Does anyone use a gooseneck adapter?

[melanie7ny]

I just noticed that camping world has a gooseneck adapter available, that is rated at 30,000lbs. Is this something anyone is familiar with? I'm guessing if you have a heavyduty gooseneck hitch, this is a safe alternative to a fifth wheel hitch. Any opinions welcome!

[LonnieB]

When I bought the Montana, I already had a gooseneck ball in the truck and didn't want to by a fifth wheel hitch. I asked if they sold the adaptor and was told very bluntly, NO! It will void the frame warranty!
Evidently the extra leverage put on the pin box by an extension down to the gooseneck ball is enough to cause damage to the frame under the right conditions.

[NCFischers]

Gooseneck hitches are not recommended to be used with fifth wheel trailers. I believe Keystone will void your warranty if one is used and damage occurs. Look at how beefy a gooseneck trailer is built. They are designed to take the stress. Fifth wheels aren't designed to withstand the added stress on the hitch that a gooseneck exerts. Added length to the hitch point equals additional stress on the trailer. I have a gooseneck hitch in my truck but have never used it with the trailer.

[ols1932]

For what it's worth, I've seen one Montana with a gooseneck that the owner said he hadn't had any problems with. However, he did reply that he hadn't towed it a lot of miles -- only from home to local campgrounds.

Then, I've seen the results of the damage to a Montana where the owner had installed a gooseneck. You really don't want to do this because the damage can be catastrophic.

Orv

[camper4]

I put a goose neck on my 2005, 2955. I thought it was great! However, I did not put many miles on it. I have since read and been told that it will void the warranty because it causes stresses in the 5er's frame that it was not designed to take. Also knowing there have been problems with some of the frames, in the past, I took it off.

[BB_TX]

As noted above, there may be warranty problems using one. And this adapter even comes with a big red caution about using it.

[RickW]

My neighbor used a gooseneck adapter on his toyhauler for the past 4 years. About 9 months back he noticed cracks and welds coming apart. After pulling the entire front cap off and peeling the sides of the front back he was finally able to get the access needed for repairs. He now uses a 5th wheel hitch.

[melanie7ny]

Good info from everyone. It makes sense that this would be bad news for a montana, or any other 5th wheel for that matter.

[RRman]

I successfully tow my 05 Montana with a Star Performance Gooseneck adapter that includes a stress reducing glider motion, for 3 years and 7K miles, including a lot of journeys on notoriously rough I-10 in LA and MS. Also my trailer has gotten stuck in wet campgrounds twice and assisted towing or pushing hasn't broken anything.

Trailer Life magazine reviewed Gooseneck Adapters from their advertisers last Spring...there are many other manufacturers of these adapters like mine. Apparently there is a market and a dearth of real world failures...

Seven of about 35 Fivers currently in the campground I'm in have Gooseneck Adapters. A fellow camper here just bought a used 07 Montana with a Colibert Gooseneck Adapter. Unfortunately his new short bed tow vehicle cab got lightly crunched while turning on his first test drive. So he got an EXTENDED Gooseneck Adapter (oh no!)and successfully towed his trailer from LA to MN last week without problem.

Almost all reported Pinbox and Frame Failures occur with standard Fiver Hitches, including the one I'm personally aware of.
Arguably, the glider motion built-in to my adapter reduces common fore and aft stresses more than a standard/average Fiver hitch.

Benefits include:
A unencumbered pickup bed assuming your ball rotates, retracts or is removable.
Gentle raising and lowering the Fiver hookups.
Effectively impossible to drop the Fiver on the pickup bed, its either on the ball or not and the adapter would strike first.

It does take a little longer for hookups as the Fiver Jacks are so slow to raise and lower.

My conclusion after 3 years of RVing "study" and experience is that RV Refrigerators, Tires, low hanging tree branches (or other obstacles) and poorly built frames are much bigger risks than Gooseneck Adapters.

Am I the only MOC member risking his Montana with a Gooseneck Adapter?

I will be sure to report any failure should it happen someday. So far I believe my Montana is very well built and has help up great!