Off road 16' gooseneck?

Lets captures all those good off road construction ideas here...

Moderator: Sonetpro

Off road 16' gooseneck?

Postby rebar » Thu Sep 21, 2017 8:05 am

Iv seen a few short gooseneck campers capable of rough gravel roads and tight turns in my travels, and always wondered if one would work out well for me. They seem to utilize space pretty well with the sleeping area over the truck bed and the living area and storage behind. Another advantage is the space needed for backing up and turning around is much smaller than a bumper pull.

I would never attempt serious off roading with a 16' gooseneck, and curious on the angles the hitch could articulate on a flatbed. But I would feel comfortable enough to take it up Cumberland Pass in Colorado because of how well a short gooseneck could negotiate switch backs.

Anyway.. I found a trailer I thought might work. Its already lifted. https://iowacity.craigslist.org/grd/d/g ... 66596.html

My thought was to remove the rear axle completely since they are 3.5 ton each and I don't want two axles. The trailer probably weights about 3500 lbs, so with one axle I could load it with 3000 lbs safely. That might not be enough for the custom steel framed camper and I have planed to build on top though..

Sorry, just thinking out loud here. Suggestions, thoughts?
97 12 valve 4x4 5 speed
rebar
Teardrop Master
 
Posts: 189
Joined: Mon May 22, 2017 4:35 pm
Location: Iowa City

Re: Off road 16' gooseneck?

Postby Louisd75 » Thu Sep 21, 2017 10:19 am

Thoughts: That particular trailer looks very heavy to me. I would probably keep an eye out for a short 5th wheel horse trailer. Lifting a leaf sprung trailer isn't all that difficult, but converting a tandem axle to a single axle may hold more surprises. Many leaf sprung tandem axle trailers share suspension components between the front and rear axle which may or may not require more serious modifications to the suspension mounts if you want to go single axle.

As an aside, have you seen any of the Gall Boys videos on Youtube? They do a bit of travel with a large bumper pull, though I don't think that they have switchbacks like the US west.
Louisd75
Teardrop Master
 
Posts: 106
Images: 209
Joined: Wed Jul 17, 2013 4:27 am
Location: Bellingham WA

Re: Off road 16' gooseneck?

Postby rebar » Thu Sep 21, 2017 2:20 pm

Louisd75 wrote:Thoughts: That particular trailer looks very heavy to me. I would probably keep an eye out for a short 5th wheel horse trailer. Lifting a leaf sprung trailer isn't all that difficult, but converting a tandem axle to a single axle may hold more surprises. Many leaf sprung tandem axle trailers share suspension components between the front and rear axle which may or may not require more serious modifications to the suspension mounts if you want to go single axle.

As an aside, have you seen any of the Gall Boys videos on Youtube? They do a bit of travel with a large bumper pull, though I don't think that they have switchbacks like the US west.


Thanks Louisd75. The Gall Boys are going places I wouldn't dream of. But its usually the last 100' off the forest service road that get you in trouble..

Yes, that craigslist trailer I linked to is over built for my purpose, but I bet I could shave off 1000 lbs in a weekend. It must have been built to transport a fork lift or something heavy, but the flat deck configuration works well for me because once you lift a trailer, wheel wells arent needed. Plus, I don't agree with fenders like those on horse trailers. In my opinion, if your outside wheel width is 7'.. Your trailer width should maximize this and be the same or a bit more. Like the Gall Boys trailers designs. Thanks

The only reason I'm considering a gooseneck is because of the super tight turning radius. I would not consider it if someone proved to me regular bumper pull hitch's articulate more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nvdkw9SI0w
97 12 valve 4x4 5 speed
rebar
Teardrop Master
 
Posts: 189
Joined: Mon May 22, 2017 4:35 pm
Location: Iowa City
Top

Re: Off road 16' gooseneck?

Postby Louisd75 » Thu Sep 21, 2017 6:41 pm

rebar wrote:The only reason I'm considering a gooseneck is because of the super tight turning radius. I would not consider it if someone proved to me regular bumper pull hitch's articulate more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nvdkw9SI0w


While yes, the turning radius is tight, don't forget that the trailer wheels of a 5th wheel will likely track well inside of those of the tow vehicle. For example, if there had been a telephone pole in the middle of the road in your linked video the truck would have had to drive completely past the pole before it would have been able to make it's turn. Not all trails and forest roads will have that kind of length available at the turn of the switch back. What's the overall length that you're looking at for the trailer? Short enough and I don't think you'd have a problem. Too long and you've got a good chance of the trailer cutting the corner and winding up hung up. The question then becomes, what is short enough? :thinking:

FWIW, here's a video shot on a ship I used to work on during cargo ops. (I wasn't involved in cargo, I worked in the engine room) The drivers are some of the best I've ever seen at hostling large (53') trailers in very tight confines, but they also have to spend a lot of time driving backwards to make things fit. The video shown isn't even during a rush period.

https://youtu.be/oj6b29mAi7o?t=1m44s
Louisd75
Teardrop Master
 
Posts: 106
Images: 209
Joined: Wed Jul 17, 2013 4:27 am
Location: Bellingham WA
Top

Re: Off road 16' gooseneck?

Postby rebar » Fri Sep 22, 2017 8:41 am

Louisd75 wrote:
rebar wrote:The only reason I'm considering a gooseneck is because of the super tight turning radius. I would not consider it if someone proved to me regular bumper pull hitch's articulate more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nvdkw9SI0w


While yes, the turning radius is tight, don't forget that the trailer wheels of a 5th wheel will likely track well inside of those of the tow vehicle. For example, if there had been a telephone pole in the middle of the road in your linked video the truck would have had to drive completely past the pole before it would have been able to make it's turn. Not all trails and forest roads will have that kind of length available at the turn of the switch back. What's the overall length that you're looking at for the trailer? Short enough and I don't think you'd have a problem. Too long and you've got a good chance of the trailer cutting the corner and winding up hung up. The question then becomes, what is short enough? :thinking:

FWIW, here's a video shot on a ship I used to work on during cargo ops. (I wasn't involved in cargo, I worked in the engine room) The drivers are some of the best I've ever seen at hostling large (53') trailers in very tight confines, but they also have to spend a lot of time driving backwards to make things fit. The video shown isn't even during a rush period.

https://youtu.be/oj6b29mAi7o?t=1m44s



That gooseneck U-turn video I linked was a 40' trailer.. Id like to see how much more room a 40' bumper pull would have required to turn around, if even possible at that location. If you look, the 40' gooseneck trailer actually rolls backward a little during the U-turn. But yes goosenecks cheat corners more than bumper pulls.

The 16' gooseneck on Craigslist I linked to would be the longest I would consider.. I also found this.. https://northplatte.craigslist.org/rvs/6276970070.html
But I imagine its wooden stick built and wouldn't survive to long on the washed out pothole roads I plan on exploring.. The price is right though..
Last edited by rebar on Sat Sep 30, 2017 4:35 am, edited 1 time in total.
97 12 valve 4x4 5 speed
rebar
Teardrop Master
 
Posts: 189
Joined: Mon May 22, 2017 4:35 pm
Location: Iowa City
Top

Re: Off road 16' gooseneck?

Postby rebar » Sat Sep 30, 2017 5:16 am

slowcowboy wrote:I live in Wyoming and I own gooseneck horse trailer and flat bed trailers nothi g in my local Rocky mountains beats a tiney teardrop bumper pull that's 9 feet long .i don't even have a desire to take my train horse trailer into any moutains..i can fit a tiney teardrop down about any road...naw I wouldn't even consider even a short fifth wheel Rv in the moutains my teardrop can fit were they even can't go..slowcowboy...why truck drive when you play???..

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J320A using Tapatalk


I have no problems with tear drops slowcowboy.. But they don't provide the amenities I want..

A hot shower with enough bathing water for two people for a week..
A toilet and sink.
A large propane refrigerator.
A kitchen/microwave and generator.
A queen size bed and TV.
Zero gravity chairs,awning, tables etc etc.
My motorcycle and tools.
A kayak or whatever other toy's bikes quads we want to take along.

And if it rains, I want to be able to comfortably access these things without running around outside.

I asked this question over on pirate 4x4 and the consensus was that a gooseneck may cheat corners a bit more than bumper pulls. But its ability to do a tight U turn makes it the winner if you have a flat bed. You will damage your bed sides without a flat bed.

This is the gooseneck I'm considering now. But its 3000k axles would limit how much I could haul. Maybe I could replace them with a single 10k axle and shorten it a little..
https://quadcities.craigslist.org/tro/d/utility-gooseneck-trailer/6323754643.html

This is the road I didnt have the guts to pull my toyhauler up and will use as a bench mark. See 6:30 and 8:10 for the switchbacks..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCRmKHD1uaY
97 12 valve 4x4 5 speed
rebar
Teardrop Master
 
Posts: 189
Joined: Mon May 22, 2017 4:35 pm
Location: Iowa City
Top

Re: Off road 16' gooseneck?

Postby rebar » Sat Sep 30, 2017 1:20 pm

slowcowboy wrote:We had a nice old like a 12 foot shorty 5th wheel for sale up here on Facebook older one they make wonderful hunting rigs...they are out there but most people are after high buck 30 footers. Mostly see them in 70s and 80 models as wore out fixer uppers and you can put a ranch hand fifth wheel goose knock ball addapter on the fifth wheel king pin.....i mean they are out there but in older models and most are leaf springs Easter to flip a axle for off road travel..dont go single wheels we had horses trailers like that and ranchers got rid of them fast you blow a tire in the moutains you wreck them..naw you can jack knife a tandem short rig any were i do my 16 foot titan hires trailer a lot I am very find even in my teardrop of the highway construction crews back k icing belly dumps manner.and I watch out my back window till the trailer knock hits my dishes head rack on my flat bed.. but yea don't touch a si gel axle its a mess..slow

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J320A using Tapatalk


The only thing about dual axles on washed out roads is if you drop one axle into a rut , the second axle can be damaged when if takes the entire load. But I understand what your saying..

This forum has a section for enclosed trailer conversions, but no section for offroad enclosed trailer conversions so I posted here. My apologies and delete this if I broke the rules.
97 12 valve 4x4 5 speed
rebar
Teardrop Master
 
Posts: 189
Joined: Mon May 22, 2017 4:35 pm
Location: Iowa City
Top


Return to Offroad Construction Secrets

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests