Time for a trailer upgrade. Seeking some advice

Jody Treadway

Jody Treadway

Croc wearing fool
Moderator
Joined
Mar 20, 2005
Location
Hendersonville, NC
Been using a typical bumper pull, all steel, dual 3500# axle car hauler for about 6 years now. With us having more time to wheel and being on the road towing more I am ready to upgrade to a trailer with beefier axles and tires.

I have towed many miles with a 30 ft flatbed goose behind me as well a fendered goose equipment trailer. I do like the way a GN tows but on top of the purchase price I need to budget the $500 for a good GN hitch. I don't HAVE to have a GN, So I have been considering a bumper pull flatbed trailer. Anyone on here use one much?

My main question is does the added load height coupled with being hitch mounted cause a noticeable difference in handling compared to a typical car hauler/equipment trailer.

I'm ready for @shawn to throw down some serious physics/engineering/towing information in this thread.

Cargo will be sub 5000 pounds and towed with my F250 Super Duty. Looking at an 18-24 ft length trailer.
 
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Sounds like you have towed with both styles of trailers already. Buying a beefier axle/tire suspension set up want change the overall characteristics. I've towed about anything and everything except a semi based set up. Campers, trailers of all sorts and in between. The biggest difference I've noticed is poorly loading a bumper pull anything rears its head quicker than a goose neck set up. Aside from the following and backing characteristics loading them is the key. On another note I actually prefer how a tag backs over a gooseneck. I don't like the way my truck swings in the front with my gooseneck, but it sure does pull better hauling stuff like my MF'er front end loader around.
 
Are you trying to decide between a deck over flat bed trailer and a conventional drop deck car trailer?

Seems like the deck over would have obvious side benefits at work, but it means the load is up high where it catches alot more air. With a windshield in your Ranger, you might notice a small mpg difference.

Don't forget that gooseneck trailers also weigh more.
 
I just reread your post, as to the load height...... Heavy is heavy either way, and a heavy tag pushes the hind end around a lot more than any g/n set up since its so rearward. A heavy g/n set up pushes more on the whole tow unit since you get some frt. axle loading. As for height if the trailer is designed for the weight that's on it shouldn't be an issue, and I like trailer that you can get some of the weight out over the tires.
 
shawn said:
Are you trying to decide between a deck over flat bed trailer and a conventional drop deck car trailer?

Seems like the deck over would have obvious side benefits at work, but it means the load is up high where it catches alot more air. With a windshield in your Ranger, you might notice a small mpg difference.

Don't forget that gooseneck trailers also weigh more.
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Trying to decide between deck over goose and deck over tag. Curious how much differently a tag deckover handles compared to a tag drop deck.
 
on another note drop decks make loading and unloading stuff a pain, especially if its long and doesn't roll on and off by itself.
 
WARRIORWELDING said:
on another note drop decks make loading and unloading stuff a pain, especially if its long and doesn't roll on and off by itself.
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Yep. I've had every type of trailer over the years and experienced just what you said. I haul steel, axles, cars and trucks frequently and knowing a fork lift can load and unload easily is a must. That's why I want a deckover.
Honestly, the best part of having a GN is the % of people who can borrow it drops substantially.
 
the only one big advantage to a bumper pull is if/when your tow rig brakes down any of your buddies can tow it home or even a tow company.. a lot harder with a goose.

at the sametime your buddies can also ask to borrow a bumper pull easier then a goose :)
 
Up side to a bumper pull is your flatbed truck could tow it and your superduty could tow it while still hauling shit in the bed--that, and as we all know, goosenecks under 24' are fawkin dumb. Go buy a professional hudson deckover with no dovetail and be done with it.
 
Jody Treadway said:
Trying to decide between deck over goose and deck over tag. Curious how much differently a tag deckover handles compared to a tag drop deck.
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Ive hauled both and with a lifted truck on the deck over tag along corners and windy roads are interesting its like a very exaggerated body roll thats why i currently own a goose instead of a deck over tagalong even though only my dually and silverado can pullit vs all my vehicles being able to pull a tagalong
 
BRUISER said:
the only one big advantage to a bumper pull is if/when your tow rig brakes down any of your buddies can tow it home or even a tow company.. a lot harder with a goose.

at the sametime your buddies can also ask to borrow a bumper pull easier then a goose :)
Click to expand...

The balls are the same size. A gooseneck will hitch up to a receiver hitch just fine. Might need to drop the neck a little so that it rides level, but that's it.
 
In reading all of this, I wonder what you will be hauling, that you need as long of a trailer as you suggested? I know one advantage is being able to distribute the weight.
I have pulled deck over tag alongs, I didn't like the "roll" that seemed to come with it. If I had a GN, I do think I would want the the deck over, seems to pull fine with less roll, but not sure why. That said, with the extra load possibilities, I would want a Gn for anything over 20'.
 
Jody Treadway said:
Trying to decide between deck over goose and deck over tag. Curious how much differently a tag deckover handles compared to a tag drop deck.
Click to expand...
I've towed with both. Dad uses a tag drop deck 24' 14k lb trailer to tow his bronco. I use a 24' 14k deck over to tow the rig in my profile pic. I tow with a 03 f250. The drop deck seems a little more stable in corners but the difference isn't that noticeable. Its not enough to change my driving style, but the deck over with a tall load and you know if there's a headwind.
 
offroad cowboy said:
Ive hauled both and with a lifted truck on the deck over tag along corners and windy roads are interesting its like a very exaggerated body roll thats why i currently own a goose instead of a deck over tagalong even though only my dually and silverado can pullit vs all my vehicles being able to pull a tagalong
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I chain my axles on my rig then run a strap side to side front and rear to pull the suspension down either to the bump stops or very close to them. That seems to remove most to the body roll feeling to me.
 
upnover said:
In reading all of this, I wonder what you will be hauling, that you need as long of a trailer as you suggested? I know one advantage is being able to distribute the weight.
I have pulled deck over tag alongs, I didn't like the "roll" that seemed to come with it. If I had a GN, I do think I would want the the deck over, seems to pull fine with less roll, but not sure why. That said, with the extra load possibilities, I would want a Gn for anything over 20'.
Click to expand...

My Ranger will be the common payload with a possibilty of turning the front 8' of the bed into a Hillbilly Hilton at some point with a pop up. I am ready to buy "one last trailer" that I'll have for a long, long time. I want the next one to suit whatever use I'll have for it.
I'll most likely go with a 18-20' with a 4' dove.
 
20ft w/ 4ft dove tagalong and be done with it. Enough room up front for a hillbilly hilton and you will probably have enough room to have it up/open with the Ranger on the trailer. Whatever you get...get a center or double jack setup on it. Makes it super easy to un-hook the trailer with weight on it. I'll never have something with a tongue jack again.

For comparison: My old 16 w/ 2 ft dove equipment trailer and an extended cab truck that had been bobbed ;)
I had enough room to move the truck all the way back to the ramps and put a Polaris Sportsman 400 or a Bombardier Traxter up front, but that was it. And even then they were usually touching.
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HD Equipment trailers...the only way to go.
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Tim C said:
I chain my axles on my rig then run a strap side to side front and rear to pull the suspension down either to the bump stops or very close to them. That seems to remove most to the body roll feeling to me.
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It wasnt just the vehicle it was the entire thing ive also experienced it with equipment btw im from cali so our wind is alot worse than here
 
I wouldn't hesitate to pull 10k pounds with a bumper pull (http://www.nc4x4.com/forum/index.ph...w-rig-and-trailer.116596/page-16#post-1301265). But my next trailer will probably be a hydraulic tilt deckover goose (aluminum if I win the lottery first).
Haven't decided if I like the flat area the front or if I want the whole thing to tilt. My neighbor has the bumper pull version where the whole thing tilts, and I pulled 14.5k pounds about 8 miles on it (carefully and properly loaded) and it pulled great other than the fact it was so damn heavy.

Part of the reason for me is that I seem to always be loading some type of equipment that can't be picked up and doesn't roll (lathes/mills/logs), so its kind of like a personal rollback

http://www.pjtrailers.com/trailers.cfm#Tilts
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There are other ways to do the tilt. I believe I like ^ better, but there might be some advantages to this. Once I have a big pile of cash, I'll think about it more and then go buy one.
http://www.sltrailers.com/G_T_Gooseneck_Tilt.html
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And some more options here:
http://www.dktrailers.com/trailers/Tilt Deck Trailers/
 
If you go that route, go electric over hydraulic instead of pure hydro.
 
I have had both styles. I prefer tag over goose. There is a reason i didn't build a goose hitch in my new flatbed. I have always hated the pull off an empty goose neck. In my work you are empty on at least half of every trip. I typically gross 20-30k couple days a week. My 24' deck over tag is the best pulling trailer I've ever owned-loaded or empty. No roll. Any trailer will/can pull great if loaded correctly. ...

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