How we made this guide: picks and specs come from our catalog and fitment data, owner quotes come from verified reviews and every guide is checked and edited by Trevor Hall.
Both hitches carry the load over the truck's rear axle, so pick by the trailer's coupler: a gooseneck uses a ball in the bed floor, the coupling common on horse, livestock and flatbed trailers; a fifth wheel uses a jaw head that grips a kingpin, the coupling on RV fifth wheel trailers.
Our B&W range covers both: Turnoverball gooseneck kits from $599, plus fifth wheel hitches: Companions for Ford and Ram factory pucks (from $1,199), the rail-mounted Patriot 18K (from $799) and the single-point Companion that fits a Turnoverball socket (from $1,099). The gooseneck is the lower-priced way in here. The Patriot also needs rails, which are sold separately.
Quick answer
Pick a gooseneck if your trailer has a gooseneck coupler or you want the bed clear between trips. Pick a fifth wheel if your trailer has a kingpin. Listed ratings run to 30,000 lb for the Turnoverball and 18,000 to 25,000 lb for the fifth wheels here, but your truck's own ratings come first either way. One truck can run both: the Turnoverball socket takes a single-point Companion fifth wheel hitch.
| Compare | Gooseneck (B&W Turnoverball) | Fifth wheel (B&W Companion and Patriot) |
|---|---|---|
| Trailer connection | Coupler drops over a 2-5/16 inch ball | Kingpin locks into a jaw head |
| Grip hardware | Solid machined ball with a 5/8 inch steel locking pin | 1 inch thick machined wrap-around jaws and a cam-action handle |
| Common trailers | Horse, livestock and flatbed | RV fifth wheel |
| Mounts to | Existing frame holes under the bed | Factory pucks, a Turnoverball socket (single-point Companion) or bed rails (Patriot) |
| Change to the bed | A round hole for the ball plus four small holes for the safety chain U-bolts | None on pucks or beyond the Turnoverball's own holes on a socket; the Patriot's rails stay in the bed |
| Bed between trips | Ball turns over and stows in its receiver | The hitch lifts out: the Companions featured here ship at about 148 to 267 lb and need a second person or a hoist; the Patriot ships at about 138 lb and its rails stay |
| Trailer weight rating | 30,000 lb with the 2-5/16 inch ball | 18,000 lb Patriot 18K, 20,000 lb Companion 20K, 25,000 lb Companion 25K |
| Vertical weight rating | 7,500 lb tongue weight | 4,500, 5,000 and 6,250 lb pin weight on those models |
| Ride hardware | Ball in a socket | Shock absorber plus polyurethane bushings |
| Install | Bolts to existing frame holes with no drilling or welding on the frame; the bed is drilled for the ball and U-bolts | Companion drops into factory pucks; Patriot pins into rails, about 1 to 2 hours once the rails are in |
| Fit check | Kit listed for one truck platform | Factory puck prep, a B&W Turnoverball (single-point Companion) or industry-standard rails |
| From price | F-150 kit $599, Ram kit $599 | Patriot 18K $799, Companion for Ford pucks $1,199, Companion for Ram pucks $1,399 |
What a gooseneck and a fifth wheel share
Both sit in the bed over the rear axle and put their vertical load onto the truck's payload: tongue weight on a gooseneck, pin weight on a fifth wheel. On every hitch here the listed vertical rating is a quarter of the trailer rating, from 7,500 lb on 30,000 lb (Turnoverball) to 4,500 lb on 18,000 lb (Patriot 18K).
What a gooseneck hitch is explains how one works, and the types of trailer hitches sets both against receiver and weight distribution setups. We sell no receiver hitches or loose hitch balls, so this guide compares the bed-mounted B&W trailer hitches we carry.
The trailer's coupler decides the hitch
A gooseneck trailer's coupler drops over a ball; a fifth wheel trailer's kingpin locks into jaws, which is why RV campers use a fifth wheel and not a gooseneck. The table above lists the hardware on each side. The two do not swap unless the trailer is changed, so check what hangs under your trailer's nose first.
Gooseneck for the F-150
B&W Turnoverball Gooseneck Hitch, 2015-2026 Ford F150, 2-5/16" Ball (GNRK1121)
From $599 · Turnoverball kit for 2015 to 2026 F-150s, with a 2-5/16 inch ball included.
Bed space: what stays in the truck
On a Turnoverball the ball turns over and stows inverted in its receiver, and the two spring-loaded safety chain U-bolts sit flush. The permanent changes to the bed are a round hole for the ball and four small holes that take the safety chain U-bolts. One Turnoverball owner on file, from a review set our kit listings share:
“This hitch works great and when not being used turns upside down out of sight leaving your bed open for use.”
B&W Turnoverball Gooseneck Hitch, 2015-2026 Ford F150, 2-5/16" Ball (GNRK1121) owner · 5 out of 5 stars
A Companion on factory pucks uses hardware already in the truck. The Patriot pins into industry-standard rails that stay in the bed when the hitch lifts out. The hitch ships at about 138 lb, and its coupler lifts off the base without tools, which lets you move it in two pieces.
Rail-mounted fifth wheel
From $799 · The rails are sold separately and stay in the bed when the hitch comes out.
Ratings on our listings
Read the table's ratings as ceilings. The Turnoverball's is the higher: 30,000 lb for the trailer and 7,500 lb of tongue weight with the included ball.
Your limit is the smallest rating among the hitch, the pucks or rails under it and the truck. Never exceed the maker's published towing and payload figures for your exact cab, axle and year.
Fifth wheel for Ram pucks
From $1,399 · 25,000 lb and 6,250 lb pin weight, on a Ram 2500 or 3500 with the factory fifth wheel prep package.
Ride: what B&W says and what we can't rank
Which one rides smoother is the question we can answer least. B&W's Companion page says the shock absorber lets the coupler move side to side without slamming while the bushings absorb road roughness. No test data and no owner review on file compares the ride of the two types, so we will not call either one smoother. If feel is your priority, both fifth wheel lines here (Companion and Patriot) list a shock absorber plus polyurethane bushings and the Turnoverball lists neither; if bed space and the higher listed rating matter more, the gooseneck wins.
One Companion owner on file describes their own hitch, which is one owner's report and not a comparison:
“It is very easy to adjust. I get no porpoise effect. Absolutely love the fact that it is removable.”
B&W Companion 25K Fifth Wheel Hitch for Ram Pucks, 25,000 lb GTW, 6,250 lb Pin Weight, Powder Coat (RVK3600) owner · 5 out of 5 stars
Install: what the truck needs
The frame brackets for a Turnoverball go on at holes the truck already has, with no drilling or welding on the frame. The bed still needs a round hole for the ball and four small holes for the safety chain U-bolts, marked from B&W's template or guide. Each kit is listed for one truck platform, some with exclusions, so read the fit table first. How to install a gooseneck hitch covers the tools, steps and cost from B&W's install sheets. Another owner from that review set:
“My husband and adult son installed it and the instructions were excellent.”
B&W Turnoverball Gooseneck Hitch, 2019-2026 Ram 2500 & 3500, 2-5/16" Ball (GNRK1320) owner · 5 out of 5 stars
Three Turnoverball reviews on file put the job at about 1 to 4 hours, and three other reviews mention working around the exhaust (a heat shield, muffler or tailpipe).
A Companion on factory pucks drops into the four pucks, so there is no bed hole and no rails, provided the truck has the factory prep package. Our listings give about 15 to 30 minutes once the pucks are in, with a second person or a hoist. The Patriot needs rails in the bed first; the listing then gives about 1 to 2 hours to assemble and fit, with a socket set and a torque wrench rated to 110 ft-lb. For fifth wheels, how to install a fifth wheel hitch covers pucks and rails.
One owner on file with a 2024 F-350 reports that B&W said the 2024 Ford needed a shim or two and offered to send them, so call B&W if your 2024 Super Duty will not fit.
Fifth wheel for Ford pucks
From $1,199 · Drops into the four factory pucks of a Super Duty with the prep package, no rails needed.
Care differs too: B&W's Turnoverball maintenance video covers greasing the square post, and our fifth wheel listings say to grease the saddle through its grease zerk about every six months and keep the jaws greased.
Short beds and tight turns
On a short bed, a fifth wheel trailer's front corner can swing toward the back of the cab in a tight turn. A sliding base gives the trailer more room: our Companion Sliders for factory pucks on Ram 2500 and 3500, Ford Super Duty, Chevy Silverado HD and GMC Sierra HD trucks each have 12 inches of travel, and the card below is the Ram one. B&W's turning video shows how to measure the room between your trailer's nose and the cab before you buy. A slider base costs more than a fixed one, so measure first.
Slider for Ram short beds
From $1,699 · 12 inches of travel on a Ram 2500 or 3500's factory pucks, for trailers that need more room at the cab.
One truck for both: a Companion in a Turnoverball socket
If you tow a ball-coupler trailer today and might buy a fifth wheel later, start with the gooseneck. According to the Turnoverball listings, its socket takes B&W's single-point fifth wheel hitches, fixed or sliding, so you add a complete hitch whose base post drops into the ball hole, with no rails in the bed and no second hole. Rate the pair by its weakest link: the single-point Companion's 20,000 lb and 5,000 lb of pin weight, not the Turnoverball's 30,000 lb and 7,500 lb, apply while it sits in the socket. The Companion's RVC3006 coupler head also fits B&W's puck-mount Companion bases, so a later truck with factory pucks needs only a new base; one owner on file did exactly that.
Going the other way means changing the trailer. One Turnoverball reviewer on file, on a 2024 F-250 Tremor, converted a 15k lb GVWR fifth wheel RV to a gooseneck and likes not giving up bed space. A conversion alters the coupler and adds the adapter's own rating to the chain. We do not sell trailer adapters, so ask the trailer's maker first.
Gooseneck for Ram 2500 and 3500
B&W Turnoverball Gooseneck Hitch, 2019-2026 Ram 2500 & 3500, 2-5/16" Ball (GNRK1320)
From $599 · Turnoverball kit for 2019 to 2026 trucks (2021 to 2026 need B&W's updated hole template); the socket takes a single-point Companion later.
Fifth wheel hitch for the socket
From $1,099 · Single-point Companion, base and coupler head: 20,000 lb, 5,000 lb pin weight and no rails.
What owners say
The Turnoverball reviews on file are one set of 62 shared across our Turnoverball kit listings, 61 of them five stars. The one 1-star review is from a buyer who ordered a kit for a 2017 Nissan Titan, a truck neither Turnoverball in this guide lists, so check the year, make and model table first.
Our Companion 25K listing carries 33 Companion reviews on file, 30 of them five stars. They span the Companion family. Three owners say a slider suits a short bed and one tells Turnoverball owners who want a fifth wheel to get a Companion. The one 3-star review, filed under another Companion part number, says the handle would not latch to the slide.
“Super easy to hook up and to unhook. No more fighting to pull the handle free!!”
B&W Companion 25K Fifth Wheel Hitch for Ram Pucks, 25,000 lb GTW, 6,250 lb Pin Weight, Powder Coat (RVK3600) owner · 5 out of 5 stars
The Patriot 18K has four reviews on file, all five stars; one says a hole did not line up with their rails.
Which hitch for which trailer
Match the hitch to the trailer first, then to the truck. For gooseneck kits on other trucks, the best gooseneck hitch by truck goes through each one.
| Your trailer and truck | Pick | Why | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Horse, livestock or flatbed trailer with a gooseneck coupler | Turnoverball for your truck | 30,000 lb rating and a bed that clears when the ball stows | $599 |
| RV fifth wheel, Ram 2500 or 3500, Ford Super Duty, Chevy Silverado HD or GMC Sierra HD with factory pucks | Companion on the pucks | Drops in with no bed hole and no rails | Ford $1,199, Ram $1,399 |
| RV fifth wheel on a short bed with factory pucks: Ram 2500 or 3500, Ford Super Duty, Chevy Silverado HD or GMC Sierra HD | Companion Slider for your truck's pucks | 12 inches of travel for turning room | $1,699 |
| RV fifth wheel, no pucks, rails in the bed or planned | Patriot 18K | Rail-mounted, with the rails sold separately | $799 |
| Gooseneck trailer now, fifth wheel maybe later | Turnoverball plus single-point Companion | One socket, no rails and no second hole | $599 plus $1,099 |
Frequently asked questions
Is a gooseneck considered a fifth wheel?
No. A gooseneck couples a ball to the trailer's coupler, while a fifth wheel locks a kingpin into jaws, so a trailer is built for one or the other. They share the spot over the rear axle, and a Turnoverball socket can take a single-point Companion hitch.
Which pulls better, a gooseneck or a fifth wheel?
On the B&W listings the gooseneck has the higher rating: 30,000 lb against 25,000 lb for the strongest fifth wheel in this guide, and your truck's ratings cap both. No test or review on file ranks the ride, so choose the hitch your trailer's coupler fits.
Can you tow a fifth wheel with a gooseneck hitch, and is there an adapter?
Two ways. Bed-side, a single-point Companion in the Turnoverball socket is rated for a 20,000 lb trailer with 5,000 lb of pin weight. Trailer-side, one Turnoverball reviewer on file converted a 15k lb GVWR fifth wheel RV to a gooseneck. We do not sell trailer adapters, so ask the trailer's maker before changing a coupler.
Can you tow a 5th wheel with a regular hitch?
No. A fifth wheel's kingpin needs a fifth wheel hitch in the bed; a receiver hitch or bumper ball cannot couple to it. For bumper pull towing, see gooseneck vs bumper pull.
What size truck do I need to pull a 15,000 lb fifth wheel?
The hitch is not the limit, since every fifth wheel hitch in this guide is rated for 18,000 lb or more. Your truck is, so compare the loaded trailer weight and its pin weight with the maker's towing and payload figures for your exact truck.
Can an F-150 pull a gooseneck horse trailer?
B&W lists a Turnoverball for 2015 to 2026 F-150s with exclusions that include the Tremor, Lightning and Raptor, so match your trim and exhaust to the fit table. Ford's published ratings for your truck decide what it can pull, and the hitch is rated for no more than those, so check the loaded trailer's weight and tongue weight against them first.
Find a hitch for your truck
Related guides
- Types of Trailer Hitches: Receiver, Gooseneck, Fifth Wheel and Weight Distribution
- What Is a Gooseneck Hitch? How It Works, What It Tows and What You Need
- How to Install a Gooseneck Hitch: Tools, Steps and Cost, From B&W's Install Sheets
- Best Gooseneck Hitch: Pick the Right B&W Turnoverball Kit for Your Truck