When hitting the open road with your travel trailer in tow, your hitch type can significantly impact your towing experience. Travel trailers come with either a “bumper pull” hitch design or a fifth-wheel hitch design. Both have advantages and disadvantages, but many trailer owners feel the fifth wheel is the preferred method.

However, not all trucks have a fifth-wheel hitch in the bed which takes up a lot of space. But, many do have a gooseneck ball. The gooseneck hitch has gained popularity among RVers due to its unique advantages, including improved maneuverability and ease of use over a fifth-wheel hitch.

But what if you already have a bumper pull trailer? Can you get the benefits of a fifth-wheel or gooseneck connection? Yes, yes you can. BP Conversions, LLC has made this possible and easy with their bumper pull gooseneck conversion hitch. These converters work by bolting to your tagalong trailer’s tongue and latching to its ball hitch for a sturdy connection. Once mounted to your trailer, the BP Conversions hitch reaches up and over to connect to your truck’s gooseneck ball in the bed of your truck.

“The hitch can be installed in as little as 45 minutes,” says Mike Blaschke of BP Conversions.

But before you consider the gooseneck conversion, it’s crucial to ensure your travel trailer is compatible with the bumper pull converter kit. It’s designed to fit a 50-degree tow bar or a tongue. If your trailer differs from this standard, you may still use the bumper pull converter. However, you’ll have to custom-fit it to your trailer’s tongue. You’ll also need to ensure the bumper pull converter can safely tow your trailer weight, as the BP converter adds a total of 350 pounds to the front of your trailer and the gooseneck coupler is rated at 20,000 pounds.

According to Blaschke, “if you are pulling a trailer that is longer than 36 feet, we do recommend adding the frame reinforcing kit.”

The Benefits Of The Gooseneck Conversion Hitch

Converting to a gooseneck hitch offers multiple advantages that can enhance your overall towing experience. Let’s look at why you might consider switching to a gooseneck hitch.

Better Weight Distribution

Like a fifth-wheel hitch, the positioning of the gooseneck ball over the rear axle in the truck bed significantly improves weight distribution. When connecting the hitching point directly over the rear axle, it distributes more weight to the front wheels. This allows hauling more weight than bumper pull hitches, so you can tow a larger trailer and hold more cargo.

Moving Is Easier

Because the pivot point of a gooseneck hitch is over the truck’s axle, gooseneck hitches allow for sharper turns and more precise maneuvering. It can also be helpful when backing up, as you’ll have more control over which direction your trailer turns. However, if you’re used to bumper pull hitches, it may take some time to get used to maneuvering with a gooseneck hitch. Once you get the hang of your gooseneck hitch, however, you’ll realize how much easier towing can be with this hitch type.

Increased Stability With The Gooseneck Hitch Conversion

Trailer sway is not something you’ll have to worry about with a gooseneck hitch. The direct connection between the truck and the trailer leads to increased stability on the road; meaning little to no trailer sway and an overall smoother ride. This alone is a reason to add the BP Conversions gooseneck conversion.

Finally, installing is relatively straightforward. All you do is mount the brackets onto the tongue and pin it. Then, push up to lock the ball into place on the receiver hitch. After this, you’ll be ready to connect your trailer’s wire harness to the converter. Finally, latch the bumper pull converter to the gooseneck hitch in your truck, and you’ll be good to go.