Recommended 5th Wheel Hitch to Mount to Gooseneck on Ford F-350 Flat Bed

Question:

I have a hillsboro flat bed on my f350. Im buying a new 42foot Voltage Dutchman Fifth Wheel with a 14foot garage. Its rather large. The Flatbed has a trap door with a goose neck hitch. Installing a fifth wheel hitch on it will be a bit of a pain due to the way it connects with the Subframe so much rather have an adapter that can handle the work load. From what I see online the Hirise Style by reese look the toughest to me. Am I able to use this style of hitch or is there a way to make it work safely?

asked by: Tyler

Expert Reply:

The Draw-Tite Hi-Rise Gooseneck-to-5th-Wheel Trailer Hitch Adapter # 9480 referenced in your question is compatible with the B&W Turnover Ball, Draw-Tite/Reese Hide-A-Goose, and the Bulldog Under-Bed gooseneck trailer hitches. If you have one of these models installed on your truck, then the Hi-Rise Adapter may work great. The issue though that might prevent this particular hitch from working is the gooseneck design on your flatbed. It sounds like the gooseneck hitch on your truck is quite a bit recessed with the trap door layout that you mentioned. Since the Hi-Rise needs to sit in the ball hole of the gooseneck hitch, the recessed design likely won't allow the shank to reach and secure correctly.

This is not unusual for a gooseneck hitch on a flat bed like yours, so the best option to tow a fifth-wheel trailer is usually with an adapter like the Convert-A-Ball # CAB-C5G. This particular adapter will actually bolt to the king pin on your trailer and then connect to the gooseneck ball on your truck. It features a towing capacity of 20,000 pounds and polyurethane cushions that act as shock absorbers for a smooth, safe ride.

I have attached a short video demonstration on this product so you can see exactly how it works.

expert reply by: Chris R