Largest trailer

[Camara]

I have a 99 2500 QC 5sp with 265/75R16s. I am buying some equipment and want to be able to move it around massachusetts. The equipment and accessories weigh about 15,000 pounds. What do you guys reccomend? A gooseneck with a 5th wheel or a ball coupler, tandem or tri axle? Naturally I would have brakes in all wheels. There is a guy locally the has a 3500drw qc that hauls around his 710 John Deere backhoe that weighs about 24000. I appreciate any and all replies.



Thanks, CJ

 

[QRTRHRS]

Definitely gooseneck. A lot of the tandem dually trailers gross out around 20k. You need to take your 15,000 load and the trailer weight into consideration. I think your asking for problems running that kind of weight on a steady basis with a 2500. Even with a dually, your over the manufacturers GVWR. You also need to check out how Mass licenses such a setup. In my state, to go over 10k GVW on a utility trailer, you need to register in combination. Now, your into CDL territory as well. All this has been hashed out quite a bit so search the archieves. It is a calculated risk overall.



Trailer wise, check out this make.



http://www.hhtrailer.com/indexmain.html

 

[markdixon]

I would also get the gooseneck 5th wheel and the tri axel trailer. The fith wheel because its easer to hook up and it rides a little better than the ball mount, but if you only tow once in a blue moon you might want the ball mount so that you can have the bed space your call. Tri axel because thay ride and track so well plus the added benifit of one more brake axel. This is my opinion from my experance towing large trailers.

 

[jponder]

Definately get a gooseneck. You can get you a good 30K ball for your truck and you are ready. You can get super high rated trailers using a military or pittle hitch like 20 to or so and I geuss that is fine if you have a big dump truck or something, but I wouldnt trust that setup on a pickup, I think gooseneck and ball are the only way to do it safe.



Qtrhrs mentioned something about GVWR and 3500 vs 2500. 2500's have a higher GCWR than 3500 at same configs. There is some misconception that a 3500 can pull more when in reality it is rate to pull LESS! So far as your GVWR well that will depend on how much tongue pressure you put on it.



So far as tandem vs tri axle. You know in my neck of the woods you can buy a tri axle for cheap, it seems no one wants them and I dont know why. It seems like 3 7K axles ought to be better than 2 10K axles. I am prejudiced against the tri's because my buddy gripes all the time how his dad keeps blowing tires with one and he needs to get a real trailer and all that. I have never pulled a tri but I wouyld go with the tandem even though I can not give you any specific reasons. I guess I'm just following the crowd on that one.



Good to see you are getting some use out of your truck

 

[Whitmore]

I have a ton of towing 20k loads with both tripple and tanden duelly trailers, both were gooseneck style. alot depends on the type of towing you will be doing, a tripple axle doesnt like alot of tight turning because the front axle does alot of skidding sideways while turning, its just the nature of the beast. I would say that whatever trailer you can get the best deal on would be the one to go for. The trick to loading the trailer is to place the equiptment on the trailer so the overloads on the truck just do touch, this will give you just the right amount of weight on the back of the truck and still be legal and this will also let the trailer haul the majoriety of the load.



Cheers, Kevin