Are the 5.0 sides tapered in at front?

[GregWCIL]

Although the B&W gooseneck/Anderson 3220 converter aren’t my first choice engineering-wise, this combo checks all the right boxes related to dimensions and clearance.
I only have one dimension that doesn’t make sense:
On my 6.5 box Chevy the Anderson ball calculates at approximately 42 inches behind the cab. Escape towing guide says 41.5 or more should allow 90 degree turns. But if the 5.0 is 7’4” wide, half of that is 44 inches and thus would hit.
Can anyone measure the wide point at the seam at the front to check this, please. Our trailer is about a year out and I have none real close to measure.

Thanks. This forum is a goldmine of information.

Greg in west central Illinois

Ps. Has anyone installed the B&W turnover ball on a ‘20 or ‘21 Chevy or GMC 1500 diesel? Any problems with the DEF tank or other things?

[Jim Bennett]

The nose does taper in a bit along the loft. I have measured it before but forget exactly what it is, but it is close to 4".

With the 6.5' box of my F-150 I have no issue turning 90° with the Anderson Ultimate gooseneck mount.

[GregWCIL]

Thanks Jim. I figured it surely tapered a bit.

I can’t wait to go see a 5.0 in person. Escape gave us three names but they are all 4 to 5 hours away. I heard of one in St. Louis which is only 2 hours. Plus we plan to drop by the Mississippi River Rendezvous this fall..

[PM15283]

Originally Posted by GregWCIL

Although the B&W gooseneck/Anderson 3220 converter aren’t my first choice engineering-wise, this combo checks all the right boxes related to dimensions and clearance.

I only have one dimension that doesn’t make sense:

On my 6.5 box Chevy the Anderson ball calculates at approximately 42 inches behind the cab. Escape towing guide says 41.5 or more should allow 90 degree turns. But if the 5.0 is 7’4” wide, half of that is 44 inches and thus would hit.

Can anyone measure the wide point at the seam at the front to check this, please. Our trailer is about a year out and I have none real close to measure.



Thanks. This forum is a goldmine of information.



Greg in west central Illinois



Ps. Has anyone installed the B&W turnover ball on a ‘20 or ‘21 Chevy or GMC 1500 diesel? Any problems with the DEF tank or other things?

21 GMC 3.0L diesel & BW & Andersen. No obstructions or installation problems except I needed to raise the Andersen 1.5" to avoid contact (on sharp turns, parking) with box sidewall.

[GregWCIL]

Thanks. So do you have the Anderson red adapter pointing forward which could cause the pin box to hit the truck box sides? I plan to turn it so the ball is behind the fifth wheel kingpin. In effect, shortening the pin box by 4 inches,.

I also have the 3.0 Duramax. I’m getting right at 30 on the highway without any trailer. What mileage are you getting while towing?

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by GregWCIL

Thanks. So do you have the Anderson red adapter pointing forward which could cause the pin box to hit the truck box sides? I plan to turn it so the ball is behind the fifth wheel kingpin. In effect, shortening the pin box by 4 inches,.

This is the way Escape installed mine. As I have mentioned a few times before, I did try to reverse it, but quickly saw the pin box extended way closer to the tailgate and box and quickly turned it back.

And although the trailer is closer to the truck, I do like the shorter overall length too.

[sofmerc]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

This is the way Escape installed mine. As I have mentioned a few times before, I did try to reverse it, but quickly saw the pin box extended way closer to the tailgate and box and quickly turned it back.

And although the trailer is closer to the truck, I do like the shorter overall length too.

What size bed do you have on your F150?

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by sofmerc

What size bed do you have on your F150?

6.5'. The hitch is the same distance from the rear of either bed length.

[PM15283]

Originally Posted by GregWCIL

Thanks. So do you have the Anderson red adapter pointing forward which could cause the pin box to hit the truck box sides? I plan to turn it so the ball is behind the fifth wheel kingpin. In effect, shortening the pin box by 4 inches,.

I also have the 3.0 Duramax. I’m getting right at 30 on the highway without any trailer. What mileage are you getting while towing?

My 2020 3.0 Duramax will also get 30+mpg now that it's broken in at just under 20k miles. Towing the 5.0 the truck measures 15.1 (from day 1) but I think now it's over 16. I average about 65mph commuting MN to AZ & back.

[jld3carfan]

According to Escape on-line diagram, the king pin sits just about 6 inches ahead of the 5.0TA fiberglass leading edge. So half of that adds about 3 inches more of clearance. So the 44 inches becomes 41 inches in your calculations, and I guess Escape adds a half inch to ensure clearance, hence 41.5 inches.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by jld3carfan

According to Escape on-line diagram, the king pin sits just about 6 inches ahead of the 5.0TA fiberglass leading edge. So half of that adds about 3 inches more of clearance. So the 44 inches becomes 41 inches in your calculations, and I guess Escape adds a half inch to ensure clearance, hence 41.5 inches.

The position of the kingpin ahead of the body helps clearance at moderate turning angles, but makes little difference at 90 degrees... the pin-to-cab minimum distance to turn that sharply (and turning that sharply is not necessary) is half of the body width, at the part of the body half a cab width back from the pin. The taper is gradual (about 4" according to Jim, over several feet of loft) so a six inch change in pin position makes almost no difference to the width of the body that matters.

41.5" multiplied by two is 83", which is presumably the body width (plus perhaps some allowance) midway back on the loft, where the corner of the cab would hit.

[GregWCIL]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

The position of the kingpin ahead of the body helps clearance at moderate turning angles, but makes little difference at 90 degrees... the pin-to-cab minimum distance to turn that sharply (and turning that sharply is not necessary) is half of the body width, at the part of the body half a cab width back from the pin. The taper is gradual (about 4" according to Jim, over several feet of loft) so a six inch change in pin position makes almost no difference to the width of the body that matters.

41.5" multiplied by two is 83", which is presumably the body width (plus perhaps some allowance) midway back on the loft, where the corner of the cab would hit.

Thanks all. We plan to measure an ambassador's trailer to find out the actual measurement.

Brian, I agree you shouldn’t need to turn that sharp, but 40+ years of experience with semi trailers and farm goosenecks tells me there are times when it happens, typically when backing from a narrow road into a tight drive.

And as for the 6 inch forward offset of the kingpin, that is negated by the 4 in. rear offset of the Andersen ball socket and as Brian mentioned matters not at all as you approach 90 degrees.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by GregWCIL

Brian, I agree you shouldn’t need to turn that sharp, but 40+ years of experience with semi trailers and farm goosenecks tells me there are times when it happens, typically when backing from a narrow road into a tight drive.

Just keep in mind that this trailer is really short compared to semi trailers and even typical agricultural goosenecks, so the truck to trailer angle for a given turn is not as tight and at 90 degrees you are far past jackknifing - you can't straighten out from anything close to that angle without pulling forward.

A conventional trailer with a 50-degree A-frame tongue can only turn about 65 degrees each way (depending on ball position and stuff hanging over the sides of the tongue) and it doesn't seem to be problem for most drivers that this is nowhere near 90 degrees; if you can't make the turn you take it in stages by going back and forth - you don't jackknife into a turn you can't continue.

[Tom&Joan]

Brian's assessment of turning geometry is correct. There comes a point when backing and turning where you can't "catch" the trailer. Then it is time to pull forward and straighten out a bit.
Tom