Recommendations for Less Chucking On Cougar 5th Wheel with Lippert 1621 Pin Box and 2016 GMC 1500

Question:

We have a Blue Ox BXR6200 Super Ride that is attached to the B&W gooseneck. We are wanting to change the king pin due to the chucking. Will either of those give additional clearance/turning radius between the truck and camper?

asked by: Jada

Expert Reply:

For your 2016 GMC 1500 with 5-1/2 Foot Bed, the B&W Gooseneck along with the B&W Companion are not a fit for your truck. If you have the 6-1/2 foot bed, then they are confirmed to fit. With a 5-1/2 foot bed, it is strongly recommended to use a fixed hitch and a Sidewinder pin box replacement to give you the turning clearance.

A Sidewinder cannot be used with a Gooseneck hitch and adapter.

Here are your options:
1- Remove the gooseneck hitch and install bed rails like the Reese Quick-Install Custom Base Rails and Installation Kit for 5th Wheel Trailer Hitches # RP50064-58. Then use a fixed hitch like the Reese M5 fifth Wheel Trailer Hitch - Single Jaw - 20,000 lbs # RP30928 and an air ride Sidewinder like the 5th Airborne Premium 5th Wheel Air Ride King Pin w/ Sidewinder and Turret - 16,000 lbs # RP61422. This air ride Sidewinder will reduce vertical shock by 44 percent and chucking by nearly 60%. So you get clearance and significantly less chucking.

2- You can replace your pin box with the Trailair Flex Air 5th Wheel Pin Box - Lippert 1621 - 18,000 lbs # LC328492 or the 5th Airborne Premium Fifth Wheel Air Ride Coupler - 16,000 lbs # 5AB-E1621-16K and keep your current system with limited turning clearance. This pin box has the air ride as well to allow far less jarring and chucking.

3- You can replace your pin box with the Reese Goose Box 5th-Wheel-to-Gooseneck Air Ride Coupler Adapter - Lippert 1621 and 0719 - 20,000 lbs # RP85FR to add the air ride suspension to your gooseneck hitch. This removes the 5th wheel hitch and connects directly to your gooseneck ball.

expert reply by: Jason S

click to enlarge

Jada

11/9/2017

Jason S.

11/9/2017

For your hitch, a replacement pin box is the best option but won't give you much additional clearance as you mentioned. Your current pin box has a measurement of 17-3/4 inches from the center of the king pin to the center of the first bolt (see attached picture). The 5th Airborne # 5AB-E1621-16K measures the same 17-3/4 inches of the original pin box. However, the Trailair pin box # LC328492 measures 21-1/2 inches, so you will gain an additional 3-3/4 inches clearance for turning which will actually give you quite a bit of help.