Gooseneck or bumper pull?

[shooterdon]

Which one is safer and more forgiving with respect to trailer load balancing?

Which one is easier to back up?

Looking at a 14-16k GVWR trailer.

 

[Sprinkler Fitter]

Yes

 

[riptides]

Depends on what is pulling them.

 

[Fishin-4-a-Livin]

Gooseneck all day long.

 

[K5lwq]

Like riptides said it depends on what is pulling it as well as what is it hauling. With a gooseneck the truck carries more of the weight. Especially if the trailer axles are mounted towards the back of the trailer.

 

[5030]

Which one is safer and more forgiving with respect to trailer load balancing?

Which one is easier to back up?

Goose Neck hands down but you'll need a suitable pickup truck to pull one with. My Kaufman 28 foot tandem axle GN is for sale if you are interested. Has new tires and brakes on it but you will need at least a 3/4 ton pickup to pull it with. Nice thing about a GN is the load is carried on the trailer, not on your bumper. You cannot pull one with a weine truck. Mine is rated for 14 on the deck btw and has loading ramps. I've hauled my M9's on it many times. Round bales too.

 

[Sprinkler Fitter]

Everyone tells me gooseneck is the one to buy, then most of your buddies can’t borrow it.

 

[5030]

Everyone tells me gooseneck is the one to buy, then most of your buddies can’t borrow it.

Fair statement but around here, most everyone has a GN hitch ball in their pickup bed.... 2 7/8" balls are the thing here...

 

[Hay Dude]

GN

 

[Lineman North Florida]

Which one is safer and more forgiving with respect to trailer load balancing?

Which one is easier to back up?

1. Goose neck hands down for being more forgiving on load placement.
2. Both are easy to back, IMO you can actually jack knife a goose neck and back it in a tighter spot , but a bumper pull will follow a pick-up better when pulling into a place.

 

[scootr]

GN is safer because it loads the truck in front of the rear axle. Not on the rear bumper where it lifts the front axle off the ground

 

[jyoutz]

Gooseneck with a 3/4 or 1 ton+ truck

 

[shooterdon]

It will be on a 3/4 Ton pickup. Looking at a Chevy 2500 today.

5030, what is the GVWR of your 28' Kaufman? 28' is not listed on their site. I need to keep the CVWR of the truck and trailer at 26k lbs to avoid needing a CDL

 

[5030]

1. Goose neck hands down for being more forgiving on load placement.
2. Both are easy to back, IMO you can actually jack knife a goose neck and back it in a tighter spot , but a bumper pull will follow a pick-up better when pulling into a place.

A BP with a long tongue is easy to back but a short tongue isn't.

 

[pmsmechanic]

I have both. The bumper pull is by far the easier trailer to back into a tight spot as the overhang of the hitch behind the rear tires helps with steering the trailer. If you want to pull a heavy load more safely, then a goose neck is a better option. That's my opinion.

 

[scootr]

I have both. The bumper pull is by far the easier trailer to back into a tight spot as the overhang of the hitch behind the rear tires helps with steering the trailer. If you want to pull a heavy load more safely, then a goose neck is a better option. That's my opinion.

About 100 yrs ago my friends dad had mounted a ball hitch on the front bumper ( think it actually bolted to the frame) for backing his trailer way back in between the house and a fence. I use the skid steer with the trailer hitch QA plate.

 

[5030]

GN is safer because it loads the truck in front of the rear axle. Not on the rear bumper where it lifts the front axle off the ground

Actually, a properly installed GN hitch will be CENTERED on the centerline of the rear axle, not in front of it.

 

[4570Man]

A GN definitely loads the truck better. As far as the skill required to back them it’s about the same. They behave differently though. A GN doesn’t respond very quickly to steering inputs and the front wheels of the truck have to steer way off to the side to move the trailer. Everyone likes to mention that the GN trailer can be backed at a sharper angle to the truck which is true but how often is that actually useful?

 

[5030]

Everyone likes to mention that the GN trailer can be backed at a sharper angle to the truck which is true but how often is that actually useful?

With me, a lot. I like to park the GN at 90 degrees to the truck when loading. That eliminates the shock load on the trucks transmission (especially when in 'Park') because the parking sprag in most transmissions isn't all that strong anyway. I'd much rather 'tighten up' round bales on the GN with it at 90 degrees to the truck.

 

[5030]

Being a retired big truck driver, a GN for me is just like a semi trailer. They act the same, back the same and follow the same.