Gooseneck towing question

[Riden4fun]

I bought this truck to haul a small GN horse trailer that weighs less than 5000 pounds loaded. When hooked up to the truck with (no horse on board), it drops the truck down significantly. Is this something I need to correct? If so how?

 

[MADDOG]

Courtesy of Equispirit, a horse trailer sales and general knowledge site, gooseneck pin weight is usually calculated at 20% of the trailer's weight.

So if your trailer weight is 5000 lbs, the pin weight is 1000 lbs which pretty much is the max you can load up on the springs.

I'd recommend a good airbag system. It won't add weight carrying capacity but it will level out the truck.

 

[Riden4fun]

Thank you so much! Many years ago we had a Ram V10 that had to have air bags so I guessed this one would as well. I wonder if the F150 equally equipped would have needed air bags also.

 

[tjfdesmo]

Because goosenecks put so much weight on the hitch you don't commonly see them on a 1/2 ton. It carries through as you get bigger, too. My toyhauler is a gooseneck, and the GCW is within what a 3500 SRW can haul, BUT it is so heavy on the hitch it is beyond the tire rating for SRW, and actually pushes the payload limit of a 3500 DRW. Live and learn.

 

[MADDOG]

Thank you so much! Many years ago we had a Ram V10 that had to have air bags so I guessed this one would as well. I wonder if the F150 equally equipped would have needed air bags also.

Yes, it would. Regardless of brand, a 1/2T rated truck is gonna sag when loaded close to the limit. It's the spring rated capacity, not the brand, that dictates that.