Enclosed Trailers

[JAL3]

I hae never driven a gooseneck, but every horse trailer my parents owned was a gooseneck. That is cretainly an options. Do they tow differently than a standard trailer?

As PJ said, they do drive smoother than a rear hitch and they don't porpoise near as much. You carry a lot more of the weight directly over the drive axles instead of trying to pull it.

An earlier post mentioned a "5th Wheel". That may be the most common type of RV gooseneck. I don't know because I have never looked at that type of trailer. Most people around here prefer a ball mount, usually 2 5/16" or 3", over the 5th wheel. That is the standard on agricultural or construction trailers. They have more capacity, less trouble and take up less room in the bed, especially if you have a drop down ball mount.

 

[degreaser]

As PJ said, they do drive smoother than a rear hitch and they don't porpoise near as much. You carry a lot more of the weight directly over the drive axles instead of trying to pull it.

The downside is you loose use of your pickup bed. I keep an ATV there

 

[jd2cylman]

An earlier post mentioned a "5th Wheel". That may be the most common type of RV gooseneck. I don't know because I have never looked at that type of trailer. Most people around here prefer a ball mount, usually 2 5/16" or 3", over the 5th wheel. That is the standard on agricultural or construction trailers. They have more capacity, less trouble and take up less room in the bed, especially if you have a drop down ball mount.

Yup +1 to all of this. We used to have 5th wheel hitches in the farm trucks when we hauled our own sawdust for the stables. We eventually converted both trucks and trailers to 2 5/16" ball hitches. Went from 15,000lb capacity to 30,000lb. The other obvious benefit is they have much better range of movement (i.e. twisting motion). Going through field entrances used to make a LOT of groaning from the 5th wheel side plates and base plate. The ball didn't even whisper. Modern ball hitches that pull out of the bed and flip over to be flat work great as long as you keep them lubricated. My GF's truck has one, but she never changes it. It took my service truck crane to pull the one out of her old truck, so her brother could have a flat bed again.

Adrian

 

[JAL3]

The downside is you loose use of your pickup bed. I keep an ATV there

Not always. I've had two different trucks with ball hitches where you did lose any bed utility. The ball could rotate and hide under the bed. It worked really well. Both times it was an after market addition. You have to remember to keep it lubed though. If it freezes the whole mount has to be replaced.

 

[JAL3]

Yup +1 to all of this. We used to have 5th wheel hitches in the farm trucks when we hauled our own sawdust for the stables. We eventually converted both trucks and trailers to 2 5/16" ball hitches. Went from 15,000lb capacity to 30,000lb. The other obvious benefit is they have much better range of movement (i.e. twisting motion). Going through field entrances used to make a LOT of groaning from the 5th wheel side plates and base plate. The ball didn't even whisper. Modern ball hitches that pull out of the bed and flip over to be flat work great as long as you keep them lubricated. My GF's truck has one, but she never changes it. It took my service truck crane to pull the one out of her old truck, so her brother could have a flat bed again.

Adrian

Bingo! I never could unfreeze mine.

 

[degreaser]

Not always. I've had two different trucks with ball hitches where you did lose any bed utility. The ball could rotate and hide under the bed. It worked really well. Both times it was an after market addition. You have to remember to keep it lubed though. If it freezes the whole mount has to be replaced.

I'm referring to a 5th wheel. When the trailer is attached, the bed is somewhat occupied. Is there another design to which you are referring?

 

[cwbullet]

I may have to look a 5th week. You all make tough sell on a regular trailer with all these benefits.

 

[degreaser]

Not always. I've had two different trucks with ball hitches where you did lose any bed utility. The ball could rotate and hide under the bed. It worked really well. Both times it was an after market addition. You have to remember to keep it lubed though. If it freezes the whole mount has to be replaced.

One of these?

https://popuphitch.com/flipover.htm

Better, but you still can't have an ATV in the bed when towing the trailer.

 

[JAL3]

One of these?

https://popuphitch.com/flipover.htm

Better, but you still can't have an ATV in the bed when towing the trailer.

You are right that the bed can be used for very little with the gooseneck trailer hooked up.

That was not like the balls I had but conceptually similar. The actual hitch was the steel box about 16" square and 10" deep. They had to lift on the bed to install it. When the bed was replaced and the ball was put away, it just looked like a square piece of black platesteel lying in the midded of the bed. It didn't block anything. To use, you depressed a catch, rotated the ball upright and swung part of the cover plate back into place.

 

[degreaser]

Ok, maybe one of these will do:

https://www.fishwithjd.com/2010/10/13/the-worlds-most-bad-ass-toy-hauler/

 

[jd2cylman]

One of these?

https://popuphitch.com/flipover.htm

Better, but you still can't have an ATV in the bed when towing the trailer.

I'd wager that some camper style trailers might be able to be equipped with a fold down cargo door on the back end, where one could drive the ATV right in.
I've seen horse trailers that had nicer living quarters than some motels. It's all just a matter of money, right?
Now, if only I had some!
I'm not sure if camping trailers can be equipped with the 2 5/16" ball, but if so, that is the best option IMHO. The 5th wheel hitches have a pretty bulky hitch plate that is not permanently installed, but the side plates ARE permanently installed right inside the fender wells. They make pretty good knee knockers when the hitch is out..........

Adrian