Is this right? I can tow MORE with a bumper pull than I can a Gooseneck?

[lutt]

I switched to a gooseneck for a couple reasons well more than that. Number one, there is not a bumper pull that I am aware of that I can haul both my tractor and crew ranger. They are to short. I have to tie the ramps agaisnt the ranger with part of it sitting on the dovetail. That's with the loader on the gooseneck and the backhoe turned sideways. Also, I haul livestock bedding on pallets, 45 to a pallet, 1000 pounds to a pallet. Ten at a time. See pic. A deck over is the only way to go for this and hauling round bales of hay. It's just handier for me and handles my loads much better. Which I know you can get a bumper pull deck over. I agree that it sucks for taking up bed space. I always have a 50 gallon fuel tank in the bed, roadbox and 65 quart yeti in the bed. So it's always a move out of the way game when I hook up. LUTT

 

[Ken45101]

Chris,
Do you use a WD hitch? According to Reese, I won't need one unless I want to put more than 2k lb tongue weight, up to 2500.

I don't have a problem using one, I just don't feel I need it.

Are you sure you are reading that right?

My hitch (GM factory 2007 C-3500) says weight carrying 7500# trailer wieght, 1000# hitch weight, weight distributing 12,000# trailer weight, 1500# tongue weight. BTW, that truck is rated for 15,000# gooseneck trailer weight.

Looking at the Reese website their

TRUNNION WD
Rated up to 600/6,000 lbs. Weight Carrying and 1,200/12,000 lbs. Weight Distributing

With a heavy trailer and without a weight distributing hitch, you will have too much weight on the bumper and the front end will be light, giving reduced steering control. If you balance the load on the trailer to keep the tongue weight down, all will be fine UNTIL the trailer starts swaying back and forth, a situation which can be difficult or impossible to control.

 

[bcp]

If you balance the load on the trailer to keep the tongue weight down, all will be fine UNTIL the trailer starts swaying back and forth, a situation which can be difficult or impossible to control.

Like this one:

Car Trailer Fail - Car Accident in Poland. - YouTube

Bruce

 

[Piston]

If you balance the load on the trailer to keep the tongue weight down, all will be fine UNTIL the trailer starts swaying back and forth, a situation which can be difficult or impossible to control.

Just to be clear, the reason I want a longer trailer is so I CAN balance the load better. Currently, I can't balance the load at all. I've towed the tractor, brush hog, stump grinder, box blade, and grapple numerous times the way it is, and I know there is too much tongue weight, I feel that it's only a matter of time before the hitch fails. This is the reason I'm getting the stronger hitch, and longer trailer.

I won't have any problem keeping "enough" weight on the hitch, that's not my concern at all.


Lutt,
That's an awesome picture of your truck and trailer, nice setup!

Bruce,
I can't see that youtube vid unfortunately (my work blocks youtube )

Ken,
This is the hitch I'm referring to, Titan Trailer Hitch Receiver - Custom Fit - Class V - 2-1/2" Reese Trailer Hitch 45297

Specs:
Receiver opening: 2-1/2" x 2-1/2"
Rating: Class V
Maximum gross trailer weight: 18,000 lbs
Maximum GTW when used with weight distribution: 18,000 lbs
Maximum tongue weight: 2,000 lbs
Maximum TW when used with weight distribution: 2,500 lbs


Like I mentioned before, I'm not really worried about the stability of the tow, that's not my primary goal. IT would be nice if I could have the best of both worlds, but my primary concern is fitting everything I need, which many times includes using the bed to put an implement or other tools in.

I won't really be towing a whole lot more weight than I am now, so I can only see my situation getting BETTER with a longer trailer and better hitch. Not to mention, I'm also buying a Prodigy brake controller so I'll finally be able to use my trailer brakes after all these years. That should make it a whole lot easier to stop now!

 

[Ken45101]

Like this one:

Car Trailer Fail - Car Accident in Poland. - YouTube

Bruce

You got it!

I'm no expert but I think his third mistake was hitting the brakes. (First mistake was too big of a load, second was improperly balanced.)

 

[lutt]

Thanks Piston, I posted that cause I understand what your going thru. I'm probly gonna wind up with a long bumper pull later on also. You can't have to many trailers. LUTT

 

[94BULLITT]

Have you looked at a Curt hitch? They are pretty nice and they have a better finish on them than a Reese.

Curt 15410 Class V Trailer Hitch:Amazon:Automotive

 

[Rustyiron]

Rusty,
What is the "juice" transmission? I have an automatic tranny with a deeper (higher capacity) oil pan. The code on the door sticker for the tranny is "D1" for the axle, does that tell you anything?

Juice tranny (slang) = automatic.
I ask because in my 2001 f350 a/t Ford was replacing my tranny every July for 3 years, then I got an f 450 with a gear trans. for my towing, and was wondering if you're '99 has the same? I was pulling heavy 18000# JLG man lift every few weeks (short haul), but this was with aux cooling, Amsoil, & gauges monitoring temps. and on any tow that I could, I'd use low range (hubs out) for the mechanical advantage, still burned them up. I think it has an e4od or something. I still have the truck and love it but I don't tow with it. I know, I overloaded it, but I think it is widely known to be a crap transmission.
I think you'll be happy with the b/p trlr. for your described needs. One advantage to the g/n that has not been mentioned is that chances are you're buddies will not be able to borrow it. (no hitch):laughing:

 

[GreatWhitehunter]

A gn won't weigh 6k unless you go with tandem duals. My PJ 25' weighed 4600 lbs empty, a gn is without a doubt better ride. Load placement will not be as big of an issue with the GN either. This was my last ride, an f250 with 9900 rating. It was night and day difference with this setup vs a BP.

Matt

 

[Piston]

Juice tranny (slang) = automatic.
I ask because in my 2001 f350 a/t Ford was replacing my tranny every July for 3 years, then I got an f 450 with a gear trans. for my towing, and was wondering if you're '99 has the same? I was pulling heavy 18000# JLG man lift every few weeks (short haul), but this was with aux cooling, Amsoil, & gauges monitoring temps. and on any tow that I could, I'd use low range (hubs out) for the mechanical advantage, still burned them up. I think it has an e4od or something. I still have the truck and love it but I don't tow with it. I know, I overloaded it, but I think it is widely known to be a crap transmission.
I think you'll be happy with the b/p trlr. for your described needs. One advantage to the g/n that has not been mentioned is that chances are you're buddies will not be able to borrow it. (no hitch):laughing:

I do have the Juice I think ti's the same e4od tranny, so let's hope it doesn't blow up I have the "tower of gauges" as well to monitor the temps.

A gn won't weigh 6k unless you go with tandem duals. My PJ 25' weighed 4600 lbs empty, a gn is without a doubt better ride. Load placement will not be as big of an issue with the GN either. This was my last ride, an f250 with 9900 rating. It was night and day difference with this setup vs a BP.

Matt

That's an awesome setup Matt. The trailer looks REALLY nice! I have no doubt that a GN would ride better, that's a fact, and has been beaten to death already on this short thread Once again, the "best" ride isn't my main priority, fitting all my implements is, and for that, I need space in my bed. So although I completely agree that a GN would ride better, that's besides the point. The main point was that I was surprised I can carry more weight legally with a bumper pull than I can with a GN, and I wanted to double check to make sure I was figuring this right.
Maybe now that we realize my weights were off, it may make a difference. back to the calculator...

Your right, I was looking at the weights for the tandem duals by mistake. I was looking at this brochure from PJ. http://www.pjtrailers.com/brochures/web_flatdecks.pdf They list the standard dual 25' GN as 5,100 lbs empty, so certainly a difference from the 6k I stated earlier, my mistake.

They list the bumper pull 26' as 4,340 lbs. I'm just using the PJ brochure as an example. They also state right on there that the weights may not be exact, so who knows what to believe. Bottom line is the equivalent GN will weigh more than the bumper pull, and now that Rusty convinced me that my tranny is a ticking time bomb, I better stay as light as possible :laughing: