Any idea what it might cost me to put a 5th wheel hitch on my '99 F250 v10? And who would I get to do something like that?
My latest one was about $850 installed.
Ask around to see who other trailer owners use locally. In AZ and here it’s been a little hole in the wall trailer repair place that doesn’t look like much to drive by but does good work.
FWIW, a 5th wheel and GN are not the same.
A 5th wheel is the type of hitch you commonly see on RVs and semi’s (the flat “disk”). The GN hitch is a ball hitch - you can get a set that will do both but be clear what you are looking for and expecting to be installed.
If you want to tow both…
Get a B&W Turnover ball installed. It allows you to pull a gooseneck with the turnover ball, and also a fifth wheel with the B&W Companion Fifth Wheel hitch that fits into the same “hole” as the gooseneck ball does.
Can’t help you on cost, though. It seems to vary widely from one region to another…
My B&W gooseneck turnover was $750 installed.
DH and I installed our GN (Blue Ox brand) in our driveway. It really wasn’t that hard-- took us about 2 hours, and other than a 4" hole saw and a torque wrench, didn’t require any unusual tools. I would say that we’re moderately but not exceptionally handy; between the printed directions and a couple of YouTube videos, it really wasn’t hard to do if you know how to follow instructions.
The GN install kit cost me about $350. Our local trailer place wanted $900 installed. :eek:
I just bought a 2001 F-250 Super Duty V10 that only a week before had a Turnover ball installed. (They had decided to pull the truck off the market and use it to haul other vehicles, but I showed up having seen it advertised online and they begrudgingly sold it to me. I got the receipt, etc from the dealership upon purchase, and it was just under $700 (though the dealership gets a discount from the place that installed it because they do a lot of business with them).
Look for a place that sells trailers of various kinds, they probably also sell and install hitches.
FWIW, I hauled a horse for the first time a few days ago and the truck was amazing.
As others have said, different ball for a gooseneck horse trailer than a 5th wheel camper.
$700-800ish sounds about right for a gooseneck hitch. The B&W is what you want. I paid $750 at DiBella’s 2 years ago.
Lots of places will do it. Franklin Trailers is in South Jersey (multiple locations) and they are wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. They can do ANYTHING to any truck/trailer. If it has to do with towing, they can do it. There is another place called American Discount Trailer, but I’ve never been. DiBella’s in Chester Co. PA, if you’re willing to go that far. Lots of places.
For the best price on a B&W, go to www.tweetys.com - Truly, no one beats their price.
For me, my mechanic could do the install. He has the skills 
