Looking for gooseneck hitch advice

[sdsu rancher]

I recently bought a 1999 Dodge 2500 pickup. It doesn't have a gooseneck hitch and I am trying to decide on what brand to go with. A local shop installs Diamond Hitches by Renegade Mfg. out of Cody, WY. Anyone have experience with them? Any other input or advice is much appreciated.

 

[frasercattleco]

B & W turn over ball. I have one in my 05 chev and it works well. Its there when you need it, not there when you don't.

 

[James]

I have a B&W turnover ball in my 01 and have been very happy with it,

 

[Bull Burger]

Since when did R-CALFers have b...........no, forget it.....

 

[Haytrucker]

If you keep your pickup cleaned out, the B & W Turnover is as good as there is. Pull it out once a month and get the dust out anyway, or run with it up and then it'll stay pretty well cleaned by itself.

 

[CattleQueen]

We have a Diamond Hitch from Renegade Mfg. and we like it great. They are good people to work with, and we like the product. Several people we know have them, and I've heard nothing but good things. They also have some other neat products!

 

[George]

I have always built my own - - - I have never found anything as heavy as what I build myself but then I don't have the fancy turn over. I welded the nut to the bottom of the hitch and ground flats on the shoulder of a high shoulder ball and if kept lubricated it is easy to remove and replace.

My wife says I do this because I'm to cheap to buy a factory hitch - - - I feel I'm very frugal!

 

[Denny]

I put alot of Wallace Forge fold down balls in.We also install the B&W turnover but they cost a little more money.I have a fold down in one of my trucks in 6 years I have only folded it down one time.I prefer a 1"x8" piece of plate steel mounted to the frame with the nut welded to it,a small round hole in the floor just spin the ball on and leave it,all for under a $100

 

[Rowdy Ranch]

B&W turn over ball hitch Have 2 of them on Dodge 1 tons and would not change.

 

[George]

My last truck had a 5/8 inch by 13 inch space between the frame and bed where I wanted the ball ( 6 inches ahead of the center of the rear axel) so I got a piece of steel to fill that space and extend outside the frame 1 inch on each side then I got a 2" X 5" channel Iron with 3/4" thickness and welded it under the plate. Used a magnetic drill to go first thru the bed ( 2 3/4" hole saw then smaller bit ( 1 1/4" ) to go thru the hitch. Welded the nut to the hitchafter the ball was in place. I used a 2 5/16 high shouldered ball with a 30,000# rateing that I ground flat sides on the shoulder. Over 200,000 miles pulling a WW trailer that is 37' long ( 7X30 box) and a tag trailer with buldozers, backhoes, trenchers. bobcats, etc. and have never had to work on it. I'm going to cut it off the old truck ( 480,000 miles on a 1 ton 4X4 chevy is all it needs) and put it on my son's dodge.

Even with todays prices should be less than $100.00 plus labor ( on rainy days my labor is cheap)

 

[floyd]

1/2" plate that reaches top outside frame rails. 1/2" plate welded to side of this then bolted thru frame rails 3x each side. #30K ball. This is under a flatbed with a hatch cover. 1x3 tubing makes a resting place for the 18"square hatch cover. Tubing is welded to crossmembers.

 

[EmptyPockets]

We've got 3 different kinds, but I like the B&W the best. It's important to knock the dust out once in a while but works great. The man that installed it said if you ever travel down to the southern states to remove it as they are a hot market item down there. 8)

 

[LCP]

Anyone used an Atwood fold-down hitch?

 

[James T]

I have the B&W on my '05 Dodge and have never had a problem with it.

 

[Hayguy]

Anyone used an Atwood fold-down hitch?

put one in my '83 dodge in '87, for the next 15 or so years we hauled at least 20,000 bales a year with a 20' flat bed gooseneck. never had ANY problem with the hitch,still is in the truck but receives limited use now but is still fully functional

 

[Nicky]

If you have to 'remove the dust'....it wouldn't work here :wink: :?

 

[Denny]

Anyone used an Atwood fold-down hitch?

I'VE USED AND INSTALLED THEM. i DON'T LIKE THEIR SAFETY CHAIN HOOKS AS THEY ARE A BIT ON THE SMALL SIDE. tHE WALLACE FORGE ARE RATED FOR 5000#S MORE THEN THE ATWOOD. The atwood are 1/4 inch thick plate and the wallace are 3/8" have bowed the atwood just putting them in to where they would'nt work proper to much flex.

 

[eatbeef]

I have seen a friends pickup with a B & W ball with a loader hooked to ball trying to get it out and the pickup was of the ground.

 

[3 M L & C]

My dad bought a b & w flat bed back when it was just two guys in an old knights of columbus building. Probably around 1990. We still have it and have had the turnover balls on lots of pickups. Great quality and will last.

 

[Justin]

B & W gets my vote. i have had one in several pickups and have never had a problem.