Gooseneck Trailer

[Paul_H]

I just did some swapping today for a 18 foot gooseneck trailer,and was wondering about the hitch setup.



Is the ball type (2 5/16 ) a very good setup compared to the 5th wheel type.I really haven't had too much to do with gooseneck trailers before and haven't paid much attention to what is what.

Is the ball style safe/strong?

[Furby]

I've been wondering about that myself for the last few months. I even found out there was a 2 7/8" ball out there. Never seen one of them before.

[DanG]

I like a gooseneck hitch. They are generally very secure if everything is done up properly. However, the one you have there is not a standard gooseneck hitch. That look's like a home-made rig made from an old mobile home hitch. It probably works ok, but I wouldn't trust it with too much weight, or in rough conditions.  The coupler there was intended to use on a tag or "bumper-pull" type of trailer.

A standard Gooseneck is essentially a heavy pipe, just a hair bigger than the ball. It slip's down over the ball, and has a hole where a pin slips in under the ball, through the skinny part, so it can't slip off.

northern toolhttps://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=position"> Note:Please read the Forestry Forum's postion on this company offers a gooseneck coupler if you're interested in upgrading.  www.northerntools.com

Also, the ball should be mounted to a plate bolted directly to the truck frame. Properly installed, it ain't going anywhere!

Now, with all that sour stuff out of the way, WELCOME BACK!  8) 8)  I know you ain't really been anywhere, but I also know you've been too busy to post much. I've missed ya.

[Don_Papenburg]

My goose neck  has 3" balls. ;D

[Paul_H]

Thanks DanG for the info and especially for the welcome! I've been catching up on all the posts and trying to get back into the swing of things here.

I had a look at the link you posted and like the looks of that hitch at northern toolhttps://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=position"> Note:Please read the Forestry Forum's postion on this company a lot more than the haywire setup that is on there now.It looks like someone has taken a torch and cut 12" off and welded it out in front and gussetted the hitch to raise it up for a flat deck.
I would hate to stop quick and have the hitch and gooseneck come flying through the back window ???

[woodhick]

  The advantage of the ball set-up over the fifth wheel plate type is when youre traveling over rough ground the ball type hitch will allow trailer and truck to follow different contours of the ground.   I have personnally seen a flatbed fifth wheel set-up twist the frame and bed of a truck up really bad.  If youre traveling on the road all the time go with the fifth wheel type of hitch found on most camper.  If youre going to be off the road any at all go with the ball type.  Also I agree with DanG the type of hitchin youre pictures is for a tag a long trailer not a gosseneck.  I would change to the style he mentioned.

[Roxie]

Maybe it's my eyes, but I don't see the safety chains on your hitch set up either.  Cowboy Bob has a 24' Eby Gooseneck that he uses to haul livestock.  It works great and he is off the road in muddy fields as much as he's on the road and we haven't lost the trailer yet!    Last year, he was stopped at a red light and the driver behind him fell asleep at the wheel.  Slammed into the trailer doing about 45 mph.  It demolished Bob's trailer and the other guy's car, but the hitch held even though it bent the gooseneck part.  Thankfully, no cattle were involved.  

[Norm]

Looks to me like it was taken off a bumper hitch trailer and welded on that one Paul. If you're gonna use it for heavy loads change over to a true gooseneck connector. Hate to see that hitch break off and have the trailer join you in the cab.

[Frank_Pender]

Paul, I would suggest that you have a professional trailer builder do the hitching up for the change.  That way, for insurance reasons you are better covered.

[MULE_MAN]

I never seen a hitch put on like that for a goose neck, ?  I guess in theory it should
work, But my 2 cents, It doesn't look safe at all to me, But I'm kind of a nut on over
kill, But I figure better be safe then sorry. I would have it cut off & fixed right . With
the Standard gooseneck pipe.  ;)

[Murf]

The other point is that you can get a gooseneck hitch which has a mechanism which allows the ball to fold or drop down flat into the box floor, that way when you don't need it you still have the use of your pickup box.

[Buzz-sawyer]

good day, Paul!
I HAVE seen a rig like yours once or twice.....I was scratching my head afterwards.....
Around here most fellas use a recessed ball in a small box so they just cover it with a plate when not in service........ ;)

[jgoodhart]

That hitch don't belong on a goose neck and I wouldn't trust it, my Mortiz has a adjustable square tube with the female part of the hitch within a square tube for height adjustment for the truck height.

[Mrs._Stump_Jumper]

paul if you put the over sized pipe reciever on the trailer you then have 2 options the goose neck tube will slide in and lock with bolts or a king pin tube will slide in.  hope this makes sense

[Stump Jumper]

 :-[ :-[ :-[ :-[OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOPPPPPPPPPPPPPs!

forgot the Mrs was still logged in

[Paul_H]

Thanks everybody for all your input.I'd say it was unanimous,the hitch I have on there is haywire but you all think I should leave it the way it is ;D

I'm glad for the help and I have talked to a trailer and axle supplier in Vancouver and they sent me some information and pricing on couplers.The tubing in the first picture(first post) is 1/4" wall 3x6 tubing,and I have to figure out if I should take the torch to it and fit the 4" round adjustable coupler,or go with the square type which I think might fit in better.

When I was in my early 20's I had a Bobcat skidsteer that I packed around on a single axle homemade trailer with no brakes.It was pulled around by my little 77 Ford F150 shortbox.
When I backed the Bobcat onto the trailer,it would lift the back wheels of the truck right off of the ground and swing back and forth as the Bobcat was twisting around.
It never even dawned on me back then that it might be a dangerous thing to have on the road ???

I want this to be safe.

[VA-Sawyer]

There are a few 5th wheel hitches that can pivot side to side as well as tip fwd and aft. They work pretty well if going over rough terain.  My dad has one for pulling his big camper.  He often takes it to Skeet Shooting events and has ended up parking in some pretty rough lots.
VA-Sawyer

[Minnesota_boy]

I find it interesting that a mobile home manufacturer can put that hitch on the tongue of a 16X80 mobile home and haul it down the highway at 70 mph and think it's safe, but when it gets mounted on the front of a small gooseneck, you guys think it's dangerous as all get out. Not saying you're wrong.   : :

[DanG]

Minn-Boy, nobody has said that that coupler is safe on a mobile home. Those guys get away with a lot of unsafe practices, if you ask me.  But the dynamics of a gooseneck vs a tag trailer are quite different. Figure the angles when you're in a turn on rough terrain, and the forces that are applied in a crash. A tag will tend to go under the vehicle in a rear-end collision, but a gooseneck can only go into the cab.  Also, the wheels on a GN tend to be placed further back, placing more weight on the hitch, so that hitch has to be as strong as we can practically make it. That little cup with a clamp behind it just ain't gonna cut it on a gooseneck.

[J_T]

Most house trylers are one way or the people that sell them hope so :D :D Most hitches have enough weight that they aren't going no where. Have seen some ware to the point that they drop down on the ball . Other than a big wreck most anything will stay put if given a fair chance . I just helped install a extending coupler for one them Geese neck trylers it were a real Goose Neck as it had the flying Goose on the tag.Have seen bumper tryler's pulled with to small truck and bumpers that the liscen plate was more than it could stand already.It makes a world of difference where you mount that ball plate in your truck too

[Furby]

While this really isn't a big deal...........
I've seen goose necks towed as a tag along on some taller trucks.

[Paul_H]

Here is an update on the trailer.When we dragged it home I followed behind in my truck and was horrified to see that it had a really bad dog-walk and the deck was flopping around with every bump in the road.
After I looked it over it was obvious that the 1 1/2 x 4" channel frame wasn't sturdy enough.





It must have sat for a long time in tall grass because there was a lot of rust all over the underside.Tore the plywood deck off and cleaned things up and traded a nieghbour for two 18' long 2x8 steel frame rails and fit them in and welded beside the old 1 1/2 x4" channel and then re-hung new shackles and bushings to hang the axles.Added new backing plates and E-brakes,then tore out every trace of old wiring and started from scratch.

My son Tom and another young fella named Tommy sanded and painted the whole tailer then we added the extra lights and reflectors that DOT requires then added a new deck with full sawn 2x6.Also welded in 3 sturdy stake pockets on each side of the trailer.
Took it in for inspection and it passed with flying colours and insured it on Monday.





Loaded these logs today and brought them home with no problems at all.I could have got another on there but it was the maiden voyage and didn't want to push it.In the next week we will be bringing a couple of loads like this home most every day until our old dry sort is cleaned out of the chunks,then we will get a log truck to bring the long ones home.

I want to thank everybody again for the help in this thread.I didn't know much about goosenecks until this thread was posted and you all hopped right in.

A third axle will be added before next Spring




Roxie,

I was thinking of you while welding the safety chains on.  ;)

[Frank_Pender]

I sure feel better about you running around those back roads with the new improvements.  I was about to ask when you were going to place the third axel on the trailer and you answard  it righaway. 8)

[iain]

https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10199/paul-trailer-logs-b.jpg

that trailer looks better with every photo


      iain

[Paul_H]

That's as good as it will get iain  ;)

Now it gets used and abused like everything else around here but it's handy to have and helps keep the truck from getting banged up.

[Rockn H]

That's a good looking trailer, and a real big improvement. ;D  Congratulations. 8) 8) 8)

[Roxie]

ATTA BOY!!!  Looking good!   

[Quartlow]

Ok I may be stupid here but why did you put safety chains on it?
Is canada differant? I havent seen one made here that has any. at laest the ones sold in Ohio and PA.
The 30 footer I bought in GA and sold  here didn't have them and SC DOT "tried" to inspect me  :D So it was a non issue there.

[Paul_H]

Quartlow,

I put the safety chains on mostly because Roxie and Cowboy Bob told me to  ;D

All the trailers i've seen around BC have chains,even the dinky little utility trailers.Not to sure about the other Provinces and States.

Glad you all are back from Sawlex cause it was really quiet around here. 

[Roxie]

They are required in Pennsylvania on all trailers, I don't know about other states requirements, but they are a DanG good idea.  Pennsylvania requires you attach them in a cross over pattern on a Gooseneck. 

[sawguy21]

The safety chains are mandatory here and in British Columbia. Some people put light ones on to please the cops reasoning that if the trailer breaks away they don't want to be attached to it. That is dangerous and will get them in a heap of trouble.
We had problems with the post and ball setup on a shop trailer. It was an all steel horse trailer conversion and by the time the dust settled it weighed 14000 lbs. It was miserable to tow until we discovered the post was flexing causing the truck, a single rear wheel Chev 1 ton (yeah, I know what you are thinking) to bounce. We gussetted the post and problem solved. I tried to get a bigger truck but management would not budge.

[Quartlow]

Ok now I'm on a mission. I know of 3 factory built goosenecks that where bought in PA and reside there and there isn't any safety chains on them    

Appalachian trailers are built just 20 minutes from here, I've been out there a couple times and I don't remeber ever seeing any chains on their trailers and they ship them all over the U.S.

Now I have to do some snooping  ;)

[J_T]

Maybe you don't have to have chaines to sell em just to pull them . :D :D Most truckers know maybe more than some dot guys or gals will tell you a grade stamp will be on binder and saftey chains  :

[Brian_Rhoad]

I have an Appalachain gooseneck and it came from them with chains. I think it is a Federal DOT regulation that all trailers that hook up with a ball mount must have safety chains. Some states require them to be crossed, some don't. Crossing them with a gooseneck isn't as important as with a bumper pull. The crossed chains on a bumper pull create a cradle to hold the front of the trailer up if it should come unhooked.

[J_T]

Quartlow just looked a few things up Ohio even has a law on hauling christmas tree's : The one you are intrested in is chapter4513 # 4513.32 Those are Ohio statute numbers. Shucks they even got a picture of the tree they gunna hang ofenders from. :D :D

[Roxie]

I found this information under Tennesse law which says that ALL states require safety chains on trailers.

Operating motor vehicles on public roads may
be one of your biggest liability exposures.
While you may not be able to prevent all
mishaps, you must do everything possible to
protect yourself and others. One easily
preventable type of mishap is separation of
trailers from towing vehicles, resulting in
spectacular crashes and often to tragic
results. In fact, Tennessee's safety chain law
was passed as a direct result of several fatal
trailer separations.
All states have require safety chains for
wagons and trailers used on public roads, and
commercial vehicles are required by federal
law to have safety chains. Safety chains are
intended to keep the trailer under control and
minimize losses if you make a mistake or the
coupler fails.

[J_T]

Yep a few years ago they didn't look for a plate with numbers hanging on the rear either . ??? Some around here are finding out now that the state wants all the money they can get : Lot's folks around here have used their tail gate for a safty device I think chaines would work better :D :D

[mometal77]

I responded late to this before you spit and polished this old beast.  I have never seen one with a ball hitch difference i would say to a ball compaired to the normal set up on a truck and trailer is this trailer if you flip the trailer comes off with a normal jaw like set up the trailer flips your rig goes over too.  Went to get a cdl last yr.  And a trailer like this last auction i went with a reciever set up went for 2500.. Nice looking trailer wish i had one i need to build one  :D.