Questions For The "5er" Guys

[Fozz]

5ers definitely tow better, but you can't take them in as rough of an area as you can a travel trailer. A travel trailer will follow your truck anywhere you go. A 5er has limited articulation (truck/trailer flex). You only have so much room (normally 6 inches or so) between the truck bed and the camper, so you have to really watch it on the back roads and uneven terrain. You should go to an RV dealer or RV show and check out the floor plans of both. With the economy the way it is, there are plenty of good used units out there. I was actually looking for a travel trailer myself, but I ran across my 5r, was a great deal and in perfect condition....I couldn't pass it up. Also, 5rs you lose a lot of bed space, travel trailers let you use your entire bed for 'stuff'.

 

[Diesel_brad]

How high is your truck exactly? It is over 4" higher than stock i would NOT go 5th wheel or goosneck, Even though they are the way to go when towing. And also, what kind of trailer do you plan on towing. Most if not ALL campers are 5th wheel. Livestock trailers are gernerally goosneck, some 5th wheel. And 98 out of 100 open deck trailers are goosneck. Just something to think about before you do any hitch install

 

[Hoss6.9]

According to B&W's site. My B&W turnover is 4" ahead of the center of the rear axle.

 

[icanfixall]

Hoss... Do you have a goose neck turnover hitch?? If so they are that much forwards of the axle.

 

[k_williams1982]

The guy sold the stacks because someone offered him more money to sell them to him. It looks like I will have to wait for stacks until I find another great deal. I pulled a travel trailer a few times that was a gooseneck and loved how it backed uo compared to a bumper pull. My truck is lifted 4" and has 35" tires on it. From the ground to the bottom of my wheel-welll (where it goes over the tire) is 42" in the back and 41" in the front. Which hitch (5th wheel vs. gooseneck) has better towing capabilitiies allows for better "unlevel" terrain pulling? The truck that we are buying Kara has a "fold-away" gooseneck hitch and she told me yesterday that she doesn't want it and that I can put it in my truck. I was thinking 5th wheel because of the deals that are out there for used travel trailers, but the gooseneck would be nice if I find a "double car" hauler for transporting vehicles.

 

[Diesel_brad]

a fold away goosneck hitch leaves about a 1 foot square hole in the bed when removed. Just an FYI

 

[k_williams1982]

a fold away goosneck hitch leaves about a 1 foot square hole in the bed when removed. Just an FYI

Two of my previous IDI trucks had a foldaway gooseneck hitch. If I install one, it will be in there for good. I'm thinking that I can weld the piece I cut out of my bed into hers and cover the existing hole in her bed for the gooseneck. Since mine has the 4.10 gears and turbo, it'll be my truck doing the most hauling/towing anyways.

 

[Russ]

4" lift with a 5er is bad news. Unless you have a newer 5er that is built higher, you will either have bed rail clearance issues, or you'll have to flip the axles on the 5er . My CC is stock and my axles are flipped on my 5er and I still run nose high on the trailer to get enough bed rail clearance.