I've never pulled one that pulled good empty. I pull a 20+5 trailer like this with a self cleaning pop up dove tail. Got the one with 8000# axles and 17.5 single tires. It will still beat you to death empty on the interstate.

http://www.southag.com/Trailers/pgs7.htm

Check your local "Craigslist". In our area, there's flat bed gooseneck trailers listed all the time. Check Richmond, Roanoke, Lynchburg, Raleigh/Durham, Greensboro areas....

 Southag can rebuild and paint your old trailer... Refurbish I think is the word they use...!!

I think the reason your older trailer pulls better or (you think it pulls better) is because it is HEAVY!

I am with retento, I have never owed or pulled a gooseneck flatbed that really did not beat you up empty.  I have a 24' Load Trail low boy style with 2-7-k axles with no dove tail that I orderd just to haul hay with and has a steel floor.  It pulls pretty good but is a little heavier.  Also have a deckover 23+5 gooseneck with 2-7-k axles and wood floor.

I like the Load Trail and PJ trailers because they are poweder coated.  I sure some others are too now but they have been for years.

I've used two of the Dually/Tandem likes Pauls link.

They work great for what I need to do. I wouldn't go back to singles/tandem for the weight I haul. And I definitely wouldn't do triples. Too hard on tires.

That is just like my deckover Load Trail (which is one and the same as PJ now).  I would love to have one with duals but the DOT is too hot to write tickets for not having DOT stickers and CDL lic. even though we run farm tags on everything.  So it much better for me to stick with singles and make an extra trip in needed.

I agree with triples, too much wear on the center axle and tires.

Well, I can not speak for VA. nor any other state than Texas, but in Texas even though you have "farm" tags you still must meet the weight regulations and hay is the fastest way to get "over weight".  My truck and all trailers are farm tagged.  This makes the actual weight for the trailer 34-k lbs. but the trailer is still only rated for 14-k lbs.  Years ago, farm tags would not get a second look going do the road but with some folks taking advantage of the $6.30 farm tags and people using them on lawn trailers and other non farm equipment and living in town the DPS and DOT guys started looking close at them and now checking weight as well.

As far as local stock sales around here the DPS is at everyone of them.  Not only because of tags but for stolen trailers and stolen livestock.

So around here if you have farm tags on something at a livestock auction you better have live stock or something to do with livestock in or on that trailer or you will get a ticket.  No hauling te friends broke down Ford or your new sofa home.