Bumper Vs. Gooseneck Payloads

[Iplayfarmer]

Without arguing the SPECIFIC figures you offered.... (yet)
The simple point is that with a goose you are "CARRYING" more of the load,
with a bumper-pull the TRAILER is doing the "CARRYING".
So yes, it is often true - especially with 1/2 ton trucks.

OK, now lets niggle away at the specific numbers that you offered;
(-:
I think the 25% is high, quite possibly worst case.
Many/most goose neck trailers have very little load "up there, over the truck".
MOST of the load for MOST owners is on the floor, which puts it at least 8ft 6 in back from the coupler.
Your horses are likely farther back than that, e.g. behind the tack room if you have one and pretty much ON the axles.
I would figure closer to 20%, possibly 15% on the pin.
Even then.... ??? .....Yeah you would have to get down to 10% for a match with a 1K payload limit.

Ah Hahh !!!
Mayhap 1/2 ton trucks aren't very good at that PAYLOAD thang ? (-:

OTOH, I'm not THAT comfortable with the thought of 10K wiggling around on a ball BEHIND a 1/2 ton truck either (-:

Thanks for chiming in, Reg.

A few things I've learned since I started this discussion have led me to the conclusion that my payload capacity is more or less the same between gooseneck and bumper pull trailers. My particular truck is rated to handle a bit more tongue weight with a gooseneck, but the recommended percentage of the load is also higher. The other thing that factors into the equation is that the maximum tongue weight combined with the minimum percentage will exceed the rated trailer weight for the truck anyway regardless of whether it's a gooseneck or a bumper pull.

In other words, I run out of truck capacity before I reach the limit when the small difference between bumper pull and gooseneck becomes an issue.

 

[AGGIE00]

At the end of the day it is not what is written on the sticker that makes it safe or OK. If you know your truck and how it handles loads you will use it to its ability. My truck is rated to tow 15k, but with air bags and a GN trailer I am comfortable with 25k behind it. On the other hand a poorly loaded 10k bumper pull is scary and I won't pull it.

 

[Reg]

At the end of the day it is not what is written on the sticker that makes it safe or OK. If you know your truck and how it handles loads you will use it to its ability. My truck is rated to tow 15k, but with air bags and a GN trailer I am comfortable with 25k behind it. On the other hand a poorly loaded 10k bumper pull is scary and I won't pull it.

At the "end of the day" ???
How VERY nicely phrased.

Your comfort level towing 25K may well be overridden by the officer at the weigh station.
i.e. Your rig could stay there ALL NIGHT, ALL the next day, and until someone comes to off load it until it is below whatever the sticker DOES say,
or until it get hooked to a bigger truck.
Either way, Ya ain't leavin' there 10K over, no matter WHAT your level of comfort.

 

[AGGIE00]

At the "end of the day" ???
How VERY nicely phrased.

Your comfort level towing 25K may well be overridden by the officer at the weigh station.
i.e. Your rig could stay there ALL NIGHT, ALL the next day, and until someone comes to off load it until it is below whatever the sticker DOES say,
or until it get hooked to a bigger truck.
Either way, Ya ain't leavin' there 10K over, no matter WHAT your level of comfort.

This is academic and exactly what I am talking about. Knowing the law is easy, but knowing what you can safely tow takes experience. Some of us come from the farm where you do what you need to as long as it is safe, and sometimes that means stretching the law and other times just because the the law says its ok it is not safe. Congratulations on your understanding of the rule book.

And FYI, a one ton truck grossing 35k with good electric over hydraulic brakes is far safer than a half ton truck grossing 10k and no trailer brakes with an inexperienced driver.

 

[two_bit_score]

This is academic and exactly what I am talking about. Knowing the law is easy, but knowing what you can safely tow takes experience. Some of us come from the farm where you do what you need to as long as it is safe, and sometimes that means stretching the law and other times just because the the law says its ok it is not safe. Congratulations on your understanding of the rule book.

And FYI, a one ton truck grossing 35k with good electric over hydraulic brakes is far safer than a half ton truck grossing 10k and no trailer brakes with an inexperienced driver.

Oooohboy.

 

[tractorboy5500]

Oooohboy.

I know what you mean, someone else who thinks he is above the law:laughing:

 

[Iplayfarmer]

This is academic and exactly what I am talking about. Knowing the law is easy, but knowing what you can safely tow takes experience. Some of us come from the farm where you do what you need to as long as it is safe, and sometimes that means stretching the law and other times just because the the law says its ok it is not safe. Congratulations on your understanding of the rule book.

And FYI, a one ton truck grossing 35k with good electric over hydraulic brakes is far safer than a half ton truck grossing 10k and no trailer brakes with an inexperienced driver.

This reminds me of an analogy I heard from the Car Talk guys. If you're driving down the road and close your eyes for 15 seconds and nothing bad happens, that doesn't mean that you're now always safe to close your eyes for 15 seconds whenever you feel like it. Just because you've gotten away with pushing the limits before, doesn't mean that you're being safe doing it now.

To your point, experience and knowing your vehicle are essential to safe towing. Just remember, that inexperienced driver of the 10K half ton thinks he's safe too. I heard a statistic once that 75% of drivers think they're better than average. I'd bet it's the other 25% that are the best drivers. We should all probably evaluate what category we fit into... The 75% that think they're good, or the 25% that know %&$# happens and take appropriate precautions.

 

[AGGIE00]

I know what you mean, someone else who thinks he is above the law:laughing:

Not above the law, but willing to pay the fine when it comes.

 

[HHR]

Nobody is mentioning weight distribution bumper pull hitches. Does anyone use these anymore? I towed with one on a 3000 mile trip to Alaska and now hate having to use standard drawbar.

 

[tractorboy5500]

Not above the law, but willing to pay the fine when it comes.

Didnt really mean to sound like an but head, just reading your other post about your truck is rated for 15k and you said you can haul 25k, thats about 40 to 45% more than its rated for, thats like me saying I am good for 24K and I am ok with 34K, Their no way I can be ok with that, got to remember if getting into an accident, the other person lawyer would have a field day with this kind of stuff. just be safe.