Gooseneck vs standard 5th wheel hitch on Tundra/ RV
This is my first post, even though I bought an '06 Tundra and signed up over a year ago. The 06 Tundra pulled our 26' Aerolite TT (4000 lbs) just fine. I just bought a new 30' Flagstaff 8528GTSS fifth wheel two days before my '07 Tundra came in.
Now I've got to figure what kind of hitch to put in. Help Please !!
Here are the facts and numbers as best as I can figure.
'07 Tundra 5.7 4x4 Double cab 6.5' bed, black on black with chromed steel aftermarket 20" wheels. 7100 lbs gvw, 1655 payload, 10800 towing cap.
Flagstaff Classic Super Lite GVWR 8271, UVW 6921, Pin Hitch weight 1081+lbs. and has an extended hitch.
I found a cushoned Gooseneck adapter at etrailer.com Code CAB-C5G, 20,000lbs/ 2000lbs in 12", 14" or 16". Also model CAB-5GX has a 71/2" offset. also etrailer has Hidden Hitch's under bed (like B&W) hitch #63104-24 which is the same # as Drawtite. I like the gooseneck because it would be real easy to remove the ball and put a bed rug in.
Questions
1-Will the gooseneck be just as good as the fifth whl hitch that everyone seems to use, and are there differences in quality of towing?
2- Does the 6.5' bed need an offset or slider?
3- What height or adapter length do I need, or how to measure to find out?
4- Will the setup with the items listed above be a top notch setup?
newbe needs advice...........Thanks, Grintoy
I went with the hidden hitch gooseneck on mine for 3 reasons: i only have a 4" hole drilled in the bed which means i can use 100% of my bed when not towing.
2- easier to remove than a fifth wheel (just remove the ball only).
3-More universal for horse trailers mainly (which i have).
I would recomend you go with the colbert gooseneck adapter. But first you MUST make sure the trailer manufacturer allows for this.
This adapter will hook up to your trailer and is of good quality & is the strongest.
I think the goose is just as good as the fifth wheel (providing flagstaff allows this). Your quality of towing should be close to the same either way. However, i notice when on bumpy roads going slow, the trailer can give you a little jarring back & forth but it's not too bad.
No, the 6.5' bed doesn't need a slider but without it you won't be able to turn 90 degrees when backing up. Going forward you won't have a problem, but backing up is where you'll have to watch it.
You'll need the standard colbert adapter & you'll need to raise the trailer hitch down one notch to get enough clearance to the top of the bed on the truck. Depending on how high off the ground the trailer is, you may need to lift the whole trailer somewhat. Flip the axles or put in blocks. This is due to the deep bed in our trucks. I would imagine you will have this same problem on either hitch you go with.
Initial cost should be less with the goose. $399+$200+$599=$1198.00 hitch+installation+colbert adapter. You could spend $1200 on just a fifth wheel hitch alone easily. I wouldn't feel comfortable with the offset setup you're talking about.
Gooseneck is my vote. Any questions PM me.
I'll let you know how it goes next week. Had a choice between B&W and Draw-Tite and the dealer couldn't promise when the B&W would come in, so I went with Draw-Tite.
