Need gooseneck geometry lesson May 18, 2020 01:57PM
In December I ordered a 25+5 corn pro gooseneck trailer, with 8k axles and 16 ply 215/17.5 tires. My pull vehicle is a 2011 6.0 2500hd 4x4 GMC. The overall length of these items exceeds 50 ft. The trailer has performed flawlessly, the driver, not so much. My loads are usually 10k to 12k tractors, my first trip to New York I picked up a 5020 in the snow, front loaded the trailer, with the rear axle of the tractor in front of the trailer tires, dropped the truck bed 4 to 6 inches, but provided excellent traction in the ice and snow on I 90. My second trip to New York with a 11000 pound 1066 with the rear axle between the trailer tires, truck did not drop at all, and the trailer pulled well, and smoothly on what few miles of not pot hole roads I could find. I won't bore you with the list of what I have hit or marked on these trips, with a 2018 Civic in a dark parking lot being the biggest, and a 6x6 corner post at a motel in PA being the smallest. I am not a first time gn owner. I understand the "put the truck in the ditch and the trailer should be ok", "take all the lanes until you are sure the trailer is headed towards the right lane", etc, etc. at speeds to 80 mph, my trailer has never bounced, the bed has never shown any give and I am beginning to believe the 17.5 tires must be filled with concrete---they NEVER BOUNCE, FLEX OR SHOW ANY MOTION AT ALL. My issue is, I believe, the rear of the trailer comes directly to the truck, when the truck is returning to its proper alignment, following any broad or circular turn. There is 42 inches of frame behind the rear tire, and in front of the dove tail. the 17.5s consume about 72 inches of the trailer frame. Would my problem be helped or hurt be either moving the tamdem assembly back 42 inches to the rear of the deck, or by should I move the tamdens forward 42 to 48 inches on the frame? If either of these slowed the responsiveness of the rear of the trailer tracking to the truck location, what effect would such move have on backing the trailer? With 25 ft of deck, I do not feel balancing a load would be significantly affected, as the rear axle of any tractor could still be placed between the trailer tires, and have deck room to work around the tractor. Buying a 20 ft trailer would help some, but couldn't the axles be placed where a 20 ft trailers would be, and have a longer deck of equal mobility of the smaller trailer?? Any and all responses will be appreciated, excepting hire a driver, lol.
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Re: Need gooseneck geometry lesson May 19, 2020 04:27AM
.01 A twenty ft. trailer would better fit your needs.

.02 Moving wheels forward would cause you to drag the tail a lot in and out of parking lots.
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Re: Need gooseneck geometry lesson May 19, 2020 11:03AM
That poor truck
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Re: Need gooseneck geometry lesson May 19, 2020 11:23AM
McDonalds is hiring
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Re: Need gooseneck geometry lesson May 19, 2020 11:23AM
More truck would help a bunch
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Re: Need gooseneck geometry lesson May 19, 2020 12:12PM
If you move the axle forward it will drag like crazy like the other 2 cents said and it will pivot in the opposite direction as the front of the trailer does and create a whipping action on your blind side. if you move them back it will make it a lot harder to make tight turns and be harder to back up in tight spots. I think experience is the best cure for your problems. I had a trailer similar to yours and your measurements seem close to mine.The guy who taught me how to drive a truck 20 years ago gave me the best advice I’ve ever heard. He said it doesn’t matter if you’re in downtown Los Angeles or downtown Belwood Nc (I know you’ve never heard of it but that’s the point) don’t get in a hurry and hit something it doesn’t matter if you have to wait 20 minutes for it to get clear enough to make a turn just take your time and let the cars wait they will get over it.
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Re: Need gooseneck geometry lesson May 19, 2020 12:23PM
that 2500hd with a 6.0 and 4l80e are at the outer limits with those tractors. Pull back on the speed or you will need to be trading trucks yesterday. I read horror stories about reliability of some truck models and wonder if the truck stays in the wind at 80 or more, trailer or no trailer. I had an 06 2500hd with a 6.0, great truck but soft brakes, enough so that I sold it and bought a 2016 2500HD with a 6.0. Brakes are light years better. Hauling tractors that size, a dually makes an even bigger difference. Trailer size should not be a problem, you gotta stick the load where the truck needs it so that you are in control, not the load. No two loads are the same so experience is a valuable tool, especially on a new setup. Good luck and stay safe hauling.
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Re: Need gooseneck geometry lesson May 19, 2020 01:25PM
In reference to the transmission issues, my trip to new York I mainly traveled I 90 with 11000 lbs. my trans temps were 150 to 175, snowing outside. My trip back from New York through Maryland and West Virginia hauling an estimated 7000 1066 chassis, and running some 3 to 6 mile 6% grades, at speeds of 50 to 65, my trans temps ranged 180 to a max of 210 on two occasions. What should be the max trans temp before being concerned with the excess heat, and at what temp should I consider flushing the trans fluid and checking trans cooler functioning. Thanks for your time and your responses.
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Re: Need gooseneck geometry lesson May 19, 2020 01:26PM
The tail is definitely wagging the dog
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Re: Need gooseneck geometry lesson May 19, 2020 03:37PM
Art, I suggest if you are gonna be towing any more than a weekend pull here or there on OCCASION. The I would seriously consider trading in or purchasing a minimum of a 1 ton dually with a diesel engine. Would be even better to step up to a comparable size truck as the Ford F-450 or F-550 many times you can find a better deal on one of those trucks than you can for a 1 ton. They have some killer deals at the Quarter Horse Congress in Columbus Ohio in October I believe. You will beat that 3/4 ton down in a real hurry towing like you say you are. Not to mention that the larger truck would be much safer! Be safe, you can get in a real bind in a real hurry if you are not careful towing with a truck not designed for the job! Best of luck and do yourself a big favor and upgrade if you have the means to do so, before something happens that you will regret. Be safe.
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Re: Need gooseneck geometry lesson May 19, 2020 11:20PM
the solution to hitting things is getting over to the opposite way you are turning way before you get to the turn,-takes a trailer longer to move the axles over to the turn radius
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Re: Need gooseneck geometry lesson May 20, 2020 03:10AM
I would think that moving the axles forward would make the issue of getting into stuff with the trailer better but also would be a bad idea. These trailers are engineered for certain loads and moving the axles up would leave you very vulnerable if something were to break and cause an accident. If you were to do that then had 2 smaller tractors to haul that back tractor would put a tremendous strain on the rear half of the trailer frame.

I would suggest finding some traffic cones as well as an empty parking lot. Set up some cones and practice different maneuvers. Very much like a CDL truck drivers corse, that might actually be your best move, take a CDL class.

S'no Farmer
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Re: Need gooseneck geometry lesson May 20, 2020 08:45AM
No offense meant, but if you clipped more than two things inside of 6 months you need to get a shorter trailer or pay someone to haul. Not to mention that a 30' gooseneck with 10-12k on it behind a 2011 3/4 gas pickup is asinine. That setup is an accident looking for a place to happen.

Hang it up or spend some money before you hurt yourself or someone else.
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Re: Need gooseneck geometry lesson May 22, 2020 07:50AM
shorter trailer won't help much without common sense, -and you can't teach it.
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