Flatbed Gooseneck Recomendations?

[OCarney]

I am looking to get a 35-40 ft. flatbed trailer in a goose neck to do freight hauling (hotshot). Where is a good place to shop, good service, etc. Location is not a problem.

















------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2004. 5 600, 6 speed, 3500 2wd dually, 3. 73

 

[Forrest Nearing]

here ya go...



http://www.brutetrailers.com/



Sean Williams is on the board... he's a good friend of mine. goes by TX Gooseneck on the board. He and his dad build some AWESOME trailers!!!



Forrest

 

[ndurbin]

I like the Titan straight neck flatbeds. Titan website



I'd stay away from Hillsboro trailers.

 

[y-knot]

Here are two sources that are close to home, they both have great prices and the trailers look good.



http://www.kaufmantrailersinc.net/



http://www.appalachiantrailers.com/index.htm

 

[SRadke]

Titan has the best beavertail design that I have seen. I'm not a fan of the triangle ramps.



-Scott

 

[Paychk]

This Titan ?

 

[SRadke]

Yes except your link didn't work for me. Don't know why. This is similar to the one we have:



http://www.titantrailer.com/flatbed/flatbed_tandemsn.htm



Ours has a beavertail that folds down with ramps stored in the back, they slide out. Titan uses a lever design on the beavertail that doesn't require you to physically lift the weight of the tail and it works very well. The one in this picture appears to have the triangle ramps.



-Scott

 

[Mopar_Mudder]

I have a 40' that I got used. If I were to buy a new one it would be from these guys.



http://www.pj-trailers.com/

 

[CWebster]

http://www.legendtrailer.com/trailers.htm



I have a 32' beavertail and a 48' flatbed gooseneck (both 20,000# cap. ) have had no problems, had the best pricing I could find and their price is delivered... talk to Jack Simpson



Chris

 

[Coalsmoke]

Just out of curiosity, what are you guys hauling that takes 40 linear feet of flatdeck without grossly overloading the truck? (I am NOT wanting to get into the whole over loaded battle, just wondering what's being pulled that's 40' long?)

 

[Mopar_Mudder]

Originally posted by Coalsmoke

Just out of curiosity, what are you guys hauling that takes 40 linear feet of flatdeck without grossly overloading the truck? (I am NOT wanting to get into the whole over loaded battle, just wondering what's being pulled that's 40' long?)

Well toys of course



#ad




#ad

 

[SRadke]

Wished I had it with a couple loads of irrigation pipe.



-Scott

 

[CWebster]

Racks for the auto industry. Specifically, the rack that holds the composite side of the bed on the new F150 flareside, or P221 Flareside Fender Rack. 5 stacks of 2, from Flint, MI to North Baltimore, OH. Some of the larger house beam jobs we will use the 48' trailer also.

 

[doldenburg]

texasgooseneck- brute trailers-they build what you want at the best price i could find. i got a 40 ft from them

 

[NNogueira]

RE: Trailer

Just a question if one of you trailer owners know, what is the weight of the empty truck and trailer setup with a 20000# trailer, and what would it be if you were loaded to Gross weight. Also what hitch would you recomend for that weight and how's the truck doing pulling all that weight?



One more question isn't the max CGVW 21000# and if so how far above that are some of you going as I saw a 4 car trailer behind a 4x4 3500 dual wheel that was plated for 33000 CGVW, which is considerably more than what Dodge recomends, any warranty issues? helper air springs, axle/frame upgrades?



Thanks

 

[CWebster]

My truck weighs 7000#'s + 4500#'s on the 32'er, 6500#'s on the 48'er. 2000 QC 2500 pulls the 32'er, 2000 3500 (about 9000#'s) Chevy pulls the 48'er. Max GCWR around here for me is 26,000#'s, I get that low sometimes... . j/k



I fab'ed up my own hitch set up, but there are some pretty slick hideaways available for reasonable $'s. My CTD does great with the 32'er at any weight (obviously the higher weights slow things down, but under the conditions it works very well)... the chevy is different... with the 454 when you get to any substantial weight the performance really drops off... . it will be replaced soon.

 

[Mopar_Mudder]

Well I will answer some of that.



First my dually is rated at 23,000# because of the 4. 10 gears.



I have not weighed my empty truck or trailer. But load just like is in the pictuce I posted it scales out at 31,000#



Now I know that the two trucks on the trailer weigh right about 13,000# together. So the empty weight would be 18,000#. When I bought the trailer they claimed it was right under 10,000# which sounds about right cause that would put the truck at 8,000#



I am over the GCVW but I am not over on any of my axle/tire or GVW weights.



The truck itself scaled



4,720# Front

7,140# Rear

11,860# Total



It pulls it down the road pretty darn easy with the modification lested below. This does catch alot of wind also which is a huge factor. I know when I have 2 cars on it, it pull much easier do to the less height.

 

[SRadke]

A 22 ft 20k pound trailer with beavertail will weigh in at 5000 to 5500 pounds usually. Longer equals heavier. Add to that a pickup at 7500 and you GVW is 27500. Most gooseneck hitches are rated at 30k.



That is over the Manufacturer suggested weight rating for the pickup but they handle it just fine. No mods required. The only catch is you have to drive cautiously. No excessive speed, don't follow too close, and no need to overload the truck. You pull a trailer to carry the weight for you, there is no need to have 5000 pounds of toung weight.



-Scott

 

[PatrickCampbell]

I have to say that I am not happy with my Kaufman and I doubt I will buy a Kaufman again. Big Tex seems good(?).



The wiring harness is crap, the brakes as well as all of the lights are essentially unsealed crimp connectors.



The lights are ALL UNSEALED. I bought my trailer in winter and within 3 days ALL except 2 lamps were out. I replaced the 3 rear clearance lamps and 2 blinker/tails with LEDs and sealed lights.



Also, their ramps are annoying because they stick straight up (#ad
) wheras the big tex ramps fold onto the deck (go to their website for pics).



I had to replace an axle and the shackle bolts were WELDED on. C'mon now... . why is that necessary? If they're worried about liability they should worry more about their brake connectors falling off than their axle nuts coming loose.



Also, Kaufman dovetail is 4 ft' vs 5 ft' on others which makes it steeper(?) more prone scraping for low vehicles.



BTW my truck weighs 7500 ,trailer 4500 so we weigh 12K. Watch when you buy a "14K GVW" trailer and it has 2 7K axles yet 4x 3K tires not 4x 3. 5k tires!



Good luck.

 

[SRadke]

Originally posted by PatrickCampbell

Also, Kaufman dovetail is 4 ft' vs 5 ft' on others which makes it steeper(?) more prone scraping for low vehicles.

Depends what your doing. I prefer a 4' because I mostly load tractors and the 5' tends to drop the back end low enough it drags on such things as driveway entrances, ditches etc. My best friend just bought a 24' Featherlite and the rear bumper is only 6" from the ground when hooked up. This is with a 5' beavertail.



-Scott