WHAT TRAILER

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member
just looking for everyones opinion here. i have a 2009 chevy silverado half ton and want to get a trailer to haul my super m to some local shows abour 50 miles away. would you guys suggest a bumper pull or a gooseneck? i hope this doesnt start the usual argument of 1/2 ton verses 3/4 ton. thanks in anvance for taking your time to respond
 
Please use a Goosneck, I have both and use both however the goosneck is much more forgiving and will not sway as much. The half ton is fine just keep the brakes on the trailer in good shape.
 
Anything larger than a 4-wheeler on a 1/2 ton pulls better on a goose neck. I am getting ready to leave for the deer lease with my 2001 Chevrolet 1500 with my 20' goose neck and +10,000 lb Komatsu excavator. It is 115 miles, pulls fine. Make sure the brakes are good, all lights work, safety chains, break-a-way, and good (properly inflated) tires.

I once towed a 14,000 lb JD 350 bulldozer, 45 miles with this truck. 150,00 miles this week, still strong.

Happy trailering!

CT
 
if you have been reading some of the previous threads about pulling a trailer, with 1/2 & 3/4 to a one ton truck....you make the decision about safety, handling, braking, backing, weight factors, less stress on either goose or bumper hitches.... my own opinion, i have a 1-ton with a goose [5th wheel set-up], never worry about it....
 
goosenecks do pull better.. but your 1/2 ton truck limits your total GCVW thus you end up with a teensy flimsy and short gn.

i'd go with a 18' bumper pull.. ie.. 16' with a dovetail.

soundguy
 
I pull both all the time. It all depends on balancing the load on the trailer. I've pulled 8500+ from Pa. to NC on half ton truck. Everything was working properly. After on the road had to stop and and move it to get the right balance. Went down the interstate at 65 and no sway . Able to stop quickly. This was a regular pull trailer. The biggest thing is what you feel comfortable with and the capability of your equipment. I really like to stop.
 
I pull both all the time. It all depends on balancing the load on the trailer. I've pulled 8500+ from Pa. to NC on half ton truck. Everything was working properly. After on the road had to stop and and move it to get the right balance. Went down the interstate at 65 and no sway . Able to stop quickly. This was a regular pull trailer. The biggest thing is what you feel comfortable with and the capability of your equipment. I really like to stop.
 
Just take it easy and use a weight distributing hitch if you go with the bumper pull.

You might tick a few people off, but help your brakes out, let off the gas a little early when you know you'll need to stop. It'll help your gas mileage, too. When I'm headed into the ethanol plant at 95K, I'll kick the Jake brake in almost a mile out of town and let her coast in.
 
I made it back safely. I did notice something pulling this trip. When I loaded the excavator up leaving the house, I had most of the weight on the trailer (night, cooler). The truck would spin on loose dirt fairly easy and I could tell on the road that it was a little light in the tongue. But it pulled well.

Coming back home today I loaded it about a foot further forward (hot, day time, wanted to give the tires a break). The truck was not squatting hard but seemed to pull a lot harder... Maybe it was just me being tired and driving for 2 1/2 hours. Maybe it was up hill all the way home...

Has anyone else noticed the heavier you load the tongue, that the truck seems to load up more with the same trailer load? Seems like I had to drop a gear more frequently. Also i was driving 50-55 going and 60-65 coming home. Could have also had a little to do with it. The 5.3L was barking loud through its 3" glass pack.

CT
 
Charles,

I've noticed the same thing with my "little" enclosed toy trailer.

When I built it out to be my rolling shop, I put everything in the front. By the time all was said and done, I ended up with about 700lbs of tongue weight in a 3500lb trailer.

With my old truck it was like pulling a dead weight. I moved the batteries to the rear of the trailer, about 150lbs of actual weight shift, but closer to 300lbs of difference in tongue weight. I took the same trip as before, and the trailer pulled like it was 1000lbs lighter.
 
mkirsch, that is EXACTLY what I mean. Same load, different weight transfer. Tongue heavy makes the truck work harder. The total weight has not changed, just the load bias. Physics at work.

CT
 
Goosenecks are easier to find.

One disadvantage to a 5th wheel is there is a 250lb hitch assembly in the bed that eats into a 1/2 ton's payload. With a gooseneck, there is only a ball.
 
That ball is also good for up to 30,000 lbs in a B&W hitch. More than a lot of pickup 5th wheels are rated for (24,000?). Unless it is a B&W 5th wheel adapter in a B&W goose neck hitch. Goose necks are harder to hook up, but tow better IMHO.

CT
 
(quoted from post at 07:08:47 08/12/11) just looking for everyones opinion here. i have a 2009 chevy silverado half ton and want to get a trailer to haul my super m to some local shows abour 50 miles away. would you guys suggest a bumper pull or a gooseneck? i hope this doesnt start the usual argument of 1/2 ton verses 3/4 ton. thanks in anvance for taking your time to respond

Super M is about 6000 pounds. Closer to 7200-7400 if you have loaded tires. I would get a 10,000# trailer 20' long as the minimum. A 12,000 at 22' would be better. You may want to haul that tractor with an attachment some day after all. Also, the extra length gives you options of positioning to balance the load.

You probably already know this, but you can use a tape measure to determine tongue weight. Measure the bumper height before putting the trailer on the ball. Stand on the ball and measure it again. Then measure the bumper drop with the trailer empty and full. If you weigh 200# your first measurement will tell you how far the bumper drops with 200# of tongue weight. It's close to linear in response, so if 200# drops it 1", 600" will drop it 3". Unless you have overload springs. The truck will probably pull best with around 2-3" of bumper drop.

You should also get a set of jack stands to put under the back of the trailer when loading / unloading. Otherwise the weight of the tractor can turn the trailer into a teeter totter and pick the back of the truck off the ground. That can be really exciting if you parked on a hill as the truck will roll. Should that ever happen QUICKLY either drive farther on or farther off. That will drop the truck back down and stop you.
 

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