I'm looking at hauling a heavy boat (7K with the standard trailer)
2000 miles twice a year...

A perfectly designed 5th wheel or gooseneck would be far more stable
than the standard bumper hitch. I've been looking and can't find one
to copy (my best design method)

Does anyone know of an engineering design service for this project?
I'm very willing to pay for a great design.

Karl

On 2014-02-12, Karl Townsend wrote:
I'm looking at hauling a heavy boat (7K with the standard trailer)
2000 miles twice a year...

A perfectly designed 5th wheel or gooseneck would be far more stable
than the standard bumper hitch. I've been looking and can't find one
to copy (my best design method)

Does anyone know of an engineering design service for this project?
I'm very willing to pay for a great design.

7k gross trailer is not a lot of weight for a regular 3/4 ton pick-up
truck. Just have a frame mounted hitch. For added convenience, use a
pintle hitch instead ofa ball hitch. I tow a 10k trailer regularly
hauling a forklift, with a 3/4 ton pick-up, it works just fine if I
drive conservatively.

i

On Wed, 12 Feb 2014 06:02:29 -0600, Ignoramus32197
wrote:

On 2014-02-12, Karl Townsend wrote:
I'm looking at hauling a heavy boat (7K with the standard trailer)
2000 miles twice a year...

A perfectly designed 5th wheel or gooseneck would be far more stable
than the standard bumper hitch. I've been looking and can't find one
to copy (my best design method)

Does anyone know of an engineering design service for this project?
I'm very willing to pay for a great design.

7k gross trailer is not a lot of weight for a regular 3/4 ton pick-up
truck. Just have a frame mounted hitch. For added convenience, use a
pintle hitch instead ofa ball hitch. I tow a 10k trailer regularly
hauling a forklift, with a 3/4 ton pick-up, it works just fine if I
drive conservatively.

i

You're right for short distances and drive conservatively.

Now think 40K miles over ten years. Sometimes sleepy, sometimes wife
behind wheel, sometimes icy. Now a jerk cuts you off and you're going
75 to keep up with traffic.

Driving a large load is years of boredom punctuated by seconds of
terror.

Karl

On 2/12/2014 5:22 AM, Karl Townsend wrote:
I'm looking at hauling a heavy boat (7K with the standard trailer)
2000 miles twice a year...

A perfectly designed 5th wheel or gooseneck would be far more stable
than the standard bumper hitch. I've been looking and can't find one
to copy (my best design method)

Does anyone know of an engineering design service for this project?
I'm very willing to pay for a great design.

Karl


I'd suggest just going to an auction or three...they sell pretty
routinely around here anyway...

--

On 2014-02-12, Karl Townsend wrote:
On Wed, 12 Feb 2014 06:02:29 -0600, Ignoramus32197
wrote:

On 2014-02-12, Karl Townsend wrote:
I'm looking at hauling a heavy boat (7K with the standard trailer)
2000 miles twice a year...

A perfectly designed 5th wheel or gooseneck would be far more stable
than the standard bumper hitch. I've been looking and can't find one
to copy (my best design method)

Does anyone know of an engineering design service for this project?
I'm very willing to pay for a great design.

7k gross trailer is not a lot of weight for a regular 3/4 ton pick-up
truck. Just have a frame mounted hitch. For added convenience, use a
pintle hitch instead ofa ball hitch. I tow a 10k trailer regularly
hauling a forklift, with a 3/4 ton pick-up, it works just fine if I
drive conservatively.

i

You're right for short distances and drive conservatively.

Now think 40K miles over ten years. Sometimes sleepy, sometimes wife
behind wheel, sometimes icy. Now a jerk cuts you off and you're going
75 to keep up with traffic.

Driving a large load is years of boredom punctuated by seconds of
terror.

Do not go 75 keeping up with traffic, and 90% of those problems never
appear. The jerks do not cut you off, you get plenty of time to brake
gently, and save wear and tear on your transmission.

I could not care less about "keeping up with traffic" when I tow
anything of significance.

A lot of problems, like icy roads, etc, are very significantly reduced
if you go slow and keep good distance from vehicles in front of you.

i

"Karl Townsend" wrote in message
...
I'm looking at hauling a heavy boat (7K with the standard trailer)
2000 miles twice a year...

A perfectly designed 5th wheel or gooseneck would be far more stable
than the standard bumper hitch. I've been looking and can't find one
to copy (my best design method)

Does anyone know of an engineering design service for this project?
I'm very willing to pay for a great design.

Karl

7K is significant, but not excessive for a modern 3/4 to pickup. A
stabilizer hitch will cure a lot of problems if setup properly for the
trailer. I've towed that much with a modern half ton and a stabilizer
hitch. I found a yard stick leaned against the rear bumper to help me set
my level really helped make the process easier.

As Iggy said, towing at 65 instead of 75 will cure more. In California you
have to slow down to 55 when towing. (Yuck!). That makes for some long
days to go buy equipment. I've passed on some good deals in Ca for that
reason alone. That, and I always feel like I have to watch over my shoulder
for gesta... er I mean over enthusiastic law enforcement for some infraction
I never heard of in any other state.







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"Ignoramus32197" wrote in
message ...

Do not go 75 keeping up with traffic, and 90% of those problems
never
appear. The jerks do not cut you off, you get plenty of time to
brake
gently, and save wear and tear on your transmission.

I could not care less about "keeping up with traffic" when I tow
anything of significance.

A lot of problems, like icy roads, etc, are very significantly
reduced
if you go slow and keep good distance from vehicles in front of you.

i

I sometimes find a truck that holds speed up hills and pull in well
behind it, leaving room for others to cross and exit. No one tailgates
or cuts close in front even in heavy, irritable Boston-area rush hour
traffic.

On Wed, 12 Feb 2014 05:22:48 -0600, Karl Townsend
wrote:

I'm looking at hauling a heavy boat (7K with the standard trailer)
2000 miles twice a year...

A perfectly designed 5th wheel or gooseneck would be far more stable
than the standard bumper hitch. I've been looking and can't find one
to copy (my best design method)

Does anyone know of an engineering design service for this project?
I'm very willing to pay for a great design.

Karl

Why not simply buy one already made? There are lots of boat trailers
out there that are gooseneck or 5th wheel.

www.searchtempest.com

Enter your zip code, " boat trailer " in the search for window and
hit search. Id also do a sarch on the term "gooseneck trailer"

Also check Ebay

You may..may have to travel a couple hundred miles for a trailer..or
pay somone to haul it to you...shrug.

Gunner


http://www.ebay.com/sch/Other-Vehicl...ailer&_vxp=mtr

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=boat+trailer&_osacat=6038&_from=R40&_ vxp=mtr&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR1.TRC0.A0.Xg ooseneck+boat+trailer&_nkw=gooseneck+boat+trailer& _sacat=6038

Consider a used standard gooseneck flatbed trailer and then simply
modifying it to hold your boat. See above.

And other sources..etc etc etc

http://www.marinasandtransport.com/equipmentforsale/

A few of the locals here have flatbed gooseneck trailers that they
simply bolt a simple boat cradle to when they are headed to the ocean.
The rest of the time its used on the ranch or in the oilfields. Put
the boat and cradle on and off with a hydra-crain or one guy..hangs
his boat and cradle from 4 telephone poles and pipe frame, drives
under it..winches it down onto the trailer, bolts it up and off he
goes. Takes him about 15 minutes to load and go.

You can pick up a used 5th wheel trailer for less than the price of
steel and wheels.

Gunner






--
"Virtually all members of [radical] groups sincerely believe that
they are fighting the Establishment. In reality they are an indespensible ally
of the Establishment in fastening Socialism on all of us.
The naive radicals think that under Socialism the "people" will run everything.
Actually, it will be a clique of Insiders in total control, consolidating and
controlling all wealth. That is why these schoolboy Lenins and teenage Trotskys
are allowed to roam free and are practically never arrested or prosecuted.
They are protected. If the Establishment wanted the revolutionaries stopped,
how long do you think they would be tolerated?



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On Wed, 12 Feb 2014 09:28:53 -0600, Ignoramus32197
wrote:

On 2014-02-12, Karl Townsend wrote:
On Wed, 12 Feb 2014 06:02:29 -0600, Ignoramus32197
wrote:

On 2014-02-12, Karl Townsend wrote:
I'm looking at hauling a heavy boat (7K with the standard trailer)
2000 miles twice a year...

A perfectly designed 5th wheel or gooseneck would be far more stable
than the standard bumper hitch. I've been looking and can't find one
to copy (my best design method)

Does anyone know of an engineering design service for this project?
I'm very willing to pay for a great design.

7k gross trailer is not a lot of weight for a regular 3/4 ton pick-up
truck. Just have a frame mounted hitch. For added convenience, use a
pintle hitch instead ofa ball hitch. I tow a 10k trailer regularly
hauling a forklift, with a 3/4 ton pick-up, it works just fine if I
drive conservatively.

i

You're right for short distances and drive conservatively.

Now think 40K miles over ten years. Sometimes sleepy, sometimes wife
behind wheel, sometimes icy. Now a jerk cuts you off and you're going
75 to keep up with traffic.

Driving a large load is years of boredom punctuated by seconds of
terror.

Do not go 75 keeping up with traffic, and 90% of those problems never
appear. The jerks do not cut you off, you get plenty of time to brake
gently, and save wear and tear on your transmission.

I could not care less about "keeping up with traffic" when I tow
anything of significance.

A lot of problems, like icy roads, etc, are very significantly reduced
if you go slow and keep good distance from vehicles in front of you.

i

Hear Hear!!


--
"Virtually all members of [radical] groups sincerely believe that
they are fighting the Establishment. In reality they are an indespensible ally
of the Establishment in fastening Socialism on all of us.
The naive radicals think that under Socialism the "people" will run everything.
Actually, it will be a clique of Insiders in total control, consolidating and
controlling all wealth. That is why these schoolboy Lenins and teenage Trotskys
are allowed to roam free and are practically never arrested or prosecuted.
They are protected. If the Establishment wanted the revolutionaries stopped,
how long do you think they would be tolerated?



---
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http://www.avast.com

On Wed, 12 Feb 2014 10:15:13 -0700, "Bob La Londe"
wrote:

"Karl Townsend" wrote in message
.. .
I'm looking at hauling a heavy boat (7K with the standard trailer)
2000 miles twice a year...

A perfectly designed 5th wheel or gooseneck would be far more stable
than the standard bumper hitch. I've been looking and can't find one
to copy (my best design method)

Does anyone know of an engineering design service for this project?
I'm very willing to pay for a great design.

Karl

7K is significant, but not excessive for a modern 3/4 to pickup. A
stabilizer hitch will cure a lot of problems if setup properly for the
trailer. I've towed that much with a modern half ton and a stabilizer
hitch. I found a yard stick leaned against the rear bumper to help me set
my level really helped make the process easier.

As Iggy said, towing at 65 instead of 75 will cure more. In California you
have to slow down to 55 when towing. (Yuck!). That makes for some long
days to go buy equipment. I've passed on some good deals in Ca for that
reason alone. That, and I always feel like I have to watch over my shoulder
for gesta... er I mean over enthusiastic law enforcement for some infraction
I never heard of in any other state.

A very very smart man!

though to be fair..they seldom specifically target non commercial
haulers. They generally pick on the big trucks with a logo on the
door. Usually.


Gunner, California

--
"Virtually all members of [radical] groups sincerely believe that
they are fighting the Establishment. In reality they are an indespensible ally
of the Establishment in fastening Socialism on all of us.
The naive radicals think that under Socialism the "people" will run everything.
Actually, it will be a clique of Insiders in total control, consolidating and
controlling all wealth. That is why these schoolboy Lenins and teenage Trotskys
are allowed to roam free and are practically never arrested or prosecuted.
They are protected. If the Establishment wanted the revolutionaries stopped,
how long do you think they would be tolerated?



---
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http://www.avast.com

....
Why not simply buy one already made? There are lots of boat trailers
out there that are gooseneck or 5th wheel.

I must be on the wrong newgroup. I want to build my own. This used to
be the place to go ask such questions.


Thanks for the ebay leads. You're better at computer searches than I
am (One of my many weaknesses)

This one shows a huge oversize gooseneckboat hauler
http://tinyurl.com/kkskmty

I'm told ones are made for very large cigarette boats but I'm after
one a fair bit smaller and lighter.

Karl

On Wed, 12 Feb 2014 17:09:39 -0600, Karl Townsend
wrote:

...
Why not simply buy one already made? There are lots of boat trailers
out there that are gooseneck or 5th wheel.

I must be on the wrong newgroup. I want to build my own. This used to
be the place to go ask such questions.


Thanks for the ebay leads. You're better at computer searches than I
am (One of my many weaknesses)

This one shows a huge oversize gooseneckboat hauler
http://tinyurl.com/kkskmty

I'm told ones are made for very large cigarette boats but I'm after
one a fair bit smaller and lighter.

Karl

Greetings Karl,
I can't help with the engineering part but in my state (WA) it is much
easier to license a modified trailer than one that is home built. Here
we are required to have all the receipts for all the materials, tires,
painting, etc. This of course is done to help prevent the theft of
trailers. If you just modify the trailer the state doesn't care. As
long as it is safe of course. But there is nobody checking your welds
or anything. If your state is the same then maybe it would be easier
to find a trailer that can be modified to what you want and then you
can make it just the way you want it. Then there won't be the
licensing hassles. I have gone this route making a small boat trailer
for my 12 foot aluminum rowboat. The trailer was pretty much a basket
case but it was licensed here and had a good axle, tires, springs, and
bearings. I just pretty much made the new frame and bolted the running
gear to it. For me it was the cheapest, fastest way to go.
Cheers,
Eric

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On 2014-02-12, Gunner Asch wrote:
On Wed, 12 Feb 2014 10:15:13 -0700, "Bob La Londe"
That, and I always feel like I have to watch over my shoulder
for gesta... er I mean over enthusiastic law enforcement for some infraction
I never heard of in any other state.

A very very smart man!

though to be fair..they seldom specifically target non commercial
haulers. They generally pick on the big trucks with a logo on the
door. Usually.

That's because commercial companies is where the money is (and big fines).

i

On Wed, 12 Feb 2014 17:09:39 -0600, Karl Townsend
wrote:

...
Why not simply buy one already made? There are lots of boat trailers
out there that are gooseneck or 5th wheel.

I must be on the wrong newgroup. I want to build my own. This used to
be the place to go ask such questions.

Ah! Ok. Sorry..I thought you needed a trail for transport..not a
Project.

(Grin)



Thanks for the ebay leads. You're better at computer searches than I
am (One of my many weaknesses)

This one shows a huge oversize gooseneckboat hauler
http://tinyurl.com/kkskmty

I'm told ones are made for very large cigarette boats but I'm after
one a fair bit smaller and lighter.

Karl

If you can find a big one for a great price..simply cut it down to
size.


--
"Virtually all members of [radical] groups sincerely believe that
they are fighting the Establishment. In reality they are an indespensible ally
of the Establishment in fastening Socialism on all of us.
The naive radicals think that under Socialism the "people" will run everything.
Actually, it will be a clique of Insiders in total control, consolidating and
controlling all wealth. That is why these schoolboy Lenins and teenage Trotskys
are allowed to roam free and are practically never arrested or prosecuted.
They are protected. If the Establishment wanted the revolutionaries stopped,
how long do you think they would be tolerated?



---
This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active.
http://www.avast.com

On Wed, 12 Feb 2014 19:52:36 -0600, Ignoramus32197
wrote:

On 2014-02-12, Gunner Asch wrote:
On Wed, 12 Feb 2014 10:15:13 -0700, "Bob La Londe"
That, and I always feel like I have to watch over my shoulder
for gesta... er I mean over enthusiastic law enforcement for some infraction
I never heard of in any other state.

A very very smart man!

though to be fair..they seldom specifically target non commercial
haulers. They generally pick on the big trucks with a logo on the
door. Usually.

That's because commercial companies is where the money is (and big fines).

i


Ayup


--
"Virtually all members of [radical] groups sincerely believe that
they are fighting the Establishment. In reality they are an indespensible ally
of the Establishment in fastening Socialism on all of us.
The naive radicals think that under Socialism the "people" will run everything.
Actually, it will be a clique of Insiders in total control, consolidating and
controlling all wealth. That is why these schoolboy Lenins and teenage Trotskys
are allowed to roam free and are practically never arrested or prosecuted.
They are protected. If the Establishment wanted the revolutionaries stopped,
how long do you think they would be tolerated?



---
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http://www.avast.com

On Wednesday, February 12, 2014 3:22:48 AM UTC-8, Karl Townsend wrote:
I'm looking at hauling a heavy boat (7K with the standard trailer)

2000 miles twice a year...



A perfectly designed 5th wheel or gooseneck would be far more stable

than the standard bumper hitch. I've been looking and can't find one

to copy (my best design method)



Does anyone know of an engineering design service for this project?

I'm very willing to pay for a great design.



Karl

Why not design your own? Use it as an excuse to learn CADCAM and FEA.

On Wed, 12 Feb 2014 11:57:04 -0800, Gunner Asch
wrote:

On Wed, 12 Feb 2014 09:28:53 -0600, Ignoramus32197
wrote:

On 2014-02-12, Karl Townsend wrote:
On Wed, 12 Feb 2014 06:02:29 -0600, Ignoramus32197
wrote:

On 2014-02-12, Karl Townsend wrote:
I'm looking at hauling a heavy boat (7K with the standard trailer)
2000 miles twice a year...

A perfectly designed 5th wheel or gooseneck would be far more stable
than the standard bumper hitch. I've been looking and can't find one
to copy (my best design method)

Does anyone know of an engineering design service for this project?
I'm very willing to pay for a great design.

7k gross trailer is not a lot of weight for a regular 3/4 ton pick-up
truck. Just have a frame mounted hitch. For added convenience, use a
pintle hitch instead ofa ball hitch. I tow a 10k trailer regularly
hauling a forklift, with a 3/4 ton pick-up, it works just fine if I
drive conservatively.

i

You're right for short distances and drive conservatively.

Now think 40K miles over ten years. Sometimes sleepy, sometimes wife
behind wheel, sometimes icy. Now a jerk cuts you off and you're going
75 to keep up with traffic.

Driving a large load is years of boredom punctuated by seconds of
terror.

Do not go 75 keeping up with traffic, and 90% of those problems never
appear. The jerks do not cut you off, you get plenty of time to brake
gently, and save wear and tear on your transmission.

I could not care less about "keeping up with traffic" when I tow
anything of significance.

A lot of problems, like icy roads, etc, are very significantly reduced
if you go slow and keep good distance from vehicles in front of you.

i

Hear Hear!!

That's not how they do it here or in Russia:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDsclaXxy6c

--
The most powerful factors in the world are clear
ideas in the minds of energetic men of good will.
-- J. Arthur Thomson

On 2014-02-13, Larry Jaques wrote:
That's not how they do it here or in Russia:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDsclaXxy6c


This was in the USA! Those roads are too ggood for Russia, this is how
they really look like in inclement weather

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sLq_riLMN8

On Wed, 12 Feb 2014 21:52:00 -0600, Ignoramus32197
wrote:

On 2014-02-13, Larry Jaques wrote:
That's not how they do it here or in Russia:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDsclaXxy6c


This was in the USA! Those roads are too ggood for Russia, this is how

Oops, I stepped back one vid too far. This is Russia.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-l4w-DIiXk but not the one I thought.
Oh, well.



they really look like in inclement weather

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sLq_riLMN8

"Hey, let's take a drive in this wet cement, guys!"
Um, why don't they pave some of those roads, Ig?

--
The most powerful factors in the world are clear
ideas in the minds of energetic men of good will.
-- J. Arthur Thomson

On Wed, 12 Feb 2014 17:09:39 -0600, Karl Townsend
wrote:

...
Why not simply buy one already made? There are lots of boat trailers
out there that are gooseneck or 5th wheel.

I must be on the wrong newgroup. I want to build my own. This used to
be the place to go ask such questions.


Thanks for the ebay leads. You're better at computer searches than I
am (One of my many weaknesses)

This one shows a huge oversize gooseneckboat hauler
http://tinyurl.com/kkskmty

I'm told ones are made for very large cigarette boats but I'm after
one a fair bit smaller and lighter.

Karl

Karl, I don't know any professional trailer designers, but there are a
number of trailer builder outfits. Perhaps one of them might design
what you want for a fee.

I hauled our boat back and forth between Texas and Michigan (~1500
miles) several times. Buy the best tires you can get, keep up with
the tire inflation, and make sure the trailer is level so the load is
equalized on each axle.

After doing that a few times, replacing tires up and down the
interstates, I found a place to store the boat near where I needed it.
We didn't use it much in Michigan. Open shallow draft bay boats are a
little drafty in Michigan. If you use your boat at both ends, I guess
it makes sense to move it. I don't think most trailer tires,
including radials, are really built for all day driving, though. So
if you do this, I hope you get some really good over the road tires.

Good luck.

Pete Keillor

On 2014-02-13, Larry Jaques wrote:
On Wed, 12 Feb 2014 21:52:00 -0600, Ignoramus32197
wrote:

On 2014-02-13, Larry Jaques wrote:
That's not how they do it here or in Russia:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDsclaXxy6c


This was in the USA! Those roads are too ggood for Russia, this is how

Oops, I stepped back one vid too far. This is Russia.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-l4w-DIiXk but not the one I thought.
Oh, well.



they really look like in inclement weather

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sLq_riLMN8

"Hey, let's take a drive in this wet cement, guys!"
Um, why don't they pave some of those roads, Ig?


Too much land, not enough money.

On Wed, 12 Feb 2014 16:49:55 -0800, etpm wrote:

On Wed, 12 Feb 2014 17:09:39 -0600, Karl Townsend
wrote:

...
Why not simply buy one already made? There are lots of boat trailers
out there that are gooseneck or 5th wheel.

I must be on the wrong newgroup. I want to build my own. This used to be
the place to go ask such questions.


Thanks for the ebay leads. You're better at computer searches than I am
(One of my many weaknesses)

This one shows a huge oversize gooseneckboat hauler
http://tinyurl.com/kkskmty

I'm told ones are made for very large cigarette boats but I'm after one
a fair bit smaller and lighter.

Karl

Greetings Karl,
I can't help with the engineering part but in my state (WA) it is much
easier to license a modified trailer than one that is home built. Here

snip

The problem is that a gooseneck trailer wants a different distribution of
weight than a tag-along. You want more weight on the neck. So he'd not
only have to put a gooseneck on it, but he'd have to move the axles back.

And -- I don't know by how much!

--

Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
http://www.wescottdesign.com

On Wed, 12 Feb 2014 05:22:48 -0600, Karl Townsend wrote:

I'm looking at hauling a heavy boat (7K with the standard trailer) 2000
miles twice a year...

A perfectly designed 5th wheel or gooseneck would be far more stable
than the standard bumper hitch. I've been looking and can't find one to
copy (my best design method)

Does anyone know of an engineering design service for this project? I'm
very willing to pay for a great design.

Karl

AFAIK, when it comes to gooseneck trailers and good stability, more
weight on the hitch is better. Consider a semi truck & trailer as the
"ultimate gooseneck" and you'll see what I mean.

So maybe the approach to take is to design the thing so that it puts
about half of your truck's rated load on the hitch, with the rest of the
weight going on the tires. The tires _will_ be further back with such a
setup than with a tag-along.

I drove a 3/4 ton pickup with a gooseneck trailer for my dad for several
years in the summers, going to car shows. For a while we were pulling
out of the parking lot with 20,000 combined GVW -- I think that when I
was driving it we were at 14,000 or something like that. The combination
pretty much handled like the trailer wasn't there, except for the getting
up to speed and going up the hills parts.

--

Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
http://www.wescottdesign.com

I drove a 3/4 ton pickup with a gooseneck trailer for my dad for several
years in the summers, going to car shows. For a while we were pulling
out of the parking lot with 20,000 combined GVW -- I think that when I
was driving it we were at 14,000 or something like that. The combination
pretty much handled like the trailer wasn't there, except for the getting
up to speed and going up the hills parts.

Yep, people that haven't experienced a gooseneck don't realize the
HUGE difference in stability. ESPECIALLY with panic braking.

Karl

On Thu, 13 Feb 2014 20:01:13 -0500, Larry Kraus
wrote:

Larry Jaques wrote:

That's not how they do it here or in Russia:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDsclaXxy6c

90% of those drivers could have maintained/recovered steering control
if they kept their foot off the brake.

Absolutely. Most were steering wildly, too.

--
The most powerful factors in the world are clear
ideas in the minds of energetic men of good will.
-- J. Arthur Thomson

On Thu, 13 Feb 2014 16:16:53 -0600, Karl Townsend wrote:

I drove a 3/4 ton pickup with a gooseneck trailer for my dad for several
years in the summers, going to car shows. For a while we were pulling
out of the parking lot with 20,000 combined GVW -- I think that when I
was driving it we were at 14,000 or something like that. The
combination pretty much handled like the trailer wasn't there, except
for the getting up to speed and going up the hills parts.

Yep, people that haven't experienced a gooseneck don't realize the HUGE
difference in stability. ESPECIALLY with panic braking.

I probably shouldn't mention the superb handling in an 8-wheel drift, but
it _was_ almost 30 years ago.

But yes, you can do things with a truck and gooseneck that you couldn't
even contemplate with a tag-along.

--

Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
http://www.wescottdesign.com

On Fri, 14 Feb 2014 12:57:31 -0600, Tim Wescott
wrote:

On Thu, 13 Feb 2014 16:16:53 -0600, Karl Townsend wrote:

I drove a 3/4 ton pickup with a gooseneck trailer for my dad for several
years in the summers, going to car shows. For a while we were pulling
out of the parking lot with 20,000 combined GVW -- I think that when I
was driving it we were at 14,000 or something like that. The
combination pretty much handled like the trailer wasn't there, except
for the getting up to speed and going up the hills parts.

Yep, people that haven't experienced a gooseneck don't realize the HUGE
difference in stability. ESPECIALLY with panic braking.

I probably shouldn't mention the superb handling in an 8-wheel drift, but
it _was_ almost 30 years ago.

And you probably needed a toothpick to get your skivvies un-caught
from between your teeth before you could get them off...

I tried that with my Corvair and a full 1K utility trailer and 4 Wet
Drum Brakes that all decided to start working at random time intervals
(Shall we Dance?) a few decades ago, and that was pucker-factor
enough.

But yes, you can do things with a truck and gooseneck that you couldn't
even contemplate with a tag-along.

Look around for the companies selling "Trailer Plans!" that used to
advertise in the back of Popular Mechanics, they've probably moved to
the Web.

The hard part is getting the axle geometry and set-backs right, and
you can experiment to a degree. The axles have a little Toe-In or Out
built in at the axle factory - depending on the trailer length axles
to the kingpin, you might have to order the axles with a little more.
That's where the Plans! people come in.

And you can always copy a Trail-Rite Boat Trailer and weld all the
spring shackles and hardware on two Angle Iron Sliders, then bolt that
loosely to the frame rails with U-Bolts. (Just make sure the frame
rails are straight and parallel, and there isn't anything sticking out
that can snag.)

Once it's all together and the boat is loaded you take a set of
portable scales to check the axle loads on the truck and trailer. Go
drive it a bit and make sure it behaves Then it's easy to lift the
boat & trailer chassis with the boatyard crane and slide the whole
axle assembly fore or aft on the sliders to get the axle weights and
balance right. Once it's right, drill holes through the angle iron
and sides of the framerails and bolt it down semi-permanent.

And when the boat changes, you can pull the slide side bolts and
balance it all again for the new load.

-- Bruce --

Where you at? I just built a 2000 pound trailer for my daughter to
move to FL. Cost me over $300.00 just to get a PA stamp of aproval
and VIN plate for it. Till all was said and done I could have bought
one for about $100 more.

I had to go to an "enhanced inspection station" that is approved for
trailers. The guy was very nice, wanted a few mods that I had no
problem doing, but he was not a certified welding inspector or a
mechanical engineer. Just an auto mechanic.

Auction might be your best bet. Buy, repair, modify then tow.




On Wed, 12 Feb 2014 05:22:48 -0600, Karl Townsend
wrote:

I'm looking at hauling a heavy boat (7K with the standard trailer)
2000 miles twice a year...

A perfectly designed 5th wheel or gooseneck would be far more stable
than the standard bumper hitch. I've been looking and can't find one
to copy (my best design method)

Does anyone know of an engineering design service for this project?
I'm very willing to pay for a great design.

Karl
Remove 333 to reply.
Randy

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"Karl Townsend" wrote in message
...
I'm looking at hauling a heavy boat (7K with the standard trailer)
2000 miles twice a year...

A perfectly designed 5th wheel or gooseneck would be far more stable
than the standard bumper hitch. I've been looking and can't find one
to copy (my best design method)

Does anyone know of an engineering design service for this project?
I'm very willing to pay for a great design.

Karl


Did you think of contacting Bruce Roberts? They design some huge boats. I
suspect they would know who could design your trailer the way you want it.






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