allowable weight on a gooseneck?

[Ken45101]

I have a 14K GVW gooseneck trailer. Each axle is rated 7,000#. The trailer empty is 5000#. If I load 10,000# on it, (15,000 total weight) 1000-2000# will be on the hitch and the truck rear axle (say 1500# for discussion) leaving 13,500 on the trailer axles, less than their rating.

Am I correctly understanding the specs? Would I be legal this way?

Thanks,
Ken

 

[mikesee]

I kave a gooseneck trailer with 7k axles with a GVWR of 15,700. I this case the manfuacture assumed 1,700 pounds on the pin. If the plate on your trailer says 14,000 pounds then technically speaking 15k would be over loaded. From a safety perspective you do not want to exceede your tire ratings which I assume are 3520 each. You can do this by shifting the load forward to place more weight on the tounge assuming your tow vehicle can handle weight.

You will never really know the true weight untill you bring the unit to a CAT scale at a truck stop.

 

[LD1]

Depends on the jargon so to speak.

I have a trailer that has 11,200# axles, OEM stickered saying 12-ton on the side, and a GVWR of 29k

So.....

Axles are 22,400#
Stickering indicates 24,000#
And GVWR indicates 29,000#

Technically I think an axle rating is the rating it can CARRY, meaning it dont count its own weight. So taking the weight of the axles off, and the pin weight off, is how I assume they come up with the GVWR.

Subtract out the weight of the rest of the trailer deck is how they come up with the 12-ton capacity

 

[Ken45101]

Mikesee, yours makes sense to me, GVWR is the axel capacity plus the pin weight. But my trailer had the GVWR equal to the axle capacity. Are the axles overrated, or did the manufacturer do it wrong?

You will never really know the true weight until you bring the unit to a CAT scale at a truck stop.

True, but only true for that one trip since the next time you load, you might load it in a slightly different position.

If you have to stop at a weigh station, or the Motor Vehicle Enforcement people pull you over, will they look at the plate which says 14,000, look at the scales which might read 13,500 under the trailer wheels and say "okay", or will they unhitch the trailer and weigh the tongue weight and add that and say I am overweight?

 

[Junkyard Jim]

They will not unhook your trailer and weigh it seperately. They look at the vehicle (truck and trailer) as a unit. If you take the GVWR of your trailer and the GVWR of you Truck and add them together, you get the total GVWR for the rig.

Then you look at how much each axle is rated for and you can figure out how far forward on the trailer you need to load to not exceed an axle rating. Some scales will even check "end axle weight" which makes sure that one side isn't carrying more weight than is allowed.

Each state is a little different on what they allow for axle spacings, number of tires per axle and width of axle. Don't think too deep into it if you don't have to stop at commercial scales.

Load it up in the configuration you normally haul it and get it weighed with it tied down where it feels right to you. If you are as precise as you seem to be because you asked this question, you'll probably be real close and then you can be fairly confident you won't hurt anything by trusting your instinct in the future.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

I have a 14K GVW gooseneck trailer. Each axle is rated 7,000#. The trailer empty is 5000#. If I load 10,000# on it, (15,000 total weight) 1000-2000# will be on the hitch and the truck rear axle (say 1500# for discussion) leaving 13,500 on the trailer axles, less than their rating.

Am I correctly understanding the specs? Would I be legal this way?

Thanks,
Ken

Yes you would be legal. As long as your tire weights and axle ratings are jot exceeded and your registration. Is high enough to cover the gross combined you will be good.

 

[NorEaster]

I have a 14K GVW gooseneck trailer. Each axle is rated 7,000#. The trailer empty is 5000#. If I load 10,000# on it, (15,000 total weight) 1000-2000# will be on the hitch and the truck rear axle (say 1500# for discussion) leaving 13,500 on the trailer axles, less than their rating.

Am I correctly understanding the specs? Would I be legal this way?

Thanks,
Ken

You are correct. Just keep in mind you'll also have to stay within the axle, wheel, and tire ratings for the tow vehicle, as well as stay under 26,001 pounds GCVW.

 

[5030]

I'd be more worried about stopping in an emergency situation that being overloaded. Electric drum brakes aren't all that great in the first place. No stoppie, Vehicular Homicide.....

 

[schmism]

As others have said, yes you are legal.

As others pointed out with truck rear GAWR as well as tire rateings. if your GN does not have a load shareing axle setup

then its possible to over load one of the axles if your load is poorly placed on the trailer. (such as in livestock or other enclosed trailers that may have torsion axles)

 

[NorEaster]

I'd be more worried about stopping in an emergency situation that being overloaded. Electric drum brakes aren't all that great in the first place. No stoppie, Vehicular Homicide.....

If electric brakes were so deadly, they wouldn't come standard on the majority of all utility and equipment trailers, goose or not. E over H is usually an option that adds thousand(s). Not saying I wouldn't choose E over H, but they are not the only acceptable braking system.

 

[bdog]

Definitely legal. Been stopped by dot numerous times and they never unhook anything. Their major concerns are that you are not over tire, axle, or registered weights.

Make sure your truck is registered high enough for the tongue weight. I got an overweight ticket years ago for being over registered weight on my pickup due to tongue weight from a gooseneck. I have seen 3/4 ton trucks with registered weights of 8000lbs. The trucks probably weigh 7000 empty.

 

[Ken45101]

As others have said, yes you are legal.

As others pointed out with truck rear GAWR as well as tire rateings. if your GN does not have a load shareing axle setup

then its possible to over load one of the axles if your load is poorly placed on the trailer. (such as in livestock or other enclosed trailers that may have torsion axles)

Now that is interesting. Although my data pool is small, It seems that gn horse trailer blowouts tend to be the rear trailer wheel. Also a lot of horse gn trailers are a bit high nose which tilts it back a bit and if they have the torsion axles, overloads the rear axle.

 

[QRTRHRS]

Might be dependent on your state/area of operation, etc., but if you are registered other than combination all bets may be off. In other words, if you have your tow vehicle registered to cover the GCVW and are legal on the tires/axles they you should be fine. If you have say a 10k plate on the trailer, DOT can legally request that you drop your trailer to weigh the trailer axle and tongue weight.

I am not saying it is going to happen all that often but it did happen to my friend in Berks County, PA a number of years ago. He paid a fine plus had to go register his truck in combination before he could move his trailer load of hay.

 

[mikesee]

Ken: Trailer Manufactures have lattitude as the the GVWR of the trailer, your Manufacture took a conservitive approach and badged the trailer at 14k. Check the weight capacity that is stamped on the tire, should be at least 3,500 pounds. You may want to contact the manufacture and ask if they will generate another plate. Maybe they will and maybe they will not.

From a DOT perspective it is really just a technicality and not a true safety issue as long as everything else is in spec with the tow vehicle weight wise. Over weight tires big problem.

I upgraded my tires to 4k, still have the same GVWR but when loaded 15-16k with 40% of the weight on the gooseneck the tires do not look loaded or squish a bit. Tires that look overloaded are quickly going to get the attention of an inspecting officer who then is going to start asking questions and wanting to see documents.

 

[FatTire]

Also check your tire pressures, they can give you a ticket for under-inflated tires, and are more likely to do so if they also find another other problem and want to get the $$$$ ticket up.

 

[Btown]

Now that is interesting. Although my data pool is small, It seems that gn horse trailer blowouts tend to be the rear trailer wheel. Also a lot of horse gn trailers are a bit high nose which tilts it back a bit and if they have the torsion axles, overloads the rear axle.

Goose neck trailers can be adjusted to the proper height. All trailers should be towed level. Most people don't take the time to make adjustments.

 

[RDrancher]

Goose neck trailers can be adjusted to the proper height. All trailers should be towed level. Most people don't take the time to make adjustments.

Most horse trailers with a bunk above the neck cannot be adjusted to level. Even if you could, the truck wouldn't have bedsides or a tailgate after the first dip in the road or driveway approach.

 

[Ken45101]

^^^ that's the issue we have, I have a sharp breakover starting down our driveway. Very, very little clearance and the trailer is a bit high in the front.

IMO they should make them with a bit more clearance.

 

[RDrancher]

Some are better than others. I had a Stidham at one time that was custom built for the NFR show fiveteen years ago. The roof was taller like a thoroughbred, and the floor of the bunk was raised up the same amount. It made a normal size bunk with better truck bed clearance.

I've seen guys with toybox trailers put a lift kit on them to get better bed clearance. That would work for a horse trailer if you had a ramp gate.

 

[Btown]

I guess I am lucky then. I have about 11 inches of clearance. The bunk on mine is a little low. Wish it was about 6-12 inches higher, but there is no problems. The total height including the AC unit on the top is under 11 feet. As I look at other trailers at this horse show they are a lot lower to the bed than mine is. That's my 2001 F-250 4x4 with an Elite trailer. Two horse straight with one horse slant. Most of the time we just set it up as a two box stalls. I can see problems if you raise a pickup up 8 plus inches.