When it comes to towing, the terms ‘Gooseneck’, and ‘5th-wheel’ are familiar. But do you know the difference between these two technical terms? Both these terms represent heavy-duty hitches that connect large tow trailers to a vehicle’s bed.
The Gooseneck hitch offers more towing compared to the 5th wheel hitch. Gooseneck Hitch can pull more than 30,000 lbs whereas the 5th wheel hitch is capable of pulling between 16,000 lbs, and 30,000 lbs.
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Since Gooseneck, and 5th Wheel hitch have similar roles, you must be wondering which is better Gooseneck or 5th Wheel hitch. Well, it depends on various factors if you want to choose between these two for your towing job.
What is a Gooseneck Hitch?
A Gooseneck Hitch looks like a conventional hitch that connects to a Gooseneck trailer using a hitch ball fitted in the truck bed, and a round receiver on the trailer tongue.
A Gooseneck Hitch can pull more than 30,000 lbs, and tow heavy equipment such as livestock trailers, flatbed equipment haulers, and horse trailers. For instance, the 2021 Ford F-250 Super Duty Pickup truck is capable of towing up to 20,000 lbs with a conventional hitch however, the use of the Gooseneck hitch increases towing capacity up to 22,800 lbs.
What is a 5th Wheel hitch?
Have you seen a hitch on the back of a semi-truck? A 5th-wheel hitch looks similar to the hitch on the back of a semi-truck that couples to the kingpin of a 5th-wheel trailer.
The 5th Wheel hitch is placed on the truck-bed floor and is capable of pulling 16,000 lbs to 30,000 lbs weight. With this hitch, you can tow heavy equipment such as large campers, and RV Trailers.
This hitch is equipped with a plate for the trailer tongue to rest on. Besides, it also features jaws to capture the trailer-tongue kingpin.
With the short introduction to the Gooseneck and 5th Wheel hitch, let’s move forward to explore the advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages & Disadvantages of Gooseneck Hitch
| ADVANTAGES | DISADVANTAGES |
| Works with the simple coupling mechanism Can be converted to 5th Wheel hitch Once installed, it is minimally invasive in the vehicle’s bed Offers a towing capacity of over 30,000lbs Lightweight, and easy-to-operate ball Easy to install, and remove Best for Commercial, and Agricultural trailers | Noisy Operation Decreased stability with tall trailers Requires hole saw drilling in the truck bed |
Advantages & Disadvantages of 5th Wheel Hitch
| ADVANTAGES | DISADVANTAGES |
| Offers quieter, and smoother operation Provides reliable control over tall trailers Requires few small hole drilling in truck’s bed (not required for trucks with a factory 5th wheel hitch) Can be converted to Gooseneck Offers a towing capacity between 16,000 lbs to 30,000 lbs Easy to install, and remove Best for large RVs, and campers | Lower towing capacity compared to Gooseneck hitch Occupies more space in the truck’s bed Expensive than Gooseneck hitch Requires assistance to move the hitch |
Now that we know the differences between Gooseneck, and 5th Wheel hitch along with their advantages, and disadvantages, it’s time to decide which one is better for your towing requirements.
Which is better Gooseneck or 5th Wheel hitch?
Gooseneck and 5th Wheel hitches are generally used on specific types of two trailers. As discussed above, Gooseneck hitches perform better for your farming, and commercial towing whereas 5th Wheel hitches are used for towing RVs, and campers.
Before choosing between these hitches, you need to decide which type of trailer you will be towing. For instance, if you have to use your truck for farming, you can use a Gooseneck hitch as it is easy to install and remove. 5th Wheel hitches are heavy and require additional effort to move in, and out of the truck bed. Besides, it is also expensive compared to Gooseneck hitches.
Likewise, if you are an adventurer, and require your truck to pull heavy RVs, and campers, you may require a 5th Wheel hitch because it offers stable and reliable control over big travel trailers that are prone to crosswinds. Also, both Gooseneck and 5th-Wheel hitches can be converted to each other.
Conclusion
Gooseneck works with a simple coupling mechanism in which a hitch ball is used to connect to a vertical coupler on a Gooseneck trailer. On the other hand, the 5th Wheel hitch features a set of jaws, and pivoting plate to connect to the kingpin of a 5th-wheel trailer.
In a nutshell, Gooseneck, and 5th Wheel trailers have distinctive uses, and it depends on your towing requirement when choosing between these two hitches.
As discussed above, you need to decide what type of trailer will you tow most often, and then only choose the appropriate hitch setup.
Stellan Carter is an accomplished writer, entrepreneur, and avid Ford Raptor owner. As a co-founder and content contributor for this renowned blog website, Stellan brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the automotive industry. When he's not behind the wheel of his beloved Ford Raptor, Stellan can be found exploring new terrains, capturing the essence of his automotive adventures through his camera lens.