Gooseneck Trailer for m7040

[Fxfymn]

Looks like the truck is taking the weight good.

With a GN the weight is between the axles, so the rear should not squat like it does with a pull behind. That is why it is important to properly install the hitch in front of the rear axle. You do need to keep the tongue weight below the truck's carrying capacity (GVW minus truck and content's weight).

I keep harping on this, but it is the voice of a lot of experience. It is easy to get the rig to carry the load by adding helper springs or air springs, and you can chip it up to make it go down the road faster, but none of those things help to make it stop properly. Whatever set up you end up with it is absolutely critical that the brakes are suitable for the load you are carrying. If you are not comfortable making a panic stop at highway speeds you need to make a change.

That is why tow ratings are given by the manufacturers. Most single rear wheel one ton 4x4's are rated to tow about 16,500 pounds with a GN setup. The 2017 Ford F-350 SRW is now rated at 20K, by far the heaviest in the class. A little on-line research will yield your truck's capacity.

 

[Luke'sScreenName]

Also, FYI: I recently realized that for 14k and 16k "rated" single wheel GN- all have two 7k axles. (or essentially all). Some manufacturers account for some of the load (2k) being carried by the truck's axles. So the trailers advertized as 14k and 16k have the same real-world capacity (assuming frame is structurally sufficient).

 

[ovrszd]

Also, FYI: I recently realized that for 14k and 16k "rated" single wheel GN- all have two 7k axles. (or essentially all). Some manufacturers account for some of the load (2k) being carried by the truck's axles. So the trailers advertized as 14k and 16k have the same real-world capacity (assuming frame is structurally sufficient).

And that to me is false advertising. The trailer rating should be what the maximum weight rating of the tandem axle setup is. If they are factoring in the weight being carried by the tow vehicle they are misleading. As in your example.

 

[carlhwv]

And that to me is false advertising. The trailer rating should be what the maximum weight rating of the tandem axle setup is. If they are factoring in the weight being carried by the tow vehicle they are misleading. As in your example.

The ones I looked at this week, the 16k units use 17.5 wheels to get the added capacity and the 14k use 16". I'm with you though. After a week of looking the ales are the weak link and I want as much of my load riding on those axles.

 

[LD1]

As with every type of "rating" weather it be loader lift capacities, truck tow capacities, or trailers.......there are so many variables.....so one must do their homework.

When I see a trailer listed as a 14k trailer......I take that to mean its just a 14k classification. And that the real world gross, or carrying capacity, may be different than simpley 14k on the money.

Kinda like 1/2 ton, 3/4 ton, and 1-ton class trucks.

Some half tons can carry more than 1000#, some less. Etc etc.

A 14k trailer is likely gonna have a pair of 7k axles as mentioned. Does this mean you can haul 14k? Or does that mean that 14k is the most the trailer is allowed to weight? The answer isnt simple.....so it depends.

To be "legal" typically, no single axle can weigh more than its rated for, as well as tires. So lets assume these 7k axles have tires that can handle at least 3500# ea.

Lets say this 14k trailer weighs 4k. If you put 2k on the pin with the load on.....the load must not exceed 12k....otherwise your axles will be over. Lets say you have a modern truck that can handle a 6k payload. And you want to put 6k on the tongue. You could easily load a 16k load on the trailer, and still not have more than 14k over the axles. And crossing a set of scales would show all being good. Is that smart to put that much weight on the pin on a 14k trailer.....probably not. But its not illegal.

My trailer was stickered "12-ton". Which makes it a 24k class trailer. It has 11,200# axles. But the vin plate is stickered 29,500 GVWR. And it originally weighed in the 5500# ballpark empty. So.....my interpretation of that is: you can actually put a 24k load on that trailer, bringing the trailers GVW up to 29.5k. Provided you have sufficient truck to put 7,100# on the pin to keep the axles under 11.2k ea.

So, IMO, there is alot more that goes into figuring a trailer capacity than just looking at weather its a 14k, 16k, 24k etc. Look at the axle ratings, and look at how much pin weight your truck can handle before the rear axle is over its rating. Add the axle capacities, and pin weight the truck can handle, then subtract the trailers weight. THATS the theoretical max you can load the trailer to.

 

[JWR]

The ones I looked at this week, the 16k units use 17.5 wheels to get the added capacity and the 14k use 16". I'm with you though. After a week of looking the ales are the weak link and I want as much of my load riding on those axles.

I think there is some confusion here and there with these posts (load on your truck axles, etc.?) I am confident in saying that if it is primarily a 7040 you are hauling, any of the twin axle, single wheel per side per axle trailers, deckover model, with about a 7K lb rating of each axle will do just fine. Just no big deal. And you can put whatever fraction of the weight you choose on the trailer axles by locating your load on the trailer. Of course you want around 10% or so in tongue weight. 1000 to 1400lb is good and should not bother the truck at all.

 

[ovrszd]

The ones I looked at this week, the 16k units use 17.5 wheels to get the added capacity and the 14k use 16". I'm with you though. After a week of looking the ales are the weak link and I want as much of my load riding on those axles.

That's so lame. So with identical axles/frame/hitch, etc., they increase the capacity rating by adding tires with higher load capacity??? That's so lame. What do they charge for this "heavier" trailer???

 

[ovrszd]

As with every type of "rating" weather it be loader lift capacities, truck tow capacities, or trailers.......there are so many variables.....so one must do their homework.

When I see a trailer listed as a 14k trailer......I take that to mean its just a 14k classification. And that the real world gross, or carrying capacity, may be different than simpley 14k on the money.

Kinda like 1/2 ton, 3/4 ton, and 1-ton class trucks.

Some half tons can carry more than 1000#, some less. Etc etc.

A 14k trailer is likely gonna have a pair of 7k axles as mentioned. Does this mean you can haul 14k? Or does that mean that 14k is the most the trailer is allowed to weight? The answer isnt simple.....so it depends.

To be "legal" typically, no single axle can weigh more than its rated for, as well as tires. So lets assume these 7k axles have tires that can handle at least 3500# ea.

Lets say this 14k trailer weighs 4k. If you put 2k on the pin with the load on.....the load must not exceed 12k....otherwise your axles will be over. Lets say you have a modern truck that can handle a 6k payload. And you want to put 6k on the tongue. You could easily load a 16k load on the trailer, and still not have more than 14k over the axles. And crossing a set of scales would show all being good. Is that smart to put that much weight on the pin on a 14k trailer.....probably not. But its not illegal.

My trailer was stickered "12-ton". Which makes it a 24k class trailer. It has 11,200# axles. But the vin plate is stickered 29,500 GVWR. And it originally weighed in the 5500# ballpark empty. So.....my interpretation of that is: you can actually put a 24k load on that trailer, bringing the trailers GVW up to 29.5k. Provided you have sufficient truck to put 7,100# on the pin to keep the axles under 11.2k ea.

So, IMO, there is alot more that goes into figuring a trailer capacity than just looking at weather its a 14k, 16k, 24k etc. Look at the axle ratings, and look at how much pin weight your truck can handle before the rear axle is over its rating. Add the axle capacities, and pin weight the truck can handle, then subtract the trailers weight. THATS the theoretical max you can load the trailer to.

Yeah, I agree. Confusing to say the least. I prefer having too much trailer versus too little. My GN axles are 10K each. But I don't want to go around hauling 10K on each one all the time. I don't even like 7K car haulers. Too close to the capacity of the axles when hauling a heavy vehicle. Prefer 10K trailers for that purpose.

 

[ovrszd]

I think there is some confusion here and there with these posts (load on your truck axles, etc.?) I am confident in saying that if it is primarily a 7040 you are hauling, any of the twin axle, single wheel per side per axle trailers, deckover model, with about a 7K lb rating of each axle will do just fine. Just no big deal. And you can put whatever fraction of the weight you choose on the trailer axles by locating your load on the trailer. Of course you want around 10% or so in tongue weight. 1000 to 1400lb is good and should not bother the truck at all.

Using the OP's own description of his load, 10K, he'll either have to load the truck very heavily or overload the trailer axles to make your scenario work. Using your numbers and figuring 1,500 on the tongue, he's only got 7K of payload capacity.

 

[carlhwv]

That's so lame. So with identical axles/frame/hitch, etc., they increase the capacity rating by adding tires with higher load capacity??? That's so lame. What do they charge for this "heavier" trailer???

In their defense, the price difference is about the difference in the price of the wheels/tires. I did see anything different...frame looked the same.

I was pretty sure I understood how to calculate weight and y'all have confirm d it for me. My number is not to exceed 26000 using axle totals and associated limits to keep in line with my license and insurance.

After listening and looking, I believe a well made single wheel double axle trailer would do fine for my application...I've got about 10k and the trailers are 4200...I've come to the conclusion that the idea of the extra tires and better breaks doing 500 miles trips seems worth the bit of additional weight. At least I get to try it before I buy it.