I've seen three types of trailer to vehicle connection types: standard ball type, 5th wheel(middle of bed) type, and pintel hook type.

Can someone give me a run down of the benefits and disadvantages of each type in regards to trailering a car?

I'm looking at a good potential tow rig but I'd like to get it ready for trailering a rig.

I already did a search and didn't find anything of benefit about the 5th wheel style.

Thanks in advance,
John

Originally posted by Lil'John
5th wheel(middle of bed) type
John

Their are two different middle of the bed hookups.. One is the 5th wheel which is similar to what the big rigs use and is commonly used RV type trailers.. The second type os the gooseneck which utilizes a 2and 5/16's ball in the middle of the bed..
The advantages of the GN(gooseneck) over the bumper pull are: the ability to carry more weight,easier to back(in my opinion), better handling due to better wieght distribution on the tow vehicle..
The disadvantages are: higher initial cost, longer and require more space to store, weigh more, require a pickup#/4 ton or larger to pull(cannott be pulled by Suburban,Blazer/Yukon, Excursion type vehicles), loss of bed space when being towed..

And you can't use a slide in camper but nobody will borrow it (unless their truck has a GN hookup) but a gooseneck trailer trails better. I would not get a trailer with surge brakes I would get electric Brakes and a good controller in the truck.

Thanks for the good information.

The bed related issues are a bit minor since the pickup in question is going to have a flat bed. I was just debating the gooseneck type setup for it. If I went with a gooseneck style, I'd make is so it is "covered" when not in use.

Also the pintle hook type is for heavy loads and easy on off. They arent used that much on recreational type stuff cause some say the slack in there bangs around. Ive used them for jobs before though and they are easy on off.

If you have the money gooseneck is the way to go.

The most common is obviously plain old bumper pull hitches whcih will do fine but oftentimes need load tweeking to get to run without wobble.

How much do you plan on towing? A gooseneck is just overkill if you're only going to tow one vehicle at a time. A versatile tow rig will have both types of hitches if your towing needs dictate it. I wouldn't waste the time on a gooseneck hitch unless you will see really heavy loads or need a long trailer. You'll have a hard time finding a gooseneck, single place car trailer.

Goosenecks are the best way to tow.

B&W makes a "turn over ball" we sell and install thats very well engineered and has very little intrusion into the bed when turned over, they also offer the "companion" which is a drop 5th wheel adaptor. 2 5/16 and 3" balls including a flatbed kit thats a weld in thats beautifully designed.

You can order 16' deck equipment type trailers for about $400.00 more than a flat tow new and if you ever tow a gooseneck you'll cuss that flat trailer every time you use it.

I've been towing with a goosneck for 5 years and love it, I'm getting ready to build one that has a slide in on the nose and the rig out back. (nothing like a 15' deck on the back porch of your camper) :D

If your towing with a late model gas rig and a pintle type hitch the engine knock sensor will pick up the banging around retard the timimg. Sometimes to the point of turning on the check engine light once the ECU get pissed off enough about it.

If your going with a newer trailer the eletric dics's are trick but, tend to pulsate after sitting due to rotor pitting so I'd stay drum. Regardless of what they say, stay away from brakes on both axles, been there done that. Nothing scarier than a panic stop with 15K of trailer takin up 3 lanes. Brakes work best on the rear axle only leaving the front one for straight line control when stopping.


Tenosha makes a resonably priced, friendly controller under $125.00 called the "voyager".


Joe

Originally posted by Rocktoyo
You can order 16' deck equipment type trailers for about $400.00 more than a flat tow new and if you ever tow a gooseneck you'll cuss that flat trailer every time you use it.


I'll respectfully disagree. I have both types and each has their use. If I'm towing one Jeep or my smaller tractor I use my bumper pull 16' flatbed. I don't seem to have any problems with it, pulling or backing up. If I'm pulling two Jeeps, or my big John Deere, or a stock trailer full of cattle I use one of the gooseneck trailers. It all depends on the load. One is no harder to pull or backup than the other if the load is matched correctly to the trailer. Of course I learned to drive with both types of trailers over 20 years ago. That's a lot of practice to learn how to back up both types. What's the big hardship everyone else is having with their bumper pulls?

Originally posted by Rocktoyo
Regardless of what they say, stay away from brakes on both axles, been there done that. Nothing scarier than a panic stop with 15K of trailer takin up 3 lanes. Brakes work best on the rear axle only leaving the front one for straight line control when stopping.


Nothing scarier than more load than your brakes can stop. I've got 'em on both my axles & they've saved my ass more than once (especially when I still towed with a 1/2 ton).

TEX

Backin is not a issue, goosenecks just ride/pull/handle better and are easier on the toter.

Never tote more than you can stop, but in panic situations brakes on both axles suck. Especially in the rain.

I've got a 18 foot deck equipment tralier, 3 foot dovetail, brakes on 1 axle.

I've got a 16' box gooseneck stock trailer, brakes on one axle.

I've got a 16' tilt with brakes on both axles, soon to be one axle.

I have borrowed and ran a 20' gooseneck Hudson with duals and brakes on both axles, thats the one that ended up sideways when the ricer decided to spin on I85. However, other than that, the trailer was one hell of a lot more stable and a more gentle on the tow rig.

And in case your wondering, the tow rig is a 96 Ram 3/4 ton CTD. Rated for 13K bumper pull.

Been pulling trailers for 15 years and building them for 10, never crashed one and never crashed with one. However you can never tell what the idiot beside you is gonna do.


Joe

Even more good information.

My goal for the "immediate" future will be to tow one vehicle of about 4k pounds plus "tons" of trail spares. In the far future, I might up the anti to 2 vehicles :p

For dual braking axles, I believe there's a recommended resistor for the front axle. Mine only has rear brakes, and as long as it stops, I'm happy. :D

Bryan

Huh a resister thats a good idea, any particular size? also what about triple axle trailers? then i guess its ok to put brakes on the 2 rear axles?

Originally posted by TR
Huh a resister thats a good idea, any particular size? also what about triple axle trailers? then i guess its ok to put brakes on the 2 rear axles?

Quote from TDR (http://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=54795):
Originally posted by Gary - KJ6Q
Along the lines of what Rich suggests, an Email directly to Dexter on the issue some time back resulted in a recommendation from them to provide a resistor (they have them for sale - so it must be a fairly common complaint!) to the front axle brakes only (to reduce voltage/current to the front brakes, forcing the rears to do more of the braking), since they claim this style axle suspension creates a situation where heavy braking causes the front axles to "lift", and forces the rear axles into heavier road contact - and then causes the potential for the front wheels to slide since they now have less road contact in relation to the rears... The resistor they recommend is on the order of 6 ohms at 50 watts... I happened to have a 6 ohm rheostat in that wattage value, so installed it a while back - pretty well eliminated the unequal braking between axles, but did nothing for overall system braking, or the one wheel brake that seems more aggressive than the others...