Bumper Pull vs. Gooseneck....Help me choose!

[Gavman]

I really don't need to spend more cash on a fifth wheel set up, although that would be really handy for a guy who already has fifth wheel camper! I would be that much closer to getting a fifth wheel camper though, which would be fun!

I do want a BP, but the point of this thread is to make sure I am gonna be happy with the performance of a BP with a WD hitch and airbags pulling the weight that I mentioned above as opposed to a GN!! I have pulled with both, so I know how they pull. I have not, however pulled a BP with a WD Hitch and airbags, so I am wondering how much more sturdy this makes the BP trailer compared to a GN?

 

[Farmwithjunk]

I've got 2 gooseneck flatbeds, a gooseneck stock trailer, 2 bumper pull equipment trailers, and a bumper pull enclosed box trailer. With enough practice, either is a breeze to hitch up. I don't give an advantage to either in that regard. Goosenecks tow better when loaded close to full capacity. Bumper pulls manuever/corner better (tighter turning radius) in tight quarters (and not just because they're shorter) . My gooseneck flats are 20'+5' (14,000) and 22'+4' (20,000). Bumper pull flats are 18'+2' (14,000) and 16'+2' (10,500). When the bumper pulls are big enough, I tend to hook them up FIRST. All things being equal, I'd MUCH rather drag them around in traffic.

 

[Eagleview]

How about a reversing camera mounted below the high level brake light aimed at the goose hitch to make hook ups easier ? And for extra storage space , use under body tool boxes .

 

[Robert_in_NY]

I really don't need to spend more cash on a fifth wheel set up, although that would be really handy for a guy who already has fifth wheel camper! I would be that much closer to getting a fifth wheel camper though, which would be fun!

I do want a BP, but the point of this thread is to make sure I am gonna be happy with the performance of a BP with a WD hitch and airbags pulling the weight that I mentioned above as opposed to a GN!! I have pulled with both, so I know how they pull. I have not, however pulled a BP with a WD Hitch and airbags, so I am wondering how much more sturdy this makes the BP trailer compared to a GN?

The F-250 you have should be able to handle the 22' bumper pulled trailer fine as long as it is loaded properly. Add the weight distribution hitch and you are further ahead. I would not hesitate to pull it behind either of my F-250's (one is a 5.4 and the other a 6.0).

I will tell you that I have put 5 ton of fence on my 16' trailer before and pulled it from West Virginia back to New York (over loaded as the trailer is rated for 5 ton with the trailers weight). The weight was evenly distributed and the 5.4l F-250 pulled it just fine all the way home (twice now). The trucks can handle it as long as you know how to load it (which I am assuming you do).

 

[LoneCowboy]

GN's turn tighter than a BP, the pivot point is further up on the chassis. You can do 90 degrees plus with a GN, you can't do that with a BP. (may or may not be important to you)

I've converted my BP's to a pintle hitch.
simply darn near impossible for it to come loose/off.
and
it's usually quicker to hook up. (you can be off a little and still get it to slide in, much further off than with a ball).
Plus, no one asks to borrow it. (since they typically don't have a pintle hitch for their reciever)

 

[Diamondpilot]

Pintle hitches have no place on light duty trucks like 2500's and 3500's. They will wear out the drive components in stop and go traffic quicker than anything. They do have a place and that is on small dump trucks and bigger where the drive line is that much heavier.

I tow aprox 80 different trailers yearly and I can tell you I have never had a coupler off the ball. If its worn that bad its not going behind my truck. I always put in a safety pin also.

Chris

 

[wushaw]

If you haven't used a WD system then do a little reading first, if your pin weight changes regularly then you have to adjust for the weight changes.

The WD hitch weighs a ton not to mention the stick out from the bumper, the bars require frequent greasing, you will have to store them somewhere daily.

Hook up WD VS GN on a daily basis is a wash in "YOUR" case since you have to move a bunch of stuff to access your GN ball.

What if you loose a WD bar?

That's all I got, I am not a fan of WD but they are necessary on LD stuff.

 

[Egon]

I have no experience with a goose neck but do have a 20 ft. 10K rated bumper pull with WD hitch and air bags on a 96 Dodge Diesel that has been across Canada a few times when we moved to Nova Scotia from Alberta.

I've no complaints but then I've not got anything to compare too. Many times I also have a camper on the truck when towing the trailer. I now use it to go between town and our play farm. Other times its serious and I do some cutting and hauling of firewood. [ the farm is playing, the trees are serious ]

Some days the hookups go easy. Other days they take forever. I have to hook up by myself. The WD hitch isn't a problem to hook up. The air bags allow you to keep the truck level so it steers better and may also help reduce sway.

If it would not have been for the camper I would probably have gone with a goose neck.

 

[Renze]

We convert Mercedes Sprinter and similar vehicles to air brakes and 5th wheel, and build 5th wheel trailers.

Couple of months ago, a customer complained about a trailer we built for him. Its a 5 ton gross weight trailer, 1500kg rated 5th wheel and 2x 1800kg (3600 pound) axles. and ultra low 255/50 B12 Trelleborg tires.

He wanted a price for a new trailer, but he'd rather sacrifice the deck height, to put 14" tires under it, because he thought the Trelleborg balloon tires were too small and fragile. He thought his trailer was up, because the frame also cracked.

Then a warning light lighted up in the back of my head, and i asked him what they did with the trailer... Hmm nothing special really, our guys that make sports fields use it to haul the MF 4200 series farm tractor (4000 kg ? ) and scraper/grader (1000 kg ?) and rotavator (700 kg ?) and a 400 liter fuel tank and a trailer mounted boom crane (600kg) to the job...

While he was talking, he realised that he -MIGHT- be overloading that trailer, as the Net load rating is 3500 kg while he was taking allmost 190% of that....

We made the customer an offer for a trailer like attached below: with air suspension, air brakes, ABS, and 2x 3500 kg axles:




My point is, what would happen if he used a bumper pull trailer with the same light duty 1800 kg torsion axles, overloaded by 180% ??? He wouldnt be able to live and tell !!!

Carrying trailers more than twice the weight of the truck, gooseneck is definately the way to go !!!
Another safe way is a turntable steered 2 or 3 axle trailer, but that is just a b*tch to back up, when you have to steer on mirrors instead of direct sight.

 

[Eagleview]

Ive just stolen the design of that trailer . I was going to do a knock off of the H&H Speed loader Goose but have changed my mind . You still can use the trucks deck space on yours as the trailer deck takes it's place .