# Gooseneck or bumper pull?



## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

I would go on what you are using it for. If you do lots of traveling or camping the gooseneck is nice to sleep in. If you just use it for short trips a bumper pull is very conveniant. I have had many of both and the GN is a pain to hook and unhook so I have enough vehicles that I can leave it hooked up all the time. I also have a LQ so gn but like a bp also


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## myQHpaul (Jun 25, 2009)

I will be buying my first trailer in a few short months and my barn owner said that bumper pulls are great. They are easier to drive, back up, and park. Good luck with your search.


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## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

I prefer a bumper pull because I use my truck for more than just pulling a trailer. I like having a topper on my truck so a goose neck is definitely out.


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## kmdstar (Nov 17, 2009)

So it sounds like a bumper pull might be the best bet?

I wouldn't be hauling alot or too far, just to some local shows and trails every summer hopefully.


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## lilruffian (Jun 28, 2010)

I like bumperpulls only because any truck (as long as it has a hitch) can hook up to it. 
Goosnecks are nice, because they provide a smoother ride for the horse, they're easier to turn/backup (ive found) & the tack rooms are bigger & you can ususally sleep in them uptop if you're camping


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## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

For maneuvering in tight spots a gooseneck is probably better. For general driving down the road and turning a corner on a city street, a bumper pull is going to track behind the truck. The gooseneck takes more room to make a turn. That's one of my likes for a bp.
I'm a good trailer backer uppper (is that a word?) so either one on that point. Some think a bp is easier some a gn.


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## kmdstar (Nov 17, 2009)

Okay so I'm definately thinking bumper pull! Now, does anyone want to weigh in on trucks? :shock: I was thinking Ford F150 or F250 or a Dodge. I read another thread on here that was about five pages about what truck everyone thinks is best but it was everyone saying different things basically LOL so I'm kind of left clueless.


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

Gooseneck. We have two - LOVE them both. I can turn around anywhere!

We have F350's.


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## lilruffian (Jun 28, 2010)

Thats probably just their prefered brand lol (ford people, dodge people, chev people lol)My boyfriend & his mother pull the horse trailers with ford F150's, my friend pulls her with a dodge & my dad pulls ours with the dodge durango. 
I think that so long as it has a V8 (or something like that lol) in it, you'll be fine. 
Of course, the bigger the trailer you buy & the more horses you haul you'll want a truck that can handle the weight.


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## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

I have a Chevy 2500HD. I've been pretty happy with it so far. I grew up in Michigan where most of my family worked at Fords including my mom and dad. I caught hell when I bought a Chevy :lol: Fords does make a good truck too. Just make sure you have enough power to pull whatever trailer you buy. You're better off having too much truck for a small trailer than the other way around.


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## charlicata (Jan 12, 2010)

My Dodge 1500 with the off road suspension pulls 2 horses in the bumper pull fine. It does put a strain on it if on the rare occasion I have to pull 3 in the mountains. Just be sure you have a brake box for the trailer. I agree with Vidaloco in the respect that you'd much rather have too much truck than not enough.


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## spence (Nov 8, 2009)

myQHpaul said:


> I will be buying my first trailer in a few short months and my barn owner said that bumper pulls are great. They are easier to drive, back up, and park. Good luck with your search.


i disagree with your barn owner! i've ALWAYS found goosenecks to be easier to pull and back. let's put it this way: any kind of gooseneck, i'm a backing FOOL. i'll get it where you want it, to a T. i've even gotten pretty good at backing the big truck trailers (48 and 53' flatbeds) into the shop at work.

bumper pulls still get me in trouble sometimes. the biggest problem is it's a lot easier to jackknife a bp. seems that it takes a lot more effort to learn to back one over a gooseneck.

these are a few photos of my trailer at my mother in law's house near albany ny. she lives right off a main road, and i DID have to pull into the neighbor's yard across the road but that's because i couldn't block traffic for long. one shot hit, i was pretty proud of myself on this one!


































now, what to pull it with? disregard brands. pick whichever one you want, all have advantages and disadvantages. then configure whatever brand you choose into an appropriate 1/2 or 3/4 ton. doesn't sound like you'll do ANYTHING that'd warrant a 1 ton. that trailer of mine is a 20' and i wouldn't hesitate to load 4 horses in it and pull it back up north to ny if there was NEED for it. my 3/4 would do it and ask for more. hell, we hauled 2 horses and a bunch of household items down here last year.

i see you're from ny as well. i'm from down here in ks and it's generally flatter, but i do see a fair number of 16' goosenecks pulled by half tons and i don't know that I would, however that's just me. point is i think some people underestimate a half ton. but if in doubt, go a bit bigger and get a 3/4 ton. 

like i say, i'm sold on goosenecks, but as mentioned before, the NICE thing about bp trailers is the fact that any pickup with a hitch can hook on and pull it. it's why once our BP gets finished being worked over by the high school shop kids in town it'll come down here again so we have a way for the wife to move critters around if need be.


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## Indyhorse (Dec 3, 2009)

I agree with Spence. I learned to pull on a bumper pull, but I found that for pulling down the road the gooseneck rode and pulled so much nicer! I DID suck for backing it up but then again I had gone from a 2h bumper pull to a 41 ft long GN 4h with LQ - it was simply way more trailer than I needed. Now I do pull with a chevy 1 ton dually - way more truck than you need for the size trailer than you are looking for, but I'm grateful to have it because I use if for everything else too - spent the weekend using it to pull up trees and pull down an old partially collapsed well house. I'd always prefer to have more truck than I need, rather than to find out in hindsight I didn't have enough.


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## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

I love my BP, especially since I use my "truck" for other things. I have an older, steel trailer, which is heavier, especially since one of my guys is a draftX, so it is extra tall, extra wide, and has an area in the front that works for a dressing room. Anyway, yes, you need the braking system, no matter what you pull with, IMO, as well as sway bars. I would not pull without either. 
Now, as far as vehicles......I have pulled one horse in my trailer with an explorer-do not recommend a smaller vehicle at all, even with a V-8. They just don't have the weight, especially if you are ever in bad weather, hills, etc. It used to feel like my horse was pushing me around in that. I graduated to an Expedition several years ago, and love it. It has a wider wheel base than some. I know my friend likes to pull with it better than her Aspen for sure. I would recommend a vehicle with a back up camera-much easier to hook up. I will say tho, that the new F-150's have the option to come with the braking system, which is nice, since I always bump my leg on mine. Hard to find a good place. Whatever vehicle you choose, make sure it has the tow package......naturally. 
I do hear that GN are easier to back, etc....I only go forward unless I have LOTS of room! :lol:


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## sandsarita (Jan 20, 2008)

I have had both GN and BP, and can pull either one effectively. However, I am more comfortable with a GN. That being said, I also learned how to pull a GN trailer in the pasture before I had a drivers permit, and was hauling a 3 horse GN with LQ on a drivers permit, so it is like second nature to me. And now, with my little BP, I still drive like I have a GN on. That being said, I think a GN is a lot more stable in high winds and corners, I am more secure with the hitch, and I think you have a tighter turning radius.

Personally, I won't pull a horse trailer with anything less than a 3/4 ton truck, both due to getting going and for stopping power. If you want a long winded discussion on brands, pm me and we can go into it. I just bought a used truck and had to learn a lot about years/makes,etc, especially regarding diesels (gas mileage is horrible pulling loaded with a gas engine and my short trips are 4 hours round trip, so I need the better mileage). Let me know if you have any questions.

Oh, and as an aside - if you go with a BP, please, please, make sure it is a double axle trailer - you do not want a single axle.


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## ~*~anebel~*~ (Aug 21, 2008)

When a GN hits the ditch, there is less of a chance it will roll (I know this from experience - a GN saved my horse's life). For that reason alone, if you have the means, I would get a GN. BPs are great and convenient, but the balance, ride and safety of a GN is much better. I would also get one at least 7' tall to accommodate most horses and straight hauls are better for the horses. If you can, also find partitions that go to the floor, just make sure you're wrapping/booting and bell booting the legs to keep them from rubbing.

As far as trucks go - I haul a light 2 horse with a GMC 2500HD 4x4 and I wouldn't want any less truck. Being over trucked is way better than risking being under trucked. And make sure you have 4x4 without rear dually. The barn hauls their 4 horse w/ living quarters with a recreational freightliner - highly recommend these trucks they are a dream to haul with. Again - if you have the means and want living quarters they are the truck to get. For just a small trailer a 3/4 or 1 ton is fine though.

Good luck!


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## spence (Nov 8, 2009)

ok, couple more comments from the peanut gallery. first of all, even if you want a 2 horse, consider a 2 horse gooseneck. i've only seen one, but from what she told me it seemed they aren't totally uncommon. hitches are cheap compared to the life of my animals. 

second, i've hauled i dunno how many loads of cattle, and my horses, withOUT trailer brakes. but that's through the relative flats of kansas. the two reasons why i put a control in and had my trailer's brakes checked was 1) i was going to ny and 2) i was going to ny. lol, more informatively i was headed up into more hilly terrain (was glad i had them a FEW times), and i sure as hell didn't want to get STOPPED in NYS without one. heaven forbid, those guys are stupid about everything.


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## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

spence said:


> ok, couple more comments from the peanut gallery. first of all, even if you want a 2 horse, consider a 2 horse gooseneck. i've only seen one, but from what she told me it seemed they aren't totally uncommon. hitches are cheap compared to the life of my animals.
> 
> second, i've hauled i dunno how many loads of cattle, and my horses, withOUT trailer brakes. but that's through the relative flats of kansas. the two reasons why i put a control in and had my trailer's brakes checked was 1) i was going to ny and 2) i was going to ny. lol, more informatively i was headed up into more hilly terrain (was glad i had them a FEW times), and i sure as hell didn't want to get STOPPED in NYS without one. heaven forbid, those guys are stupid about everything.


Haha-if you want "stupid about everything" try VA and MD in the DC metro! I have not had an issue in NYS-**knocks wood**


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

I personally prefer goosenecks simply because it is much easier to turn them around and back them up.

One thing with a bumper pull is that you never want to put more weight in the back than the front. If you are hauling 3 horses, put 2 in the front as opposed to 2 in the back. If the back is weighted down, then it will pick your truck's back end up if you hit a bump and you could end up fishtailing and wrecking. Only reason I know this is because there is this stupid guy here in town that has done that twice. :? Totaled 2 trailers and 1 pickup, thankfully, none of the animals he was hauling got hurt.


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## waterbuggies (Jun 9, 2009)

Sounds like you have enough info. on the trailers. The truck info that you didn't say is what you want to pull one horse or 10 horses, and would this also be your daily driving truck or just for pulling the trailor? 
If your going to have to drive this truck daily and your only pulling one-two regular size horses, I wouldn't get a F250 or Chevy 2500(both 3/4 ton trucks) The gas will eat you alive. If your only going locally and have one-two horses a regular full size truck will be fine for you and you'll get better gas mileage, not good but better.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

What's funny about trucks is that it seems like the older models get better gas mileage. My brother has a mid 90's chevy that averages about 23 mpg. Our old 86 one ton averages 14 pulling a fully loaded trailer. I have heard that you are lucky to get 10 in the newer trucks when pulling a load.


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## Indyhorse (Dec 3, 2009)

smrobs said:


> What's funny about trucks is that it seems like the older models get better gas mileage. My brother has a mid 90's chevy that averages about 23 mpg. Our old 86 one ton averages 14 pulling a fully loaded trailer. I have heard that you are lucky to get 10 in the newer trucks when pulling a load.


Exactly! I drive an 88 chevy 1 ton dually - and when I was pulling the big trailer (41 ft long, 10,00 lbs empty) I got roughly 14 mpg on it. I pulled a little 2 horse bumper pull when I went to pick up Monty, and got about 16 mpg, which normal for that truck when not pulling anything is 18 mpg. No matter what I tow it doesn't seem to hurt the gas mileage too much.


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## sandsarita (Jan 20, 2008)

To make things scarier about gas mileage, I had one dealer that swore up and down to me that a gas engine in a 3/4 ton newer truck, hauling loaded, will only get about 4mph pretty much regardless of what rear end gearing you have in it. Now, I don't believe it is that bad. But discussing this with my brother, who is a trailer salesman and hauls his own personal trailer around with a gas truck in town steared me heavily away from a gas engine due to mileage and due to hauling power. They don't get you up to speed as quickly, even on flat roads, and with me being used to the diesels, he felt like I wouldn't be happy or feel safe with them on the highway. In town, he has no issues with them for trips to the vet, local ropings, etc, but going down the road, nope.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

I have also heard that diesels are the way to go. The only bad thing about them is it costs you an arm, a leg, _and_ your firstborn child if it ever has to go to the mechanic LOL.


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## spence (Nov 8, 2009)

smrobs said:


> I have also heard that diesels are the way to go. The only bad thing about them is it costs you an arm, a leg, _and_ your firstborn child if it ever has to go to the mechanic LOL.


oh boy, this can of worms... there are so many people with SO many opinions there. me, i'm sold on old #2. had my powerstroke for almost five years now, and i love it. i wouldn't trade it, plus right now i COULDN'T. 

the opinions start coming, AVOIDING brand wars as best i can... i'll talk from more of a ford point because that's what i KNOW, but GM and dodge are in the same boat, for the most part... 

the older ones (95 to 03 7.3L powerstrokes) were generally pretty darn reliable. sluggish, but they'd do the job. late 03 brought us the 6.0 'strokers, which i have an 04. 

so many out there mash and bash them because they're "junk." bull, there were some bad ones in 03 and 04 but with the sheer number of them that ford sold, they're really pretty few and far between. i've had some problems, but they're all due to those two years, and some of it is MY fault. higher mileage 6.0s are actually what i'd buy instead of low mileage because the LOWER mileage is more likely to be a lemon (hence why it lacks miles, in many cases). by 05 most of the problems had been worked out.

the 6.0 brought us EGR (exhaust gas recirculation, ala emissions b.s.). they don't take excessive idling well, not enough heat is created to burn everything out of the EGR valve at idle. but if you get a good one, they generally get BETTER mileage than 7.3s and WILL pull CIRCLES around a 7.3.

then we had the 6.4 from 08 to 10. it brought yet another emissions measure, DPF (diesel particulate filter). it traps unburnt stuff and when the DPF fills it goes into "regeneration." this is where it dumps fuel into the exhaust and burns off the crap in the DPF. many 6.4s get tremendous mileage, some didn't. 08's were the worst. like the 6.0's, it took a year to work out the bugs.

2011 brought us the all new ford built 6.7L powerstroke and another new emissions measure yet, urea injection. dunno real well how it works.

anyhow, GM with their duramax and dodge with the cummins have some similar issues/problems, but their timelines aren't totally the same. there's a LOT of new technology in the latest generations of diesels and the new emissions regs are hurting us BADLY. however, they're quite impressive machines. if ya want an oil burner, i'd look at an early 2000's variety, any brand. they ALL have their issues, but they're all supposed to be pretty good (and i don't like the duramax at all, but that's just personal preference on my part).

but for reference: i have an 04, crew cab, short bed, diesel 4x4, 6 spd manual. i average over 17 mpg, depending, i was averaging more like 19 with a K&N intake but took that POS off, bad for the turbo's health. anyhow, the people we worked for in NY had same year, pretty much same configuration with a 5.4l gas motor and an automatic and they averaged under 13. that's what i'll average on a LONG haul loaded. going local, and i drive less conservative loaded because i'm already burning heaps of fuel, it's more like 11.5 or 12. but it NEVER misses a beat.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

I mostly go by what my brother says about diesels as that's all he's driven for years (personal trucks and company trucks at a feedlot) and I have never owned one. I think his is a '94 and he loves it but told me about one that they had at the feed lot that got 6 mpg. That was fully loaded, empty trailer, no trailer at all, town and highway. At least it was consistent at 6 LOL. For pulling and hauling, there is no better way to go, they are just more expensive to fix. He had to replace some little minor part (I don't remember what it was now....fuel filter maybe) and it ended up costing him about $2000.


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## spence (Nov 8, 2009)

LOL! fuel filter? my pickup has two and they're $35 for the set from international.

injectors could be the issue, had 2 of them crap out about six months ago and it was a 900 bill, had another one (had other issues addressed at the same time) and it was another 980 bucks. the injectors themselves from ford are $273 and change. talk about expensive!


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

That may have been it, I don't remember. I am not very mechanically inclined. I can check the fluids and change a tire but that's the extent of my knowledge .


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## spence (Nov 8, 2009)

no worries, i understand what some of the stuff is, but not how it REALLY works. put it in front of me? i'm lost...

however i'm a servicing dang fool, c'mon, i'm a "mechanic" for a trucking company nowdays. that's most of what they do. lol


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## Mingiz (Jan 29, 2009)

I also have towed with gas hauler and I went diesel in 06 and will never go back to a gasser unless I quit horses. I have a F250 SD and I absolutley love the power this truck delivers towing. My trailer is a 3h sl max weight 10400lbs When I rough camp the trailer is loaded and I also carry a generator and a 65gal water tank full . And have no issues with pulling, or stopping.. Yes the cost of diesel ownership is expensive. I just had to replace the Fuel Injector Control Module it was still under warrant but the part alone was 700$ Which I think is a big azz rip off to consumers. An oil change is 150 as this truck takes 15 qts of oil. Has 2 fuel filter and 2 big azz batteries that will cost ya over 100 +. Yes high maintenace truck but it will be around a lot longer than any gas engine...If you are seriously into trailering get the diesel..Over all it will pay for it self....
This is my rig


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## spence (Nov 8, 2009)

hey, ways to save a bit of money with that oil burner... change your own oil! i run rotella synthetic oil and it costs me about $85 bucks to change my oil. with conventional it would run around 55 to 60. fuel filters aren't hard to change, either. i either buy those from a company online that sells racor filters, or directly from an international dealer, from international they are the filters for a VT275 motor. those run $35 bucks for the set. paying more than 40 is a rip off.


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## Mingiz (Jan 29, 2009)

spence said:


> hey, ways to save a bit of money with that oil burner... change your own oil! i run rotella synthetic oil and it costs me about $85 bucks to change my oil. with conventional it would run around 55 to 60. fuel filters aren't hard to change, either. i either buy those from a company online that sells racor filters, or directly from an international dealer, from international they are the filters for a VT275 motor. those run $35 bucks for the set. paying more than 40 is a rip off.


 
Thanks for the info But the reason I take it to the dealer is that it is still under warranty and if anything goes wrong I don't want them to blame it on me..Now after the warranty is done I will do it myself..or get a little help from my freinds..lol BTW it isn't an oil burner..............................................yet:wink: I do change the air and fuel filters on it...Does yours take 15qts of oil? I can't see getting off that cheap even doing it myself...I did figure it out once and I would save maybe 30$ so I figure that is worth it so I don't have to spend the time or energy to do it myself...I'm not a spring chicky anymore...


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## spence (Nov 8, 2009)

it's a diesel, and they are frequently referred to as "oil burners." mine hasn't used a quart of oil in over 80k i've put on it (115+ total), however that's still what i call it. older ones tended to burn oil, a lot. most of the big trucks at work use quite a bit of oil, in fact, and those are mostly 03-07's.

anyhow, the one time i've had somebody else change my oil a couple years ago, he charged me $120, and that was paying him what he paid for the oil from WM (he's got a shop, however he doesn't carry rotella syn, and that was the first run i made with the stuff). like i say, oil + filter cost me $85.

the book says 15 quarts, however i started running 14 a long time ago. it shows toward the top end of the full on my dip stick and since it hasn't used oil (knock on wood), what's it going to hurt? i know a variety of other people who run 14 quarts.

for more info on the 6.0 specifically, visit the info center i use most often... 6.0L Power Stroke Diesel - Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums

and for the record i've changed the oil since i got it and had a turbo replaced, ball joints/wheel bearing, FICM, clutch/flywheel, and i think that's it. all under warranty at a total of three different dealers. nobody complained. if you have a dealer that's going to pitch a fit, i'd find another dealer. these things are complicated enough that it's WORTH it to find a GOOD dealer/technician, even if it means driving further. i'm lucky, i've got a good 6.0 guy less than 40 miles from me (closest sizable town).


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