Will this work??

[Texas PaPaw]

Have 2013 Ram 3/4 ton shortbed with B&W gooseneck hitch. Question is with a conventional 20" wide crossover toolbox, will there be enough room between trailer hitch and the toolbox to pull gooseneck stock trailer without crunching the toolbox when crossing a ditch? Best I can measure, is about 7" between the toolbox and the front of gooseneck ball.

Thing I don't like about the narrow 12" crossover is no tray, just open box.

 

[Brute 23]

I have no issues with my short bed and the large R&K over the rail tool box. 7" that close is a pretty steep ditch. With that said, the trailers that have dog boxes or what ever over the to of the tongue, like a camper, can run pretty close in a turn.

It kind of depends on where your driving... there is a reason and a purpose for flat beds.

 

[Texas PaPaw]

Thanks Brute. Is yours a Ram truck. Seems like ball is a little farther back on a Chevy. Know a guy with Chevy that does ok but have a little concern with the Ram.
Am pulling a standard Neckover cattle trailer with nothing on nose. Does have 2 set screws on front of hitch but they're down low.

 

[jwimberly]

I've got a 2011 Ram 2500 with a B&W hitch. I think mine's closer than 7 inches and I have no issues. It actually helps me line it up to hitch it. Dead center and 6" or so and stop, it'll be dead over it.

 

[JMJ Farms]

I have a 13 Ram with the shortbed. Standard crossover low profile toolbox and B&W hitch. Have about 3 inches between the toolbox and trailer hitch on mine. You will tear up a tailgate quicker than a toolbox crossing ditches or terraces unless it has a compartment over the neck. I have mine set to have at least 8" of clearance above the tailgate when on level ground.

FWIW, no matter the brand of truck the center of a gooseneck ball SHOULD always sit two inches forward of the center of the back truck axle. But I've seen many that didn't.

Still trying to figure out how to have a gooseneck hitch, regular toolbox, and fuel tank. Think I'm gonna have to get a flatbed or a lwb.

 

[Texas PaPaw]

Thanks guys, that's what I needed to know. Sure appreciate your input.

 

[bird dog]

They make a gizmo that extends the ball towards the tailgate. It has the regular insert but a plate on top and another ball welded 8" or so from where the hole is. Never used one or even seen one used and not really even sure when you would use one but I guess they have their place.

 

[JMJ Farms]

They make a gizmo that extends the ball towards the tailgate. It has the regular insert but a plate on top and another ball welded 8" or so from where the hole is. Never used one or even seen one used and not really even sure when you would use one but I guess they have their place.

I've used one before. Mine was purchased separately with a B&W hitch on a previous truck. It worked fine but I was always leery of it. Slides into the hitch where the ball would normally go and allows the trailer to sit on another ball that's 4" closer to the back of the truck. Im sure the engineers that designed it are probably way smarter than I am, but I can't understand how it doesn't shift the weight back 4". But the manufacturer says that it's the same as having the ball sitting in the regular place.

I've seen a lot of homemade hitches and what not but I know for certain that on a pickup truck you do not want the gooseneck tongue weight further back than the center of the back truck axle.

Back in the 80s when everyone around here had hogs a lot of farmers would weld a 2 5/16" ball onto a price of 3/8" or 1/2" plate about 4'x4' and simply bolt the plate to the bed. I certainly wouldn't do it but I don't recall anyone ever having any problems with this setup.

I've never seen it but I have heard tales of people setting a gooseneck on a rim with an inflated tire in the back of a truck. No ball, no nothing. Just counting on the tongue weight to put down pressure on the rim and tire, and
the the tire to create enough friction that it doesn't slide I guess. Sure would be cheaper than a B&W :lol2:

But I guess if this will work, most anything will........

 

[DLD]

They make a gizmo that extends the ball towards the tailgate. It has the regular insert but a plate on top and another ball welded 8" or so from where the hole is. Never used one or even seen one used and not really even sure when you would use one but I guess they have their place.

I have one of those. It's made by and B&W and it moves the ball back 4". I bought it for pulling full nosed trailers with a half ton Chevy crew cab with the 5 1/2' bed, but ended up later using it with a 3/4 ton crew cab with a 6 3/4' bed, because i had a CM aluminum stock trailer with a shorter nose, and it just felt more comfortable putting that extra 4" between the trailer and the trucks back bumper.. I could never tell any difference in stability or holding up a load between it and the regular ball. The weight is still going to be on your truck in the same place, though it does seem like the geometry would change things some, I could never tell the difference. I still have it - no need for it with my current truck and trailers, but I figure I could sure end up needing it again someday.

 

[cfpinz]

They make a gizmo that extends the ball towards the tailgate. It has the regular insert but a plate on top and another ball welded 8" or so from where the hole is. Never used one or even seen one used and not really even sure when you would use one but I guess they have their place.

I've used one before. Mine was purchased separately with a B&W hitch on a previous truck. It worked fine but I was always leery of it. Slides into the hitch where the ball would normally go and allows the trailer to sit on another ball that's 4" closer to the back of the truck. Im sure the engineers that designed it are probably way smarter than I am, but I can't understand how it doesn't shift the weight back 4". But the manufacturer says that it's the same as having the ball sitting in the regular place.

My wife has one of those in her truck, it's a 2009 Dodge 2500 shortbed. Works great, no complaints.

The tongue weight of the trailer is placed vertically on the offset ball, which is transferred to the plate it's welded to. Then that weight is placed vertically onto the hitch crossmembers at the front of the plate. The truck doesn't know any difference as the weight is being transferred to it at the same point. The only mechanical difference is the imaginary lever from the axles to the pin which carries tongue weight is now 4" longer, pretty much a moot point.

There are also extenders which replace the lower part of your gooseneck coupler on the trailer, some of these can be had which will move the trailer up to 18" away from your back glass. Wife had one of those on her last trailer as it had a full width (8' wide) nose and would eat a back window. B&W makes one of those type hitches that will work with a recessed ball on flatbeds, though the one she had would not hook to my trucks.