Car hauler or Equipment Trailer for my Tractor?

[Lt CHEG]

I'd suggest a GN no matter the type of trailer you get, they pull Sooooo much nicer than a BP trailer and the heavier the load the bigger the GN advantage is.

Actually a gooseneck is out. According to my owners manual GM does not recommend that my model truck be outfitted with any sort of 5th wheel hitch. My guess is that it's probably something to do with the shorter (5.8 foot instead of a normal 6.5 foot) bed.

It seems like there's more equipment trailers available used, so I may end up going with an equipment trailer if I can find a nice used one at a great price. If I do go new though, I'm strongly leaning towards the car hauler. Even if I hauled the tractor every week, the distances that I'm looking to travel are so short that I just don't see the trailer getting beat up all that much. Thanks to all for your input, and by all means please continue to add your advice, as I'm a definite newb in this area.

 

[Highbeam]

I bought my PJ car hauler rated for 10k pounds to be towed with my old half ton chevy rated to tow 6500. Being a "car hauler" vs. "equipment trailer" means what? Nearest I can tell, they don't sell many deck over car haulers. Don't sweat the issue and find the GVWR you like.

I hate GN or 5th wheel trailers, you can't turn around a charp corner in the road without worrying about your trailer running into the ditch. They are much less maneuverable in tight areas and backing them up for long distances on a driveway is much harder.

 

[ModMech]

I hate GN or 5th wheel trailers, you can't turn around a charp corner in the road without worrying about your trailer running into the ditch. They are much less maneuverable in tight areas and backing them up for long distances on a driveway is much harder.

I'm not being arguementative, but my experience is the polar opposite. A 16' GN trailer will have a shorter overall length and will turn sharper because there is nothing to prevent a 90* (or more) turn as with the "V" portion on a BP type hitch which limits you to about 45* at most in a turn.

Because the C/L of the trailer axles is closer to the pivot point with a GN/5th than a BP, you tend to track more closely to the inside of a turn with a GN/5th. OTOH, when backing the pivot point of the trailer hitch IS the pivot point of the towing vehicle, so backing is easier because you don't tend to over-correct as badly. It does take a greater turn of the towing vehicle to move the direction of the trailer with a GN, to me it's easier this way but like most things that falls to personal preference.

 

[buck12]

Being a "car hauler" vs. "equipment trailer" means what? Nearest I can tell, they don't sell many deck over car haulers.

I'm with you I bought my trailer used and have no idea if its considered an equipment trailer or car hauler. Really doesn't matter in that it works for me. To the OP I have an 18' trailer with fold up ramps. When I haul the tractor with FEL and RC. The RC overhangs slightly but I'm still able to fold up the ramps. I love the fold up ramps. Would not buy a trailer without fold ramps for my needs. The ramps remove easily if the need arises.

 

[Soundguy]

A gooseneck is great if the truck has the payload capacity to carry a large percentage of the load. Especially considering where the axles are located on most GN trailers. The weight, if moved forward on the trailer, is often somewhat evenly distributed between the trailer's axle and the trucks rear axle. With the limited rear GAWR of a half ton truck it can place some unwanted stress on those axles, wheels and tires.

I personally wouldn't pull heavy equipment on a gn with a half ton. I have a gn adapter in my dodge half ton.. but that's for a horse trailer that, when loaded, weighs less than a 16' car hauler with a 30-40hp tractor on it..

soundguy

 

[Hematite]

I, also, tow with a 1/2 ton truck so the weight of the trailer was a major consideration since the tractor weight was not adjustable. I had a Load Trail car hauler 20' trailer custom built with 8 D rings and flip up torsion loaded ramps. I can tell you that after using it for a year, I know that I made a superb choice. 5 ton GVWR and wood deck ended up weighing about 1750 pounds.

I have the same tractor as you except with a BH. The trailer is low which makes it very easy to load and handles fantastic with the weight low. Coupler height is 17" which is the same as my travel trailer and I use the same Reese Dual Cam WD hitch because the ball weight is also the same as the TT at 800 lbs. I would never go with the under deck storage ramps because of their weight and they rust like crazy, not to mention the flip ups have built in stability stands. If you want more info about the rig, PM me.

 

[powerstroke444e]

I like the slide under non-flip up ramps as they allow me to load things that are a little long and I don't have to worry about the ramps being in the way.
Spend $30 @AW direct and get some good wheel chocks to use every time you load and unload it will save your life someday and you will never know it. It best habit to get in no matter what trailer you use.

 

[Soundguy]

and for trailers without the ramp legs.. do carry some cribbing to prop up the back of the traielr so it don't squat and lift up onthe truck ball when you load / unload..

soundguy

 

[Egon]

and for trailers without the ramp legs.. do carry some cribbing to prop up the back of the traielr so it don't squat and lift up onthe truck ball when you load / unload..

Nope; there are better methods!:thumbsup:

 

[Gem99ultra]

Nope; there are better methods!:thumbsup:

Egon, I really like the jack setup you have! Do the jacks swivel around, or do you have to crank them up each time you use them?

What weight rating do you have? And are they welded to the trailer, or bolted.

Sorry to bug you with a thousand questions, but it looks like you've already plowed that ground.

Jim