What size gooseneck trailer?

[Chickengrower]

Hello all,

Sorry for the elementary question here but I've not got much experience here pulling heavier loads and none with gooseneck trailers. My question is what size trailer do i need to be looking for to match up with my pickup? The heaviest thing I would need to tow is a JD tractor that weighs approx. 9500 - 10000lbs. I do not ever see myself having to haul anything heavier than that.

I definitely want a gooseneck and I like the idea of a low profile deckover but I dont know if my truck is big enough for that. I know a diesel truck would be the best but I need to make do with what i've got for the time being. My truck is a 2001 reg cab, long bed, chevy 3/4 ton HD with the 6.0 gas engine and 4.10 gears. Its in good shape and has only 48K miles so I'm confident in its abilities up to its ratings at least. (No hills to worry about around here) Door sticker says the GVWR of the truck is 9200 lbs and the manual says it can tow 10,400 lbs.

I guess the main thing I'm wondering is can you add those 2 numbers (9,200lbs + 10,400lbs = 19600) and then subtract the actual weight of truck (with passengers and cargo) to come up with the amount of weight i can tow? I dont know exactly how much the truck weighs but I read somehwere the payload was 3950lbs so, for example, that would make the truck come in at 5250lbs empty. Add another 500 for passengers and now I'm at 5750 lbs.

So does that mean i can tow 13,850lbs (19600lbs - 5750lbs = 13850) worth of trailer and equipment?

 

[Lt CHEG]

Hello all,

Sorry for the elementary question here but I've not got much experience here pulling heavier loads and none with gooseneck trailers. My question is what size trailer do i need to be looking for to match up with my pickup? The heaviest thing I would need to tow is a JD tractor that weighs approx. 9500 - 10000lbs. I do not ever see myself having to haul anything heavier than that.

I definitely want a gooseneck and I like the idea of a low profile deckover but I dont know if my truck is big enough for that. I know a diesel truck would be the best but I need to make do with what i've got for the time being. My truck is a 2001 reg cab, long bed, chevy 3/4 ton HD with the 6.0 gas engine and 4.10 gears. Its in good shape and has only 48K miles so I'm confident in its abilities up to its ratings at least. (No hills to worry about around here) Door sticker says the GVWR of the truck is 9200 lbs and the manual says it can tow 10,400 lbs.

I guess the main thing I'm wondering is can you add those 2 numbers (9,200lbs + 10,400lbs = 19600) and then subtract the actual weight of truck (with passengers and cargo) to come up with the amount of weight i can tow? I dont know exactly how much the truck weighs but I read somehwere the payload was 3950lbs so, for example, that would make the truck come in at 5250lbs empty. Add another 500 for passengers and now I'm at 5750 lbs.

So does that mean i can tow 13,850lbs (19600lbs - 5750lbs = 13850) worth of trailer and equipment?

If the manual says that you can tow 10,400 pounds then that is the limit of what the manufacturer intended for your vehicle to tow. I'm sure you could legally tow a little more than 10,400 and not overload the GVWR, but I know I would not tow 13,850 pounds with that truck for any distance.

 

[Soundguy]

i was gonna saw a 14k trailer is gonna be needed. that's gonna weight somewhere inthe 3500-4500# range... and would be good for a 9500# load.

however... therein lies a bit of a weight issue..

 

[RDrancher]

i was gonna saw a 14k trailer is gonna be needed. that's gonna weight somewhere inthe 3500-4500# range... and would be good for a 9500# load.

however... therein lies a bit of a weight issue..

I agree with Soundguy. My 20+5 14K GN weighs 4700#. You can stay within the load limits of the trailer by transferring some of the weight to the truck, but that doesn't change your tow rating.

 

[firedog]

I have a 14K gooseneck and it weighs right at 4K, which leaves ~10K for load.
My truck is rated for ~12.5K towing capacity, so that limits me to 8.5K of load.
So based on your tractor weight and you trucks capacity, I'd say you need a bit bigger truck.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Long story short is you do not have enough truck.

And your truck does not weigh 9200#. That is the GVWR. Gross vehicle wheel rating. Your truck is about 6500# so you simply subtract that from your GVWR and that gives you your maximum payload. In your case it is about 2700#.

Chris

 

[pjbci]

Dont worry about the mule, just load the wagon! You have plenty enough truck to tow your tractor with a gooseneck equipped with good electric brakes.

 

[Chickengrower]

Dont worry about the mule, just load the wagon! You have plenty enough truck to tow your tractor with a gooseneck equipped with good electric brakes.

Now we're talkin! lol

 

[Chickengrower]

Thanks for the responses gentlemen. I think I understand what most of you all are saying, The tow rating, is the tow rating, is the tow rating.

But I do have one last question. How about the tongue weight? Does it still count towards the Max tow rating of my truck or not?

What I am trying to say is, as my max load, could I pull 12,000 lbs of trailer and equipment and still be within the manufacturers rating when counting the transfer of the tongue weight (say 15% or 1800 lbs) of the 12,000 lb load to the truck? Therefore i'd only actually be "towing" 10,200 lbs, and the truck, not the trailer, would be supporting the 1800 lbs of tongue weight, right?

Or is the tow rating, the tow rating, the tow rating? 10,400 and thats it, end of story. Just trying to get my head around this subject and squeeze out every last lb here cause i know my truck is not a big powerhouse or anything. But she is paid for. :thumbsup:

 

[Case485Guy]

The MFG ratings are not the end all ratings as some would have you believe. If this were the case all these hotshot companies you see running up and down the road would not be doing that. There would be no 1 ton trucks pulling 40' goosenecks loading 18k on them and cruising through multiple states.
9200 GVWR truck plus a 14k 20' +5 G/N VWR trailer= 23200 GCVWR
Lets estimate truck with fuel/people @ 6k
Trailer empty @ 4500 lbs.............................that gives you about 10,500 lbs empty weight and room for 12,700 lbs in cargo. Now thats with out uprating your trucks registration. The other thing you need to look at is axle loads, once loaded. Scale each axle on the truck and the pair on the trailer. If those fall into correct weights, no problems.

IMO you have enough truck for towing 10k, **** man pulling 10k with a 3/4 ton here in S. Tx is not even a second thought. As mentioned, a good quality trailer and a good brake setup needed for sure.