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New User
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Location: Mt Pleasant,tn 38474 | I am new to hauling a gooseneck trailer. I just purchased a 2006 bison 2 horse lq. I am hauling with a 2000 chevy silverado 2500. I just had a brand new b&w hitch put in. When I drove it home last night from Georgia to Tennessee it bounced around some and felt like it was pulling back on my truck in certain spots. Not the whole trip but several times it did this.I was told that a gooseneck trailer was a dream to haul. I am not sure since I am new to this.. please help! thanks... |
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Location: Central Arkansas | An empty 2H LQ trailer would be a little tongue heavy on the truck, especially if the trailer axles are placed way back. If, this is the case, once you load the horses in, you will find the ride much smoother. Most of the time, a gooseneck trailer IS alot smoother ride than a tagalong. But, axle placement and weight distribution go hand in hand to acheive that. |
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Expert
Posts: 5870
 
Location: western PA | A 2h GN trailer with a LQ can place a great deal of weight on the rear axle of your truck. Depending on the model, your truck's suspension may be cycling on its overload springs or striking the suspension stops, when uneven roads effect the ride. This can result in the "bouncing" you have noticed. The next time your rig is hooked up and secured, check to see how much rear suspension travel is left. If it is minimal and you are near to the stops, you might have to consider auxillary suspension devices, such as air bags, air shocks or Timbrens to level your ride. You should also check the serviceability of your rear shocks. If they have more than 30K miles of wear, they may not be up to this additional task, and may need to be replaced. Make sure your truck tires are properly inflated. Also make sure the trailer tires are properly inflated. Many owners use the maximum pressure indicated by the tires' manufacturers, which are indicated on the sidewalls. If the pressures are lowered, the trailer will pull harder, and any uneven roads will become more noticeable as a result. Most newer trailers are equipped with radial tires. Some are not and an upgrade to them can be most beneficial. You will realise an improved ride, less squirm, better longevity and fuel mileage, because of their lowered rolling resistance.
Edited by gard 2011-11-13 9:48 AM
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Veteran
Posts: 213
Location: Virginia | When I purchased my 2H GN, I had the same experience when I towed it home empty. I also wondered if something was wrong. Once I put a horse in, it was/is a dream to pull. My axles are closer to the rear. |
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Member
Posts: 12
Location: MO | I brought a new to me trailer home once (lights worked, all seemed fine) but it was *very* hard to back into the spot I wanted it at home. In fact, it didn't back at all....until I disconnected the electricial plug from the truck. The the brakes were locking up when the reverse lights came on on the truck. Probably not your issue since you were likely going forward when you pulled from ga to tn, but maybe a short or something could be applying the brakes at some level occasionally while pulling? just a thought |
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Expert
Posts: 3853
 
Location: Vermont | Originally written by Romeo76 on 2011-11-13 7:43 AM
I am new to hauling a gooseneck trailer. I just purchased a 2006 bison 2 horse lq. I am hauling with a 2000 chevy silverado 2500. I just had a brand new b&w hitch put in. When I drove it home last night from Georgia to Tennessee it bounced around some and felt like it was pulling back on my truck in certain spots. Not the whole trip but several times it did this.I was told that a gooseneck trailer was a dream to haul. I am not sure since I am new to this.. please help! thanks...
Did you level the trailer before you left?
So what was your trailer's weight at the pin and at the axles??
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New User
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Location: KC, MO | I found a solution to this problem by installing an air cushion hitch in place of my B & W hitch ball. These units are really effective at isolating the bumps and shocks from being transmitted to the trailer and the other way around too. I couldn't believe how much it smoothed out the ride. It's got to help smooth the ride for our horses in our gooseneck 4Star trailer. I did a lot of research on line looking at various air hitches but was discouraged by the high prices until I found this one at a company called Greenwood Equine Equipment for just $449.00! It is easy to install and just drops into your existing hitch in place of your current hitch stub. only takes a few minutes to install and just stays on the truck. If anybody's interested their website is www.greenwoodequip.com |
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Expert
Posts: 3802
Location: Rocky Mount N.C. | Originally written by Hoss on 2011-12-06 9:50 AM I found a solution to this problem by installing an air cushion hitch in place of my B & W hitch ball. These units are really effective at isolating the bumps and shocks from being transmitted to the trailer and the other way around too. I couldn't believe how much it smoothed out the ride. It's got to help smooth the ride for our horses in our gooseneck 4Star trailer. I did a lot of research on line looking at various air hitches but was discouraged by the high prices until I found this one at a company called Greenwood Equine Equipment for just $449.00! It is easy to install and just drops into your existing hitch in place of your current hitch stub. only takes a few minutes to install and just stays on the truck. If anybody's interested their website is http://www.greenwoodequip.com/ http://mrtrailer.com/cody.htm |
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Expert
Posts: 2615
| I looked at a few of these online tonight,the Air Safe ($$$) and the Trailer Saver,etc.Found the Cody hitch last,and it is the most reasonably priced.The others are running upwards to $1000. Anybody have the others,or,any other Cody Hitch owners besides Hoss with opinions? Thanks. |
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Location: Central Arkansas | I have the Cody Hitch installed on my dually. It works well. Love it!
Edited by brushycreekranch 2012-04-19 5:36 PM
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Expert
Posts: 2615
| Thanks M,that is the one we are considering also! Priced the Air Hitch,it was way out of our pocketbook range and we don't tow that often.If that works for you as much as you are on the road,it will be a good one. |
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Member
Posts: 21
Location: Tidewater, VA | I just bought a 2006 Bison - same issue.
When compared to my smooth riding Merhow,the difference is; the nose is shorter and the wheels are further back.
Solved by changing to this hitch: http://radauto.com/shop/gooseneck-hitches/b-w-extend-a-goose-10-goo... |
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Member
Posts: 21
Location: Tidewater, VA | Update...
Coupler worked for me and one horse fine, for multiple long trips.
Used it for hauling 3 horses and 3 people & gear, it went right back to bouncing.
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Expert
Posts: 2955
Location: North Carolina | Originally written by steelsidedown on 2012-07-21 1:26 PM
Update... Coupler worked for me and one horse fine, for multiple long trips. Used it for hauling 3 horses and 3 people & gear, it went right back to bouncing. The cody hitch looks like it uses an air spring. You might have to increase the air pressure when you're heavily loaded. Use the air valve on top of the bladder to adjust the air pressure. |
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Member
Posts: 21
Location: Tidewater, VA | No air pressure/spring system involved in that hitch, just a simple extension to make up for the lack of length to the nose.
Sent the trailer up the road on consignment, several other issues that displeased me.
There's good reasons why this brand is so much cheaper than others. You get what you pay for.
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Regular
Posts: 83
Location: Minnesota | The 2006 might have original tires on it. Have them checked. I experienced something similar with a dump trailer and found a tire with the belts starting to seperate. It caused high and low spots on the tire and made for a bouncy ride. The solution was simple, although costly in the sense of new tires. And note that even tires with a lot of tread still left can start to seperate. Tires are only good for so many years. |
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Member
Posts: 21
Location: Tidewater, VA | Thanks! That is fabulous advice that we found to be very true on other trailers! :-) One bubble on just one tire really will make you feel like you're driving a blender.
Unfortunately, another strike out for this trailer. It did have original tires when I bought it, dry rotten. After getting it home, I replaced all 5 before our first trip. Rode the same before and after. :-(
Something I wanted to point out for others reading this thread (hopefully someone else can avoid making the same mistake) - The nose on this trailer is short, and the hitch is also set back 6-8" from the nose. There's no space to walk between the truck and trailer when hooked up.
I've had several suggestions my truck was the problem, that the hitch was is the wrong place, it is not. We have other goosenecks, and other trucks. The other goosenecks don't bounce with my usual truck, and the trailer behaves the same way and sits just as close on other trucks.
Maybe these trailers would do well with short bed trucks?
If the future I'll be measuring the trailer necks, and avoiding trailers that have a set back hitch. With this one, I feel its poor engineering, unbalanced hitch/length/weight/axle lcoation ratio. |
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Regular
Posts: 68
Location: West Tennessee | steelsidedown - one of my best friends has a 2005 or 2006 Bison with LQ. It's a unnerving ride with her sometimes. She's used to it, but gee whiz. She has a short bed so I can tell you it isn't that. She's been told her gooseneck ball was worn down and that caused "play" in it resulting in this juking and jiving (bucking, really) she experiences. It's crazy. I'm going to go with the gooseneck itself and where the hitch is placed like you mentioned (on the gooseneck not the truck)...she thought it would be better with a long bed like I have. Apparently not. |
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Member
Posts: 21
Location: Tidewater, VA | unnerving for us... can you imagine what the horses are going thru? No wonder some "won't load" ! :-( |
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Gooseneck trailer bouncing when towed.
