Another fifth wheel hitch

[Yarbro04]

I'm wanting to put a gooseneck hitch in my side step ranger for a small custom trailer. Does anyone know if there is a company that makes a hide-away hitch for a ford ranger? Or anyone know of someone that has done it and can help me do it. I will be doing a 5.0 swap later and I will do the hitch while I'm swapping motors so I would like to prepare for both of them.

 

[JoshT]

Never seen a gooseneck in a Ranger. My dad had a 5th wheel hitch in his step-side Ranger. He used it to pull a camper before he got his F-250. Couldn't tell you who made the hitch or install kit, but I remember it was an off the shelf kit, not custom.

 

[Yarbro04]

Yea that's all I've seen is fifth wheel. But I'm looking for a hide-away ball hitch and think I found one by Curt with some cutting and welding! It should work, but I was looking for one that was made for a sidestep ranger

 

[Captain Ledd]

For a Ranger? No. I'm pretty sure no kits exist.

There are actually a few gooseneck Rangers running around here (at least 2), I found the thread where one had pictures, but they've disappeared. I have them saved somewhere.

So basically you're going to be building custom mounts for your truck and ordering a universal (or the ones that are just the basic plate that holds everything) hiding-style system from whichever manufacturer you decide is best for you. So basically any will fit your side-step Ranger, as it'll be totally custom regardless.

Few have tread into this territory, be sure to post lots of pictures. I'll try to find the ones I saved.

Once my employment situation is a little more secure, I'd like to do something similar myself.

 

[Captain Ledd]

Aw sweet! I DO have them on this hard drive!

Click for 800x600

 

[Will]

I'm doing this exact thing. I bought a Curt 61052 and am going to use 2" 1/2" thick steel, as per their installation instructions, to install it on my frame. Then cut a hole in the bed. My '95 Ranger is down to the frame right now and this is one of the things I am doing. I'm building a gooseneck trailer with a single 7,000# axle to haul my ASV RC-30 track loader --plus a few other similarly-sized bits of equipment. Having the ball right over the axle is much, much better than having it way behind the axle. That's an understatement. Having the trailer tongue in the bed of the truck totally eliminates all of the control issues. A semi tractor weighs 15,000# and pulls a 65,000# trailer. A 3,500# Ranger could handle a 15,000# trailer at that ratio. The mechanical beef isn't there, but the control is.

 

[Derrick1970]

My cousin and I just got done putting a B&W turn over ball in my Ranger last weekend and this weekend I just got done moving His sister in-laws little blazer with it

 

[Will]

That looks perfect.

I have a B&W turn-over ball on my old Chevy crewcab, but on my Ranger I think the ball would hit the pumpkin when it was flipped. That's why I went with the fold-down ball. I never flip the ball anyway because after a load of firewood its hard to fish the ball back out to use it. It rides in a cup holder.

New trucks, they don't want you to drill into the frame top flange like that, but my old Chevy, that's how it was done.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I'm doing this exact thing. I bought a Curt 61052 and am going to use 2" 1/2" thick steel, as per their installation instructions, to install it on my frame. Then cut a hole in the bed. My '95 Ranger is down to the frame right now and this is one of the things I am doing. I'm building a gooseneck trailer with a single 7,000# axle to haul my ASV RC-30 track loader --plus a few other similarly-sized bits of equipment. Having the ball right over the axle is much, much better than having it way behind the axle. That's an understatement. Having the trailer tongue in the bed of the truck totally eliminates all of the control issues. A semi tractor weighs 15,000# and pulls a 65,000# trailer. A 3,500# Ranger could handle a 15,000# trailer at that ratio. The mechanical beef isn't there, but the control is.

I wonder how much having the pin above two axles helps a semi though...

I wouldn't mind getting a gooseneck car trailer for my F-150 sometime, really for no more than I haul my tractors anymore a borrowed bumper pull is perfectly fine.

 

[Will]

There are a lot of single axle tractors. It makes no difference as the purpose is to reduce the lever-arm between hitch and axle to zero. The second axle is purely for weight capacity. Governed by tire rating and road surface rating.

I would definitely put a gooseneck ball on the F150. The control difference can't be over stated. My buddy bought a huge golf course wing mower and I went with him to pick it up with my 3-axle gooseneck and my old Chevy crewcab. It was as tall as a semi trailer on there and barely fit width wise. He was really worried about it--suggesting we didn't go on the interstate because it might be unstable. As soon as we got onto the road after leaving the place we picked it up from I started whipping the wheel back and forth to show him that nothing will happen. With all of the weight sitting right down over the axle, the trailer and the rear axle of the truck become a wagon. It's all one vehicle.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

With the plate between the rear axles on a twin screw I don't think the front axle and frame would see as much of the load as a single screw where the plate is ahead of the rear axle.

Since I quit tractor pulling and going to plowing days it is about as fast and simpler to just drive them from a to b than it is to mess around with a trailer loading/unloading. The one that is slow (tops out around 8mph) barely weighs 2klbs so it is basically like pulling an empty trailer with a bumper pull. Even then it takes a shy hour to drive it to my parents house.

 

[Downey]

My cousin and I just got done putting a B&W turn over ball in my Ranger last weekend and this weekend I just got done moving His sister in-laws little blazer with it

is this the kit you guys used?

 

[dj8lp8]

I started with the B&W hitch many years ago.I've installed four all on Ford F-350s A very simple installation ... came to less than two hours. Its very easy to remove and nothing left in bed. It works so easily to hitching and unhitching. Even when you return to a spot and the truck is taken to the side, and the trailer is flat, it is very easy to unhook it.I have this setup now for almost 4 years and we have no problems.

 

[Will]

Here's how I did my truck. This is the Curt. The truck is a 6' bed so this hitch barely fits between the tank and the spring hangers. I made the cross pieces out of 1/2" steel and it is bolted in through existing holes in the frame with 9/16" bolts.

 

[Jennayyy]

Here's how I did my truck. This is the Curt. The truck is a 6' bed so this hitch barely fits between the tank and the spring hangers. I made the cross pieces out of 1/2" steel and it is bolted in through existing holes in the frame with 9/16" bolts.

Pictures disappeared anyway you can repost?