How long of a trailer to get?

[Trails2004]

I just purchased a 20' PJ with a 2 ' dovetail. I would not want anything shorter.

So far- I like the trailer- I did have a weld on the ramp door break. I reported this to PJ and they where all over it. I'm very impressed by their customer service.

I really tried to find a trailer with torsion axles- nothing in my price range could be had.

In retroscpect with the lighter 7000lb trailer- it is kinda nice to move the trailer the last inch or so- when you are hooking up-

This trailer will easily handle my 790 with any of my attachments. I cant haul everything at once- but I cant see where I would need to.

Good luck!

 

[Diamondpilot]

x2...that is very unsafe the way you have that loaded. the bucket on the deck of the trailer will also help keep the tractor from rocking side to side on the tires. there is no way to properly secure that loader to the trailer with it resting on the gate like that. it appears you have way too little trailer for that tractor set-up. you'd be better off taking the gate off, and resting what part of the bucket you can on the trailer deck.

I agree but did not want to say it. Simply not enough trailer.

Chris

 

[Renze]

I'd say buy the longest trailer you can fit in your garage. You can allways cut it down to fit in hindsight


But seriously, you should buy at least 2 foot longer than you NEED. That way you can allways balance the load for best towing.

 

[MESSMAKER]

The longest thing I carry is tractor ,loader and Bushog. It just fits a 18' trailer with the Bushog wheel over the tongue. A 20" trailer and an extended bed truck can make for quite a rig.

 

[buck12]

I would agree with what others have said. A 20' to 22' trailer would be about right. I have an 18' and the tail wheel of the bush hog hangs off the trailer slightly and leaves little room for adjustment.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

I would agree with what others have said. A 20' to 22' trailer would be about right. I have an 18' and the tail wheel of the bush hog hangs off the trailer slightly and leaves little room for adjustment.

It sounds like a lot until you load it.

Bushhogs are HARD to haul attacted to the tractor and get positive tongue weight. I like the load to be firmly against a stop at the front of the trailer if possible in case of a head on and the binding does not hold. I saw a nice boat in the back window of a PU when it was hit in the front because it slid up and out of the boat trailer into the PU bed.

One MUST assume the load will try to get into the cab with you if you hit an immovable object because it WILL increase your attention when loading.

4x4's just a little more narrow than the space between tracked equipment tracks well attached can make it much safer loading especially if it is wet.

An under weight tow vehicle puts everyone at risk too.

 

[texasjohn]

HRCARVER.... I see you are newish to TBN,....let me welcome you and invite you to use the TBN forum search feature to find the several threads covering this very topic.

As you can see, the discussions and rationale have begun..again....

Bottom line, you have a tractor and equipment...if you you wish to move it over the road in reasonable safely, a 20 ft gooseneck flatbed with numerous chains and boomers is simply the minimum you need. That's what you buy into with the need to move tractor and equipment. And, the trailer MUST have brakes as well. One axle mandatory, two axles HIGHLY desirable.

You asked for TBNer's experience.... that's the answer. Glad you asked so you can benefit from decades...maybe even centuries??...of combined experience so you don't have to accumulate them personally:thumbsup:

 

[Diamondpilot]

I do not see the need for a GN especially. I have had one did not like it. Could not use it with the SUV or the bed of my pickup. If you have a big enough truck a 14K bumper pull is nothing. I have a 18K bumper pull that handles like a dream behind my F-350.

Chris

 

[texasjohn]

Agreed, a gooseneck cannot be pulled by an SUV... oh, yes, i did see on the net a photo where somebody did hook up a gooseneck ball in the back of a SUV... but, just because you CAN do it doesn't mean it's a good idea. Dunno why you could not use a gooseneck with your pickup, everybody else does.

Opinions will certainly vary (see other threads on this topic) based on:

tow vehicle available
weight being towed
weight balance...front wheels light/heavy??
experience of driver relative to physics affecting entire tow package
risk adverseness of the driver
driving behavior
road conditions/traffic conditions

My opinion has been stated based on
50+ years driving bumper pulls and goosenecks
hauling equipment, cattle, etc.
flatbed and covered trailers
using 1/2 ton thru 1 ton pickups
never turned a rig over, been several scary moments with bumper pulls
No scary moments with gooseneck trailer.

My current rig is a 1 ton diesel dually pickup, gooseneck 5 round bale hay trailer, gooseneck 32' cattle trailer, gooseneck 20' dump/flatbed trailer, bumper pull 18 foot flatbed lowboy. Each trailer has its function.

IMHO, almost anyone considering purchase of a trailer for hauling heavy equipment should seriously consider a gooseneck setup. I believe that when the situation turns risky, for whatever reason, and there can be many reasons...not all within the driver's control, that this setup is significantly safer than a bumper pull.

Consider a bumper pull improperly loaded with much weight on rear bumper, lifting weight from front/steering tires. Now, take this rig around a tightish curve at 40 mph and execute a panic stop because somebody pulls out in front of you. Guarantee you a similarly weighted gooseneck will come out far better than the bumper pull.

I grant that a gooseneck takes more skill/time to hookup and that it is embarrassing when you forget to lower the tailgate

 

[Diamondpilot]

The main reason I did not like my 25' 25,000# GN was it stole the use of my bed. It was also heavy. Either way I am much happier with a bumper pull.

Chris