it somewhere?
Sure, glad to help. I bought it years ago before backup cameras! But, think they still sell it here:
amzn.to/3eGxel7
@@AdventureRocks our local walmart carries them
So does the camper ride back further with it so there is no need for a slider in my 6.5ft bed?
Depends on the position of your goose ball in the back of your truck bed combined with the design of your front cap on the fifth wheel, but for most folks you can get by without a slider. That doesn't mean that you'll be able to make 90° turns necessarily, but probably in real world situations don't need to. And if you need to set the goose ball further back, they make gooseball offset kits that give you another 3 to 5 in.
@@AdventureRocks thank you…
Nice vid but I’ll stick with my Anderson everything about it is better and easier. I looked at the Goose box didn’t care for having to Air it up, the requirement to be lined up almost perfect The need to lean into truck to hook up chains. With the Anderson I leave the chains hooked to the truck and hook them to the trailer when connecting. The weight of the Anderson has nothing to do with its strength. I have yet to see a video of one that’s failed. As far as taking up space in the bed not really an issue for me. Also you never need any grease. It’s very smooth I don’t feel any chucking no noise . The Anderson also allows for easy height adjustment just move the ball up or down with a pin adjustment and forward and back adjustment by rotating the king pin adapter.
We did have an issue with the Anderson, where it deformed the hitch box where the kingpin was welded. The kingpin box was designed to have more contact surface area with the hitch in the bed.
I've seen several fail in person. Only ONE was the metal frame, and it failed during an accident. The rest of the failures where the red attachment to the kingpin breaking, normally at the tension bolts. This happened repeatedly during a critical braking situation. No accident needed.
What your talking about with the chains, you can (and should) do so with the Reese.
I've towed with both, as well as a Companion hitch.. flat out NONE of them perform better than the Goosebox.. better towing, better ride, more stability and control..
Has the gen y been approved yet? I thought I read it had.
Not sure about that. Last I heard they were trying to get approval from Lippert, but not sure they were successful. A lot of folks just wait till frame warranty is expired and then try another one like the Gen-Y Executive. Once frame is used for 1-2 years and no issues, then I wouldn't be as concerned using a Gen-Y as hard to imagine the forces are significantly different. If frame has any manufacturing defects I'd expect them to show up in first 1-2 years.
Any sense for whether the standard bed in a Ram 2500 is going to be too “short” for the goosebox?
I actually towed quite a bit with that exact truck and this Goose Box...worked great. The only modification I made was using the B&W offset gooseball that basically pushes the hitch back about 4 in in bed. I still had to be cautious about not making any crazy 90 degree turns, but I never found myself in a situation where I couldn't maneuver.
@@AdventureRocks thanks for the follow-up. I’ve got a patriot slider in my ‘18 and I haven’t found a situation where I remotely need the slider. The chucking is modest, and I wonder if a pivot to the Goosebox would help. I was worried about the turning radius but sounds like this would work. Plus I’d get my bed back. Appreciate the feedback.
I have tried several systems and I think the combination of the air bag and shock absorbers really give the Goosebox an advantage. It travels up and down plus front to back the way it angles so I'm my opinion it's one of the smoothest. Sure it takes a bit longer to hitch up between hovering over and safety chains, but really it's not much. I've been testing out the Morryde pinbox lately and I still think Goosebox is smoother overall. I plan to make a time comparison video soon.