By guest author Scott Gray.

What Is A Gooseneck Trailer Hitch?

If you say 'trailer hitch' most people will automatically think of the typical ball type.

While this type is very common, the ball hitch won't do for certain kinds of hauling. A ball hitch is fairly strong but a gooseneck trailer hitch is far stronger. For certain types of hauling, no other hitch will do.

Good examples of gooseneck hitches are the ones used to haul horses or other livestock by pick up truck. Most people who haul animals have gooseneck trailer hitches. The hitch is placed in the truck bed above the rear axle and the trailer is then secured to it.

Below: A gooseneck trailer hitch.

Here are a few things to consider about gooseneck hitches.

• Gooseneck trailer hitches can often handle thirty thousand pounds, making them one of the strongest trailer hitches on the market today.
• They are used primarily to haul trailers that have front end protrusions that stick out further from the front of a trailer than normal trailers.
• Gooseneck hitches will allow the driver to make sharper turns than someone who uses a ball hitch. This is because of the way they are mounted in the middle of the truck bed and not to the rear of the vehicle.
• You may have to remove the truck bed to install the frame that will hold the ball in place. While this may take some extra time, it is usually well worth the extra work.
• You will most likely have to drill a hole in the middle of the truck bed. Many people don't want to damage their trucks for any reason, and decide to use another trailer hitch. If you want to use a gooseneck trailer hitch, there is really no way to avoid drilling the hole.
• The ball of the hitch must rise above the actual truck bed in order to fasten anything to it.
• Many people need the flat surface of their truck bed when they're not hauling. They now make goosenecks that can fold down into the bed of the truck. That way your truck bed will be flat when you're not hauling.
• The gooseneck is more complicated and hard to install. But, the rewards are worth the extra effort. They are also much stronger than a regular ball hitch and can haul much more weight.

• You should make sure that the truck will be able to handle the weight you plan to haul using your gooseneck. For instance, you might not want to attach your gooseneck to a pickup that has minimal power and won't be able to haul your trailer.

As far as heavy duty trailer hitches go, the gooseneck is second only to the fifth wheel hitch in towing capacity. The gooseneck has its drawbacks (harder to install for instance) but they are often the only kind of hitch that will do the job properly.

It is important to remember that your truck must be able to handle the load you plan on attaching to your gooseneck trailer hitch. This is important when hauling irregularly shaped trailers.

Like all truck hitches, the gooseneck isn't made for every job. Often you can install a regular ball hitch to do the job, but if you plan on towing extremely heavy trailers, the gooseneck is often the way to go.