Gooseneck flatbed length vs ride.

[QRTRHRS]

My 14k gooseneck has 20' of bed and a 5' beavertail. I get a lot of "backslap" when I pull, empty or loaded. I put 400 miles on it saturday, the most at one time and it beat me up pretty good.

Anyone with just 20' of bed overall, how does yours ride? How about you hotshots with the 30 footers, how are they?

Most of the time, I find my trailer longer than I need. If anyone is following the postings on weight, my trailer is licensed at just 10k gross but goes 5400 empty. I am looking at 20' decks with empty weight reduction in mind.

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97'3500 SLT CC,4x4,5 spd,4. 10,96k,EBY aluminum flatbed,Dee Zee running boards,Dee Zee Platinum drop boxes,Mag-Hytec,BD Brake,Pyscotty,Jardine 4",Geno's monster tip,TST plate,370's,AFC, ATS, Bilstein,Isspro, Tekonsha Sentinel

 

[illflem]

It's all a matter of balancing the load just right. With my 28" flatbed,hauling twenty-four 1200 lb bins of apples just moving them 2" back or forward makes the difference. You just need to experiment to find the sweet spot. After much trail and error I finally found the spot and painted a line on the trailer. If you are driving something onto the trailer just watch how far the rear of the truck dips for the best ride. As far as running empty,I don't think there is an answer,just expect a rough ride.

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95' 25004X4,AT,Driftwood,Banks Stinger,Warn fender flairs and running boards(work truck)
95 3500,5 speed 3:54,BD E-brake,Driftwood,Banks&Psycotty,34,000 GCVW apple and tractor hauler(works harder truck)

 

[QRTRHRS]

illflem,

I know what your saying, but with concentrated weight, it does not seem to make much difference. I picked up a Woods 3180 on saturday, which runs maybe 4200 lbs or so. The round trip was about 400 miles with the loaded part being worse actually. I put quite a bit on the truck, if I had time I would reload it on the trailer axles to see how that would feel. Only thing about that is getting light on the rear is no good either.

My trailer looks pretty similar to other 25' I see as far as axle placement. I have Dexter rubber torsion bar axles. I did a fair amount of flatbed & dropdeck work in the past so this is not new to me. I am just debating the merits of a shorter trailer if I can cut a fair deal.

 

[Whitmore]

QRTRHRS, I am not set up to tow with my new ram yet however with my old rig I had same troubles you did,had 20' gooseneck with 6'beavertail this was a tripple axle and it weighed 5200# empty,I put my backhoe 18600# on it and it would kill me hopping around,one day I positioned the hoe so the load levler between axle 1 and 2 was equal. axle 3 was just a tag so it didnt matter. the hoe ended up being back aprox 8" is all it took and my troubles ended,I then welded 2 stops so I always knew where to put the hoe,was good ever since,hope this helps.
Kevin 2001 eth dee

 

[Okie-Go]

Sweet spot is the answer. I also loaded a jeep on my 20 ft. And it bout beat me to death. I had it too far forward, I went to a friends house and he told me to back it up about 16 inches. I did and pulled it 300 miles and never knew it was back there. My trailer is a 20ft. (2)7,000lb. axles. It seems the concentration of weight needs to be on the axles.

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2001 quadcab slt 2500 HO 6spd. LWB,2wd,dk garnett red, trailer tow package,camper special, anti spin 3. 54 axle, speed liner,oversized stainless steel chicken slide,66 gallon in bed aux. tank,K&N air filter,Reese 20k hitch, Terry 2000 EX 30ft. double slide 5er, 2000 20ft gooseneck for haulin jeep, firewood and huntin stuff. 5X12 tagalong for haulin the 4 wheeler. Okie Newton

 

[PDM]

QRTRHRS, your rig is exactly what I used to
own and I thought with the torsion axles that
the ride was ideal. I now have a 10 ton leaf
spring unit that weighs about a ton more
empty, and the increased weight on the truck
really hammers me. Once you start banging on
the aux springs you are going to have back
trouble! I have thought air bags might help
in that you could lift the rear off those
unforgiving overload springs. I literally
feel your pain(couldn't resist).

 

[PDM]

Just thought of another possible cause... we
both have the 97 3500 chassis, perhaps we
should pop for some new shocks.

 

[Tom C]

QRTRHRS, how old are your shocks? week shocks will make the truck buck. you could also look into a Advanced Air Hitch www.airridehitch.com . there kind of pricy though.

Okie-Go, Have you heard of the Rockcrawlers?

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2001. 5 2500 4X4, QC, Auto, 3. 54 LSD, SLT, SWB, Trailer, Camper & Snow plow Packages, White, 35k# Cody Hitch, 20' Gooseneck Lowboy flat-bed Trailer.

 

[BCFAST]

Also guys, its not as much the length of the trailer as it is the proportional length from the hitch to the first trailer axle... the longer the better! Look at a semi; the trailer axles are as far away as possible... if your axles are adjustable, move them as far rearward as possible... this will help ride immensely! I also agree on the age of your shocks... how old? brand? Bilsteins will beat you to death, at least the Ranchos are adjustable...

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97 2500 CC 4x4 3. 54 5spd, Green, #12 plate slid all the way forward, 4inch open exhaust, 235/85 Michelins, RS 9000's, PrimeLoc, Red Tops, TDR cloisonae grill badge!

 

[QRTRHRS]

PMU,
My truck is an extended cab which has a tendency towards freeway slap by itself.
I don't have helper springs so there are no hangers to bang on. I do have a set of Roadmasters that I just can't seem to get time to put on. My Bilsteins have 34k on and still seem good. At least the ride is still hard. I looked into the airride hitch. With my flatbed having a small well with a trap door to hide the ball, I did not rush into buying one. That and other priorities. Good thing as I was going to go with this one.
https://www.turbodieselregister.com/ubb//Forum20/HTML/000083.html

BCFAST,
My trailer wheels are fixed and I don't think I have ever seen a small gooseneck with sliding axles. I have to be careful about putting to much weight on the axles and not enough on the gooseneck otherwise the trailer might start pushing the truck around. I have already almost had to put it in 4 wheel to get started at a greasy intersection with just the empty trailer. So, that "sweet spot" is a compromise between a good ride and safety.