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To Goose neck or not to goose neck that is My Question

Walter B.

Walter B.

NAXJA Member #311
Location
Mid-MO
My XJ is just got promoted to trailer queen status and I was wondering what kind of trailer everyone uses/prefers?

Is a goose neck better than a drop hitch?

Should I get trailer brakes?

What kind of break controller if I get trailer breaks?

The tow rig is a 04' Dodge Ram 2500 with a Hemi and an auto tranny.

Any and all help is appreciated

Thanks,

Walter B.


:wave:
 
Any idea what your anticipated gross trailer weight will be? That would help.

With your tow engine, I'd say that if you are going to go with a gross tow weight of less than 8000# or so, you can work with a Class IV drop hitch - perhaps using a pintle hook rather than a ball/socket setup - just to make life a little easier.

Definitely a brake controller, but I can't say offhand which you should use.

BTW - Ever get that info together to ship? Let me know - I'd have to give you my new addy...

5-90
 
Look here and this might answer some questions for you :D I have the prodigy unit myself in my XJ and my folks have it in their Durango and I must say that it performs great! I do know the I have not towed with any other brake controllers, but this one was definately worth the $$.... btw, a good place to find out about brake controllers and get good prices is camping world as they deal a lot with towing...

HTH
 
I may still have it I've moved twice since then and it's probably sitting in a box somewhere in the garage. Just to clarify you are talking about the axle/rebuild stuff right?

:wave:
 
Ayuh. Moved a couple times this year meself, and I'm still looking for things (like my FSM collection... I know it's out there SOMEWHERE.)

It's no hurry, especially since I think we'll be in this place for the next couple years or so (finally!) I do so hate moving...

So, whenever you can send the info for the archives, I'd appreciate it. I hope things are going well now on your end.

5-90
 
I don't really like to send this away, because it may help someone else down the road, but there's a forum on Pirate just for tow rigs and trailers. May want to post over there (if you haven't already).
 
To Goose neck or not to goose neck that is My Question
Click to expand...

Goose it for the simple reason that the pivot point will be easier for backing and making tight turns. With a truck that size and a goose neck trailer you would have no pulling issues like "wiggle wagon". It's also easier on the frame. I work with a guy that pulled a tongue mount livestock trailer with his F250 dually and a reese hitch and it bend his frame.

Just my .02 cents from an experienced T/T driver.
 
Im with Muddy on this one. Gooseneck all the way. I pull trailers loaded with construction equipment every day and have tried both drop hitch and gooseneck. With drop hitch, if you dont get your weight distributed just right, you will get that "wiggle wagon" deal. And trust me when i say it can get spooky when your going fast enough. A gooseneck pulls so much better for a lot of reasons. And as far as a brake controller, YES, get one. They make life so much easier. Nothing like pulling a 12000# trenching machine on a drop hitch 16 ft. trailer with no brakes when someone jumps out in front of you. Dont ask me how I know. Brand of brake controllers shouldnt be that big of a deal, but remember you get what you pay for. And play with it as long as it takes to get the sensitivity the way you like it.

My $.02


Mike
 
More $.02......

Definitely get a goose neck style of hitch, although I'd probably put a Class IV receiver on as well just on general principles.

You'll have more articulation with a hide-a-ball style, and better use of the pickup bed when not towing. A full fifth-wheel style will probably a more robust hitch, but is more expensive. It may also allow you to LEGALLY tow a double. I've been told that hide-a-ball style hitches aren't legal for doubles. Dad's Dodge 1ton dually pulls a 24' gooseneck with a gross weight of 32,000 lbs. in the summer with a hide-a-ball type hitch, so you should be in good shape with that.

Don't even consider towing without an electric brake controller. Just.... don't. The Tekonsha Voyager is a pretty good little controller. Think about getting the Prodigy, it has a load display. Your tow rig is new enough, the Prodigy should have a wiring harness that will (more or less) just plug into the truck.
 
Go with ebrakes

You would have to check your local/state laws, but I know in New York, anything over 1500lbs needs brakes, New Jersey is 2000lbs. If you are traveling to other states, they can fine you if you don't have the brakes, and you are over their limit.

Just my $.02
 
Backdraft said:
Im with Muddy on this one. Gooseneck all the way. I pull trailers loaded with construction equipment every day and have tried both drop hitch and gooseneck. With drop hitch, if you dont get your weight distributed just right, you will get that "wiggle wagon" deal. And trust me when i say it can get spooky when your going fast enough. A gooseneck pulls so much better for a lot of reasons. And as far as a brake controller, YES, get one. They make life so much easier. Nothing like pulling a 12000# trenching machine on a drop hitch 16 ft. trailer with no brakes when someone jumps out in front of you. Dont ask me how I know. Brand of brake controllers shouldnt be that big of a deal, but remember you get what you pay for. And play with it as long as it takes to get the sensitivity the way you like it.

My $.02


Mike
Click to expand...

What he said... x2 !!
I used to use bumper mount trailer hitches, till I pulled my first gooseneck. There was absolutely no turning back.
Kinda like a loader bucket on a tractor. Once you have one you wonder how you got by w/o it.

Brakes? Definitely. Any reputable trailer dealer can set you up with a good setup if you give him weights of trailer and cargo to work with.
 
ChiXJeff said:
More $.02......

Definitely get a goose neck style of hitch, although I'd probably put a Class IV receiver on as well just on general principles.

You'll have more articulation with a hide-a-ball style, and better use of the pickup bed when not towing. A full fifth-wheel style will probably a more robust hitch, but is more expensive. It may also allow you to LEGALLY tow a double. I've been told that hide-a-ball style hitches aren't legal for doubles. Dad's Dodge 1ton dually pulls a 24' gooseneck with a gross weight of 32,000 lbs. in the summer with a hide-a-ball type hitch, so you should be in good shape with that.

Don't even consider towing without an electric brake controller. Just.... don't. The Tekonsha Voyager is a pretty good little controller. Think about getting the Prodigy, it has a load display. Your tow rig is new enough, the Prodigy should have a wiring harness that will (more or less) just plug into the truck.
Click to expand...


!nertia type controllers are ok but once you go with a Jordan Ultima, you'll never go back. You'll want to take a hammer to that prodigy.
 
Last edited:
Jeep Biscuit said:
!nertia type controllers are ok but once you go with a Jordan Ultima, you'll never go back. You'll want to take a hammer to that prodigy.
Click to expand...

There's no debate that the Ultima looks like a great controller.

The Prodigy has the advantage that on the newer tow rigs it's a plug-n-play install. My brother installed a pair of Prodigy controllers on the farm tow rigs last summer and we've gotten very spoiled with them.

The big concern I've seen written up for the Ultima is the cable trigger. Looks like it works well for a lot of people, but I've also seen some problematic install issues.

BTW.......... for anybody with electric trailer brakes. You've got that nifty little break-away switch on the trailer tongue. It's handy for breaking loose lug nuts when you've got a flat. Do NOT trigger it when the 7-way connector is plugged in to the tow rig! I've seen 3 burned out controllers in the last couple of years from this. The worst part about it was that the controllers were still sort of functional, but couldn't be relied on.

ChiXJeff
 
Last edited:
ChiXJeff said:
There's no debate that the Ultima looks like a great controller.

The Prodigy has the advantage that on the newer tow rigs it's a plug-n-play install. My brother installed a pair of Prodigy controllers on the farm tow rigs last summer and we've gotten very spoiled with them.

The big concern I've seen written up for the Ultima is the cable trigger. Looks like it works well for a lot of people, but I've also seen some problematic install issues.

BTW.......... for anybody with electric trailer brakes. You've got that nifty little break-away switch on the trailer tongue. It's handy for breaking loose lug nuts when you've got a flat. Do NOT trigger it when the 7-way connector is plugged in to the tow rig! I've seen 3 burned out controllers in the last couple of years from this. The worst part about it was that the controllers were still sort of functional, but couldn't be relied on.

ChiXJeff
Click to expand...

yup... thats the downside of the jordan.... it was a enormous TWAT to install. No allusions of plug and play. Also, if you tow on wet/icy/slippery roads, inertia type controllers are truely worthless. I suppose you have the manual button to use but still....
 
Originally posted by Jeep Biscuit Also, if you tow on wet/icy/slippery roads, inertia type controllers are truely worthless. I suppose you have the manual button to use but still....
Click to expand...

I wouldn't call them truely worthless, but you are right, it will be strange behavior. I've towed a little in icy conditions (coming down into Denver after dark with light rain and 30 degrees. Fortunately, no issues.
 
Good thread, I'm currently looking at a 26ft gooseneck to pull with my 2500 hemi. Anyone else have any more info on this topic?
 
Hey, at least he is searching. :D

Personally I run a camper and then tow so the gooseneck is not an option. It's nice to be able to load the back end full of crap and still be able to tow. With the weights that we're running it really doesn't matter.

Last weekend I was playing around with the hitch weight. Anything above 200 worked well and 300 towed better than 400. My Jeep tips the scales around 4K and the trailer is about 1200 lbs. That's running way under what should be ran but I worked it from heavier (around 450 lbs) down and the Dr. should be able to confirm what fine roads we have.
 
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