Is a Gooseneck or Fifth Wheel Towing Setup Smoother Riding

Question:

I have seen many times that 5th wheel folks say that the 5th wheel has a better ride than a goose neck. I have both and pull them long distance regularly and the gooses neck is always a large farm trailer loaded with live stock or equipment. So it is heavy. I would like to know as to why you say the 5th wheel has a better ride? the 5th wheel has to pivot at the receiver, as where the gooses neck pivots at the tongue. The only difference in my 30 years experience is the connecting and disconnecting. And I would like to debate that with anyone but as far as ride I have seen some of the older 5th wheels that only had the one axis tilt and they were rough at times. but if they have both axis tilt there is no difference. And other than just dragging both type of trailers around for 30 years I am also a PE Mechanical and Structural Engineer that holds patterns in the Oil and Gas industry and in the Agriculrural.

asked by: James G

Expert Reply:

I don't agree with a fifth wheel setup being smoother riding than a gooseneck unless you start using cushioned pin boxes/hitches. Fifth wheel setups have a lot more areas for movement so they can "chuck" much easier.

There are advantages to both setups but the biggest difference between the two is that for short bed trucks there are slider hitches that can be used with fifth wheel setups to give clearance but for goosenecks there isn't that option. However, since goosenecks trailers don't have a wide nose this isn't always a problem.

If all things are equal I prefer a gooseneck setup to a fifth wheel because there is fewer moving parts and it's an easier hook-up/disconnect.

expert reply by: Jameson C