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| Gooseneck Hitch - What To Look For |
| Written by Fred Myers |
| Sunday, 22 November 2009 08:37 |
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The venerable Gooseneck hitch has been around for awhile, and you've probably seen one if you've seen a horse trailer. The gooseneck hitch is a fairly good description of the way the trailer hitch looks. The Gooseneck design takes advantage of the pickup truck's bed combined with trailers designed to be towed by a pickup: The overhanging part of these trailers can now be hooked to a hitch in the pickup truck bed..
The venerable Gooseneck hitch has been around for awhile, and you've probably seen one if you've seen a horse trailer. The gooseneck hitch is a fairly good description of the way the trailer hitch looks. The Gooseneck design takes advantage of the pickup truck's bed combined with trailers designed to be towed by a pickup: The overhanging part of these trailers can now be hooked to a hitch in the pickup truck bed.. Considered Class V and above trailer hitches, the goosenecks have the ability to haul up to thirty thousand pounds. (Class I & II hitches are good for thirty-five hundred pounds of trailer weight, Class III & IV can pull 10,000 pounds - which are usually weight-distributing hitches. ) Conventional trailer hitches that are attached to a trucks bumper or rear frame always use a hitch ball system. Many gooseneck hitches also use hitch balls, but are never attached to the bumper. The gooseneck hitch often utilizes the hitch ball system for connecting the trailer to itself - similar to conventional hitches. Everyone recognizes the hitch that is connected to the rear bumper of a car or truck. Goosenecks, however, are attached firmly to the frame of the pickup truck through the center of its bed. The hitch frame of the gooseneck is attached to the frame of the truck, and thru a hole in the bed the hitch ball rises. Then the trailer's arched arm connects to the gooseneck's hitch ball. 2 features of a gooseneck hitch make it popular: Folks favor the added strength in its towing ability and due to the nature of their design, they have the ability to make tighter turns than other hitch and trailer options. The trailer's tighter turning ability is a huge benefit and is due to the fact that the turning point of the trailer is in the bed of the pickup truck instead of on or near the truck's bumper. The installation of the gooseneck hitch can be a little involved as you have to remove the pickup truck's bed in order to attach the hitch frame to the frame of the pickup. The truckbed can be drilled now, so that the hitch ball can fit thru. So now that the hole in the bed is drilled, the truckbed can be replaced. Gooseneck hitches are great for pulling campers, horse trailers, and any trailer designed to take advantage of the 'overhang' over a pickup truck's bed. And the tighter turning ability of the gooseneck makes it a must-have hitch for many situations. They can be difficult to install without getting a kit customized for your truck, but once installed they are extremely secure. About the Author: Jim Armstrong has been writing unique automotive articles for years. Find out more good info about the gooseneck hitch and the Reese Hitch now. |