When hauling a heavy trailer, it is a good idea to utilize the extra heft of the gooseneck hitch. As a low-cost, versatile solution to pulling large loads (even over rough terrain) the gooseneck hitch is hard to beat.

However, choosing the best gooseneck hitch for the job can be tricky. There are a number of different brands and products available.

That’s where we aim to help. Below we have put 5 quality market leaders through their paces. For our findings at a glance just head to the table below.

For in-depth reviews of each hitch plus a dedicated buyers guide, keep on reading.

Best Gooseneck Hitch – Top 5 Picks

NAME	HITCH	DETAILS
TOP PICK:CURT 16055 BentPlate, 5th WheelRail GooseneckHitch		Mounts to allindustry-standard5th wheel rails	CHECK ON AMAZON
B&W Trailer Hitches 1111 Gooseneck Hitch		Check Model No.for vehicleCompatibility	CHECK ON AMAZON
Reese Towpower58079 GooseneckBase Assembly		Fits withoutcutting the truckbed forgooseneck ball	CHECK ON AMAZON
Draw-Tite 9460-48Hide-A-GooseComplete Kitfor Ford		Accommodates allsuspensions withno alteration ofOE exhaust	CHECK ON AMAZON
Husky 31368GooseneckHitch		Fits onto the railsystem of aHusky fifth wheelassembly	CHECK ON AMAZON

What exactly is a gooseneck hitch?

The gooseneck hitch is a Class V hitch (and a cheaper, more robust alternative to the fifth wheel hitch) that is designed to tolerate heavy trailer loads over long distances.

These powerful hitches are attached through the bed of a truck, (rather than hang off the end), providing the driver with easier turning ability as well as that extra load bearing capability.

The design of the hitch also means that movement can be made over 4 different planes; ideal for challenging terrain.

Gooseneck hitches are mostly used for livestock trailers and flatbeds. The ride is far from smooth, however being a good fit for any oversized trailer, their durability means they remain as popular as ever.

Why Use a Gooseneck?

The main reason you should use a gooseneck stems from the fact they are simple, tough, and can haul almost anything.

Another practical benefit is the speed at which the ball can be removed. This allows very fast access to the back of your truck; something that is important if you’re hauling on a daily basis.

The best gooseneck hitches are some of the strongest towing hitches you can buy. It is not unusual to find a towing rate of over 30,000lbs. The only variable holding you back will be the towing power of your tow vehicle.

Overall, the gooseneck hitch is a heavy-duty towing option that is cheap, reliable, and easy to use.

What to Look For when buying a gooseneck hitch?

When looking to buy the best gooseneck hitch there are a number of factors to consider.

Let’s take a look at a few of them now.

Towing Capacity

Essentially, all gooseneck hitches can tow a heavy load; however, those numbers do vary. If you’re going to be hauling large horseboxes around you will need a hitch at the top end of the tow capacity spectrum. If you’re looking to tow a couple of track bikes on a utility trailer, you will not need all that strength.

Think about your normal towing applications and consider the size of the hitch to buy.

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Installation

One of the most important aspects when buying a new hitch is the installation type. We’ll go into more detail below of the different kinds of gooseneck hitch available, however, whichever type you go for, you need to ensure that it will be nice and easy to install.

It’s no good purchasing a unit that requires you to go out and buy a track saw in order to install the mount.

For that reason, non of the gooseneck hitches in our top 5 need power tool saws for installation. Read the small print on anything you buy all the same.

Under the bed hitches

Under the bed hitches are a good option for those that do not haul every day,

They allow you to use the bed of your truck when required and are designed so that you can disengage the ball fast and efficiently.

Hide a Goose hitches

The Hide-a-Goose hitch is a development over the traditional hitch that incorporates an electronic mechanism to conveniently tuck the hitch away when not in use.

They obviously cost more, however, if you’re often switching back and forth in your need for the hitch, they are definitely worth the extra outlay.

Rail-mounted hitches

The rail mounted hitch is an excellent option for those who haul different types of loads every day. The gooseneck can be used for the heavy-duty stuff and then when you need to switch over to the 5^th wheel trailer for a more comfortable ride, the hitch can accommodate the change with ease.

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Gooseneck Hitches Reviewed

As we have already covered, if you’re looking for a great, cheap way to haul large loads, the gooseneck hitch is the way to go.

With so many choices available it can be difficult to pull the trigger on a purchase. Our top 5 reviews should help you there. Here’s an in-depth look at 5 of the best gooseneck hitches updated for 2021.

1. TOP PICK: CURT-16055 Bent Plate Gooseneck Hitch

The CURT 16055 is a fixed ball gooseneck hitch that features a bent plate onto which the hitch ball is securely welded.

It is a versatile gooseneck hitch, which is also categorized as a 5th-wheel rail gooseneck hitch.

It is designed and manufactured by Curt Manufacturing, a U.S-based leading manufacturer of high-quality, heavy-duty gooseneck hitches and fifth-wheel hitches.

The CURT 16055 is described as versatile because it can be mounted on fifth wheel brackets and rail assembly. A fifth wheel is a towing hitch that uses a kingpin alongside its coupler to tow trailers.

As we explained in the buyer’s guide above, fifth wheel hitches are reliable, multi-utility hitches that support heavy-duty towing. However, a fifth wheel hitch cannot properly tow a gooseneck trailer.

It is here that the CURT 16055 hitch comes into its own. The adaptor allows for your 5th wheel set up to easily tow a gooseneck trailer.

The CURT is a lightweight, strong, and durable gooseneck hitch assembly that weighs about 8 ounces. Its plate measures 24 inches in length and 14 inches wide.

The plate is raised upwards length-wise at its central section so as to create a central upraised column that smoothly descends, or tapers, into a flat plate on either side.

Therefore, when one looks at the cross-section of this gooseneck hitch assembly, the central part appears to have been bent upwards from a flattened configuration, hence its description as a bent-plate gooseneck hitch.

The 2.3-inch hitch ball is welded onto the central column. The overall height of this gooseneck hitch assembly is 8 inches.

The gooseneck plate of the CURT 16055 features four pins which are fixed at the underside of the four corners of the plate.

These pins support the four-pin installation of the plate into the two parallel rails of a fifth-wheel hitch assembly. Two pins fit snugly into the corresponding pin slots in each rail.

Moreover, each of the four pins has a hole, and when the pins are fitted into the rails, their lower ends protrude beneath the rails and the protruding sections feature a hole, and securing clips fitted into the rails pass through these pinholes hence securing the entire plate onto the fifth-wheel rail assembly.

Because the CURT 16055 can fit into the rail assembly of a fifth wheel hitch, it is considered as a gooseneck adapter that is designed to fit into a fifth wheel assembly.

A unique advantage of CURT 16055 is that it can be mounted into any industry-standard fifth-wheel rails.

Onto its plate is welded the trailer ball along with a 3-inch rearward offset.

Also, there is a slot near the right edge, and another one near the left edge; and these 2 slots serve as built-in attachment slots for safety chains.

This means that safety chains can be securely attached to the plate, and this offers an additional layer of protection in case the hitch ball breaks as the safety chains would continue to hold the gooseneck trailer in position.

This gooseneck adapter can easily be detached from the fifth-wheel rail assembly. This is done by unlocking the clips which allow the pins of the plates to be easily pulled off their rail slots. This way, the gooseneck plate assembly is completely removed from the fifth-wheel rails.

The CURT 16055 has a trailer weight capacity of 11.3 tonnes (25,000 pounds), while its tongue can tow a trailer weight capacity of 2.8 tonnes (6,250 pounds).

Trailer weight capacity is the total weight that can be supported by the plate of this hitch assembly.

The tongue capacity is the gross trailer weight that can be pulled by the hitch ball alone, with no underlying plate assembly bearing no weight at all.

Its hitch ball assembly allows for the towing of industrial equipment haulers, gravity boxes, chopper boxes, and livestock trailers among other tow-able vehicles. Generally, the entire hitch-ball and plate assembly support heavy-duty towing.

CURT 16055 features a highly-durable and glossy protective finishing made using a carbide powder coat. This gooseneck hitch is black in color.

The protective finishing makes the gooseneck hitch rust-resistant and scratch-resistant while protecting the plate and hitch ball assembly from damage by ultra-violet (UV)rays.

Another great bonus is the fact Curt Manufacturing offers a 7-year warranty for the CURT 16055.

Bottom-line

The CURT 16055 is a durable and well-designed fixed ball gooseneck hitch whose hitch-ball is securely welded onto a bent plate, and the entire hitch assembly can handle a gross trailer weight of 11.3 tonnes.

Likewise, the user benefits from a tongue capacity of 2.8 tonnes, which allows this gooseneck hitch to operate as a multi-utility hitch tow for trailers.

The exceptionally high performance-to-cost ratio, quality design, durability, and 7-year warranty of the CURT makes it the best gooseneck hitch in our review roundup.

2. B&W Trailer Hitches 1111 Gooseneck Hitch

The Trailer-Hitches 1111 is an under-bed gooseneck hitch that has a fixed hitch ball. It is designed and manufactured by B&W Hitches, a U.S-based company.

This gooseneck hitch features a strong, and durable gooseneck hitch assembly that weighs about 92.2 pounds. It is therefore quite heavy when compared to the CURT 16055.

This hitch assembly is made up of a plate assembly that is fitted onto a rail system.

The length of the plate assembly is 28 inches while its width is 9 inches. Onto this plate is fitted a trailer ball assembly.

The trailer ball assembly is made up of a 2 5/16 inches solid hitch ball that has been machined into the underlying plate. The hitch ball is powder coated with a durable rust-resistant and scratch-resistant material.

At the ends of the rail system are attached two end plates (one in each end) that allow the hitch to be securely bolted into the chassis frame of your flatbed truck.

This means that when installing this gooseneck hitch, the pickup bed is lifted off the chassis so that the chassis frame can be accessed.

Thereafter, the right location on the chassis frame is selected, and the entire hitch assembly slid into that spot.

The endplates of the rail system prevent the hitch assembly from moving along the chassis frame.

Into each end plate are four slots that allow bolts to pass through. This allows the endplates to be bolted securely onto the chassis frame.

It is advisable for the truck owner to seek professional assistance when installing this gooseneck hitch onto the chassis frame, as some aspects of the installation procedure, such as positioning and creating bolt holes in the chassis frame can be difficult, especially for a novice truck owner.

The positioning of this hitch is important, as one wants the gooseneck trailer to rest at the center of the flatbed so as to ensure that the weight of the trailer being towed is properly distributed across the chassis frame.

Once the hitch assembly is fitted onto the chassis frame, a hole needs to be drilled onto the flatbed. The hitch ball will pass through this hole.

A unique advantage of this gooseneck hitch is that one only needs to drill a single 4-inch diameter hole into the flatbed.

Once a properly-positioned 4-inch hole is made in the flatbed, the pickup bed can be mounted onto its chassis, and one has a fully-functional gooseneck hitch assembly.

It is rather evident that Trailer-Hitches 1111 can be mounted easily into any strong pickup truck.

The hitch ball is securely held in place by a 5/8-inch spring-loaded steel locking pin. This locking pin is attached to a flexible latch pin-handle.

The Trailer-Hitches 1111 gooseneck hitch has a trailer weight capacity of 13.6 tonnes (30,000 pounds), while its tongue can tow a trailer weight capacity of 3.4 tonnes (7,500 pounds).

This excellent gooseneck hitch also benefits from a limited lifetime warranty.

Bottom-line

The Trailer-Hitches 1111 is a durable and well-designed under-bed gooseneck hitch that has a fixed hitch ball.

It can be easily mounted onto the chassis of a flatbed, and the entire hitch assembly can handle a gross trailer weight of 13.6 tonnes.

The user also benefits from a tongue capacity of 3.4 tonnes, which makes this a multi-utility gooseneck hitch for trailers. Highly recommended.

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3. Reese Towpower 58079 gooseneck hitch

This is a gooseneck base assembly designed to be fitted onto the rail system of a fifth wheel assembly. This base assembly features a fixed ball gooseneck hitch that is fitted onto a curved and raised plate assembly.

The hitch resembles the CURT 16055 as it fits onto a pre-existing fifth-wheel hitch assembly. The 58079 is designed and manufactured by Reese.

Just like the CURT 16055, the Reese Towpower is also described as a versatile hitch because it can be mounted on fifth wheel brackets and rail assembly.

The Reese is a portable, strong, and durable gooseneck hitch assembly that weighs about 42 pounds.

This makes it quite a heavy base assembly as compared to the CURT 16055, but it can still be lifted and mounted onto the fifth-wheel rail system by a single person.

Even so, it is recommended that one uses specialized lifting tools to mount and dismount this gooseneck base assembly from a fifth-wheel rail system.

The reason for this is that the size and 42- pound weight of this base assembly can exert a lot of strain on the back of the person lifting it, hence causing back injuries.

The plate of measures 25.2 inches in length and its width is 15.5 inches. The plate is gently raised upwards from the edges to create a raised curved plate. At its center is fitted a hitch ball that measures 2 5/16 inches.

The curved design of the plate allows the weight on the hitch ball to be properly distributed across the entire plate, and then onwards onto the rail systems of the fifth-wheel assembly.

This ensures that each of the two parallel rails bears an equal amount of weight. The overall height of this gooseneck hitch assembly is 8 inches.

The gooseneck plate of Reese Towpower 58079 features four pins which are fixed at the underside of the four corners of the plate.

These pins support the four-pin installation of the plate into the two parallel rails of a fifth-wheel hitch assembly. Each of these four pins can be secured onto the rails by clips.

The Reese Towpower can be mounted into any industry-standard fifth-wheel rails.

The unit has a trailer weight capacity of 11.3 tonnes (25,000 pounds), while its tongue can tow a trailer weight capacity of 2.8 tonnes (6,250 pounds).

This base assembly features a highly-durable and glossy protective finishing. The protective finishing allows this base assembly to be rust-resistant and scratch-resistant.

Bottom-line

The Reese Towpower 58079 is a durable and well-constructed gooseneck base assembly designed to be fitted onto the rail system of a fifth wheel assembly.

This base assembly features a fixed ball gooseneck hitch that is fitted onto a curved and raised plate assembly. The entire hitch assembly can handle a gross trailer weight of 11.3 tonnes while its tongue capacity of 2.8 tonnes.

4. Draw-Tite 9460-48 Gooseneck Hitch

The Draw-Tite 9460-48 is a complete under-bed gooseneck hitch assembly. It belongs to the Hide-A-Goose series of gooseneck hitched designed and made by Draw-Tite.

This model is specially designed for use with Ford flatbed trucks.

The Draw-Tite 9460-48 is a strong, and durable gooseneck hitch assembly that weighs about 110.8 pounds.

It is quite heavy as compared to the B & W Trailer-Hitches 1111, which is also a complete hitch assembly.

Just like the B & W Trailer-Hitches 1111, this hitch assembly is made up of a plate assembly that is fitted onto a rail system.

The length of the plate assembly is 45 inches while its width is 25 inches. Onto this plate is fitted a trailer ball assembly.

The trailer ball assembly is made up of a 2 5/16 inches solid hitch ball that has been machined into the underlying plate.

The hitch ball cannot be folded down, but once this hitch assembly is installed into a pick-up truck, the hitch ball can be covered by a magnetic cover, and this allows the truck owner to use the flatbed space for hauling cargoes.

The hitch ball is also chrome-plated with a durable rust-resistant and scratch-resistant material.

However, unlike the B & W Trailer-Hitches 1111 which has end plates attached to its rail system, the ends of the rail system of the 9460-48 are curved into end-plates which allow this hitch to be securely bolted into the chassis frame of the flatbed truck.

When installing the assembly, the pickup needs to be lifted off the chassis so that the hitch can be fitted onto the chassis frame.

Afterward, the hitch assembly is slid into an appropriate location on the chassis frame, and its end plates bolted onto the chassis. The endplates have slots for bolts to go through.

It is still advisable for the truck owner to seek professional assistance when installing this gooseneck hitch onto the chassis frame, as some stages of the installation procedure, such as positioning and creating bolt holes in the chassis frame can be difficult.

Just like the B & W Trailer-Hitches 1111, the Draw-Tite needs to positioned properly on the chassis. This will ensure that the weight of the trailer being towed is properly distributed across the chassis frame.

Once the hitch assembly is fitted onto the chassis frame, a hole needs to be drilled onto the flatbed so that the hitch ball can protrude through.

This requires one to drill a single 3.5-inch diameter hole into the flatbed.

After this is done, the pickup bed can be mounted onto its chassis.

This particular Draw-Tite model can be mounted easily into any Ford pickup truck, (check the Amazon sales page for different vehicle configurations).

Finally, the gooseneck hitch has a trailer weight capacity of 13.6 tonnes (30,000 pounds), while its tongue can tow a trailer weight capacity of 3.4 tonnes (7,500 pounds).

Bottom-line

The Draw-Tite 9460-48 is a durable and well-constructed complete under-bed gooseneck hitch assembly that features a fixed hitch ball.

It can be easily mounted onto the chassis of a flatbed, and the entire hitch assembly can handle a gross trailer weight of 13.6 tonnes, and its tongue capacity is 3.4 tonnes, which makes this a multi-utility gooseneck hitch for trailers.

5. Husky-31368 Gooseneck Hitch

The Husky 31368 is a gooseneck base assembly designed to be fitted onto the rail system of a Husky fifth wheel assembly.

This base assembly features a fixed ball gooseneck hitch that is fitted onto a bent plate assembly.

This gooseneck hitch resembles the CURT 16055 in terms of plate design and montage onto a pre-existing fifth-wheel hitch assembly. The hitch is designed and manufactured by Husky.

Just like the CURT 16055 and the Reese Towpower, the Husky 31368 is regarded as a versatile hitch because it can be mounted on fifth wheel brackets and rail assembly.

However, unlike the other two gooseneck base assemblies, the Husky 31368 is specially designed to fit into fifth-wheel assemblies built by Husky.

The hitch is a portable, strong, and durable assembly system that weighs about 42 pounds. This makes it quite a heavy base assembly when compared to CURT 16055, but it can still be lifted and mounted onto the fifth-wheel rail system by one person.

However, the advice offered for mounting and dismounting the Reese Towpower 58079 base assembly applies here too.

To avoid back injuries, the person handling, mounting, or dismounting the Husky 31368 base assembly is advised to use specialized lifting tools to perform these functions.

The plate of Husky 31368 measures 25.1 inches in length and its width is 14.9 inches. Just like the CURT the plate of the Husky features a bent-plate design.

It is onto the central column of this bent-plate that is fitted a hitch ball that measures 2 5/16 inches. The overall height of the entire Husky 31368 plate assembly is 7.3 inches.

Just like the base assemblies of the other 5th wheel hitch adaptors reviewed above, the plate assembly of the Husky 31368 features four pins that are fixed at the underside of its four corners.

These pins support the four-pin installation of the plate into the two parallel rails of a fifth-wheel hitch assembly.

Each of these four pins can be secured onto the rails by clips.

Also, the plate assembly has 2 slots located near the edges, and these slots serve as built-in attachment slots for safety chains. This offers an additional layer of protection should the hitch ball break.

Finally, Husky 31368 has a trailer weight capacity of 11.3 tonnes (25,000 pounds), while its tongue can tow a trailer weight capacity of 2.8 tonnes (6,250 pounds).

Bottom-line

The Husky 31368 is a durable and well-constructed gooseneck base assembly designed to be fitted onto the rail system of a Husky fifth wheel assembly.

This base assembly features a fixed ball gooseneck hitch that is fitted onto a bent-plate assembly. The entire hitch assembly can handle a gross trailer weight of 11.3 tonnes while its tongue capacity of 2.8 tonnes.

Image Credits: Powerstroke.org, RV upgrade Store