In order to tow a trailer around, you first need a powered vehicle and a hitch to connect to. One of the many kinds of trailer hitches available is a gooseneck hitch.
This hitch is pretty much exclusive to pickup trucks. A gooseneck hitch provides a simple trailer ball. This can be installed either over or under the bed of a pickup.
Two companies that make high-quality gooseneck hitches are CURT manufacturing and B&W. The main difference between their hitches is that CURT offers both under and over-bed hitches while B&W has a hitch that works both ways.
A Quick Comparison Table
Specification | CURT Manufacturing Gooseneck Hitches | B&W Gooseneck Hitches |
Number of Different Gooseneck Hitches Offered | 2 different kinds of gooseneck hitches. And then 7 different hitches between the 2. | A singular kind of gooseneck hitch is offered called a Turnoverball® hitch. |
Additional Features of The Gooseneck Hitches | Flipping gooseneck ball, extra thick double-locking pin handle, two handles for controlling the ball, and more. | Can be stowed in place, is compatible with a variety of accessories, easy installation, level bed, and square receiver. |
Gooseneck Hitch Construction and Finish | Carbide black powder and durable A coat finishing. | Super durable, UV-resistant powder coat paint. |
Gooseneck Hitch Weight Limit | 30,000 lbs. gross trailer weight and 7,500 lbs. vertical tongue weight. | 30,000 lbs. gross trailer weight and 7,500 lbs. vertical tongue weight. |
Gooseneck Price | Between $217.95 and $1,004.95 depending on the gooseneck hitch. | Between $629.00 and $699.00. |
Key Differences Between Curt And B&W Gooseneck Hitch
There are generally two kinds of gooseneck hitches that are used.
One is an over-bed hitch which is installed on top of the pickup bed.
The other is an under-bed hitch which is installed under the bed of the truck.
After going through the comparison table, you should have a pretty good idea about all the characteristics and differences between the two different gooseneck hitches by the two companies.
Now, let us go a bit more in-depth into the characteristics of the companies and really break down and analyze each different characteristic of the gooseneck hitches sold by CURT Manufacturing and B&W separately.
Also Read: Comparing Gen-Y Hitch With Bulletproof Hitch.
- Number of Different Gooseneck Hitches Offered By Each Company
This is the area where the gooseneck hitches sold by CURT Manufacturers and B&W differ the most.
As was mentioned before, gooseneck hitches come in two different styles. Overbed gooseneck hitches – installed on top of the pickup bed, and under bed hitches – installed under the truck bed.
CURT Manufacturing sells both kinds of gooseneck hitches. In total, they sell seven different kinds of gooseneck hitches including both over-bed and under-bed hitches.
The names of all the seven different gooseneck hitches sold by CURT Manufacturing are provided below-
- Double Lock EZr™ gooseneck hitch.
- OEM style gooseneck hitch.
- Original Double Lock gooseneck hitch.
- Quick Goose II gooseneck hitch.
- Under-bed folding ball gooseneck hitch.
- Over-bed folding ball gooseneck hitch.
- Fixed ball gooseneck hitches.
To know more about the exact details, specifications, and characteristics of all seven gooseneck hitches, please refer to CURT Manufacturing’s official website.
On the other hand, B&W only sells one singular kind of gooseneck hitch. It is called the Turnoverball Gooseneck Hitch.
This hitch is installed on top of the bed of the truck. Its main feature is when it’s not being used, the ball of the gooseneck hitch can be turned over so that the bed becomes completely flat again.
- Additional Features of The Gooseneck Hitches By Each Company
Another area where the companies differ when it comes to their gooseneck hitches is the extra features of the hitches.
The main defining feature of the Turnoverball gooseneck hitch by B&W is its ability to be turned over or stowed away in place. Other than this characteristic, this gooseneck hitch has some other features as well.
This gooseneck hitch is compatible and can be paired with a number of different accessories. Whether you need more turning clearance or want to add a fifth wheel, there is an accessory available for all those.
This hitch is also very easy to install. You do not have to weld anything or remove the entire truck bed. All you have to do is make a four-inch hole somewhere in the truck bed to install it and that’s it.
Thanks to its turnover feature, the hitch can be stowed away anytime in order to get a fully flat truck bed.
Finally, where most other hitches use round bases and receivers, B&W does it a bit differently with their gooseneck hitch.
This hitch has a square-shaped receiver. This helps keep any accessories aligned with the truck.
On the other hand, CURT Manufacturing sells seven different gooseneck hitches with differing features and characteristics.
Some of them are- Flipping gooseneck ball, an extra thick double-locking pin handle, two handles for controlling the ball, etc.
If you want to know more, check out their official website.
- Gooseneck Hitch Construction and Finish By Each Company
Since CURT Manufacturing has many different hitches, their construction and finish differ. However, most of them have either a carbide black powder or a durable A coat finish.
On the other hand, the Turnoverball gooseneck hitch by B&W has super durable, UV-resistant powder coat paint.
- Weight Limit of Gooseneck Hitches By Each Company
The gooseneck hitches by both companies have similar weight limits.
All the hitches by both companies have 30,000 lbs. gross trailer weight and 7,500 lbs. vertical tongue weight limits.
- Price of The Hitches By Each Company
Since CURT has a larger number of hitches that they sell, their price range is bigger. Their hitches go for anywhere between $217.95 and $1,004.95.
On the other hand, B&W’s hitch has a price tag between $629.00 and $699.00.
Also Read: Comparing ProPride And Hensley Arrow Hitch.
Which Company’s Hitch Should You Buy?
We now come to the ultimate question. Which company should you choose and which hitch should you buy?
The answer depends entirely on your preferences. The Turnoverball hitch is arguably the best of the bunch but the hitches by CURT are more varied and versatile.
Consider everything carefully before making the final call.
Conclusion
If you own a pickup as well as a trailer, then purchasing a gooseneck hitch might be your best option. Other trailer hitches may work as well but a gooseneck is the best since it was designed to use exclusively on pickups.
Hopefully, this article on CURT and B&W gooseneck hitches provided you with all the information you were looking for.