Buying my first trailer

JPM in WA

Member
I need to haul a Case 685 with implements (approx. 9,000 lbs.) 10 miles fairly regularly (monthly?). What kind of trailer should I be looking to buy? Ideally I'd like to get a used trailer. What problems should I steer clear of? What weight requirements will the trailer need to have? Any other ideas? Also, I have a 1993 Dodge Ram 250 (Cummins Engine Turbo Diesel), will this truck be adequate enough to pull that load. If not what kind of truck should I be looking for? Any help will be appreciated. Thanks, JIM
 
You are going to need at least a 12K trailer, preferably a gooseneck mount as I don't think a reese hitch is adequate. Might as well step up to a 14K gooseneck deck-over as they are plentiful used and new. You might need the width for tire clearance also.

If looking at the used market, make sure the floor is good, decent sized and spaced crossmembers under the floor, good tires, axles aren't bent, and the electric brakes work. I would stay away from homemade trailers with mobile home type wheels.
 
If that is max weight your are going to haul a 14,000 lb. trailer would do and if you want to go to 16,000 lb. it wouldn't cost much more. I think you would like a low profile deck over better than an equipment trailer that has fenders. Your truck should handle that all right. You can go bumper pull or Goose neck and most guys prefer the GN pull trailer. I have used both and have no problems useing ether one of them.
 
What is a fair price range I should expect/look for? Are gooseneck usually more expensive? I really only expect to need to pull 10k at the most but it sounds like 14K is just as affordable/more common. Glad to hear that my truck is not going to be a problem. Thanks.
 
You have an automatic or a manual? If it's an auto lock it out of OD and watch your engine temp, if it starts climbing your transmission is getting hot. Let it idle in Neutral for a few minutes once you get there so that the trans can circulate fluid through the heat exchanger. If it's a manual you're good.

$600 for a Goerend or Suncoast converter is money well spent on an auto for both fuel mileage and trans longevity when towing. And a 366 (3200 RPM) governor spring is money very well spent for power and fuel mileage gains. As long as you drive it like you do now when you're empty.

If you haven't already, put your headlights and tail lights on relays. As it is ALL current for the lights goes through the key switch and the headlight switch and the wiring is barely inadequate. Adding trailer lights doesn't help the situation. If the trailer has all LED's you are probably ok on the taillights, but definitely do the headlights.
 
I bought in 2012 a new PJ 14,000 lb. low profile bumper pull 24 foot, 102" wide ( 21ft. flat 3ft beaver with 3 spring assist stand up ramps for $5,300.00 ( also included spare tire and carrier and a 12,000lb. jackstand). If I would have got a gooseneck it would have cost me about a $1,000.00 more. I looked at new and used for about a year before buying new. I found that if I found real good trailer or a trailer that was only several years old that they were only five to six hundred dollars less than new and sometimes more than new. One other thing a 14,000lb. GN will weigh more than a bumper pull taking away from your pay load.
 
Gooseneck, hands down. Bumper hookups over 8000lbs kinda sucks. Lots of tongue weight even at that weight.
Goosenecks are easier to hookup, easier to back up and are more stable.
 

I pull more weight. I have a 22,400 PJ tandem Dual GN that I load to max. I would recommend the GN, at 14,000 as others have said. Conventional wisdom is to go duals for heavier capacity but I will say go triaxle if you need more. You can get more brakes. They have more tires on the outside edges for greater stability. You can replace plenty of tires for the difference in cost.
 
I don't find one any easier or harder to back up than the other, but I didn't give it a thought, 10K of trailer is an awful lot of weight to hang off the back of that truck frame.
 
Tandem dual wheel axles fifth wheel trailer would be my choice.As far as length we always get 32 ft.There are many good brands but we have been getting PJs.I have a 2013[used 6 mo.] and it is for sale for $8500.The same trailer was less than $8k a couple years ago.The ramps are easy to lift and they put a nice tool box in front.I have had other brands, lengths, and also straight single wheel tandems and this is what my next new one will be.I get a new one or two everyyear.Buy a good one as brakes and wiring can be an issue.
 
Triples don't turn easy. Tandem duals and triples will put you in cdl territory without farm plates in most states.
My gooseneck is easier to back up than the bumper pull and the goose is almost 20' longer. But that's just me.
 
Gooseneck hands down (if I were you) they tow way better, and Not to start an argument but I slightly disagree with D Beatty, yes goosenecks are heavier, but with a tag trailer you can put 15% of the load on the ball as long as the toung weight doesnt eexceed the recommended weight, with a gooseneck you can put 25% on tongue.

In other words if you have a bumper pull trailer that weighs 3000, add gross axle weight rating is 14k you can put you hoe on @ 9,000 and have a total of 12,000
loaded evenly this gives you 1800 on the tongue, and 10,200 over the axles... if we get technical most tongue weight for a reece hitch setup is 1000 max... so we back the hoe up a little to take 800 lbs off the tongue and add over the axle... this maxes you out on tongue and puts 11,000 over the axle yielding you 3k (mind you that will make the trailer ratio a little light on the tongue.

NOW gooseneck.

3500lb trailer, reccomended load is 25% on tongue. 14k trailer + 9,000 hoe = 12,500.
tongue weight will be 3125 leaving 9375 over axle yeild 4,625 lbs for payload over axles.
this is 1,600 more carrying capacity of the GN with the same rating.... possibly more if your toung rating of trailer and truck cargo have room to spare.

NOW with this said, gooseneck hitches vary in toung weight rating depending on model, also the weights should never exceed what the truck is ment for, and also even with these calculations some manufacturers of trailers say that they wont warrent or cover a trailer that the GROSS weight of the trailer detached from the truck exceeded the GAWR which is BS because the tongue is designed to carry some load and should be exempt from the GAxleWR
 
I would not own a Reece hitch there are better hitchs out there. I have a Curt class V hitch with a 20,000lb. shank and a 25,000lb. ball. Hitch is a 16,000lb. gross trailer weight or 17,000 lb. with weight distributing system and a 2,400lb. tongue weight with or without weight distributing system,
 
(quoted from post at 07:20:25 03/07/14) I would not own a Reece hitch there are better hitchs out there. I have a Curt class V hitch with a 20,000lb. shank and a 25,000lb. ball. Hitch is a 16,000lb. gross trailer weight or 17,000 lb. with weight distributing system and a 2,400lb. tongue weight with or without weight distributing system,

That kind of tongue weight would make my 2500HD squat straight to the ground while the same pin weight of a gooseneck would be handled fine.
 
You must have soft springs on you truck. My trailer (14,000lb.low pro deckover) weighs 4,200lb.empty and 7,000lb. tractor (thats total of 11,200 lbs. and 15% of that is 1,680lbs tongue weight). My trucks hitch only drops 3" with this load on no where near on bottom.
 
If your weight estimate is accurate then a 14,000 lb bumper or gooseneck will do fine. There is no need to go as far overboard as some of these folks are saying unless you just want too. There are advantages and disadvantages to both the gooseneck and bumper trailers depending on your needs and expectations. I've pulled a 9,000 tractor all over on this tandem 14,000 pound trailer behind the truck shown and it goes good. For 10 mile trips nothing more is needed. Now if you get much over that 9,000 pound load then the 20,000 pound trailer will quickly become necessary. I will be happy to talk to you about some things to look for in a good trailer if you like, my e-mail is open. I spent 20 years building trailers for customers and still do one from time to time, when the spirit moves me. lol
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My concern with his truck and the tongue weight is the frame on his truck. Unless he's got a flat bed like yours I wouldn't hang that much weight off the receiver hitch on that truck. I know, I've got one.
 
Tongue weight is determined buy where you place the tractor. When I load I drive the tractor on til the truck sags just right then chain it. Could be 500 pounds or 1500. Just adjust to suit. Pulled that same load on this trailer behind an f150 too. Didn't like it as much and wouldn't want to go hundreds of miles, but it did it fine.
 
(quoted from post at 17:28:22 03/07/14) You must have soft springs on you truck. My trailer (14,000lb.low pro deckover) weighs 4,200lb.empty and 7,000lb. tractor (thats total of 11,200 lbs. and 15% of that is 1,680lbs tongue weight). My trucks hitch only drops 3" with this load on no where near on bottom.

My truck has a 3300# payload. Came stock with overload springs. Only difference between my 2500hd and a 3500 is the dual tires. That's a lot of tongue weight and far over the capacity of the factory hitch.
 
I'd be concerned with the frame taking it regardless of what you've pulled yours with. His is 21 years old now. That flat bed in your picture will take some of the load that only the back foot-foot and a half of his frame will see.
 
I haul a 480E case backhoe 10000 lbs. I have a corn pro 15000 goose neck 20plus5 single wheel. And pull it with a f250. Your truck is probably better than mine. I just haul this back-hoe about 10 miles also. I also never go over 55 or 60. and I never square turn it. I can drive the backhoe to the farms, but I like having the truck there in case I have trouble, or don't get done. Vic
 
The poster below is right kinda. After you have dodged a dog or a deer. (I know you are not supposed to dodge either, but you can't help it) You will really appreciate a goose-neck. Or pull on a ice and snow covered road. That's why at a tractor show you will see so many of them.
 
(quoted from post at 09:30:50 03/05/14) I need to haul a Case 685 with implements (approx. 9,000 lbs.) 10 miles fairly regularly (monthly?). What kind of trailer should I be looking to buy? Ideally I'd like to get a used trailer. What problems should I steer clear of? What weight requirements will the trailer need to have? Any other ideas? Also, I have a 1993 Dodge Ram 250 (Cummins Engine Turbo Diesel), will this truck be adequate enough to pull that load. If not what kind of truck should I be looking for? Any help will be appreciated. Thanks, JIM

I've been running PJ bumper pull 14K trailers for the last 10 years for my tractor business and collecting. I regularly haul around 9-10k. I pull with an 04 Dodge dually and have never had a problem with handling. I run them 5 yrs and buy new...cost me around $300 a year to own the last two. I picked up the last one last June in WI for $1500 less than local dealer.

Here was it's first big load...hauled this one home 60 miles on a Sunday :)

 

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