Replacing The Bed On Your Truck To Allow Gooseneck Trailer Connections

Gooseneck trailers offer more capacity and better load handling than standard trailers, but they can be more challenging to connect to a truck with a standard bed on it. Replacing the truck bed with one of several styles of aluminum gooseneck bodies will resolve this, and they can make the truck look great.  

Gooseneck Connections

Gooseneck trailer connections use a ball mounted in the bed of your truck or on the frame over the rear axle. The trailer tongue sits over the back of the truck, distributing the weight down on the hitch to make more weight capacity possible and improve the control of the trailer. 

The factory truck bed can be used with a gooseneck hitch, but the bedsides and tailgate can make it harder to connect the trailer and maneuver once it is attached. Aluminum gooseneck bodies can help resolve this because they have short sides if any at all, and no tailgate to get in the way. 

Because the weight is placed over the axles, the trailer is much easier to pull and is far less prone to wandering or fishtailing in the lane. The trailer and truck become one unit and are often a better choice for things like equipment or cars than a standard pull-behind trailer. 

Truck Body Versatility

A well-constructed aluminum body sits over the frame rails and tires but does not carry the trailer weight directly because the hitch is mounted independently to the frame below it. When the trailer is disconnected from the truck, the access to the hitch is closed, and the truck body will act like a flatbed so items can still be placed on it and strapped down.

Aluminum gooseneck bodies can be mounted to the truck in a raw form or painted to match or contrast the truck color. The aluminum is naturally corrosion resistant and will last for years out in the weather, and the manufacturer can clear coat the surface to help reduce weathering if you are opting for the raw look. 

Custom Bodies

Custom-made aluminum gooseneck bodies can be a great option as well. The manufacturer can build the body with short sides with toolboxes or storage space, a custom headache rack, and tiedown connections on the bed that give you additional use.

If you are considering a custom aluminum gooseneck body for your truck, talk with several builders about what they offer and if you can mix and match options to create a design unique to your situation. While having a body constructed for you will take longer, the outcome can mean a perfect truck body that handles your towing and hauling needs in one unique truck body. 

Contact a local truck service to learn more about gooseneck truck bodies. 

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