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.....

 

[ovrszd]

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.....

When I wore younger man's clothes I had a job with a freight company in Kansas City. I had a city route making pickups/deliveries. My daily rig was a 24' trailer pulled by a single axle day cab tractor. A couple times my tractor was down for service. They would give me a long nose sleeper cab twin screw tractor...... Holy crap that was hard to back into tight dock spaces......

 

[jyoutz]

And a gooseneck would be much worse when it comes to going around tight corners or backing into tight spots.

Everyone raves on goosenecks because of how they tow and some people try and really push them. But they are a whole different animal.

I think my gooseneck turns and backs much easier than a bumper pull trailer. The only downside to a gooseneck is the additional cost.

 

[LD1]

I think my gooseneck turns and backs much easier than a bumper pull trailer. The only downside to a gooseneck is the additional cost.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinions.

In general.....goosenecks react much slower....so they appear easier to back and control without constant over-correction giving the appearance of being all over the place.

But try backing a gooseneck into a narrow driveway off of a narrow country road vs a BP trailer.

Goosenecks require alot more room to swing wide and get a trailer to react. And sometimes the drive or the road just isnt wide enough to do that without going in the ditch on the opposite side of the road, or dropping the trailer tires in the ditch at the edge of the driveaway and crushing a culvert

 

[Rock Crawler]

I agree, after owning both a goose and multiple bumper pull trailers, if I had to get into tight places and be the most menuverable with a trailer, I believe that I could jack the bumper pulls into places that the goose would have me throwing fits. It is totally different in technique for backing, and not as quick/easy to get jacked around. But yes, it pulls much nicer. I like them both really, but there is give and take. Also the bumper pull can be passed around to my sons, my father and myself while the goose can only go to my "big" truck. The half tons we have in the family aren't outfitted for the gooseneck.

 

[deezler]

To your first paragraph. Not in the way at all. Not even sure why you would think that.

Because unless you have the new puck setups (I guess everyone does now?) you have a stupid metal bracket always sitting there on the floor of your truck bed. And regardless of which system you have, you have to wrangle a 100+ lb hitch in and out of your bed if you want to trailer something, and then go back to a clean bed afterwards. Edit: wait, am I confusing 5th-wheel with GN balls? I am. Obviously I am not experienced here LOL.

Regarding safety, you basically explained what I meant. You have to pull out wide on any tight turn with a GN, many people dont, and pull their trailer into a ditch. I've seen it several times. Operator error, but it's easy to do.

 

[LD1]

Because unless you have the new puck setups (I guess everyone does now?) you have a stupid metal bracket always sitting there on the floor of your truck bed. And regardless of which system you have, you have to wrangle a 100+ lb hitch in and out of your bed if you want to trailer something, and then go back to a clean bed afterwards. Edit: wait, am I confusing 5th-wheel with GN balls? I am. Obviously I am not experienced here LOL.

Regarding safety, you basically explained what I meant. You have to pull out wide on any tight turn with a GN, many people dont, and pull their trailer into a ditch. I've seen it several times. Operator error, but it's easy to do.

Yes, sounds like you are confusing GN with a 5th wheel.

A ball is the only thing in the bed of a GN. And most flat beds like mine it is in a recessed pocket with a cover so you still have a smooth and flat bed. And the common pickup setup is a turn-over ball. Where you pull the ball out and turn it upside down and it gives a flat bed.

And yes, need to swing wide or run tires in the ditch. Most customers dont like a crushed culvert....or worse its a metal culvert and you slice the sidewalls of your tires.

Gotta have a WIDE approach or WIDE road to swing a GN wide enough to get into and out of. Which is my point that I dont think some are understanding. There are just some driveways on narrow country roads that you simply cannot swing wide enough to keep the trailer wheels out of the ditch and off the culvert or avoid clipping mailboxes, pillars, light-posts, etc

 

[JWR]

Because unless you have the new puck setups (I guess everyone does now?) you have a stupid metal bracket always sitting there on the floor of your truck bed. And regardless of which system you have, you have to wrangle a 100+ lb hitch in and out of your bed if you want to trailer something, and then go back to a clean bed afterwards. Edit: wait, am I confusing 5th-wheel with GN balls? I am. Obviously I am not experienced here LOL.

Regarding safety, you basically explained what I meant. You have to pull out wide on any tight turn with a GN, many people dont, and pull their trailer into a ditch. I've seen it several times. Operator error, but it's easy to do.

So educate me: A gooseneck is an example of a 5th wheel isn't it? What is the difference?

 

[Bill Guenthner]

I am in the market for a trailer to haul my tractor, DK40 HST, the longest the tractor will be is almost exactly 22ft with the loader and bush hog, although 98% of the time I wouldn't be hauling it with the bush hog, and with any other attachment I'm only between 17-19ft. I was ORIGINALLY looking for a 20ft 14k but the more I thought about it I figured I'd enjoy the room of a 22ft. I called a local dealer and they actually didn't have a 22 but they do have a 24ft in stock. I haven't gotten a chance to look at the trailer yet (to check for Quality of build) but what is your opinion on a 24ft bumper pull? I will be pulling it with a RAM 2500. It seems like a lot of trailer to me but then again I'd have no worry of needing extra space.
Another question would be, is anyone familiar with Currahee trailers? That is the brand of the trailer (24ft 14k) and this dealer has quoted me almost $600 less for this 24ft than another dealer had quoted me for a 22ft GPS brand trailer.
I know that better quality comes at higher prices and I haven't gone to look at either trailer (neither dealer is super close to me and of course they are in opposite directions from me), just curious if anyone on here was familiar with either the Currahee or GPS Brand(s)

People (including me until a few years ago) pull 30 foot, bumper hitch travel trailers all the time with 3/4 ton pick-ups. I don’t see any reason why a 24 foot flat trailer would be any problem at all.

 

[Fallon]

So educate me: A gooseneck is an example of a 5th wheel isn't it? What is the difference?

Both mount in the same place, the middle of the bed & not on the bumper. A gooseneck is just like a ball for a bumper pull. A 5th wheel is what you see on the back of a semi. A big greasy plate with a notch in it. The trailer has a pin in it that slides into the notch.

A 5th wheel hits weighs 100 odd pounds on a pickup & takes up a lot of the bed. It may be easier to hitch up as you just back into the trailer. Things somewhat self align if you are close. You need to lower the jack, back up, align closely then raise the jack to hitch a gooseneck.

Technically you need safety chains for any ball hitch (goose or bumper), but don't for a 5th wheel. Not clear if that's politics or a technical reason.

RV trailers almost always come with a 5th wheel hitch. Horse trailers & work trailers almost always use a gooseneck. Converting a gooseneck trailer to 5th wheel is pretty rare. Converting a 5th wheel trailer to a gooseneck usually isn't to difficult & done a bit.

 

[LD1]

Technically you need safety chains for any ball hitch (goose or bumper), but don't for a 5th wheel. Not clear if that's politics or a technical reason.

Probably a little of both.

But a properly hitched GN or BP isnt going anywhere. But there are different size balls....and the ability to very easily forget to latch. If you forget to latch you may not know it until your trailer passes you going down the road.

With a 5th....unlatched the trailer simply stays where its parked. It dont have gravity dropping a hitch down over a ball