How to Install a Reese Goose Box

January 20, 2021

How to Prepare the Camper

I started the install of our Reese Goose Box by removing our original Lippert 1621 pin box. I used my impact wrench to remove the eight mounting bolts and took the trailer breakaway switch off of it. I then used a grinder with a wire wheel to remove all of the rust from the trailer mount. Next, I used some painters tape and taped around the mount really well and spray painted it black. At this point I let the paint dry for a couple of hours.

Items to Install

Reese Goose Box 20K

Reese Safety Chain Kit 20K

Installing the Reese Goose Box

After removing the Reese Goose Box from the cardboard shipping container, I saved a portion of the box and arranged the Goose Box in the back of the truck on top of the cardboard with several blocks of wood propping it up level. This allowed me to back the truck up to the trailer and then shift the Goose Box into position on the trailer mount. This was much easier than trying to hold the Goose Box up while I got the bolts into place.

Once the truck and Goose Box were in position, I slowly lowered the trailer down onto the Goose Box. I then began to put bolts into the correct mounting holes per the instructions. I continued to align the trailer mount and Goose Box by shifting the cardboard until I had all of the eight provided bolts in place and finger tight. I had the left over bolts from my original pin box and found that I had four additional holed lined up, so I added those bolts as well. At this point I used my cordless impact wrench to tighten the bolts.

It was then time to mount the trailer breakaway switch to the Goose Box. I took my cordless drill with a nut driver and used a self tapping screw to attach it. There is an area near the trailer mount that is free on the backside and is the perfect spot. Make sure not to catch the wires with the self tapping screw. The metal is quite thick and it may take a minute to run this screw in.

After raising the trailer so that I could stand up under it comfortably, I began to install the Reese Safety Chain Kit. Keep in mind that the Reese Goose Box does not include a set of safety chains, so you will have to order those separately. Make sure you get a set that are rated for the weight of your trailer. I installed the chains in the recommended fashion with the top link facing forward toward the hitch. I went ahead and tightened these bolts to 110 ft.-lbs. as recommended.

I then backed up the truck and lowered the Reese Goose Box down onto the gooseneck hitch ball until it latched and continued to lower it until the truck was holding the weight of the trailer. Using a tape measure, I began to measure the distance between the trailer and the bedrails of the truck. It’s recommended that there be a minimum of 7 inches between the two. This provides the desired amount of travel to allow proper towing.

After checking my measurements, I unhooked the trailer and pulled the truck back up out of the way. Taking my torque wrench, I then tightened all of the mounting bolts to 210 ft.-lbs. per the instructions. I tightened all of the bolts from the outside and then moved the torque wrench to the nut side to check the torque on each one. At this point, the installation was complete.