1997 F350 Fifth Wheel

[dk250x]

I just purchased a low mile 1997 f350 dually, it has a gooseneck setup in the bed now. It has the 7.3 and I plan on using it to pull a 37' fifth wheel.

Anybody suggestions on fifth wheel hitches, or rail setups? I am new to the fifth wheels, and could use some help.

[gmoore]

Check and see the brand on the gooseneck hitch. If it's B&W, then just pickup their "Companion" fifthwheel hitch. It plugs into the gooseneck hitch without any other alterations to the truck. It's a very well built fifthwheel hitch.

If the gooseneck is a Colbert, they also carry a fifthwheel adaptor hitch.

good luck

[tubular031]

I have a curt 16k hitch. I like it because I can remove it in 2 parts and remove it from the truck in less then a minute. I also really like how simple it is and it auto locks. when the bar slides across the king pin and the handle goes down it can not open. some of the reese designs like this slide the bar across and then require you to drop a little pin in to hold the bar across. If the little pin comes out your hitch will open.

Everyone like to hate on having rails in the bed. I really like them. I have used the rails as tie down points many times. the only down side to the rails is that I can not slide a pallet into the bed. When I haul a pallet for work I have to place it behind the rails and leave the tailgate down. only about 3 or 4 inches of the pallet is on the tailgate. This is ok for me since I usually only haul 1 pallet at a time.

[dk250x]

I dont have a B&W gooseneck setup.

Can I add rails on top of my current gooseneck setup? It looks like the portion where the gooseneck setup bolts to the frame is the same location that the rails for a fifth wheel would.

Any other brands I should look at for fifth wheel setups?

[tubular031]

I have a goose neck and rails on my truck. It came this way when got it. The goose neck hitch has a bracket that bolts to the frame right over the axle. the rails are the generic setup and use long bolts and attach to the frame in front and behind the goose neck hitch. I would like to have the nice brackets for the rails but can not with the GN hitch there.

In the pic you can see the GN hitch brackets that the airbags are welded to and to the right you can see one of the fake bolts in the 5th rail. In the front rail they put 4 bolts. 2 of them attach to the frame and are solid. the other 2 attach to the bed. They are only there to look pretty I guess. They would not hold weight at all. Then behind that bolt you can see the spacers that are inbetween the rail in the bed and the frame. Then on the back rail there are 2 bolts that also go to the frame.

[BennyLumpkin]

you probabably cant have the gooseneck and the rails at the same time. I have a 20K Curt hitch....they are about the best out there. I pull a 32 ft Fifth wheel with mine.

[tsteel]

I would just get the 5th wheel to gooseneck adapter from the rv parts dealer and put that on the trailer.

[tubular031]

Originally Posted by tsteel

I would just get the Th wheel to goose neck adapter from the RV parts dealer and put that on the trailer.

I would read up on these. From all that I have read (and the laws of physics) they put extra pressure on the pin by increasing the leverage on the pin and pin box.

When I was buying my trailer every manufacture would void the warranty if you put one of these adapters on it. I have seen MANY trailers with these adapters running around...

[wriott]

i have the reese style with the rails. like it the best. as for putting an adapter on the trailer to change it to a gooseneck... i have done it to SEVERAL trailers and have never had a problem. but i would look into it

[goXtreme]

Originally Posted by dk250x

I just purchased a low mile 1997 f350 dually, it has a gooseneck setup in the bed now. It has the 7.3 and I plan on using it to pull a 37' fifth wheel.

Anybody suggestions on fifth wheel hitches, or rail setups? I am new to the fifth wheels, and could use some help.

From expierience I can honestly tell you NOT to get the 5th wheel to goosneck conversion. We did it with out first 5er and it is only a 32' and it beat the crap out of us. We finally got a good 5th wheel hitch (B&W Companion) and it is as smooth as they come.