Trailer Advice

[calewjohnson]

Looking for some advice...not really an RV question, but I know some of you have been around the block a time or two....


We just moved across country and will continue to live in the RV for a year or two while we build a house on our property... Instead of paying for storage, we have decided to look into a cargo trailer to hold all of our household goods.

Should I go with an 8.5x36 gooseneck or bumper pull...we may go bigger, but we have seen both options. Any pluses or minuses to either?

Thanks,
Cale

[Oaklevel]

Most gooseneck hitches can usually be swapped for 5th wheel plates & vice versa. While the statement is true that bumper pulls are easier to sell. There is a huge market for goose necks and 5th wheel cargo trailers. Many weekend race car people use them, along with souvenir sellers. And other car hobbyist. Never seen a farmer around here have an enclosed cargo trailer usually they are either cattle trailers or open flat trailers.

Have you considered a gently used tractor trailer / trailer. The size & terrain of your lot will determine the possibility. It does limit the movement to a truck tractor or heavy equipment. Grant you can't move it easily but a used shipping container is probably the cheapest route. Side it and use it as a cabin later. :).

[calewjohnson]

Thanks all...if I can find a bumper pull that will give me 15k lbs of cargo, I am going to jump on it. I fear though, I may be wasting my time. The nice thing so far, it seems as though bumper pulls are almost 50% cheaper when compared to gooseneck trailers.

Cale

[Dtank]

path1 wrote:
"continue to live in the RV for a year or two while we build a house on our property... "

Just me, but I think a bumper pull would be easier to sell in couple years versus a gooseneck as more people have bumper pull hitches than goosenecks.

X-2.

Resale wins.


.

[PA12DRVR]

FWIW, I think it depends on the locale of your property. Using Ewe-stun as an example:

- Even where my apartment is now (within spitting distance of "downtown"), one will see cargo box bumper pulls, infrequently in yards, more frequently at storage lots.
- Where I used to live in years gone by (Katy), a much higher percentage of goosenecks: Partially, I'm sure, due to more farmers, but also more outdoor-active (i.e. carry the 4-wheelers) folks, more hunters, more horses, etc.

Guess I'd suggest that if you on the edge of "country" go with a gooseneck; if otherwise, go with a bumper pull.

[calewjohnson]

csamayfield55 wrote:

old guy wrote:
only people who use or buy goosenecks are farmers. bumper pull has better resale. you might also look into the storage pods for storage. they bring it out and you pay a rental charge and when you are done they come and get it.

That is a pretty ignorant comment. While there are a lot more farmers with gooseneck's they are not the only people. Lots of local race teams use a GN for hauling cars and use the nose for parts or tires. Lots of them coming into Reno now for Hot august Nights hauling cars too!!

My Dad did this exact thing a few years ago. Bought a 24 foot bumper pull box trailer and stowed all his household things in it while he moved to Hawaii for the winter and renovated his house. He was going to sell the trailer but never did, still has stuff stored in it
Chris

Thanks for the info! We have kept our stuff in a 10x15 storage for so long...I need to figure out the height, so I can see if I can have near the same volume of storage. We also have 10,800 pounds of stuff, trying to find a proper trailer that will allow for that weight also.

Cale

[GMandJM]

"Ignorant" sounds a bit harsh. "Not fully informed" perhaps, but you have resolved that.

X10 on the box trailer though. So many uses for them.

[csamayfield55x]

old guy wrote:
only people who use or buy goosenecks are farmers. bumper pull has better resale. you might also look into the storage pods for storage. they bring it out and you pay a rental charge and when you are done they come and get it.

That is a pretty ignorant comment. While there are a lot more farmers with gooseneck's they are not the only people. Lots of local race teams use a GN for hauling cars and use the nose for parts or tires. Lots of them coming into Reno now for Hot august Nights hauling cars too!!

My Dad did this exact thing a few years ago. Bought a 24 foot bumper pull box trailer and stowed all his household things in it while he moved to Hawaii for the winter and renovated his house. He was going to sell the trailer but never did, still has stuff stored in it
Chris

[westend]

If I was wanting storage and mobility but also considering resale, I'd opt for smaller trailers or one large conventional box (pulled by 18 wheelers). The latter can be had very inexpensively in most markets and can be moved with a loader that's onsite.
If you have very expensive goods to store, rented storage will offer more security than a trailer onsite.

[DrewE]

Seems to me that basically anyone who can tow a gooseneck (or a fifth wheel) trailer could also tow a decently large bumper pull, but not vice-versa.

[calewjohnson]

kknowlton wrote:
Why only the 2 choices of gooseneck or bumper-pull? Any reason not to consider a 5th wheel?

Haven't seen a whole lot of 5th wheel cargo trailer options. It seems that 99% of the enclosed cargo trailers (or car haulers, since I am looking at an 8.5 ft wide trailer) are bumper pull or gooseneck. I am wanting to keep it to less than $8k since that is the break even point for 3 years of storage.

Cale

[calewjohnson]

old guy wrote:
only people who use or buy goosenecks are farmers. bumper pull has better resale. you might also look into the storage pods for storage. they bring it out and you pay a rental charge and when you are done they come and get it.

I have actually thought of purchasing a CONEX Box and having it set up on the property...the bad thing about that is that it will sit where it is delivered...same with a POD...a trailer gives me some flexibility to move around if needed.

Cale

[kknowlton]

Why only the 2 choices of gooseneck or bumper-pull? Any reason not to consider a 5th wheel?

[old_guy]

only people who use or buy goosenecks are farmers. bumper pull has better resale. you might also look into the storage pods for storage. they bring it out and you pay a rental charge and when you are done they come and get it.

[BarneyS]

Moved to General RVing Issues forum from Towing.