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New User
Posts: 4
Location: Elbert, CO | I've heard the following about gn trailers: better weight distribution,easier to pull and back. Is any of this true? I go camping with my horse and am tired of crawling out of truckbed with myFlippac camper. Am thinking a gooseneck would be easier to camp in. I need to save my strength for crawling on my horse. :) |
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 Expert
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Location: Northern Utah | I love gooseneck and will never go back to bumper pull horse trailers. |
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New User
Posts: 4
Location: Elbert, CO | So why do you like them? |
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Regular
Posts: 96
Location: Grapeland, Texas | I have had gooseneck stock trailers and now have a LQ trailer. Like Painted Horse, I love my goosenecks. They seem more stable and are easier to back, for me anyway. I do have a small bumper pull tho for short trips to the vet, or close local riding. I'd pick goosenecks over bumper pulls any day. |
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Regular
Posts: 79
Location: Alberta Canada |  I had bp stock trailer, got rid of it and now have two.. a stock and lq. I will never go back to a bp. With a gn there is very little chance of sway, they are easier to back up, and can back up to a sharper turn. I think they are easier to hitch and unhitch. The tow weight is over the rear axle, and not 4 ft back of the axle. You have abit more storage in the gn, be it sleeping, hay, saddles, tack storage, or grains. The gn is probably a little bit more money, and there is the extra cost for a gn hitch... here I suggest B&W In my opinion, once anyone switches, they will never go back This is just my 2 cents worth... lol |
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Expert
Posts: 2958
Location: North Carolina | Suzyoats : Welcome to the forum. A GN trailer places its hitch weight just in front of the rear wheels. This increases the weight on the truck in a balanced fashion. The steer tires don't lose weight and traction. The trailer connection doesn't have the long lever of the truck frame behind the axle to wiggle and sway the truck. All these factors add to a much more stable and easy riding tow. As for backing the trailer, With a long bed truck, the trailer can be 90 degrees to the truck. If you tried the same with a BP, the trailer would crush the bumper or other sheet metal. The hitch being close to the rear axle eliminates the exaggerated turning a BP trailer has making it a bit easier to back.. The Neck over is the perfect extra space for sleeping space instead of a tongue. I've used a BP horse trailer once. Then had GN horse trailers for next 23 years. |
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Expert
Posts: 1723
Location: michigan | I have had a BP and hauled horses. There were many white knuckle experiences. Now that i haul with a GN I won't ever get a BP. The GN are far and away more stable down the highways than a BP. Freeway driving is a breeze. You get used to backing them up and those pesky right hand turns. Ican also easily hook a Gn up by myself VS a BP. All the way around its the way to go. |
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Expert
Posts: 5870
Location: western PA | I have to agree with everyone else. Gn trailers are very stable on the road, won't jackknife when you're backing, aren't so critical on balance issues, and the GN area is a fine extra space with many uses. I have had several BP horse trailers and had mostly good experiences with all of them. I still have several BP trailers that are for boats, utility etc, that are very handy. BP trailers are very useful and have a place within the industry. The one thing that I most enjoy about GN horse trailers is the ability to load a solo horse in the last stall, and freeing the entire front for storage. Doing so has little affect on the balance of the rig, a situation that is mostly unavailable with a BP trailer. With so many affirmative threads about towing a GN, perhaps you will see how many of us have had positive experiences. Hundreds of thousands of GN trailers have been built over the years, a testament to their usefulness. |
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Regular
Posts: 98
Location: MD | I just switched from a BP to GN last year for the very same reasons as I do a ton of horse camping, sick of sleeping in a tent (setup/take down time away from riding) or the BP DR or a stall if it rained, blah, blah....I'll never go back. The two big differences for me was how BP's "dolphin" on bumps in the road or rough highway 'cause they aren't integrated in to your truck bed and I sleep like a baby in my weekender converted DR.
Edited by RidnClyde 2013-03-23 4:27 PM
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 Expert
Posts: 1880
Location: NY | welcome to the forum GN is the way to go you read everybody's answers all I could say is that is why I got one |
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 Veteran
Posts: 218
Location: Ohio | Not that you need one more person to tell you GN is the way to go but it really is. The best answer I can give is stability. Whether it is wind, rough roads or weight, you can't beat the stability of a GN.
Having the weight basically right over the rear axil also gives you great traction on soft ground.
One thing I would add, if your truck does not have an electric hook up in the bed, I would have one added when the GN hitch is placed. Much nicer than hanging the trailer electric over the tail gate to the BP electric hook up. JMHO |
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Expert
Posts: 3802
Location: Rocky Mount N.C. | Well, I got both goosenecks and bumper pull trailers. I don't think one is any better or worse than the other. Each has their place in our business... Tough trying to pull a gooseneck behind a Mercedes SUV, Yukon XL, etc.... Those of you that think a BP is so bad, you might want to let the Mfg's know how bad they really are, maybe they don't know.... There's 2905 BP trailers on HTW for sale this morning, most of them brand new!!!!! |
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Regular
Posts: 79
Location: Alberta Canada | I guess I should clarify my previous post............ FOR HAULING LIVESTOCK I BELIEVE A GN IS BETTER. I do own 9 bp trailers of other uses, both tandem axle and single axle, but the gn is still the best in livestock towing... ie moving weight towing. my humble opinion. lol |
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Expert
Posts: 1723
Location: michigan | Nobody said one should ban all BP..they have their place ( personally if I had a mercedes I wouldn't be pulling a trailer) however the poster wanted to know if a Gn was more stable- yes. easier to pull..yes. better weight distribution..yes. Easier to camp in..yes. Now if your opinion differs thats by all means chime in with your thoughts on the subject. |
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Veteran
Posts: 218
Location: Ohio | Wow, the flaming begins. BP's do have their place. If you don't have a pickup with an open bed, you are kind of stuck with a BP. The original post asked about pulling and stated they were camping in it. If you are going to camp your options are limited with BP. If I was going to get a smaller trailer for local transport or day riding, I would consider a BP. If you are going to camp, and you have a pickup, then no question a GN is the best option.
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 385
Location: high desert, CA. | Remember too....
towing a big GN into the woods is not going to be as easy as the smaller BP. By it's length, the GN is more likely to high center over ditches and creeks. ( Yes! I do go through some creeks and over some "non" roads to camp and ride) We have almost NO camps for horses in California, as the are frequently banned from Camping areas. So, we must go where there is no hookup, water, or people to camp/ride. I take my 2h BP to the desert and up to the high sierras to ride, so taking my 4H GN, would be impossible to negotiate the trails or fit across the ruts and ditches.
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[IMG]http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h84/siseley/camping%20and%20travels/asstshotsfornow070.jpg[/IMG]
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 385
Location: high desert, CA. |    |
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Regular
Posts: 64
Location: Knoxville | I loved my BP trailer. I tow with a dually F350, so I didn't have issues with sway or anything. I have a GN now, for the same reasons you indicate. We really started camping a lot, and the weekender makes it a lot more fun and a lot less work. Hauling the GN is not an improvement for me at all. There are a lot of places I could go with my stock BP that I am not going w/ my 3 horse weekender GN. It's a worthwhile trade off for me - only you can decide if it is for you as well. |
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Regular
Posts: 85
| I like my b/p. I am too intimidated by the length of the goose necks and don't want to have to jump up in ghetto bed of my truck go hook it up. I also feel that backing up the b/p is easier than a goose neck. Maybe because I am used to it? I got a b/p with weekender package and it solved my problem. |
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Veteran
Posts: 201
Location: Lincoln, NE | I have to second recommendation of Goz93. Have the electric plug installed in the wall of the truck bed when getting GN hitch installed. I didn't and first time I pulled my GN a sharp turn wrapped that long electric cord around the hitch and it pulled apart. Nothing like being 200 miles from home with no lights or brakes on trailer.
Soon as I got home I had the electrical plug installed in the truck bed.
Especially if you camp the GN is the way to go. |
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New User
Posts: 4
Location: Elbert, CO | Wow. Thanks everyone. Lots to think about. I've had 3 bumper pulls and haven't really had some of the issues mentioned. I do get into some tight spots, so there's that to consider. My truck has a gn connector already but I will have to check for the elec connection. I thought about a truck camper but don't really like the lack of ability to haul things. My flippac really is a good solution, but there I go again, I have to crawl out the tailgate. I am going to go look at a gn just to see what I think. Now I have lots of good information to take with me. I think I would like one. Thanks again!, |
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Member
Posts: 36
Location: MD | GN all they way. you can get a short 2H GN that is no longer than a BP (the box), not all GN are 4H with 12" LQ. by design the GN puts the weight and more important the LEVERAGE just in front of the rear axle, If a BP sways at all, it has a couple feet of leverage, and in some cases if the planets align, the oscilation happens (fish tailing), and you had better pray the trailer brakes work, cause if they dont the only way to stop it is to speed up and get to an up hill grade. In a nutshell - GN sunday drive, BP white knuckle (I have had them both) now if your trying to tow you horse around behind your luxery Car or modep,, yes you are stuck with a BP :) Nick |
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Member
Posts: 36
Location: MD | Hmm, that should read "Moped", but i guess we are not "allowed" to edit our own posts?? |
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Expert
Posts: 3802
Location: Rocky Mount N.C. | Originally written by Slackdaddy on 2013-03-24 6:17 PM Hmm, that should read "Moped", but i guess we are not "allowed" to edit our own posts?? You got three minutes to edit a post, not one second longer. |
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New User
Posts: 4
Location: Elbert, CO | More good info. Love this site. Now to just find the right trailer. Ive got a 95 ford f250 that is addicted to gas. Love the truck. Low miles (haha who can afford to drive it!). Maybe if the gn pulls easier I'd get better gas mileage than with the bp. |
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Expert
Posts: 5870
Location: western PA | The GN will not arbitrarily pull easier than a BP. That's a function of the type of tires and their rolling resistance, the trailer's weight, height and shape of the nose. There are three types of GN nose configurations that will afford different wind resistances; a square or rounded full width front, a tapered body and a "V" shape. The "V" offers the least wind resistance, and will result in a slightly better fuel mileage. As mention many times, you will find towing a GN to be a very stable and secure feeling. The larger additional interior volume is welcomed, and can be used for many types of traveling, from full LQs to basic storage. It's very convenient to have everything already stocked in the trailer when ever you need to use it. If you plan on using the bunk area for sleeping, make sure the trailer's height is high enough to allow a sitting posture, whenever you are occupying that space. Most trailers have to be a minimum of 7' high to allow this. A 7 1/2' high trailer usually ensures an adequate head room. Because most brands are not built to the same specs, it is wise to actually try the space during your initial inspection. Best of luck. |
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Always had bp, thinking of switching to gn
