B&W companion, Slider or no slider?

[Boozel]

Does anyone haul with a fifth wheel hitch? Undecided if I need a slider with the standard bed config...Looking at the B&W companion. Any advise welcome

 

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[phobby]

I wouldn't suggest either. Do a 5th wheel to gooseneck pin box swap (not an adapter). You'll spend the same money, never have to mess with that heavy ass Companion (212lbs), and have room in your truck bed.

 

[Boozel]

I wouldn't suggest either. Do a 5th wheel to gooseneck pin box swap (not an adapter). You'll spend the same money, never have to mess with that heavy ass Companion (212lbs), and have room in your truck bed.

Appreciate the input, I'll have to look into that. Are there any cons that you know of?

 

[phobby]

Appreciate the input, I'll have to look into that. Are there any cons that you know of?

Cons- lining up the gooseneck ball, lol.

Pros- you don’t have to buy another hitch if you get a different truck, 2 5/16 gooseneck will never change ( ram is different than ford and GM fifth wheel mounts, B&W also has the square insert that nobody uses factory, the 5th wheel hitch mount dimensions on factory setups change every so often), trailer size doesn’t matter, I know a bunch of guys with the gooseneck ball system on 40’+ travel trailers, you can have your trailer towed by anyone if you need as a gooseneck (fifth wheel can be hard to find and more expensive), gooseneck ball is easy to store, when you unhook there’s nothing in your bed.

I haven’t seen any benefit to keeping the fifth wheel on a trailer. It’s at best slightly easier to hook up if you never take the hitch out of your truck bed.
If your truck has the gooseneck bed camera, the fifth wheel has no advantage.

If you decide to haul a travel trailer long distances and want to add an auxiliary fuel tank? You’ll have to find one that’s skinny enough to go between your 5th wheel hitch and the cab (unless you have a long bed).

 

[Boozel]

Cons- lining up the gooseneck ball, lol.

Pros- you don’t have to buy another hitch if you get a different truck, 2 5/16 gooseneck will never change ( ram is different than ford and GM fifth wheel mounts, B&W also has the square insert that nobody uses factory, the 5th wheel hitch mount dimensions on factory setups change every so often), trailer size doesn’t matter, I know a bunch of guys with the gooseneck ball system on 40’+ travel trailers, you can have your trailer towed by anyone if you need as a gooseneck (fifth wheel can be hard to find and more expensive), gooseneck ball is easy to store, when you unhook there’s nothing in your bed.

I haven’t seen any benefit to keeping the fifth wheel on a trailer. It’s at best slightly easier to hook up if you never take the hitch out of your truck bed.
If your truck has the gooseneck bed camera, the fifth wheel has no advantage.

If you decide to haul a travel trailer long distances and want to add an auxiliary fuel tank? You’ll have to find one that’s skinny enough to go between your 5th wheel hitch and the cab (unless you have a long bed).

Thanks Phobby! Much appreciated..

 

[Gitter]

I recently got my 40' 5th wheel and a 24 Sierra 3500 AT4 with the standard bed. I was torn between the gooseneck and the B&W, but I ended up going with B&W slider cause I could could get it quicker.

While researching, one negative for the gooseneck is for the rare time you need to have your trailer towed in an emergency, most heavy duty trailer towers are not setup for a gooseneck. So if you get the gooseneck and have to call for help, stress to the tow company that you don't have a traditional kingpin.

Side note. I'm definitely glad I got the slider over the fixed hitch. I can do a true 90+ turn without stressing. Otherwise, I can only get closer to 70-75 degrees on level ground. It's fine for many situations, but it stresses me the hell out because it just takes a slight change in pitch/elevation to cause contact.

 

[phobby]

I recently got my 40' 5th wheel and a 24 Sierra 3500 AT4 with the standard bed. I was torn between the gooseneck and the B&W, but I ended up going with B&W slider cause I could could get it quicker.

While researching, one negative for the gooseneck is for the rare time you need to have your trailer towed in an emergency, most heavy duty trailer towers are not setup for a gooseneck. So if you get the gooseneck and have to call for help, stress to the tow company that you don't have a traditional kingpin.

Side note. I'm definitely glad I got the slider over the fixed hitch. I can do a true 90+ turn without stressing. Otherwise, I can only get closer to 70-75 degrees on level ground. It's fine for many situations, but it stresses me the hell out because it just takes a slight change in pitch/elevation to cause contact.

-If you buy a travel trailer without measuring, you're going to have that problem and that's why they make the slider. The slider isn't made so you can properly tow with it like that. It's made so you can slide it back for those situations and you put it back over the axle after extra tight turning. NOT EVERYDAY.
-The slider was quicker to get bc Nobody wants it.
-Make sure to measure a trailer when buying to tow from the bed. Most salesman likely don't know or care they sold you a trailer for an 8' bed. Fifth wheel, Equipment, gooseneck, and enclosed trailers are designed sometimes to take advantage of weight distribution onto a Dually.
A 3500 single tire doesn't "tow more" than a 2500. It has a wheel/tire package for slightly more weight and the addition of helper springs (that beat the crap out of you unloaded).

 

[Boozel]

-If you buy a travel trailer without measuring, you're going to have that problem and that's why they make the slider. The slider isn't made so you can properly tow with it like that. It's made so you can slide it back for those situations and you put it back over the axle after extra tight turning. NOT EVERYDAY.
-The slider was quicker to get bc Nobody wants it.
-Make sure to measure a trailer when buying to tow from the bed. Most salesman likely don't know or care they sold you a trailer for an 8' bed. Fifth wheel, Equipment, gooseneck, and enclosed trailers are designed sometimes to take advantage of weight distribution onto a Dually.
A 3500 single tire doesn't "tow more" than a 2500. It has a wheel/tire package for slightly more weight and the addition of helper springs (that beat the crap out of you unloaded).

Thanks again for the valuable information!

 

[phobby]

Thanks again for the valuable information!

If you go fifth wheel get an Andersen.
If you have cab clearance issues with fifth wheel you can eliminate that. Buy a Sidewinder- specifically made for trucks like Ram mega cab to tow with really short beds or standard beds with cab clearance problems.

They make gooseneck pin boxes for complete turning. There are also offset gooseneck balls. Moves it further back for proper turning clearances when the trailer was designed for an 8’ bed.

 

[Gitter]

-If you buy a travel trailer without measuring, you're going to have that problem and that's why they make the slider. The slider isn't made so you can properly tow with it like that. It's made so you can slide it back for those situations and you put it back over the axle after extra tight turning. NOT EVERYDAY.
-The slider was quicker to get bc Nobody wants it.
-Make sure to measure a trailer when buying to tow from the bed. Most salesman likely don't know or care they sold you a trailer for an 8' bed. Fifth wheel, Equipment, gooseneck, and enclosed trailers are designed sometimes to take advantage of weight distribution onto a Dually.
A 3500 single tire doesn't "tow more" than a 2500. It has a wheel/tire package for slightly more weight and the addition of helper springs (that beat the crap out of you unloaded).

For the versatility, the slider is great with my standard bed (which is my daily driver). I can use it with any trailer that hasn't been modified (which I plan to do). But if you only plan to tow a single trailer for the foreseeable future, then go for the gooseneck. The real reason no one wants the slider is because it's stupid heavy. More so than a fixed hitch. I have to get help each time I add or remove it from my bed.

The last sentence isn't entirely true...at least for the 2024's (I don't know about the earlier models since I'm new to Chevy/GMC). 3500 SRW have bigger rear axles and frame in addition to the helper leaf springs. I have an additional 600-700lbs of payload over a comparably equipped 2500.

 

[phobby]

For the versatility, the slider is great with my standard bed (which is my daily driver). I can use it with any trailer that hasn't been modified (which I plan to do). But if you only plan to tow a single trailer for the foreseeable future, then go for the gooseneck. The real reason no one wants the slider is because it's stupid heavy. More so than a fixed hitch. I have to get help each time I add or remove it from my bed.

The last sentence isn't entirely true...at least for the 2024's (I don't know about the earlier models since I'm new to Chevy/GMC). 3500 SRW have bigger rear axles and frame in addition to the helper leaf springs. I have an additional 600-700lbs of payload over a comparably equipped 2500.

620lbs payload and 2800lbs hauling increase isn’t any different than previous SRW 3500s. Compared to the DRW increase of 2k lbs payload and 13k lbs towing.

Until 2024 the 11.5” 14 bolt was in every GM 3/4 and 1ton truck. Yea, there now is a 12” for some reason- let’s hope they didn’t screw up something that worked for 20years.

The 3500 SRW automatically requires you to have a CDL with any trailer. The 2500 can still get away with being rated below CDL class vehicles. So the 3500 SRW is a bad choice to gain a tiny capacity, more responsibility, more expense, and way more dangerous pushing into those weights.

 

[Gitter]

620lbs payload and 2800lbs hauling increase isn’t any different than previous SRW 3500s. Compared to the DRW increase of 2k lbs payload and 13k lbs towing.

Until 2024 the 11.5” 14 bolt was in every GM 3/4 and 1ton truck. Yea, there now is a 12” for some reason- let’s hope they didn’t screw up something that worked for 20years.

The 3500 SRW automatically requires you to have a CDL with any trailer. The 2500 can still get away with being rated below CDL class vehicles. So the 3500 SRW is a bad choice to gain a tiny capacity, more responsibility, more expense, and way more dangerous pushing into those weights.

Yes, of course a DRW is a significant jump over a SRW. No one said or asked anything about that.

My point was specific to my needs and my experience to help the OP understand why I chose what I chose...that's it. Then you came in and said that a 2500 doesn't tow more than 3500 SRW, which is simply not true. It may not tow a LOT more (like a DRW), but it does infact tow more

 

[Wahoam]

I wouldn't suggest either. Do a 5th wheel to gooseneck pin box swap (not an adapter). You'll spend the same money, never have to mess with that heavy ass Companion (212lbs), and have room in your truck bed.

Any negatives to gooseneck vs 5th wheel receiver or its towing ease or comfort? Rougher ride, louder pulling with the GN vs 5th wheel?

 

[phobby]

Any negatives to gooseneck vs 5th wheel receiver or its towing ease or comfort? Rougher ride, louder pulling with the GN vs 5th wheel?

Most people buy the gooseneck pin box with the air ride built in. They say it tows smoother than a fifth wheel with the right PSI to your tongue weight.

 

[avolzfan4u]

I have a '24 3500 AT4 and 43' Sundowner Toy Hauler w/Gooseneck that I haul. I bought a Shocker Hitch w/9" extension and you can adjust the air pressure to the comfort level you like. Last weekend I was parking the trailer in the storage lot and I had it turned 90* to straighten it up and I still had like 6-7" between the trailer and the rear window and I have about 6" from the bedrail to the bottom of the trailer. I've never had a 5th wheel but I love this setup.