I just found this forum and learning lots of great stuff.  I have a truck that I want to make sure is big enough before I install the gooseneck hitch.  I have a Sundowner 2 horse steel stock combo gooseneck that was somewhere around 4000 lbs.  I have a 2002 Chevy 1/2 ton extended cab 2 wheel drive short box truck.  It is a v8, I just dont know what size for sure.  I only haul one horse.  Hubby doesnt think this truck will be able to pull the trailer but calls into Chevy and trailer dealership say yes.

Thanks

Only a 2horse gooseneck you should be O.K. Only thing I would be worried about is stopping it, rear tire load rating, and maintenance cost. You may need to upgrade to a load range E tire due to pin weight on the rear. Only way to know for sure is to scale the truck and trailer at a certified scale. A 3/4 ton would be better but with today's fuel prices and such staying with the 1/2 ton may be a good idea.

yes it has the tow package.  I thought it had the bigger back end.  We bought it new in 2002 so I cant remember what the number was   

I'm in MI, no real hills, longest hauls are around 2 hours, most in the 40 min-1hr area. 

Sounds like youll be fine to me.

Sure you will be fine, until you try to stop fast or stop in the rain then you will not near enough truck!  Even being just a 2 horse, 1/2 ton trucks are not built to handle gooseneck hitches!  If you have to try and stop that trailer in the rain really fast if some stuipd a** pulls out in front of you even with the best brake controller on the market, you will be able to set in your truck and watch the trailer come around in front of you!

Just depends on how well you like your truck and trailer, not to mention the horse you will be hauling!

A 1/2 ton cant handle a GN hitch? And the trailer will come around in the rain?  Thats one of the silliest posts Ive read in a while.   

http://www.chevrolet.com/silverado/specifications/ Note about half way down on towing specs it changes over to "Silverado 1500 Fifth-Wheel Trailering".

That is a problem you can have regardless of truck size if you are using primarily tow vehicles brakes. Turn your brake control up and use the trailer brakes as they were intended. Been there done that with a 3500 and an aluminum 2 horse gooseneck. I had the traielr brakes dialed all the way down and didn't realize it until I tried to stop fast. When it is operator error, as it was in my case, truck size can be irrelevant.

I think you meant don't buy a bigger trailer.

chadsalt,  The only thing silly about my post was your reply!

I guess you have never been behind someone on a 6% down grade in the rain with a gross weight of around 25-k lbs. and 200 yards in front of you is a lady with a 2000 Chevy extended cab 1/2 TON short bed truck with a 2000 Sooner 2 horse slant load gooseneck with a 2' short wall dressing room, 2 horses and 3 bales of hay and she was using just the trailer brakes untill they started smoking, then all that was left was the truck brakes and when she hit them the first time they faded away to had no peddle, then hit them again and wraped the trailer around in front of her!!  Until you have seen something like that, keep your smart *** replies to yourself!

Yes, a 1/2 ton will pull the trailer in question, BUT NOT SAFELY!

That is what the forum is for "information and input" And that is my input!  I have been there and seen it happen and know how the out come was and how this problem could have been STOPPED!  But like I said, if you do not like your truck, trailer or horses go right ahead and do it, at least if I am behind you I will have enough truck and brakes to stop my rig!

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?   Improper use of the brakes can certainly lead to problems, no matter the size of truck.  If you think that is the correct way to descend a grade both you and her need some instruction to keep yourselves safe.  99% of the time when people start using the "not enough brakes" argument their experience/skill/training is deficient........your post is a prime example.  As long as the rig is within GCWR the brakes are adequate for the job.

Like anything else,accidents happen. But I had driven a 1/2 ton safely with a GN, as well as a pal of mine, for several years. We didn't do lots of big hill but when we did I didn't over do it with speed. Even with a big ass truck, someone pulling out in front of you poses problems that can be tough to handle. careful driving and watching your speed will help lots.......

I think its unfair to suggest that one doesn't care about horses, people or property should they pull a small trailer on a local scale with a 1/2 truck. If you want to say your concerned, go ahead. We are all concerned when it comes to bad drivers making life on the road difficult for us. But don't make it worse when you insult someone else like that. You are fairly new on this board so please settle yourself down and lets chat like reasonable adults.

To put it simply...their 1/2 ton loaded within capacity can SAFELY pull, just like a 1 ton loaded within capacity can safely pull. The capacities are set by the manufacturers and are there for a reason.

The same scenario that you spelled out with the 1/2 ton and 2 horse, I have seen with a little Pete and a 4 horse LQ, while I was in my 1 ton pulling a 3 horse LQ with no problem on a 6% grade in AZ.

Here are a couple of decent articles on downhill braking.

www.e-z.net/~ts/ts/downhill.htm

http://thefuntimesguide.com/2005/07/downhilldriving.php

If she was struggling going down hill, those articles will help. If she was struggling going up hill, think about it this way...regardless of the vehicle, you can not add 4000-6000 pounds and be able to maintain the same uphill performance that you do without the weight. Took my Tahoe with 4 adults and 3 kids on a trip. A little crowded, but we drove a lot at night. I couldn't go uphill the same way I could without the people in the car. Now think if I had put 3,000 more behind it on a trailer. I would still be within towing specs completely loaded, and can still safely travel, but the vehicle has to work harder to do it.

Something else to thing about! 

The gvwr on a 2002 Chevy 1/2 ton truck is around 6100lbs (per GM's website) unless you have the HD which is only offered in the crew cab model then you get around an 8000lbs rating!  But this ladies truck is a 1/2 ton EXTENDED CAB, so she has the 6100lb gvwr and per GM 90% of the  lighter trucks sold does not come with an actual "TOW PACAKGE"!

Back to the original post.  Yes, your hubby and Chevy dealer both are right somewhat!  Your truck will pull that trailer, but I sure would not take off on any type of trip with it!  There is TOO many people out there driving cars that have NO CLUE what it takes to pull a trailer and they sure don't understand what it take to stop one!

Of course it was.  She burned the trailer brakes, then applied the trucks brakes.....trailer brakes doing nothing caused the trailer to push through the truck and come around.  Text book example of why you dont use only trailer brakes to slow the rig.  If you had been in the front, could have just as easily been your truck that jackknifed.  Sometimes #hit happens.......with enough experience youll learn not to blame it on the equipment.

BTW, speaking of GVWR, GCWR, being overloaded, and safety........what 1 ton do you have that has a GCWR of almost 25K?

Wow. That is all I can say.

By the way...I searched and searched  ...correct me if I am wrong, but I thought in 2007 Dodge's maximum towing rating was 16,400. Like I said in a previous post, "To put it simply...their 1/2 ton loaded within capacity can SAFELY pull, just like a 1 ton loaded within capacity can safely pull."

In my somewhat educated opinion, ...her truck will be less overloaded than yours.

It had been stated in another thread that it was a "40' loaded Trails West 4 horse trailer (around 17-k or so loaded)". You are right, GCWR on a Dodge is 23k. Base curb weight is right at 6,000.

Maybe right about the 16,400, but that is on the standard 3500 Dodge truck!  Not the 3500HD cab-n-chassis with firsestone bags.  These truck have a 12,500 gvrw instead of 10-k. 

 And a correction on the gross weight, we scaled in Alliance 2 weeks ago loaded with 52 gallons of fuel, 125 gallons of water, 4 horses, 6 saddles, 4 square bales, food and drinks for the weekend and the rest of the tack and we was only 24,367, sorry about showing 25-k on another post, that was a mistake!  But what difference is 633lbs going to make???

My point being; looks like youre over the manufacturers GCWR by 1367#, yet you 'feel' that rig performs fine.  Your post leads me to believe you are the typical chest thumping "my big truck can handle it" type of person.....which is fine with me, until the BS starts flying.  Now Im not saying your going to burst into flames from being a few pounds over, Ive hauled "overweight" plenty so I know better.  However if your truck can handle being overweight, why cant a 1/2 ton handle what it is rated to haul?  The simple answer is it can, but youre simply not comfortable doing it.....doesnt mean the next guy isnt.

Truth be told, I suspect a 1/2 ton with a 8k trailer will probably stop quicker than a 1 ton with a 16K trailer.....or at the very least be to close to call.  Basic physics.

Yes if my trucwas a standard 1-ton dually I would be 1367lbs over weight, based on the standard 10-k gvwr!  Do some home work and look back a earlier post and see that my truck is a cab n chassis that has a 12,500 gvwr which in turn is 2500 lbs more than the standard 1-ton!  And NO, If I don't feel that my truck will haul the weight in a safe manor, I AM NOT GOING TO HAUL IT!  I have way too much invested to try something stupid like that...  For instance I have a 28' gooseneck flatbed trailer I haul hay with.  The trailer will hold 18 -1000 to 1100lbs round bales, but I will only haul 12 or 13 at a time because of the wieght...

Also look back a earlier post, yes the 1/2 ton can haul the trailer, but it is not designed to haul a GOOSENECK!  Frame is not even close to being as heavy as the 1-ton or even the 3/4-ton for that matter.  Bottom line is if they wish to use a 1/2 ton to do the job that is fine, but the original post was asking for input and that is my input!  Yes it will haul the trailer, safely NO!  Something else she needs to thing about is if the truck in question is still under warranty, she need to get in writing that her warranty will not be removed for using it for something that it is not intended for!  Reason for adding that was last year, I bought a truck from a local auction that was new enough to still have warranty but the warranty was no longer valid because someone had added a gooseneck hitch in the bed of a 1/2 ton truck and then complained that the frame was cracked and tried to blame GM for the defect!

And NO the 1/2-ton will not stop any fast because the brakes on the 1/2-ton are not even near the size of the brakes of a 1-ton.  Common sense!

NEXT!

You don't even remember what the topic was to begain with!

Oh yeah, scroll back, I never said anything aobut a so called gcwr or whatever you put! 

READ BEFORE YOU WRITE!

You are actually incorrect...Traffic laws in the US state that OVERTAKING vehicles must MAINTAIN safe assured distances...which means IF YOU HIT someone who is in FRONT OF YOU, it is going to be YOUR FAULT!!!

Please spend some of your free time to do some reading up on the New Dodge Ram trucks.  A TRUE factory cab n chaissis truck NEVER leaves the factory with a bed, a factory bed will not even fit the chassis because the wheel base is not the same, the axle is not as wide either.  And in the case with the Dodge cab n chassis they all come with a straight axle front end.

1) A Dodge Ram 3500 cab n chassis is just that!

2) If a new truck is sold with no bed, does not make it cab n chassis it is called a "bed delete" and those can be bought in either a 1/2, 3/4 or even a 1-ton for people who wish to install a utility body or something of that nature! 

You are correct about one thing, GCWR and GVWR are two different things, and I never once mentioned anything about the GCWR!  And the 12,500 that I keep talking about has everything to do with it!  So again, please spend some of your free time and educate yourself before you start going off on someone about a post that was left!

Wow...I have been away a few days and look at all that I missed.

To Rockin'TK;

#1. Check out Dodge's website. HD or not, your truck is overloaded. Not saying it isn't capable, because it is, but if you go by true towing specs it is still overloaded.

#2. GM (Chevrolet/GMC) provides towing specs for the 1/2 ton models. In those towing specs, it provides both bumper pull & fifth wheel towing. I have owned many 1/2 tons with gooseneck hitches, and am yet to crack a frame, and yet have a dealer tell me that my warranty is voided. My guess on that would be this...warranty was voided in the manner to which the hitch was installed. I am sure that an attorney would love to have that case if it wasn't considering that they will give you the towing specs freely on the web.

To mgoodma;

To ease your mind, if it needs it, ask your dealer to show you the towing specs for your specific vehicle. They will be able to do so. Get a true weight on your trailer (I think you are close enough on your estimate though). Run the calculations and determine if you feel safe with the weights that you will be pulling. Give yourself adequate stopping distances, keep your brakes in good working order, have fun when you get wherever your travels take you.

You have incorrectly interpreted my post.  I compared the Chevy HD series brakes to the brakes on OTHER 1/2 tons.  I am aware the Chevy 1/2 ton (pickup) brakes are smaller than the HD series.  My point being; no one in their right mind would tell me the brakes on my truck are not big enough, yet they are smaller than nearly every late model 1/2 ton.

Never intended to dispute that.