Need 2 trailers-opinions wanted

[jerem0621]

I'm starting to look at my towing needs over the next six months or so and I will likely be getting a couple of trailers including a car hauler and a Travel Trailer or a Fiver.

The car hauler will be up to 9000 lbs loaded with the tractor/classic cars.
The camper will likely be 9000-10,000 lbs loaded as well. I'm going to need a 3/4 to 1 ton truck or SUV.

Should I go with Gooseneck and Fifth wheel trailers for these weights? I do have a lot of experience towing but my max weight has always been under 7500 lbs. I would prefer to keep it a Tag-Along trailer but I am open to the other side.

Any input is appreciated.

Thanks!

Jeremiah

[DaveF-250SD]

I tow cars occasionally on borrowed or rented car hauler trailers. I noticed that EW trailers in Oklahoma has an awesome 20 foot (deck length) gooseneck car/equipment hauler. Was considering buying a trailer to haul cars on, and theirs seems to be perfect for the job. It has a 10 or 12K gross, so it is overkill for hauling a 4,000 to 4,800 lb. car, but more trailer than you need is far better than having one that is close to being maxed out. Before you buy a car/tractor hauler, you should give the EW trailer a look. I have not priced one yet, or even checked to see if they have any dealers in California.

[jerem0621]

mkirsch wrote:
There's no jumping in and out of the bed to hitch up a 5th wheel either.

Great point!

I didn't think about having the car hauler built with a king pin instead of a gooseneck hitch.

Hmm, more noodling to be done for sure.

Thanks!

Jeremiah

[mkirsch]

There's no jumping in and out of the bed to hitch up a 5th wheel either.

[jerem0621]

Thanks for the comments folks, I really do prefer tag type trailers over gooseneck and Fivers for a several reasons. I really like that the attachment point is behind the vehicle and low to the ground. No jumping in and out of the bed to hitch up.

I also like that I can choose from a variety of TV's since I am just now getting to that phase.

I suppose I will have 2 WD hitches..1 for the. TT and one for the Flatbed.

Thanks!

Jeremiah

[BurbMan]

Turtle n Peeps wrote:
A 5er is more forgiving with weight distribution.

As you know, you have to get the weight just right with a TT to make it tow correctly. The window is pretty small. Get it under 10% tongue weight and it will sway like a big dog. Get it over 15% and you better have a big truck to handle the rear load axel weight.

To give you an example of how critical it is to get weight distribution correct let me tell you a story.

Many moons ago I needed a car trailer to haul my race car around. I had no money to buy one but I could weld and I thought man I will design and build one. And I did. A really nice flat bed trailer. Towed like a dream loaded or empty. I mean it was like a slot car.

After a while I wanted to step up and have an enclosed trailer. Still having more time than money I decided to design and add a really nice box onto my flatbed. It came out great! I wanted a ramp door just like everybody else so I built that into the design. A really heavy ramp door.

Man my trailer looked nice! I was so proud of it! Then I took it for a drive down the road. WHAT THE.................??!!!!!! I couldn't even keep it on the road! What the hell happened??? After a little thinking I remembered the "really heavy ramp door." This took a ton of weight off of the tongue and bam, lots of sway!

No problem I will just move the axels back. Oh, sheet..........I can't because of the design of the trailer wheel cut outs!!

I thought to myself I just ruined my beautiful car trailer! Well one day I bought some metal added a work bench and vice and a bunch of cabinets up front. I took the trailer out for a drive and low and behold it wasn't too bad. Nothing like the flat bed and nothing like when I fist put the box on it. Somewhere in-between. I need to add my 700lb tool box and a bunch of tools and parts to the front cabinets. I bet after I do this my trailer will tow like my flatbed used to tow.

My point of all of this ^^^? It's a lot easier to design a 5er toy hauler because they are WAY more forgiving with weights and balances. Not so with a tag toy hauler because the window is small.

Empty is where the rub comes in. Loaded you can always fix the weights and balance problem by the way you load your tractor or car or whatever you haul. Just a foot more up front or a foot back made a HUGE difference on how the trailer towed. And I do mean HUGE!!!

One last thing. 90% of the people on this forum say a 5er will tow better than a tag. That is just BS IMHO. I can get a tag to tow like a dream or tow like a nightmare. I can get a 5er to tow like a dream or tow like a nightmare. It's just the error window is bigger for the 5er.

It's all in the setup.

Excellent post and well said! What a ProPride or Hensley hitch effectively does is make that stability window very wide, so any trailer tows like a slot car regardless of how poorly designed or balanced it is.

Toy haulers are especially problematic since the toys are usually loaded behind the rear axle, so empty the TW can be 1500+ lbs.

[mowermech]

Having towed all three types of trailers, of various sizes, at one time or another, there is no doubt in MY mind!
I would go with the fifth wheel for BOTH the flatbed car hauler and the travel trailer!
IMO, the fiver hitch is much easier to hook up and unhook. Plus, no safety chains are required for a fifth wheel hitch. No weight distribution or sway control is required.
IMO, the fifth wheel is the only way to go, whenever possible.

[Turtle_n_Peeps]

A 5er is more forgiving with weight distribution.

As you know, you have to get the weight just right with a TT to make it tow correctly. The window is pretty small. Get it under 10% tongue weight and it will sway like a big dog. Get it over 15% and you better have a big truck to handle the rear load axel weight.

To give you an example of how critical it is to get weight distribution correct let me tell you a story.

Many moons ago I needed a car trailer to haul my race car around. I had no money to buy one but I could weld and I thought man I will design and build one. And I did. A really nice flat bed trailer. Towed like a dream loaded or empty. I mean it was like a slot car.

After a while I wanted to step up and have an enclosed trailer. Still having more time than money I decided to design and add a really nice box onto my flatbed. It came out great! I wanted a ramp door just like everybody else so I built that into the design. A really heavy ramp door.

Man my trailer looked nice! I was so proud of it! Then I took it for a drive down the road. WHAT THE.................??!!!!!! I couldn't even keep it on the road! What the hell happened??? After a little thinking I remembered the "really heavy ramp door." This took a ton of weight off of the tongue and bam, lots of sway!

No problem I will just move the axels back. Oh, sheet..........I can't because of the design of the trailer wheel cut outs!!

I thought to myself I just ruined my beautiful car trailer! Well one day I bought some metal added a work bench and vice and a bunch of cabinets up front. I took the trailer out for a drive and low and behold it wasn't too bad. Nothing like the flat bed and nothing like when I fist put the box on it. Somewhere in-between. I need to add my 700lb tool box and a bunch of tools and parts to the front cabinets. I bet after I do this my trailer will tow like my flatbed used to tow.

My point of all of this ^^^? It's a lot easier to design a 5er toy hauler because they are WAY more forgiving with weights and balances. Not so with a tag toy hauler because the window is small.

Empty is where the rub comes in. Loaded you can always fix the weights and balance problem by the way you load your tractor or car or whatever you haul. Just a foot more up front or a foot back made a HUGE difference on how the trailer towed. And I do mean HUGE!!!

One last thing. 90% of the people on this forum say a 5er will tow better than a tag. That is just BS IMHO. I can get a tag to tow like a dream or tow like a nightmare. I can get a 5er to tow like a dream or tow like a nightmare. It's just the error window is bigger for the 5er.

It's all in the setup.