So I believe at this point it's quite clear I love trucks. And one idea I've had since around the time I decided to become a mechanic is to offer people tows with a truck and flatbed. Now off and on over the past few months I've looked at different flatbed trailers. Well today I decided to learn more about a type of trailer that's quite a bit heavier duty than the ubiquitous bumper pull trailer, the Gooseneck.

Most trailers of are of the type that mounts to a trailer hitch bolted either on the bumper itself, or behind the bumper. The Gooseneck attaches to a mount in the middle of the bed of the truck. Typically this installation has most of the hardware underneath the bed, bolted to the frame of the truck. Ram, GM, and Ford all offer Gooseneck/Fifth-Wheel (even heavier-duty version that functions in a similar fashion) prep kits on their heavy-duty trucks, but not on their light-duty trucks.

Thankfully this is where the aftermarket comes in and offers kits that with a little cutting and some bolting together, gives a truck like the F-150 the ability to haul a Gooseneck trailer. However, a 25' long flatbed weighs in at least 4,500 pounds and a brand new F-150 with only the base 3.5L V6 can only haul about 5,000 pounds, basically making the whole setup worthless for hauling cars. Upgrading to the V8 gives a much healthier 9,500 pound towing capacity, at the cost of fuel economy without pulling anything.

Typical Example of a Gooseneck:

But back to the benefits of the Gooseneck. From what I can gather, a Gooseneck is much easier to hook up thanks to the built in adjustility of the ball receiver. The receiver can be raised or lowered to help level both the truck and the trailer. This apparently also helps reduce the headache of balancing the load on the trailer. Also it's kinda cool to reach in under the fender and yank on the trailer release to unlock the trailer. Another need plus is the capacity of these trailers, basically if it fits, you can haul it if your truck can safely haul that much weight behind it.

Drawbacks include the typical drawbacks of a larger trailer, including being harder to park. City driving would a huge pain in the ass. Storing a large trailer is also an issue, particularly in my part of the county as most homes arpund don't have enough space to comfortably store a trailer without fear of being fined or it being stolen. Goosenecks are also typically much more expensive, though it's not too hard to convert a bumper pull trailer into a Gooseneck, if you have some sort of hoist to handle neck until you can weld it up.

But what about my situation? Well it's definitely a later in life project, like maybe 10 years from now at best, but I'd most likely have a welder at that point and definitely should have the skills necessary to convert a trailer. But before attempting such a project, I would definitely need the space to store the trailer. But let's say I do, I'd probably only use the trailer a few times a month at most I think. Could I really justify the cost of even owning a Gooseneck? I dunno, but I'd love to have one.