OT Gooseneck trailer question

I can't comment on your tranny, but I've driven roughly similar-sized gooseneck and bumper-tow trailers: goosenecks handle better, ride better on long trips, and seem to be easier on the truck than bumper tow.

Load the trailer and the truck to the limits of what the axles are rated for, drive at highway speeds (but don't pass any cop cars), and stick to your maintenance schedule religiously. You should wring full value out of your truck.

My dad's shop truck outlived my dad. It was a 1972 Chevy C-20 with over

100000 miles on it when we got it. We'd pull out of the shop at 20,000 pounds combined vehicle weight (with a gooseneck) and drive to shows in California, Washington, and the midwest. 20000 pounds combined vehicle weight was a bit much -- after 200000 miles of that the truck frame needed all it's rivets replaced (my dad did not believe in "throw away and buy new") -- but he dropped down to 15000 CVW and the truck lasted basically forever after that.

What year, engine trans? Does it have the factory tow package as well?

Look on the door sticker and it should give you the GCVW.

However I'm betting that 14K is over the limit. The new 2015 2500HD maxes out at 13K

If the rivets needed replacing, so did the holes. Where on Earth did you find a cost-effective source for frame-free rivet holes, Tim?

I took no part in that madness; it happened after I was off being an engineer instead of the #2 son at a family business. Either he drilled them out and replaced with oversize, he depended on the swell of the rivets to fill the holes, or it wasn't as bad as he thought and he was just wasting time (although the truck was reputed to have driven better after the rebuild).

Without knowing what year & drivetrain, it's hard to say. But I'd at least add a external transmission cooler and a deep transmission pan. If it needs a pep-up for towing, consider changing rear end gearing.

Jim H.

The shop manual for my Ford truck says: "In cases where it is necessary to substitute a bolt for a rivet, use the next larger size bolt."

-jsw

I've used close tolerance bolts and reamed holes when repairing a truck frame, at the makers suggestion.

That's good to hear.

I'm sure it would, had the frame been that sloppy.

I have a 24,000 lb. rated gooseneck that I pull with an F350 and manual tranny. It is a wonderful piece of equipment. It goes WAY beyond the ability of a tag trailer.

We last hauled a 18,000 lb. mill from central IL to central MN.

Brakes are the biggest issue. I was able to install a brake controller that taps into the brake line. Unfortunately these are no longer made. The units with a pedulum inside (nearly all of them now) are not worth a shit for this application.

EDIT, used the kids F250 for the mill haul , not my F350. Just like your truck

This is very nice. (I saw your message about F-250).

I bet that to be nice on the trans, you just "go easy" when driving and avoid excessive acceleration, and slow down on steep grades.

i

The brake controllers that work off the brake light with programmed ramp and max current work better than the pendulum ones - amd I believe there are now some out using solid state decellerometers. TruControl from Hensleys one example

What? Oh dammit. I suppose someone did something exceedingly stupid and then won a lawsuit.

Are the pendulum units attached to the truck body, trying to sense the deceleration, or are they attached to the brake pedal, trying to sense the rotation?

In the former case I think you may as well install spoked wheels on the truck and carry a long stick to shove in when you want to stop.

Electric brake controllers work moderately well.

i

Its a decelleration sensor. If you are grossly overloaded going down a steep grade. The damn controller won't help you stop at all.

The brake line pressure sensor is by far the best system but I'm sure too many idiots f&*%ked it up when the took the line apart at the master cylinder. A controller named Max Brake was made just for large heavy trailers on small trucks. My truck is 22 years old, don't know what to do when it dies.

My son's diesel F250 comes with an integral brake controller as part of the car's system. Works better than the pendulum unit but stopping distance was easily double of what my truck does with the same load.

Karl

Its a decelleration sensor. If you are grossly overloaded going down a steep grade. The damn controller won't help you stop at all.

The brake line pressure sensor is by far the best system but I'm sure too many idiots f&*%ked it up when the took the line apart at the master cylinder. A controller named Max Brake was made just for large heavy trailers on small trucks. My truck is 22 years old, don't know what to do when it dies.

My son's diesel F250 comes with an integral brake controller as part of the car's system. Works better than the pendulum unit but stopping distance was easily double of what my truck does with the same load.

Karl ==========================================================

The deceleration sensor controllers I've had were tunable so you could adjust for the trailer weight, and they all had manual apply slide levers on the front which can come in real handy if swaying sets in. I haven't towed a real heavy load in years, but I could tell the difference when I adjusted the controller with the trailer empty and then with a car on it.

----- Regards, Carl Ijames