NC Hauler
Asheville NC
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Eugarps wrote:All,
Just to add a bit more food for though. Logically the stresses to the pin box are applied primarily during acceleration and deceleration. That would include 'chucking' while running down the road and accidents like running over curbs, speed bumps, and parking lot bumpers, not to mention washboard roads.
Because of my situation with my 2007 Tundra Double Cab 6.5' box truck not having an under bed FWH mounting system available, I have looked at various GNAs. The only on I've found that has an internal mechanism to mitigate some of the fore and aft motion on the GN ball is the Star Performer GNA. Inside the box on the adapter, is a system much like your grandmother's glider rocker. It allows enough back and forth motion to damp the shock of acceleration deceleration and chucking. The sudden inputs to the end of the GNA "lever" are mitigated.
The system was invented to keep horses from receiving sudden back and forth shocks, while being transported in gooseneck trailers. I know of a number of ranchers whose "chuck wagon" is a SMALL fiver and it's hauled to wherever the stock work is being done using a GNA and the same GN that's used in hauling the stock traler.
Food for thought. Not stirring the pot. I'm simply stating that someone recognizes and has invented somewhat of a solution to a problem they recognize as existent.
Thus, this is a neutral post from an engineer seeking a solution to his problem. I want to be able to use the bed of my truck.
Bill
A neutral post is great..from one engineer to another, "IF" I had a question about whether or not to use an "improved" GN hitch, again, I'd run it by the manufacturer of the 5er and see what they say. It very well may be that they allow for a GN with this type of modification. Most people in here want the use of their entire bed, including me, thus the reason I did so much research on this topic. I was just too dumb to buy a 5er that the manufacturer didn't mind you towing it with a GN hitch....and I'm not a gambler. Thus another reason I purchased a truck with an 8' bed, and I still have to take the hitch out if I want to use the entire bed for transporting something..an inconvience to say the least, but I am using the proper equipment to tow my 5er with.
On other comment, "chucking"...it's something that I haven't had to deal with in quite sometime...even when "taking off" or coming to a sudden stop...seems the more level your load is, the less chucking that seems to occur..could be wrong, but seems to be the rule in my case.
Jim & Kathy
07.5 Chevy K3500DRW/CC/LB/LMM/D/A/6speed/ LTZ,Prodigy,Reese 20K Ht.
08 Jeep Liberty Sport Trail Rated
06 HR Presidential Suite 37RLQ 4 slide,
Boxers;Buddy& Sheba II
USAF 71-75 Nam Vet
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Eugarps
Hagerstown, MD
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Jim,
You make a good point and I've yet to find an RV manufacturer who will say their pin box will work with a GNA. Unfortunately, no one makes an FWH with a system like Reese or PullRite uses with their hitches for my truck. The Reese Power Puck or PullRite SuperRail does not exist for the '07-'10 Tundra Double Cab 4x4 with the most common 6.5' box. Reese makes their Signature Series for the rare long box Tundra and PullRite makes their SuperHitch below bed rail system for the Tundra CrewMax with the rare 5.8' bed. I guess neither company decided to bother with Toyota.
Oh well, there's always a small Truck Camper that will work and I can pull a boat! 
Best,
Bill
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NC Hauler
Asheville NC
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Eugarps wrote:Jim,
You make a good point and I've yet to find an RV manufacturer who will say their pin box will work with a GNA. Unfortunately, no one makes an FWH with a system like Reese or PullRite uses with their hitches for my truck. The Reese Power Puck or PullRite SuperRail does not exist for the '07-'10 Tundra Double Cab 4x4 with the most common 6.5' box. Reese makes their Signature Series for the rare long box Tundra and PullRite makes their SuperHitch below bed rail system for the Tundra CrewMax with the rare 5.8' bed. I guess neither company decided to bother with Toyota.
Oh well, there's always a small Truck Camper that will work and I can pull a boat!
Best,
Bill
Hang in there Bill, if there is a buck to be made, someone will surely come up with an application for the Toyota Tundra CrewMax. The Toyota is a popular truck, even with a 5.8' bed, someone, somewhere, you'd think will come up with something that will work on your truck to tow a 5er with. Also, as you've probably already seen, some are towing with GN hitches, whether it's recommended or not, the flip side is, maybe nothing will happen to the 5er and you'll be fine towing with a GN hitch.
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Eugarps
Hagerstown, MD
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NC Hauler,
I probably didn't make myself clear: Manufacturers DO make below bed hitches for the 8' bed and 5'-8" bed BUT NOT for the most common 6'-6" bed. I can't figure it out. I would think the bucks would be made with the most common bed length. One of the manufacturers (who will remain nameless) stated that the couldn't figure out a way to make it work.... HUH? This is America! Our engineers can do anything!
I'll keep looking. Thanks for your help.
Bill
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mowermech
Billings, MT
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If I want a "clean bed" in my truck, for whatever reason, it takes me all of 10 minutes to remove the four 5/8 bolts that hold the rails to the bed, and remove the rails. Then, when I am ready to re-install the 5er hitch, it takes 10 to 15 minutes, start to finish, to have the whole thing back in and be ready to tow.
I think a half hour once or twice a year is no big thing
But, from the posts on here about the "inconvenience" of various things, it is obvious that to some folks ANYTHING that takes more than a minute or two is just too much trouble. So be it, that is their opinion, to which they are certainly entitled.
To me, a half hour once or twice a year, to save several hundred dollars, is well worth it.
CM1, USN (RET)
'94 Dodge 3500 4X2 CTD, 5 speed, 4.10 LS diff., Jacobs Rambrake, 274,000 Miles
'99 Monaco McKenzie 32' triple slide
'95 Tioga 29H Ford-based Class C
Daily driver: '08 Subaru Outback
Towed: '06 Jeep Rubicon Unlimited/Load Trail 16' flatbed
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NC Hauler
Asheville NC
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mowermech wrote:If I want a "clean bed" in my truck, for whatever reason, it takes me all of 10 minutes to remove the four 5/8 bolts that hold the rails to the bed, and remove the rails. Then, when I am ready to re-install the 5er hitch, it takes 10 to 15 minutes, start to finish, to have the whole thing back in and be ready to tow.
I think a half hour once or twice a year is no big thing
But, from the posts on here about the "inconvenience" of various things, it is obvious that to some folks ANYTHING that takes more than a minute or two is just too much trouble. So be it, that is their opinion, to which they are certainly entitled.
To me, a half hour once or twice a year, to save several hundred dollars, is well worth it.
Agreed. It takes me about 10-15 minutes to get mine out of the bed of my truck about the same amount of time to put it back in, really no big deal, sometimes I don't remove it all, just depends on if I need the entire bed of my truck for anything in particular.
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Eugarps
Hagerstown, MD
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mowermech,
Really? Ten minutes? I thought it took lots longer. I suppose the fittings under the bed stay in place?
Bill
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Endricken
Alabama
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Joined: 06/04/2006
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I've used the Star Performance Gooseneck Adapter for 4000 miles now.
It has a slight offset.
The rotating ball in the bed and the Adapter are both rated for many more lbs than my 12.3Klbs Fiver weighs.
However, despite the Star Performance glider motion that is almost always effective, I do occasionally encounter very mild "chucking" on particularly nasty washboard/bumps that sneak up on me on the interstates (like I-10) before I can react/slow down (I've learned to go slower on old concrete!). The glider does not have an unlimited range of motion and must be lubed every 2000 miles.
At this point I conclude its as good or better than any standard, limited degree of motion Fiver Hitch. And having a free 8' bed without having to store a hitch somewhere has certainly been a benefit.
IMHO
Retired USAF
Silver 05 Dodge RAM LB CTD Duallie 4Speed Auto SWD 3.73, Westin Sportsman Grill & Taillight Guards, Bully steps, Husky Mudguards, Retractable Ball Hitch, Star Performance Gooseneck Adapter, 05 Keystone Montana Big Sky 3670
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NC Hauler
Asheville NC
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Eugarps wrote:mowermech,
Really? Ten minutes? I thought it took lots longer. I suppose the fittings under the bed stay in place?
Bill
10 to 15 minutes, the plates that are bolted to the frame stay in place. The way I take mine out, I've still got the two rails in place, they're really not in the way of anything, least as far as I'm concerned they aren't. You can actually take the rails out if you need to, but again, they're not in the way of anything I use my truck bed for...
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Eugarps
Hagerstown, MD
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NCH,
I do need the bed to be flat, because I haul pallets of food to local churches for the local food bank. The pallets are slid onto my truck using a tow motor. Two rails in the bed would cause serious problems.
Thanks,
Bill
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