Goose neck trailer build

[augercreek]

I am thinking about building a goose neck trailer for hauling a small tractor around. I want to make it a single axle with a tilting bed.I plan on pulling it with a Ford Ranger thats the reason for being a goose neck,to get more of the load spread out over the whole truck. Have any of you all ever built one?
Your brother in Christ Jerry

 

[cantoo]

Not sure how big the tractor is but usually the words ranger and 5th wheel don't belong in the same sentence. That being said I would consider buying an old 5th wheel camper that was badly water damage for cheap and use the frame. Cut it down to whatever size you need. I'm also thinking I would keep the tandem axle though. Much cheaper than buying from scratch and damaged trailers should be easy to find. PS, electric brakes would be a must have item.

 

[H-Ranch]

Can you buy a gooseneck hitch for a Ranger? You might be fabricating that too.

Even a light weight trailer and a small tractor is going to be the limit of that truck. If the tractor is that small then just use a conventional trailer. Sounds like you need a bigger truck or plan to keep the tractor in one location.

 

[zogger]

Not sure how big the tractor is but usually the words ranger and 5th wheel don't belong in the same sentence. That being said I would consider buying an old 5th wheel camper that was badly water damage for cheap and use the frame. Cut it down to whatever size you need. I'm also thinking I would keep the tandem axle though. Much cheaper than buying from scratch and damaged trailers should be easy to find. PS, electric brakes would be a must have item.

--an old camper or maybe a fifth wheel/gooseneck pull stock trailer.

 

[Steve NW WI]

Can you buy a gooseneck hitch for a Ranger? You might be fabricating that too.

Even a light weight trailer and a small tractor is going to be the limit of that truck. If the tractor is that small then just use a conventional trailer. Sounds like you need a bigger truck or plan to keep the tractor in one location.

There's a company that advertises in the farm magazines with a 5th wheel hitch sprayer pulled by a Samurai. Anything's possible. I'll look for the ad again.

That said, a full size truck and a bumper pull trailer is likely cheaper unless you live somewhere registration/insurance are sky high. I know there are states that are nuts, and if I lived there, my 2000 mile a year woodhauler would go down the road. Here, liability insurance and registration on my old beater amount to about $400/year. I can live with that, I can't rent a truck when I need one for that.

 

[Rio_Grande]

If by Ford Ranger you mean the little one, not the one us older guys remember from the early 70's. You might want to rethink this. The brakes on a truck like that are not designed for stopping heavy loads regardless of how they are distributed.

As for building a gooseneck, I have seen comercial built ones that failed where the gooseneck bends to go over the bed of the truck. As far as building one from scratch if you have the free steel laying around it may be cheaper but if you are buying it, I doubt you can do cheaper/Safer than a bought one. Sometimes you have to ask if the cost savings is worth the risk.

My uncle who was a certified welder and a good mechanic built a small gooseneck to attach to a toyota that used to have a utility bed in it. it was basicly a little dualy mini truck. He finished it and after a few years when I noticed it haddnt moved much I asked him about it. He said it pulled great, but it stopped terrible.

 

[ft. churchill]

I think your gettin' some sound advice here in that you'd be ahead by modifing an existing trailer. I think your pushing the envelope use a Ford ranger to tow anything that is big enough to need a gooseneck trailer. I dont know how small your tractor is. I just built a trailer for camping and 4x4 off roading, cost me about 400 dollars in material. Scrounged a used mobile home axle for 25 bucks, cut in half and shortened it to fit. I did this as to have the same bolt pattern as on my truck as the trailer. Works good as a firewood trailer as well, it holds one cord. 60"x 98"x 36" tall. I had to have extra high ground clearance cuz' I drag it into some bad spots big game hunting in the mnts. Remember to set the axle back 1/4" per foot of trailer lenght. Mine has an eight foot box so the axle sits 2" back from the centerline of the box. Also put a slight amount of rake to the trailer so that the box slopes uphill 1/4" to the foot towards the truck when hitched up to the truck. Both of these are to make the trailer track well and run stable behind your rig.

 

[augercreek]

goose neck trailer

I thank you fellows for your sound advice,I will reconsider my plans. My tractor is a Farmall 100 (like an A) it weighs around 3000#less than a cord of wood I would think
Your brother in Christ Jerry

 

[rwoods]

Here is Ford's guide for the 2011 Ranger. Certain properly equipped models might handle a light trailer with a 3000# tractor. A goose neck trailer is going to be heavier than an equivalent framed bumper pull trailer. Unless you have a lot of scrap aluminum I would forget the gooseneck. If your truck doesn't spec out to pull at least 5000#, I would also scrap pulling the tractor around with it as there will be little to no margin for implements after you factor in the trailer weight. Ron

http://www.ford.com/resources/ford/general/pdf/towingguides/11FLMRVTT_RangerNov18.pdf

 

[GeeVee]

Do keep in mind about the camper trailer recycle....

Anything that was big enough to be a gooseneck, was also big enough to be eight feet wide too, thus wider than you need, more mods that aren't quick.

And 3k tractor plus trailer weight is more than I want with a Ranger V-6. It aint the go power, its the stop power.

Plus practical loading, and distances traveling in what kind of locale.

If you must, there are usually lots of 6x16 dual 2500 lb axle -pipe or angle iron "Landscaper" trailers you could feel safe with, for sale used-ish.

 

[cantoo]

Gee vee, the trailers usually have little flimsy Z shaped wings welded onto the side of the main frame to make them wider. They would be removed for the tractor because it would likely track inside the trailer wheels.

 

[deerlakejens]

How effective are electric trailer brakes? They were mentioned early in the post but seem to have been ignored. Is there a reason?

 

[GeeVee]

Gee vee, the trailers usually have little flimsy Z shaped wings welded onto the side of the main frame to make them wider. They would be removed for the tractor because it would likely track inside the trailer wheels.

Yeah, You're right. I think I'm hesitant about goosenecking just in general as a workaround to having a tow vehicle that has the weight to stop its load. Its counter intuitive to tow a load that weighs more the the tugger.

I admit to having done some sketchy workarounds and improvising in the past and will in the future, but age brings wisdom, not more (good) luck.

 

[H-Ranch]

How effective are electric trailer brakes? They were mentioned early in the post but seem to have been ignored. Is there a reason?

Not ignored, but it was already mentioned as a reminder if building a trailer so no need to add to it. I would dare say that you can't buy a gooseneck trailer without electric brakes today - many states require them over a very low trailer weight. Sure, they are great but they are not intended to stop the combination if the truck brakes are not up to the task. Brakes are needed on every axle for maximum effectiveness and even with that there is no way the truck and trailer can stop in the same distance as the truck alone.

 

[Walt41]

Not ignored, but it was already mentioned as a reminder if building a trailer so no need to add to it. I would dare say that you can't buy a gooseneck trailer without electric brakes today - many states require them over a very low trailer weight. Sure, they are great but they are not intended to stop the combination if the truck brakes are not up to the task. Brakes are needed on every axle for maximum effectiveness and even with that there is no way the truck and trailer can stop in the same distance as the truck alone.

Correct, there is simply no way to trailer safely without brakes on every axle, they also need to be properely maintained all season and make a world of difference.

 

[pdhowell]

Speaking from a very small amount of experience, (having built one to haul hay in Iowa some years ago), if you are traveling on the road, you might want to check to see how your state responds to licensing home made trailers. Some states don't want to touch them. Also, trailers require excellent welding skills, which you may well have. Road capable trailers are not usually regarded as first time projects. I would go with the earlier advice of converting, strengthening an existing fifth wheel frame.

Maybe useful

 

[Steve NW WI]

Its counter intuitive to tow a load that weighs more the the tugger.

Better put an end to tractor trailer rigs then - 15000# tractor pulling a 65000# trailer. Trains are even more dangerous - 5-600 tons of locomotives pulling 10x that! Tugboats - holy sheet man, we're all gonna die!

/end sarcasm

I get what you're trying to say, but it's not right. All you need is a tow rig AND towed unit set up properly and it's no problem. I'd rather have a heavy load on a trailer than in the truck 99% of the time.

 

[zogger]

I thank you fellows for your sound advice,I will reconsider my plans. My tractor is a Farmall 100 (like an A) it weighs around 3000#less than a cord of wood I would think
Your brother in Christ Jerry

Bite the bullet and step up to a full size pickup with a diesel engine. You'll get similar mileage as your little gasser and it will tow your tractor.

It doesn't have to be one of those monster huge ones for even huger dollar$, just something "full size" and in working order.

 

[Rio_Grande]

We routinely pull 18000 pounds with an 8000 lb truck. Have to watch our weights to make sure we don't surpass the 26k mark. Even special ordered a 20k trailer to be rated at 18k as long as the trailer is loaded properly and the brakes are properly adjusted it all works fine.

 

[les-or-more]

I am thinking about building a goose neck trailer for hauling a small tractor around. I want to make it a single axle with a tilting bed.I plan on pulling it with a Ford Ranger thats the reason for being a goose neck,to get more of the load spread out over the whole truck. Have any of you all ever built one?
Your brother in Christ Jerry

There is no reason I can think of you can't do it, the trailer with properly functioning brakes should stop the load it is designed to handle. The goosene neck will transfer the weight closer to the trucks center, this will allow better balance and handling. After a few years of building trailers I would suggest you go with a tandem design though. Keep the trailer short to minimize weight, the rear axle and powertrain of the truck are your weak link here. For occasional use, there is nothing wrong with the idea, your welding skills are an unknown that can only be answered by you, remember things get ugly real quick if something fails.