We are in the process of buying a used 4Star gooseneck trailer. It has a 20' box, 2 horse stalls, a living quarters, a 50 gallon water tank in the mid-tack room, 3 propane tanks and a 6 cu.ft. frig. The wheels are set to the back of the trailer. No I don't now the exact weight of the trailer but the basic trailer weighed in at 3500#. I'm estimating the trailer with improvements, horses, water, etc. would be fully loaded at 9,000#. I don't know if this way off or not.
We have been looking for a new truck to haul the trailer and are definitely sold on the Chevy with the Duromax and Allison transmission. All the sales reps say a 2500 is plenty big, but would we be better off with a 3500? And if we consider a 3500, are we better off going to a 2WD dually?
I'm really confused and my husband is leaving this all to me. Any thoughts would be appreciated?

Welcome to the forum ..

Many people pull a rig like yours with a 3/4 ton truck. I wouldn't. Most of the people at last week's campground had duallys under their LQ trailer.
You didn't say how big your LQ is so I'd guess your estimate is a bit low. I weighed my 3 horse 4 foot short wall fully loaded for a four day trip. The trailer wheels alone scaled at 7900 pounds.

I'd guess your midtack is equal to a horse if you load it up.

I've got three answers to the questions in your post.

1... The hitch weight of LQ trailers is critical. It's easy to exceed the truck's rating. Helper springs and air bags don't change the tires, wheels and such of a truck.
2... Only a dually is a true 3500 or one ton truck. The tires are a limiting factor. Any single rear wheel 350 or 3500 is only a tarted up 3/4 ton truck.
3... A dually provides a level of towing stability, one needs to experiance to understand. While parking a dually is a chore, the dually track is equal to most trailers. (compare trailer tire track width to the dually) So the wide rear tires aren't really an issue.

Thanks for the info.

Its so confusing. In a 01/06 comment, Mr. Truck said a 2500 should be adequate for a 3 horse with 8-12' LV, and yet you and others say differently. The note on the the tires being no wider than a trailer is a good point.

One more question. I know I need to take into account the tongue weight of the gooseneck, but how does this exactly relate to the truck. I've seen everything from the weight of the tongue plus the truck not exceeding the GVW, to not exceeding the axle weight (which is a hard number to find from the manufacturers), to not exceeding the payload. Which is it?

Hi Hosspuller -
I started thinking about your response, and it raised even more questions in my mind. I totally understand that the hitch weight of the GN is critical and that the a dually will provide alot more stability. What I'm not sure of is if I'm totally understanding the calculations correctly.

For example if your trailer weighs in at 7900# on the axles and for the sake of calculations, that is 75% of the total weight. That means 25% or approximately 2500# is being carried on the GN tongue for a total of 10,500#. Ignoring the fact that the percentages could be higher or lower, am I making a wrong assumption on the total weight of the trailer?

Assuming the trailer does in fact weigh a total of 10,500#, I am within 70% of a 2500 GN towing rating and 75% of the GCWR and payload. Again assuming that is correct, is the real problem that the auto manufacturers are overly generous on the their ratings and I'm pushing the limits a bit too close and a dually would give me added safety?

See my thoughts in red

quote:

Originally posted by boondoggle:
For example if your trailer weighs in at 7900# on the axles and for the sake of calculations, that is 75% of the total weight. That means 25% or approximately 2500# is being carried on the GN tongue for a total of 10,500#. Ignoring the fact that the percentages could be higher or lower, am I making a wrong assumption on the total weight of the trailer? You are correct!

Assuming the trailer does in fact weigh a total of 10,500#, I am within 70% of a 2500 GN towing rating and 75% of the GCWR and payload. Again assuming that is correct, is the real problem that the auto manufacturers are overly generous on the their ratings and I'm pushing the limits a bit too close and a dually would give me added safety? The problem here is the 75% of payload. Everything counts toward the payload. The firewood in the bed (400#), the extra propane (50#), the passenger and her luggage( 200#), even the weight of the GN hitch you installed (150#). The 25% or 833 pounds of payload you thought was there is now used up. (700#) of stuff just named leaving only 133 pounds. Three bales of hay might be the straw that breaks your truck. (Not likely since a safety factor is designed in. But you see the point?)

My answers in red again...

quote:

Originally posted by boondoggle:
Thanks for the info.

Its so confusing. In a 01/06 comment, Mr. Truck said a 2500 should be adequate for a 3 horse with 8-12' LV, and yet you and others say differently. The note on the the tires being no wider than a trailer is a good point.

One more question. I know I need to take into account the tongue weight of the gooseneck, but how does this exactly relate to the truck. I've seen everything from the weight of the tongue plus the truck not exceeding the GVW, to not exceeding the axle weight (which is a hard number to find from the manufacturers), to not exceeding the payload. Which is it?

All of it... the tongue weight or payload which maxs the GVWR must be distributed between the front & rear axles so the axle rating is not exceeded. Look on the door pillar of your truck. It'll have the axle rating.

Thanks Hosspuller !