If you know everything about your equipment and it is paid for, KEEP WHAT YOU HAVE!  If you try and trade or sell to buy a used trailer, you might be buying a problem.  I would sure stay with a gooseneck.  Going down to a 2 horse trailer is not going to really save you that much money any way, sure it may be a few hundred pounds lighter but if you EVER need to haul just one other horse you will not be able too....

The only way you would actually save money would be if you was to do what we did.  Go from a 4 horse mid tack trailer with a 8' SW LQ that was 12,640lbs empty and pulled like a barn door down to a 3 horse with a 10' SW LQ that is around 9,000lbs and pulls like a dream!  We have raised or fuel mileage from 10.2 to 12.6!  Don't sound like much, but figure that on 500 miles plus per month!

You don't tell us anything about how you use the trailer. Nor do I know how big your 4 horse GN is.  So I don't know how to advise you.

Myself. I wouldn't want to go back to a bumper pull. If all your hauling is just a short hop over to the vet or a near by fairgrounds. Maybe a bumper pull would be fine for you.  I use my trailer to haul to the mountains. So I like the stability of the gooseneck. Especially if the wind kicks up.  Gooseneck trailers are just a lot more stable on the hiways.   Most GN have more storage than any of the BP. Again I don't know how much stuff you haul around with you.  If you got a 3H sant load bumper pull, you could pile stuff in the front stall for extra storage, just like using the empty stalls in a gooseneck.

Fuel mileage wise, you won't save very much between the two. On my 2006 F350, if I hook up any trailer my mileage drops to about 12 on avg.  In fact I used to haul a 4h LQ that weighed in at 16,000lbs. I would average 11.2mpg.  I sold that trailer and bought the same brand trailer with out the LQ.  Empty with out horses  it weighed 6.000lbs. I towed it home and got 11.5mpg. That's .3mpg differrence for 10,000 lbs less weight. I've got a flat bed equipment trailer. weighs 2,000 lbs empty No side  = No wind resistance. I hook up to it and I get 12.5mpg. So I don't see alot of difference in mileage between the various trailers I haul.  On a 200 mile weekend, the differnce $3.00 at todays fuel prices. That's not enough to worry about.  If you are towing 500 miles a week every week  like Hogtown above is,  Maybe it's worth it.  500/11.2mpg = 44.6 gal @ $2.29 = $102.23  vs  500 /12.0mpg = 41.66@ $2.29 = $95.41  That rounded up = $7 savings  for the weekend. it's not worth it to me to not have the storage or the ability to haul a friends horse.

Having a paid for piece of equipment is a great feeling, financially and emotionally. It won't cost you the equivalent of one monthly payment, to maintain your trailer for a year. As was stated, you know what you have, mechanically and performance wise.

A GN will generally get somewhat better mileage than a bumper pull. The truck's cab helps deflect some of the air over the nose of a GN trailer. The BP is being hit with the turbulence of the same air, as it is redirected down into the bed and tail gate areas, and striking the entire frontal area of the trailer.

Some people would welcome having too much extra room. You have the capability of turning the surplus areas into anything you want. Your Cornpro is well built and should last a long time. If it's now doing the job for you, you're not being forced into a change. If you still want to swap later, when the economy picks up, your additional depreciation between now and then will be minimal. You will not loose much more, by hanging onto to your trailer for a longer time period.

As Painted Horse has illustrated, the difference in fuel savings will be minimal, compared to the cost of replacing the trailer. If that is your sole reason for a change, it would not be economically viable.

BOL  Gard

shoveltrash,  What engine is in your truck?  I can give you some simple things to do to it that will help your performance and most will be at a minimal cost..... I deal with alot of the older Ford trucks gas and diesel. (1997 and older)

And if you after reading some of the other post, I really must disagree with the bumper pull mess about being better to get around town with.  That is more than likely coming from ones that have never pulled a gooseneck.  With the gooseneck you have better turning ability and like gard said, your truck is like a air deflector when you are pulling a gooseneck.

good luck

And I suspect anyone who would actually try and argue which is 'better' is not nearly as experienced as they think. 

They are what they are, better is in the eye of the beholder.

shoveltrash,

I cant see how you would come out ahead swapping your paid for 4H for anything else.....hard to beat paid for.

I would be more curious as to why your current diesel truck "REALLY struggles" with this trailer??? 

If you have the 7.3 diesel, it can be easily modified with a chip and exhaust to provide much more power and better mileage than you have now. This can probably be done less expensively than buying and selling a trailer. It would also provide a better tow vehicle, regardless of what trailer you decide to pull.

A "chip" is easily installed, and depending on the brand, various power settings can be selected depending on your needs. A larger, free flowing exhaust system can be retro fitted, which will increase your mileage and torque. Both improvements would total about $1000.

We pulled a 3 horse Cornpro stock/combo for many years behind several vehicles. The empty weight was around 3300#, yours should be somewhat heavier, but not grossly so. We never had power problems through ours and the neighbouring states' mountains. If your diesel is low on power and unable to handle your trailer, it might be wise to have it looked over by a competent mechanic. Our diesel, routinely handles trailers that weigh considerably more with ease. The BP was never a problem, regardless of the road grade.

Many Cornpro were fitted with OEM Goodyear bias ply tires. When their time limit is reached, switching to a radial tire will lower your trailer's rolling resistance. This will noticeably improve both your truck's mileage and available power.

Your trailer can be upgraded as well as your truck. When I restored our Cornpro, I added many items that were not offered as original equipment, which enhanced its usefulness. None were individually expensive, and can be added piece meal.

Best of luck   Gard

Now we are talking about stuff I know and love! 

First thing go to ebay and get this down pipe Item number: 250347190159 and go to your local muffler shop and tell them you want this installed followed by a 4" exhaust system, no muffler (94.5 to 97 strokers are not loud without the muffler, just run better)  My 4" and labor cost me $150.00 plus the down pipe. Most will offer you a kit for more money, NOT WORTH PAYING MORE MONEY FOR THE SAME STUFF!  Or a cheap way out at least do the 4" exhaust without the downpipe.  Then order a K&N drop in air filter. (most places are around 50 bucks)

Then best mod for you Stroker is going to be a TS Performance chip that offer 6 position settings.  I have my 97 set up with a valet, stock, anti theft, 50hp, 75hp and 100hp and I run it on 75hp most of the time loaded or unloaded and have rasied my fuel mileage and major power upgrade. (can smoke the 4 rear tires set on a 100hp)  If I was to redo it, I would go with the high idle option and leave off the anti-theft, just for cold weather warm ups!  There is 8 options you can pick from.  Do not use the 100 or 140hp for towing!  Here is the one I bought on ebay 2 years ago and still love it, Item number: 230316047746  they are offered with a buy it now price or you can make an offer!  I paid either $200 or $210 for mine.  This mod works much better with the down pipe added to the exhaust.  My total cost was under $500.00 and made a new truck out of it!  My crew cab dually went from 12 mpg towing to just over 14mpg towing the same trailer and 14mpg unloaded  to over 17mpg (when I don't smoke the tires)

Don't let the muffler shop push you around and tell you that you need this or that, tell them what you want done and thats how its going to be.

good luck, let me know if you need anything else with this.

A follow up to what HTB related. Don't chip the motor without opening the exhaust. The motor has to be able to breath to take full advantage of the computer modifications. Dumping more fuel into a restrictive system, will increase your exhaust temperatures, and limit the amount of gain. Installing a 4" system without a new, larger down pipe, doesn't result in much lowering of the exhaust restriction. The muffler is not needed as the turbo quiets down much of the noise. If you're going to keep the truck for any length of time, go for a stainless system and a lifetime warranty. In our part of the country, cheap systems rust out in a couple of years.

Do not use any of the higher chip settings, with a heavy load on long grades, as you can exceed your maximum cylinder exhaust temperatures. A new engine installed is about $10k, which can be more than the value of an older truck. Most chips have a lower towing setting, and when used continuously under a load, is not enough to exceed your max temps. This setting should be all you will need. You should invest in a pyrometer to monitor your engine temps.

When you're pulling a heavy trailer, the HP gain figures are not important. You are interested in a motor that will pull well under a load, at lower RPMs for various lengths of time. Torque is the key that provides these characteristics. The chips will give you what you want.

Gard