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Gooseneck Trailer Adapters: How They Work

If you own a fifth wheel RV and a gooseneck trailer, you usually have to swap hardware every time you switch loads. PullRite's gooseneck adapters end that. The same hitch that pulls your fifth wheel will pull your gooseneck trailer, and the switch takes minutes instead of a tear-down in the bed.

Start With the Hitch: Single Point Hitches

PullRite's Single Point hitches are dual-articulating fifth wheel hitches that mount straight to your truck's OE (factory, original-equipment) puck system or to any frame-mounted gooseneck hitch with a 2-5/16" ball. The base is built from high-grade American steel, so it runs lighter than a comparable hitch while staying stronger than aluminum.

The base offset is adjustable. Most gooseneck balls sit several inches forward of the axle, which pushes the hitch point toward the cab. The adjustable offset pulls the connection point back, away from the cab, and the hitch offers multiple height settings for extra bed-side clearance. The #2600 SuperLite and the #3900 Super 5th are the two Single Point models, and their rearward offset is the largest in the industry.

Bed Saver Rails Protect Your Truck

Every Single Point hitch rocks forward and back as you stop and start. Left unchecked, that motion wears on your bed over time. PullRite Bed Saver Rails take the hit instead. They aren't welded to the hitch base, so they lie flat against the bed as the hitch moves. We undercoat them with a bed-liner material that fights corrosion on aluminum beds and helps keep the hitch from rotating. Fewer moving parts also means a quieter ride, and the #2600 is especially quiet on the road.

Switch Between Your Gooseneck Trailer and RV With One System

The optional gooseneck adapters are what let one hitch do both jobs. Each adapter raises the gooseneck ball mounting point up off the floor of your bed and into your line of sight, so you can see it from the driver's seat during hookup. Both fit a standard 4" diameter round gooseneck coupler and come off with pins and clips when you don't need them.

#4443 20K SuperLite Adapter

#4443 SuperLite Gooseneck Adapter
#4443 SuperLite Gooseneck Adapter

The #4443 works with any SuperLite hitch, including the #2400 Four Point rail-mounted model and the #2600 Single Point. It puts the ball and a funneled receiver in plain sight from the cab, so you line up and latch without climbing in and out of the bed. No more swapping hardware to go from gooseneck trailer to fifth wheel RV. Its rating is 20,000 lbs GTW (gross trailer weight).

#4424 30K SuperGlide / Super 5th Adapter

#4424 Horse Trailer Adapter
#4424 Horse Trailer Adapter

The #4424 gives you the same hands-down-easy hookup, but it connects to a hitch head instead of a ball, and it carries a 30,000 lbs GTW rating. It uses a removable capture wedge (also called the isolation wedge) and works with all ISR (Industry Standard Rails) Series Super 5th hitches and the #3900 Single Point Super 5th.

How you set it up depends on your hitch:

  • With a fixed Super 5th hitch (any Super 5th model, including the #3900 Single Point): remove the isolation wedge, then hitch up and tow like a standard fifth wheel.
  • With a SuperGlide hitch: add the isolation wedge to get up to a 90° turn. SuperGlide is built for towing in a short bed truck, and that turning range is a real advantage with horse trailers that have extended living quarters.

Why the King Pin Sits Behind the Gooseneck Ball

Nearly all gooseneck hitches are mounted so the ball sits several inches forward of the center of the axle. That's fine in a long bed, but in a short bed truck it can put the trailer too close to the cab. Any Single Point hitch used on a short bed has to reposition the king pin farther back to keep the trailer clear of the cab.

That's where PullRite's offset earns its keep. The #2600 and #3900 already lead the industry on rearward offset. If you're towing a fifth wheel trailer with the #2600 SuperLite, add the King Pin Adapter for even more, up to nearly 8" of offset overall.

The Gooseneck Ball: Locking, Cam-Action, Corrosion-Resistant

The gooseneck ball is the single connection between your truck and trailer, so it shouldn't be an afterthought. PullRite makes a locking, cam-action, corrosion-resistant gooseneck ball, and we machine it at our factory in Indiana out of high-grade material with tight tolerances. The #3900 Single Point Super 5th works with all popular 2-5/16" gooseneck balls, but our OE Series ball is built to a higher standard.

#4436 PullRite Cam-action Gooseneck Ball

The difference is where the locking mechanism lives. Many gooseneck balls put the lock on top, exposed to dirt and moisture. Over time that means binding, discoloration of plastic parts, water working into the mechanism, and rust. Our locking mechanism is sealed inside the ball housing. One turn of the ball locks it, with no tabs to lift and nothing to bind. When you want more security on the road, swap the pin and clip for a padlock.

Which Setup Is Right for You

If you tow both a gooseneck trailer and a fifth wheel RV, the adapter you need follows your hitch. Run a SuperLite hitch and pick the #4443. Run a SuperGlide or Super 5th and pick the #4424. Either way you keep one hitch, one system, and a clear view of the ball every time you back up.