Livestock GN

[Newsa]

Gonna break in my unagoose hitch next weekend (installed it in March 2015, never used).

6800 lb (empty) 24 foot general livestock trailer with no stalls. 10 calves/steers probably averaging 650lbs-700 lbs each.

Hauling them 150 miles. Looks like the pin weight will be pushing the limit of the payload on the Ram 2500. I know they've hauled this trailer similarly loaded in the past with SRW. (F 250) But their F 250 broke down last year in transit from the same location. So I offered mine.

I'll be using the exhaust brake alot. I think we plan to tie the bridles to the bars on the side (leaving some space to move in case they fall) prevent load from moving too much.

Anything I need to watch for? Never hauled livestock before. I work at an agriculture school. These steers will become student projects to be auctioned in the spring.

 

[BIGNASTY]

Pack them in TIGHT!! less chance of moving around their livestock not people they don't care if the one next to them farts or not

 

[jkalchik]

Ditto to what Bignasty said. I wouldn't tie them in like that, put in a squeeze gate to crowd them forward so they don't have much room to move around.

Dad & my brother built a tag stock trailer some 30 years ago. Dad quit hauling 8 steers (towed with a 3/4 ton Chevy 4wd) in it when they got to making a ruckus and swung the whole trailer 3 or 4 feet sideways at 65mph.

 

[HCannon]

Ten calves on a 24 foot gooseneck wont be a problem. I wouldnt tie them, just load them, dont put them too tight. Give them enough room if one gets down he can get up. Its not pretty when one goes down and another one steps on his neck shutting his wind off. When you get there you drag him out. Now on a tongue pull the movement of them can cause problems. I pull a 32'x6.8' cattle trailer several thousand miles a year loaded with cattle. Their movement wont be very noticeable on a gooseneck.

 

[Newsa]

Ok, glad I asked. I'll be moving only 60-65 mph since It's only 150 miles and leaving plenty of room in front of me to let the exhaust brake do it's job.

I think there's a squeeze gate 4 ft back from the front of the trailer. We'll use that.

 

[HCannon]

Bet you dont have any problems. Just be easy on the stops and corners and double check the latches on your gates. A gate that comes open will cause a Rodeo in a hurry! I guess livestock is the only freight that will walk on and walk off.

 

[Newsa]

I was initially concerned about the stability of a SRW truck. But I think if I take it slow and steady, should be fine.

it's a fairly straight line from Okeechobee, FL to Miami Florida. Straight & flat. It has been done many times with a SRW truck.
So I'll sit back and enjoy the ride.

 

[BIGNASTY]

I guess livestock is the only freight that will walk on and walk off.

Not Quite, will work to load and unload anything. This example is not real good, we have 4 guys that have walking floors they put the hay or sack at the back of the trailer we take it off with the tractor up in a hay barn its stacked in no time. Doing it this way the bales bust and you've got a mess to deal with.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdA09i7FYKM

But in answer to your question, No Cattle are not the only ones that walk on and off. Try unloading cattle a -40* they like to be close then so they can share body heat. Some gentle persuasion is often needed to give them the idea of what is wanted. Sounds kind of hard but we don't have time to send out invitations to 3500 head of cattle every time we need them to do something. couldn't find a good example of a Prod these A Holes work just about as good, only difference is that the cattle are smarter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SORAQHvv1ko

 

[Newsa]

Broke in my GN hitch. Worked like a charm. I might have been a few hundred pounds over what my truck is rated at on bed weight.

10 young steers. We are about to load in the picture. I was to busy today to be a photo journalist, but stepped back to snap one pic.

260 miles. 24 ft trailer.

 

[Newsa]

In August, we used my truck to transport cattle from central florida to south florida.

The 2015 Ram 2500 with 5.7 hemi that my worksite bought last May has the factory puck system installed,
but they didn't have the money (or knowkedge) to purchase the ball and chains for GN towing.

Now they are saying that the dodge/ram dealership doesn't have the ball and chains to go with the puck system. And they have to buy from the dealership that the organization has a puchasing contract with.

So they told the guy overseeing this agriculture program to buy whichever hitch he wants from petty cash.
I think I'm going to tell him to buy the ball and chains from another dealer.

But he says he likes my unagoose and might just take the puck system off and install a unagoose.

Frustrating situation. So I thought I'd post here to get some good advice.

 

[jhenderson]

The ball and chain attach fittings are made by Reese for Ram. Curt also makes a setup for that system. Any trailer store should have them.

 

[Deleted member 995608]

Those Unagoose hitches look 10 X stouter than BD's.

 

[Newsa]

Those Unagoose hitches look 10 X stouter than BD's.

It's definitely more than I need with a SRW truck. But I prefered it over the B & W because I only needed to drill one hole.

I can see the appeal of the B & W though with it's companion attachments. But didn't like that wheel well release on the B & W.

it will outlast the truck.