On Sat, 11 Jul 2015 07:06:51 -0500, Ignoramus10431 wrote:

I have (among other transportation) my own Chevy 2500HD pick-up truck
and a 12,000 lbs "bumper pull" trailer with a pintle hitch.

While it is a good trailer, it is relatively short and only has room for
a forklift and nothing else. Plus, being a bumper pull trailer, it has
some disadvantages in towing.

I have recently bought a 14,000 lbs gooseneck trailer that is 25 feet
long and want to hear some relevant comments from people experiences
with such trailers.

It is 14,000 lbs rated, but that is only for its axles, and it can carry
more than that if that weight is supported by the truck itself.

My main question is how a Chevy 2500HD can handle it. I am not expecting
miracles of performance. I also always treat heavy loads very gently and
barely step on gas, trying to be nice to the transmission. I have pulled
11,000+ trailers without much trouble, just slowly.

Should I expect handling benefits with a GN trailer?

Do you think that the transmission will survive a 14,000 lbs trailer if
I try very hard to go easy on it?

I can't comment on your tranny, but I've driven roughly similar-sized
gooseneck and bumper-tow trailers: goosenecks handle better, ride better
on long trips, and seem to be easier on the truck than bumper tow.

Load the trailer and the truck to the limits of what the axles are rated
for, drive at highway speeds (but don't pass any cop cars), and stick to
your maintenance schedule religiously. You should wring full value out
of your truck.

My dad's shop truck outlived my dad. It was a 1972 Chevy C-20 with over
100000 miles on it when we got it. We'd pull out of the shop at 20,000
pounds combined vehicle weight (with a gooseneck) and drive to shows in
California, Washington, and the midwest. 20000 pounds combined vehicle
weight was a bit much -- after 200000 miles of that the truck frame
needed all it's rivets replaced (my dad did not believe in "throw away
and buy new") -- but he dropped down to 15000 CVW and the truck lasted
basically forever after that.

--
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