Gooseneck Trailer Ball

[Lucky]

Anyone seen this. Pretty slick

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HydraBall is a hydraulic trailer hitch allowing for a fast, easy, and secure connection for 5th Wheel Trailers and other towing. Fifth Wheel Hitch | Best 5th Wheel Hitch | Adjustable Ball Hitch | Trailer Hitch Ball Mount | Ball Hitch | 5th Wheel Ball Hitch | Fifth Wheel Trailer Hitch | 5th Wheel...

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[Lucky]

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[SBMF 2015]

It's a neat idea!

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

Neat idea. Have to wonder how long it would last for anyone in the rust belt.

 

[SBMF 2015]

Neat idea. Have to wonder how long it would last for anyone in the rust belt.

Probably about as well as my B&W hitches.
If you flip them often they work great, but I don't think I've flipped either one in the last seven years and seriously doubt I could now with out some serious penetrating oil.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

My beater farm truck the ball is one piece with the truck now. I tried to remove it with an excavator, oxy/acy torch, and big air hammer and no beuno.

My "nice truck" I take the ball out when not in use and toss it behind the seat so if needed I can have a flat bed floor.

 

[cfpinz]

Interesting concept. My concerns would be yet another set of joints to wear/tear, the piston design to eliminate the chance of the ball ever coming loose from the chamber, and clearance issues on the underside of the bed as a lot of ours sit almost directly over the rear axle. I'm not overly warm and fuzzy with those 4 flat head screws holding all the weight from the coupler, but that's just me.

 

[Lucky]

Interesting concept. My concerns would be yet another set of joints to wear/tear, the piston design to eliminate the chance of the ball ever coming loose from the chamber, and clearance issues on the underside of the bed as a lot of ours sit almost directly over the rear axle. I'm not overly warm and fuzzy with those 4 flat head screws holding all the weight from the coupler, but that's just me.

Those were the exact concerns I had. It would be a really slick deal for a dedicated ranch truck that got minimal hwy miles pulling a trailer but not sure how I'd feel making long trips loaded heavy. We'll see how it holds up. I imagine a bigger company will buy the idea and do some serious testing.

 

[cfpinz]

True. Basically, it's the same concept as a spotter truck in a yard somewhere.

If it were designed so the mounting flange sat on top of your existing crossmember and the cap screws primarily located it, I'd feel better about the deal.

 

[RDFF]

Are you supposed to PULL the trailer with the ball extended???, or is it just intended to lift the trailer, so you can run the trailer jack down onto the ground without lifting the weight of the trailer... so easier/faster? If the latter is the case, I think it could be great... just lift the trailer hydraulically, run your jacks down, drop the hitch ball back down, and go. But if you're intended to pull a loaded trailer with an extended shank supporting it, that sucker's gonna get bent (or worse, broke), and there goes your hydraulic hitch ball...

Ah... just found a video where they indicate that it's only designed to be used PULLING in the retracted position... should be good to go then.
Hydraball videos

$1200 if you have hydraulics on the truck already, $2000 for electric over hydraulic.