Posted 2013-01-02 10:57 AM (#149096) Subject: A ROOKIE QUESTION
Expert
Posts: 5870 Location: western PA
I know this is a common question and many are tired of hearing about it. I'm sorry for asking, but I am hoping for an experienced owner's insight.
I have a friend who just purchased a new 150 Ecoboost with a 5 1/2 bed. She wants to get rid of her Brenderup and get a new trailer. She asked me for recommendations. If possible, I would like to place her with a GN, but the bed length seems to be prohibitive.
I've seen some Sundowner stock models that have a long, quite tapered nose. They are available with drops or slats on the head side, and slats on the back and butt side. Because she wants an enclosed trailer, I would think that this model could be specially ordered or converted to an enclosed varient. With the addition of a hitch extender, hopefully this combination would give her enough room to clear the back of the cab.
Posted 2013-01-02 12:52 PM (#149097 - in reply to #149096) Subject: RE: A ROOKIE QUESTION
Member
Posts: 43 Location: Close to the Heart of The Great Smokey Mtns.
We've installed hitches on several 5 1/2' beds and my experience has been as long as the trailer has a 30 degree angle nose(i.e. Sundowner, Lakota, etc...)and you substitute an extended gnk coupler(usually 9")it will keep it out of the cab.(7' wide trailer)You should not have to resort to the "needle nose" gooseneck that Sundowner offers.
Posted 2013-01-02 5:05 PM (#149100 - in reply to #149096) Subject: RE: A ROOKIE QUESTION
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 402 Location: Valentine, NE
I have the same truck that I use for work. If I put much over 750 lbs in the box, it squats something awful.
Depending on what the tongue weight would be, might need to see what air bags would cost or if they are even made for a 150....
I pulled a 5k bumper pull trailer with it a few times and it was the tail waging the dog effect. Not recommend IMO. But that was a bumper pull trailer.
As far as box clearance, I am sure it would work, but........I am not that careful all the time.
Posted 2013-01-03 8:31 AM (#149106 - in reply to #149096) Subject: RE: A ROOKIE QUESTION
Elite Veteran
Posts: 813 Location: Tenn/Ala.
As PH says- have done several hitches in these trucks. For a careful driver, clearance isn't usually a problem.
As to squat- yes. The .5 tons can have a lot of squat. The main issue is the tongue weight as has been stated. A 2H GN straight load with a tackroom has the axles at the rear- and thus a lot of tongue weight. A 2H slantload with small dress and no escape door will have "normal" tongue weight, and do just fine (realize that each manufacturer has their own ideas about axle placement calculations). At about 14'L, both trailers will scale at 3600#, and you'll not find a published tongue weight to compare. But there will be a world of difference in how the truck handles the two.
Posted 2013-01-03 9:01 AM (#149107 - in reply to #149096) Subject: RE: A ROOKIE QUESTION
Expert
Posts: 3802 Location: Rocky Mount N.C.
This is from the Gore website... Their trailers are steel frame aluminum skin, wood floor, fiberglass roof... Jackson Gore lists the tongue weight on several of his trailers. This is a GN two horse slant with DR... Trailer weight of 4280#, 940# of that is tongue weight. This is for an empty trailer, fill that tack room with stuff along with the animals and the weight comes on in a hurry.
Posted 2013-01-03 10:52 AM (#149109 - in reply to #149096) Subject: RE: A ROOKIE QUESTION
Expert
Posts: 5870 Location: western PA
Thanks all for your insight. I haven't had a chance to physically look over the truck, at last glance it was parked with snow rubbing its undercarriage. I was told they purchased the optional towing package; I haven't done any research to find out if that includes aux suspension mods.
I had planned on recommending Timbrens, regardless if she ends up with a receiver or bed mounted hitch. She has decisions to make, some financial, some physical. BP or GN ? SL or ST? Rear tack or dressing room?
I'm hoping she goes for the GN, because of the increased towing stability. She is used to small BP tow vehicles, using first a 4Dr Ranger and then a Land Rover to pull a Brenderup, both successfully. Having never pulled a GN, I will hook up our 2 H and let her try our rig. Our 2H GN weighs ~3500# empty. With two horses and junk it can weigh ~6000#- 6500#. This seems to be in line with the new aluminum trailers as well. A quarter of that is ~1500# which is what I would estimate the maximum pin weight would be on her truck.
As Richard points out, a lot depends on the trailer axle placements. And as Gary states, the size of the DR and the enclosed equipment, can greatly add to the tongue weight.
Now that I know that a short bed can tow a 30 degree nosed trailer with a 9 inch pin extention, we can try to look for the best axle placement, in a trailer that will result in a good, safe, towing rig. I'm beginning to think that it will have to be custom built. Sundowner does have some models that are close, we don't have Lakota in our part of the country. Most of my favourite brands do not have the 30 degree noses, and many of the brands that do, don't have dealers within a day's drive from here.
It will be an interesting shopping experience. To all of you, thank you for your insight. Your experiences are what makes this forum so valuable, and that, which is to be a pleasure of.
A ROOKIE QUESTION
