Reese Goose Box Hitch

[sandy43]

chuckster57, 5J's, or anyone using the Goose Box. I'm seriously thinking about installing the Goose Box. I'm tired of having to take my heavy Reese hitch out when hooking up my stock trailers. I saw several videos on the Goose Box, mostly pro, a few con. Can you guys tell me more about this hitch. Installing, towing, or whatever comes to mind. Greatly appreciate any and all info pertaining to the Goose Box. Thanks

[Fishsizzle]

I don’t currently have it, but it will be going on my next set up.

My folks and other family members run Anderson conversions, that bolt to the pin and hang down and attach to the ball in the bed. They LOVE it. But I can’t do that to my trailer and will get the GB.

If you read through threads, just make sure if you are required to add safety chains with the goose set up. I will be.

And you are right, just getting bed space back is reason enough.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by Fishsizzle

I don’t currently have it, but it will be going on my next set up.

My folks and other family members run Anderson conversions, that bolt to the pin and hang down and attach to the ball in the bed. They LOVE it. But I can’t do that to my trailer and will get the GB.

If you read through threads, just make sure if you are required to add safety chains with the goose set up. I will be.

And you are right, just getting bed space back is reason enough.

A point to remember (that some tend to forget) is that as soon as you cross a state line into a state that requires safety chains, unless you have them, you're subject to a citation. Reciprocity doesn't extend to equipment requirements, only to licensing authority.

[chuckster57]

The chains aren’t that much if I remember right, and since I’m in California we install them with every goosebox.

I don’t use the goosebox but I have installed lots, they are very stout!!

[5J's]

The install was very simple however the hitch is very heavy. If you have help you can have someone hold it up right in the bed of your pickup and use the landing gear to raise and lower the trailer until the bolt holes up. The bolts require a 210ftlb torque IIRC. The only issue I've had with mine is the pop off valve leaks at the threads. The air bags make a world of difference in the ride. If I had to do it all over again I would do it the same. I enjoy my open bed space.

[Whitewolf]

Make sure there's enough clearance between the truck bed rails and the underside of your 5r overhang. When the dealer installed our GB they didn't take that into consideration. Long story short, they were on the hook for a new body panel.

We've had ours since '14 and I really, really like it.

BTW, as JRTJH mentioned about the safety chains, I believe most states require them for goose neck hitches. I remember a long discussion about this on a forum, but can't remember which one. General consensus was although needed by law, they are total unnecessary considering not only the 5r would have to go thru the tailgate, but the tongue weight alone would make it extremely difficult to come unhitched.

[sandy43]

5J's, what do you mean by "pop off valve leaks at the threads" ?

[5J's]

There is a pop off valve threaded into the underside of the hitch and mine is leaking around the threads. I just need to remove it put some Teflon in it and reinstall it. The valve is to prevent you from over inflating the air bags. It's kind of hard to see but the valve is the gold thing near the bottom right side of the photo.

[Fishsizzle]

You guys that have it, please describe the ride vs a standard pin hitch?

Is chucking eliminated as some say it is?

[5J's]

If you've ever pulled a gooseneck anything it's the same. I've never had a 5th wheel pin box so I'm no help for you.

[sandy43]

I went today and bought the 20K Goose Box. Looks complicated, but I'll figure it out. I never envisioned those things being so heavy, lots of metal.

[5J's]

It's not as bad as it looks. It'll take at least three men to install if you do it all by hand.

[Ahdmeyer]

Hello everyone,new to this forum. We just purchased a montana 3931fb moving from a class a diesel pusher.pusher was an 07 rvolution,great coach nothing wrong with it but getting older and wanred a change. 5th wheel is getting made, about 8 weeks away. To pull it we also bought a ford f350 short bed. Did not want a long bed truck. Now i need to find a hittch receiver for the truck.have read about the differenr ones and wanted to find out if anyone here uses a goose box setup with a short bed ford, i like the idea of no heavy hitch to remove as i am not as young as i used to be and like the open bed. Hitch weight is 2530 lbs and gvwr is 16500.the ford has the prepkit on it from the factory. My concers are the turning radais using the goose neck. I will purchase a goose box to replace the lippert.anyone have this setup with a short bed truck or any othercomments would be greatly appreciated. Looking forward to our new setup and appricate these type forums.

Thankks al meyer

[JRTJH]

Al,

First, welcome to the forum. You've "bought" the biggest (and one of the heaviest) fifth wheels that Keystone makes. The truck you have, an F350 SRW short bed is going to be "overloaded" by that trailer. If you look at the specs for the trailer, the pin weight that you're using is the "EMPTY" pin weight. That means: no propane, no battery, no front washer/dryer, no cargo, no water/waste water, etc...

It's "safest" to calculate the actual pin weight you'll have by using the trailer GVW (16500) and using 20% of that as a starting point. So, 16500x.20=3300 pounds. To that, add the hitch weight, any cargo in the truck and the weight of all passengers. You'll likely come to a "truck cargo/passenger weight" of around 4500 pounds. That would overload any SRW 350/3500 series diesel truck.

While the truck will "pull" that trailer and it's within the GCWR maximum rating for the truck, it's not going to be within the GVW (11500) of the truck and may even overload the rear axle/tire rating.

I'd urge you to do some careful calculations using accurate weights before hitting the road in that truck while towing the biggest and heaviest fifth wheel that Keystone produces.

I'd think that you're "well into dually territory" with that trailer.....

[Fishsizzle]

I just got an email alert for that post and saw the future!

You will get sound, honest, on the money advise.

I don’t think the goose box will help you with the Short Bed. You can use it, but don’t expect to protect the cab of your truck like a sliding hitch would. It’s a fixed attach point just like any other hitch.

I’m not going to tell you what to do. You’re a big kid, you can do what you want. I’m rowing the same boat as you currently and I’m looking to get a dually as soon as I can, most likely after this season is over.

Congrats and welcome to the forum family

[n1282x]

I have a goose box and I wouldn't use anything other. Hitching is pure and simple. The airbag makes the ride very smooth. I removed the air relief valve and replaced it with a plug since I use a handheld Ryobi compressor to fill it. It's very nice to never have to deal any sort of a hitch inside my bed.

[Camping Connells]

Mine is very smooth, no chucking at all compared to a normal 5th wheel. Best money I've spent. Freeing up the bed space is great too.

[sonofcy]

Originally Posted by Ahdmeyer

Hello everyone,new to this forum. We just purchased a montana 3931fb moving from a class a diesel pusher.pusher was an 07 rvolution,great coach nothing wrong with it but getting older and wanred a change. 5th wheel is getting made, about 8 weeks away. To pull it we also bought a ford f350 short bed. Did not want a long bed truck. Now i need to find a hittch receiver for the truck.have read about the differenr ones and wanted to find out if anyone here uses a goose box setup with a short bed ford, i like the idea of no heavy hitch to remove as i am not as young as i used to be and like the open bed. Hitch weight is 2530 lbs and gvwr is 16500.the ford has the prepkit on it from the factory. My concers are the turning radais using the goose neck. I will purchase a goose box to replace the lippert.anyone have this setup with a short bed truck or any othercomments would be greatly appreciated. Looking forward to our new setup and appricate these type forums.

Thankks al meyer

My 2018 3811MS is listed by Keystone as a pin weight of 2,780 lbs but I had it weighed wheel by wheel and it is actually 4,125 lbs. This actually overloads my F450 and the trailer. I have since shed some weight and will continue to do so. It will get weighed again at a government scale, just a simple axle weight but that should be enough info to tell me if we are ok. If your 350 is a dually you may be OK but if it is a single you are way overloaded. When I was going thru the buy process I discovered the 450 was only a couple thousand more BUT had bigger brakes, much tighter turning radius (beats everything except a few small F150's). It actually has a slightly less payload capacity but once my RV is made legal it will be ok (I am only 325 lbs over). What nobody told you was that instead of using the manufacturers pin weight you should have used the RV GVWR times 20% to 25%. Your numbers are GVWR of (13,542 + 2,958) 16,500 and 20% is 3,300 while 25% is 4,125. Thats a huge difference from what you quoted of 2,530. Don't forget to determine payload used since it left the factory. The easiest way to do that is to weigh the truck (full tank) all ready for towing (passengers, hitch, gear in back etc) and subtract that number from your trucks GVWR. That's how much you have left. My load before the RV is about 900 lbs. BTW, there is nothing you can do to change payload, it's simply GVWR-loaded weight before hooking up.

[deputydave]

I have been. Pulled my 40’ Raptor with the 16k box for 3 years! Loved it! Reduced the chucking by 80% easy! Pulled the trailer across the country with it for a 40 day road trip! Huge difference!!

Now I have the 20k Goosebox pulling my 43’ Fuzion. I use an F350 dually, and it works great! No issues!

Dave

[wifi_guy]

Originally Posted by chuckster57

The chains aren’t that much if I remember right, and since I’m in California we install them with every goosebox.

I don’t use the goosebox but I have installed lots, they are very stout!!

@chuckster57

I recently got a goosebox 20K. Have you seen or ran into the goosebox hitting the side rails of a toneau cover? Mine hits. Are there any adjustments that can be made?

I have an F450 long box. With the toneau cover rails removed this thing is so long it almost hits the side rails of my truck.

Thoughts?