Beefing up half-ton for gooseneck

[Heywood Jannockitov]

That simply isn't worth it for the little amount of heavy towing I will be doing.

If you are going to haul that infrequently, why not just hire a commercial shipper to take your mares and foals to inspection? Probably the most cost effective solution until your current lease runs out if you don't want to go the smaller, lighter bumper-pull route.

 

[nmu98]

The only suggestion I have for you is to have the dealership that you plan to turn the truck in at install your gooseneck hitch. I would have the owner or manager write on your receipt the agreement you have about how that will effect your lease turn in.

IMHO, you will loose you butt on this as the lease company will state that the gooseneck is not appropriate for a 1/2 ton and it will really hurt thier resale.

 

[Duffster]

Be a good 800# lighter to start with. Then you don't have all the expense of the hitch needed for a truck that is on a lease. Not to also mention the truck is a lease and I have leased about 10 vehicles and they will try to stick it to you for minor damage, not to mention a hole in the bed from a hitch.

Chris

800#, really?

So if it is 800# lighter and hooked to the bumper that would make it safer?

Not sure why everyone is so concerned about his lease, he has discussed it with the dealer and it doesn't seem to be an issue

 

[nmu98]

800#, really?

So if it is 800# lighter and hooked to the bumper that would make it safer?

Not sure why everyone is so concerned about his lease, he has discussed it with the dealer and it doesn't seem to be an issue

Nothing is an issue until its time to turn it in. I cannot understand why you don't think its an issues Car dealers will often tell you one thing, especially in the middle of a lease, and not live up to it.

I had a leased truck get rear ended. My wife was driving and she got hit at a stop light. She never let off the brakes. It bent the rear part of the frame fairly bad and the traler hitch took the biggest hit, but did not bend. The dealership told me what needed to be fixed and they told me any damage to the inside of the bed was OK. So the 5 or so dents from the box curling were left alone. Guess who was charged for them...... I fought and fought...

This might be different, but I doubt it. Lease comapnies are loosing thier butts and covering costs however they can.

That was my last lease, I don't care how cheap they are. Never again.

 

[RobertN]

Nothing is an issue until its time to turn it in. I cannot understand why you don't think its an issues Car dealers will often tell you one thing, especially in the middle of a lease, and not live up to it.

I had a leased truck get rear ended.The dealership told me what needed to be fixed and they told me any damage to the inside of the bed was OK. So the 5 or so dents from the box curling were left alone. Guess who was charged for them...... I fought and fought...

This might be different, but I doubt it. Lease comapnies are loosing thier butts and covering costs however they can.

Good point.

For the OP, if the dealer said no big deal, then have them put "No big deal, your Dealer", in writing. If it is not in writing, then they may not stand behind that comment. Especially when salesman "A" says it, but salesman "B" does the workup when the lease ends.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

I hope you're kidding. You're putting other drivers and yourself in a lot of potential danger.

Yeah... Kidding.

That was kind of the satirical point, though, that the writing on the door is important only so much as it applies to the actual equipment installed on the truck.

 

[Dargo]

Not sure why everyone is so concerned about his lease, he has discussed it with the dealer and it doesn't seem to be an issue

I'm not 'concerned' so to speak. I just wanted the original poster to make sure he's not scalped at lease turn in time. I've worked in and around the auto industry for over 20 years and I don't at all doubt that he may have been told what he said but I very seriously doubt that will be the case at lease turn in time. Every lender I've spoken with and every major sized dealer I know all say that, at the very minimum, he will have to buy a brand new bed for the truck at lease turn in. Most dealers also said that they would have a very hard time getting any warranty work done to his truck if the factory knew there was a gooseneck hitch in a half ton pickup. If dealers see things that don't belong, like a gooseneck hitch in a 1/2 ton pickup, they are at risk for not getting paid by the factory for the warranty claim if the factory finds out about it and the dealer didn't make it known to them. Most dealers aren't willing to look the other way with the chance they may have to eat the cost of his repair.

In general, both of those things spell major expense for him. I just wanted to point out that what he says doesn't jibe with industry standards, manufacturer standards nor lease company standards. Doesn't mean that 100% he's wrong, but it does mean that he better darn well get everything in writing and probably video tape the dealer telling him that so the dealer can't later say 'that's a forged document' and that he never agreed to such nonsense.

To me, having decades experience in the industry, this sort of smells like someone buying something from you on eBay for $100 and then sending you a check for $2500, asking you to send the rest back to him in cash. There's a chance it's a real deal but the odds are extremely slim that it is.

 

[Highbeam]

Why would a bumper pull be better than a gooseneck?

I think I can answer this. The bumper pull will only put 10-15% of the trailer weight onto the truck but the GN hitch will put 20-25% of the trailer weight onto the truck. The typical half ton's first rating to be exceeded is the GVWR which is why they don't typically get used for GN or 5th wheel work.

I do not think that almost "everybody" is telling you that this can't be done with a half ton. I am fairly certain that everybody is telling you that you can use this half ton within the ratings. I think an unbiased reader of this thread would conclude that the half ton will work just fine so long as the trailer weighs what you expect it to weigh. As such, your decision to try it follows right along with the advice given vs. making up your mind before even posting.

 

[Negligence]

I'm going to call Dodge directly to get this cleared up. The service manager informed me to fill in the holes to avoid a penalty, but I'll go past the dealership to get to a firm answer in writing before I make any decision. Should have an answer soon.

 

[nmu98]

I'm going to call Dodge directly to get this cleared up. The service manager informed me to fill in the holes to avoid a penalty, but I'll go past the dealership to get to a firm answer in writing before I make any decision. Should have an answer soon.

So you going to have someone weld the piece they cut out back in, then paint, ot match the beliner around it? top and bottom? Then weld up the holes in the frame? And noone will notice what you did?

Your asking the Service Manager what you can do to a leased truck

You think thats worth the money your going to spend

IMHO buy a bigger truck and set it up right the first time and you will be farther ahead, and MIGHT save some money.