We have a Keifer Built gooseneck that we pull with a 96 F250 extended cab long box. We are replacing the truck with a F250 or F350. We have looked at a couple of 350's Lariat Crew Cab but they both have short boxes - one is a great price with low km's except for the short box. Can we fit a gooseneck with a short box? Or must we use the coupler extender? The trailer is 6 ft wide so it is 3 ft ahead of the hitch when we turn 90 degrees. Have the coupler extenders been around long and are they safe and do they work well?
Andrea
Ontario Canada

Hi, the gooseneck extensions from PopUp are built better than any part of the truck or trailer. Haven't seen one fail yet. They have been out around 3 years. A 6 ft trailer may not need it though. Ford is the longest of the short beds at 6'8". You should be able to back under your trailer at a 90 degree angle to where you think the hitch will go.

If that's too close, measure 9 inches to the side of where you think the ball will go and then again at 90 degrees back up to that mark with the hitch, which will show you where the Popup SB1 short bed extender will put the trailer. But again 6 foot trailers ususally work with a short bed without any extensions. B&W and Popup also have a 4" ball extension too.

thanks so much, that is good news. I did see a Chevy short box crew cab pulling a Featherlite gooseneck last night when we stopped at a service station (with regular in-bed hitch). I would have talked to them about it if the owners were around. My friend told me that her insurance agent said he would not insure a truck and trailer with an F150 short bed and gooseneck combination because of the problems that could occur in an accident. I don't think my insurance agent would have a clue about that kind of thing but maybe I am wrong. I will call some hitch installers and trailer places around here, but one way or another we can use the short bed truck I am sure.

Andrea

Big difference between a F250 and a F150. A F150 in SuperCrew is only 5'6" bed and starting in 2005 other F150 configurations can be a 5'6" bed. Those do usually need a ball extension or gooseneck extension or both.

I thought there was a big difference with the F150 bed too but no one would believe me! I will let my friend know about the hitch extender for her F150 as she is wanting to go to a gooseneck. Her hubby got 2 F150's as a bonus at his job if you can believe that. We are getting an F350 so the power will be there for hauling our horse trailer and skidsteer/dump trailer.
thanks so much for your advice!