how much weight can I haul with a gooseneck hitch?

[seb70]

I'm looking at a new horse trailer. Just curious how much weight can I safely haul with my 1999 dodge? I will be putting a gooseneck hitch in.

 

[AClayton]

This is a loaded question. The gooseneck hitch can be capable of over 30k. Your truck is very capable as well, depending on what you have. Is your truck manual or automatic? The auto's in these 2nd Gens were the primary culprit to lower GCWR's. If you have a modded transmission, auto or upgraded clutch in a manual, you could safely tow a large trailer as long as you consider and obey your axle and tire ratings.

Need more info on your truck: is it a 1 ton dually, what transmission, and how big and heavy a trailer you are considering?

 

[seb70]

The truck is 3/4 ton auto trans. (2500 24valve). The transmission has already been replace about 2mths ago. The truck is not a dually and the trailer is about 14000lbs. With horses it would be about 17000lbs. I was also curious if airbags would help with axle and tires?

 

[6speed]

I towed with a 3500 SRW and it was too much. And I had a 14500 lb trailer with nothing in it. I had 7700 lbs siting on the RR axle. With the tires only rated at 6200 for both sides, I was 1500 lbs over. I converted mine to a dually to take advantage of the added tire loading. Airbags do not give any more weight carrying capacity. All they do is help suspend the load. Your axle weights are listed in the driver door jam. If it were me going to a dually

(3500 at the min) would be a better option.

 

[AfterBurner]

Before I bought my 2011 I towed with my '02 3/4 ton. Went across the scales with 4 horses and '02 and had a GCW of 22. 5K. I ran this setup for about 60K before I bought my 2011... read dually. I would not want to pull a 15K trailer on a day to day basis with a 3/4 ton ever again.

I would go through a set of michelins every 20K and still had one blowout; 30k so far on 2011 and will probably get 50k out of stock tires.

The difference in stability and driving confidence is night and day.



If you already own a 3/4 ton I'd shop for a lighter trailer.

 

[HBarlow]

You cannot tow the trailer you inquired about with the truck you have either legally or safely. You'll be grossly overloading the rear axle and tires. Airbags will help the springs support the weight but can't provide any help for grossly overloaded tires.

A 17,000 pound trailer can be towed with a properly equipped dually but still grossly exceeds the GCWR of most of them before the Gen IV trucks with higher rated capacities.

 

[jelag]

I tend to agree with Harvey... . but we towed 22K lb trailers with disc brakes on the trailers, air bags on the trucks using 3500 dually's. it was always a challenge going up the hills... but 4th or 3rd and the exhaust brake and taking it easy was the answer to 6% downgrades... usually the same gear you climb the hill is the gear going down...

It came much easier with the 5500 trucks... BTW all my 3500's had 19. 5 commercial tires... but that's another story...

we were never in an accident with these trailers and with our dot number and CDL we crossed lots of scales in 6-7 states and BC and Alberta with no problems...

But all my guys had lots of experience before we moved to that size trailer... we never let a guy even with a CDL take one out without some short distance loads. .

 

[NIsaacs]

This is the key, towing experience. I don't have a '99 towing guide but my '97 shows 16,000 GCW with auto/3. 54's or 18,000/4. 10's. My '01 guide shows 20,000 GCW any ratio or trans.



Nick

 

[RustyJC]

This is the key, towing experience. I don't have a '99 towing guide but my '97 shows 16,000 GCW with auto/3. 54's or 18,000/4. 10's. My '01 guide shows 20,000 GCW any ratio or trans.



Nick

Hmmmm... . in '02, the ETH/DEE (HO/6-speed) 3500 with 4. 10 gears was 21,500 lbs GCWR. 3. 54 gears were 20,000 lbs GCWR. I didn't realize the '01 HOs didn't have the 21,500 lb GCWR available.



Rusty

 

[NIsaacs]

Yes, you are correct for the 3500, however the OP has a 2500 so I just listed those.



Nick

 

[RustyJC]

Yes, you are correct for the 3500, however the OP has a 2500 so I just listed those.



Nick

Oh, OK. I follow you now.



Rusty

 

[HBarlow]

GCWR or gross combined weight includes the weight of the tow vehicle. If the OP's truck weighs around 8,000 lbs. and (attempts to) tows a trailer weighing 17,000 lbs. his GCWR would be 25,000 lbs. , far in excess of his truck's GCWR. His pin weight would also exceed his rear GAWR.

 

[NateGreen]

We have an '07 3/4 ton, SRW, and usually tow a 1980's 28' gooseneck stock trailer (all steel), with no issues. When we first bought the truck we towed with the stock pizza cutter tires for the first 80,000 miles, with no blowouts or issues, and most of the time it was loaded with momma cows (not light). Did I mention the trailer also had/has no brakes. While a dually 3500 is a nicer way to go, don't underestimate your 3/4 ton. It's all about the need (what size trailer), and your comfort level of towing.

 

[HBarlow]

For every discussion on TDR of overloaded trucks on TDR there's always someone who pops up with a claim of towing large trailers with a 2500. That doesn't make overloading the rear truck's rear tires smart, legal, or safe. Often the poster who claims he's done it is exaggerating and frequently has no knowledge of DOT regulations, penalties for overloading, or even tire and axle weight ratings.

 

[NIsaacs]

Did I mention the trailer also had/has no brakes.





I assume you just stay on the ranch with it... .....



Nick

 

[NateGreen]

I didn't mean to cause a stir, but in Southwest Washington using a 3/4 ton truck is the norm to pull your stock trailer. It is interesting to see what others prefer across the country. Up here DOT doesn't pay much attention to anything but semi's. And while it may not be "safe or legal" sometimes you do what you have to do to make a living, and my 3/4 ton has helped me do that. I am not trying to convince anyone to do something that is unsafe or not legal, but I don't want someone to think they need to run out and buy a new truck to tow with.

 

[HBarlow]

Nate,

What you do locally in southwest WA where you state that DOT doesn't pay any attention to anything but semis (you're mistaken about that also) doesn't really matter very much. Others would be unwise to follow your advice if it means overloading tires.

Blowing a rear tire on a srw truck heavily loaded and traveling at highway speed could cause loss of directional control and cause a crash injuring innocent motorists. It will definitely earn someone a ticket, a huge fine, and an out of service order if weighed by a DOT officer.

Making the mistake of assuming that a truck, because it has a Cummins engine, can haul and tow any load it can move is very risky. A drw truck costs very little more whether purchased new or used. A blown tire, particularly if it causes a crash, and even moreso if it causes injury or death, can be incredibly costly.

 

[NIsaacs]

I didn't mean to cause a stir,





As far as hauling heavy with a 2500, you didn't bother me a bit, I can't talk, I haul heavy quite frequently with mine, however, all my trailers have good brakes. Thats all my comment was about.



Nick

 

[NateGreen]

Nick,

As far as your concern about my brake issue, I couldn't agree with you more. Hauling heavy without brakes is never safe or much fun, but the trailer is too far gone to start replacing things now. My truck will be paid off by next year, and I plan on buying a newer stock trailer then, just trying to make it last that long.



Nate

 

[Mark31]

NateGreen, many times we hear about soldiers who have made it down to their last week of their tour of duty or even their last mission and have been wounded or killed. I encourage you to do whatever it takes to get your rig safe immediately if not sooner. What would your family and those that count on you do if you were not there? What would happen if you were hurt so badly you had to be cared for 24/7/365? When times are tough, wouldn't you want to cut down on risks rather than add to them? This is how it relates to you, but how about the ones you share the road with? Mark