Reese Goosebox / 5th Airborne Question - Montana Owners Club

Lee-CI · 11-09-2022, 05:51 AM

Question for those with either the Goosebox or 5th Airborne pin box. How much difficulty do you have pulling maintenance on the hinge point pin? I have not seen one of these pin boxes in person, but see no evidence of grease zerk fittings for lubrication of what is obviously a high friction area.

The Goosebox is now being built as a Gen 3 version with the air fitting in the very top of the air bag accessed via a hole in the top of the main beam much like the 5th Airborne. This location will be a show stopper for some due to difficulty of pressurizing while hitched up. Access will not be an issue with my bed setup, but I do have reservations on ability to lubricate hinge points without resorting to disassembly with a large drift punch.

I'm not interested in a TrailAire style due to exposed components and well - aesthetics, but I will be getting a air cushioned hitch as doing so just makes good sense to me. input from others with the Reese units would be appreciated.

bshgto · 11-09-2022, 07:28 AM

I`ve have/had all 3. Started with the fifth Airborne on a shot bed and the typical boat anchor Pullrite slider hitch. It worked very well and improved the ride somewhat. Yes, got tired of the air valve location and just went to HD bought some fittings and a piece of fuel line and moved the fill valve to the rear for easy access for filling.
Changed trucks and camper then bought the trail air and started to use the Andersen Ultimate as I got old and could no longer move the 200 lb hitch when I wanted to use the bed for what the truck was built for it worked very well to, yes it`s ugly as sin and looks like Darth Vader's helmet on the front of your camper, again I moved the air fill valve to the rear on this too, all was good.
Like you wondered why no grease fitting on both, was bored one day so I took the trail air apart to check the pin for wear, there was none the pin just looked like it had been polished on the ends. On both there is a steel pin with 2 brass bushings on ether end of the pin was still very tight in the bushings so no need to replace it. Got to remember it`s not like a connecting rod in your engine that needs a constant oil bath to survive the rotations. The pin just helps holds up some of the pin weight the air bag holds the weight. It does not move all the time it only moves a very minor amount on bumps in the road. I guess over 15 years you might see some wear but still very easy to replace the pin and bushings. And you're not going to have the camper that long anyway.
So anyway, got tired of taking the hitch out with an engine crane. Then what do you do with it, always in the way, risk hurting yourself, storing the crane, storing the hitch then you have to put it back in to go camping then take it out again, worry about high hitching......... done.
So bought this and never looked back. this is what you need and then you can forget all the hassles and have the bed back and all you have to take out is a ball from the bed, yeh, a real back breaker. The air fills from the side. I use and air chuck with a 12 inch extension just to reach over the side of the truck to add air if necessary. I`ve read complaints that it`s harder to hitch up, no it`s not, stop whining. I don`t have any trouble, the wife guides me in when she`s there. Iv`e even read that this hitch is a pain because you have to hook up safety chains. I hook up my safety chains before the goose box crosses the end of the truck bed so no need to crawl in to do it. (sometimes I just wonder). Like I said this thing is just to easy and hassle free which is what I`m looking for at this stage in my life.
Now..... the dog poop issue...........

Picture of the pin and bushings.

Picture of the goose box.

BB_TX · 11-09-2022, 08:15 AM

I used a 5th Airborne for 13 years and was very happy with it. I did not have much chucking to begin with and the 5th Airborne eliminated almost all that I did have.

On mine, the hinge pin did not have a grease zerk and the manual did not specify any lubrication needed for it so I didn't. And still worked fine after the 13 years. My air fill valve came out the side and was easily reachable from the side of the truck.

Installation was pretty easy even doing it by myself.

Lee-CI · 11-09-2022, 01:42 PM

Appreciate you guys input. The point made of the air bag itself taking most of the weight makes perfect sense. Between farm equipment and offshore work, maintenance has always been a priority for me. Well that and OCD. lol Oh and the Darth Vader analogy had me cracking up!

Thanks!

jetskier · 11-10-2022, 10:24 AM

I've had the 1st and 2nd gen versions on two trailers. It's so much better than a 5th wheel hitch in the bed. It can be a pain to align things at 45° hitch angles. I use the bolts on either side of center on the tailgate to align as the pin box enters the bed. Parallel, it's easy to align alone.

For the air, I started filling up the bag before hitching (easier access) and the relief valve seems to dump at the right amount so that when it's hitched, the indicated is in the middle of the witness hole.

jwengermt · 11-20-2022, 01:19 PM

Installed the Reese 16k Goose box about a year ago. Have had no issues with it and it really improves the ride. The only grease cert on unit is for the hitch ball grease. Put a small amount in every couple of times that i tow. The air valve is on the side of the unit and is easy to access. Strongly recommend it.

kowbra · 11-20-2022, 01:54 PM

We have a 20k Goosebox gen 2, and it began squeaking around the front pin after the first year. The dealer disassembled and greased it and it lasted a few hundred miles but is squeaking again now.

Has anyone else had this issue? Any thoughts on how to resolve completely?

Thanks!
Brad

Hblick48 · 11-20-2022, 02:45 PM

I've got a 5th Airborn. Totally eliminated bucking and chucking. Very Happy!

jwengermt · 11-21-2022, 05:12 AM

Haven't had any squeaking issues with ours. Everything has worked just fine.

bshgto · 11-21-2022, 08:45 AM

Mine does not. That would really be annoying on a long trip. Sounds like something is mis-aligned now from stress. So, no amount of grease will solve that. Really big pot hole, to tight a turn, dropped it on the ball to hard, bag out of place. Wait a while then take it a part again there will be a wear point that should be obvious then you`ll know. Or call the factory, good luck with that.

Lee-CI · 11-30-2022, 09:39 PM

Just found out the Gen 3 version of the Goosebox indeed has a grease zerk for the horizontal pivot shaft. A lot of folks won't like the top access for the schrader valve, but it looks like Reese is definitely making continued improvements to their units.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3-P-U9DBmM

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