Trailer Purchasing Advise

[LD1]

Actually your pivot is over your rear tires on your truck so technically you can turn them as tight as your truck can turn, with the trailer tire staying in spot. Watch a good truck driver spin a trailer in spot, they will have the truck perpendicular to the trailer.

GN are NOT more maneuverable.
Neither are BP trailers.

They are different....period. and it seems way too many people do not understand the difference.

Yes, a gooseneck can turn around in a tighter spot. But how often do we need to turn around in such a tight area? And really need to jacknife things around? Most don't....if you need to them by all means get a GN. But just because they can turn around in a tighter area....does NOT mean a blanket statement that they are more maneuverable is correct.

BP trailers track alot closer to the trucks track. They don't cut corners nearly as bad. I live in rural america...and county/township roads....while wide enough for 2 cars to pass, are still about 5' narrower than most state highways. Add that to the fact most people only have a 20' culvert under their drive at the road ditch (which gives about 15' usable approach without crushing culvert)....means there are drives you simply cannot get a 25' GN into. You just cannot swing wide enough period. But a BP is a walk in the park.

An average Wendy's or McDonald's drivethru is a prime example. If I have GN on....I'd have to be 12' from the speaker on order to make the wrap around. With a BP....I only need a few feet buffer.

I tow BOTH types DOZENS of times per year. And at the end of the day....there are places you can take a GN but not a BP. And there are places you can take a BP but not a GN. But i more frequently choose the BP due to road or narrow drives than the other way around.

Anyone that makes a blanket statement that a GN is more maneuverable is just plain wrong. Some instances they "can" be....others they are not.

 

[4570Man]

In my experience a GN could turn completely around in less area at the expense of shearing lugs off but a bumper pull tracks closer in the truck tracks and require less area to make a 90 degree turn and requires less steering input to back so you can keep the front end of the truck more inline with the trailer.

 

[4570Man]

When I'm not pulling my GN, there is NOTHING in the bed above the floor. I would never go back to a BP. My GN is rated for 28K on the deck. Never seen a BP that can do that unless it's a dozer trailer or heavy equipment trailer.

A pickup needs to change to a GN at the 14k mark IMO because a pick can’t withstand the tongue weight of a 20k or more bumper pull but you can get a pintle hook trailer for a dump truck with as much capacity as you want so just saying they don’t exist is wrong.

 

[LD1]

In my experience a GN could turn completely around in less area at the expense of shearing lugs off but a bumper pull tracks closer in the truck tracks and require less area to make a 90 degree turn and requires less steering input to back so you can keep the front end of the truck more inline with the trailer.

Bingo.

And I think most people are more concerned with a 90° turn (pulling in and out of a driveway for example) than they are with how small of an area it takes to make a 180° turn.

I have some accounts I mow with narrowish driveways and nice fancy concrete and brick pillars either side of the drive and pretty close to the road. It is IMPOSSIBLE to get my GN in them. Cannot swing wide enough and the GN takes too long to straighten back out. So I either use the BP and have no issues, or take the GN and park on the road and drop traffic cones

 

[5030]

but you can get a pintle hook trailer for a dump truck with as much capacity as you want so just saying they don’t exist is wrong.

Must be why my frame mount bumper receiver usually has a pintle hitch in it and the ring on the trailer is called a Lunette Eye btw. Have one of them too with a beavertail. I still prefer the GN.

 

[4570Man]

Must be why my frame mount bumper receiver usually has a pintle hitch in it and the ring on the trailer is called a Lunette Eye btw. Have one of them too with a beavertail. I still prefer the GN.

I agree. My 14k BP pulls good behind a pickup but a 20k pintle is too much behind a pickup and a GN is a lot better in that weight class behind a pickup.

 

[Hay Dude]

There are techniques you develop after years of experience driving trucks with GN trailers to get into and out of tight driveways, even ones with embankments or pillars.
I can drive my 5500 and 35’ GN, fully loaded, out of our farm driveway without touching either pillar and have for almost 20 years.
BP is not even an option for me since it would me 20,000lb max off my bumper. GN is 38,500. That’s a huge difference in hauling capacity and saving money on each haul. .
The versatility, increased load capacity and tighter turning radius of a GN is the reason you see all professional light haulers prefer them over bumper pulls. Just takes experience behind the wheel and seat time to make a GN do just about anything you want.

The OP is probably better off with a BP for his situation.

 

[ovrszd]

If I pull my GN several times without pulling the BP I can't back the BP for squat.

If I pull my BP several times without pulling the GN I can't back the GN for squat.

 

[coobie]

If I pull my GN several times without pulling the BP I can't back the BP for squat.

If I pull my BP several times without pulling the GN I can't back the GN for squat.

 

[LD1]

If I pull my GN several times without pulling the BP I can't back the BP for squat.

If I pull my BP several times without pulling the GN I can't back the GN for squat.

Ain't that the truth.....

Or almost as bad is jumping from the 22' BP to the much shorter 7x12 dump trailer man it reacts quick.....