Goose Neck trailer pulling

johnday · Aug 30, 2004

Brad; Thanks, I felt like I was out of line.

Thats a 250? You should be fine with that much weight. I've a 250 Stroker, and drag my tractor/trailer comb. with no problems. Ofcourse I may be a little overkill. My trailer is 12k gross, and my combined weight on the trailer is around 8.5K loaded . My GCWR for my 250 is 20K, max trailer weight is 12.5K. Sounds like you might have a newer truck than mine, it's a 01.

Goodluck with your maybe buy! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

RedDog · Aug 30, 2004

I echo Cowboydoc's words. I have a 34' tandem dual axle gooseneck trailer,,, so I know a little about pulling them. It is not a livestock trailer though.

I have a CDL also and drive the big trucks. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

And by the way,,, Birds comments are very true!!

Bird · Aug 30, 2004

( Does a goose neck go down the road like a properly balanced bumper pull with a weight distrubution hitch or ??? are they better or worse? What percentage of the trailer weight should be on the truck? )

It will be much more stable than a bumper pull. With a bumper pull, you'd like 10% to 15% tongue weight. I don't recall seeing a percentage for goose necks and fifth wheels, but as long as you have that much or more up to, but not exceeding, the capacity of your rear axle, wheels, and tires, you'll be just fine.

bradheiter · Aug 30, 2004

Thank you all for the input. I'll keep watching and see what else I can learn about this.

Ford says that with the big gas engine then the combined weight goes to 16,000 and the trailer weight goes to 10,800 with the diesel they go to 20,000 and 12,700 both numbers are larger than what I intend to do. I don't think that other than the engine and trans the trucks are much different???? Anyone know?

I think I'm going to get the trailer. Load it within my trucks owner manual limits and see how it does. If it seems stable and safe I'll go from there.

johnday, my 250 it a 'little' older than yours. Well maintained, good tires, good shocks etc. , if you have a 'crap' tow vehicle, towing just magnifies the problems. I'm always surprised by how many people towing good sized trailers fuel up and never look at their trailers, I've found things that I'm sure would have been a problem sooner or later.

Bird, I too aim for 15% (best guess, I don't weigh it) on the bumper pulls. I've been told to put the goose neck ball 'slightly' in front of the rear axle and aim for towards 25% "tongue" weight or not more than my trucks max payload weight (as you said). Oh, and to get the ball holder that flips over so the bed can be made flat for hauling stuff.

Thanks,

Brad

Phred · Aug 30, 2004

The fact that your truck only weighs 5K lbs and the GCWR is only ~13K; this tells me you have a very light duty F250. This must be a gas burner and not a diesel?
A diesel would be 7K plus and have a GCWR of 20K.

The reason I say that is I have some expereince with a heavy duty diesel F250 and I would not do what you are suggesting with a light duty version of that truck.

Its your call. I tend to be somewhat conservative, because there are hills here in the ozarks and some really sad roads.

I have pulled 10K+ trailers with a F250 (this one had a GCWR of 20K) and also with a one ton.
Big difference..

But then I know people who pull very heavy gooseneck hay trailers with 1/2 tons. They are willing to assume more risk than me.

Fred

DavesTractor · Aug 31, 2004

( I have a CDL also and drive the big trucks.)

CDL... A good point. If your trailer is rated at over 10K GVWR (higher for stock and RV trailers, perhaps 15K) you need a CDL, and other things. I have a F350 diesel dually pickup with a 24,000 lb triple axle 23' gooseneck. Recently a CHP officer pulled me offer and explained the law to me, complete with a ticket, and he grounded me on the spot.

My truck and trailer are in great shape and my load was tied down properly. I was not showing a name on the rig or a CA, MCP or DOT number, so he pulled me over. I was cited for no display of name or ID, no CA numbers, and no CDL. I've been driving this rig for years, but apparently the California budget crunch is prompting the officers to be a little fussier. Several of my friends have been pulled over recently as well.

So you guys out there, especially in California, learn from my mistake and get your MCP/CA and Class A CDL.

Just echoing what was said above, as long as I am not over the axle or tire ratings, I can legally haul more than the manufacturers GCWR. My rig loaded properly can have a combined weight of about 30K legally. I'd say anything over 24K makes me nervous and wishing I had more truck, so I seldom go over that amount. In defense of the manufactures GCWR, the truck runs cooler and handles grades better at 21K or under, so Ford probably has the right idea, but it isn't a legal issue. I expect going over the GCWR may void your warranty, but I am long past those concerns.

Egon · Aug 31, 2004

Good decision Brad. Nice trailers are just plain nice exspecially when the price is right.

If you had one of the types of tow vehicle advertized on TV I'd be a little hesitant on the heavier loads as you'll never know how many doors you gota add to the tuck as you strech it out. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Egon

RobS · Aug 31, 2004

Ford says that with the big gas engine then the combined weight goes to 16,000 and the trailer weight goes to 10,800 with the diesel they go to 20,000 and 12,700 both numbers are larger than what I intend to do. I don't think that other than the engine and trans the trucks are much different???? Anyone know?


For has had both light duty and heavy duty F250s for some time now. They are quite different. In the current lineup the heavy duty is the SuperDuty and it has an eight lug full floating rear axle (truly heavy duty). The light duty 250 is the same body style as the F150 and has a seven lug semi-floating rear axle. These axles have significantly different load ratings.

Same was true in the previous body styles (pre-'97) but the bodies were identical. You'd have to look at the axles to see the difference and even the lighter duty was eight lug.

There are other differences such as brakes. I think the frames are thicker on the heavy duty too /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

cowboydoc · Aug 31, 2004

Rob is right. If your 250 is before 99 then you could have a light duty or a heavy duty F-250. That will make a big difference. Also within the superduty line in just the 250 there are significant differences with the diesel because it is so heavy. The front end is beefed up to handle the extra weight of the diesel. What is the year of your truck?

bradheiter · Aug 31, 2004

This is a great forum, I learn something every time I log on.

My truck is a 98 F250 with a gas engine. I figured all the gas powered F250s would be basically the same truck, the diesel truck I figured would be beefier, I was wrong, they are all very different.

After reading your posts. I went by the local Ford dealer and asked about the differences in the F250s from then. I learned that I have the "price point" F250, it is a light duty 250, 7 lug rear end, it's about 800 lbs lighter than a real F250 and about 500 lbs heavier than a F150. Ford stop calling this a 250 in about 1999. Ford used this running gear (frame, brakes, rear end and suspension) for two of their F series truck lines: In the late 90s it was the standard duty (cheap)(sell them up to something better) 250 AND from the late 90s to 2003 they used it as a heavy duty F150--if you ordered your F150 for snow plow use or with the heavy duty trailer tow package or for a few years as a 7700 lbs GVWR you would get this running gear (bigger brakes, stronger frame, stronger rear end and heavier suspension THAN A 150 BUT NOT A REAL 250). Sales guy said it should have been called a F200 haha. The sales guy said it was a good solid truck but not to confuse it with a real F250. The other salesman there said I should stick to what the manual says but that he had sold this style 250 to people hauling cattle, was sure they hauled a lot over what I intended to do and 'as far as he knew' they never had a problem.

So I'll still be making two trips to the farrier. But I am going to get the trailer as it will make haulling two horses and the wagon a one vehicle one trip deal and that load won't be over the trucks specs. PLUS then I'll have a trailer that I can use to haul my tractor.

Now I need to go the the DMV and find out what license I'll need to be legal.

Thanks Everyone, I'm sure you saved me a lot of grief and trouble.

Brad