Goose Neck Trailers

Sundowner seem to be a little more economical than ATC, but I still like Intech the best. I’ve wanted a new one for a while, but I can’t justify new car prices for an empty box.

 

The spot market and jobber suppliers have definitely raised their prices, but mill quantities haven’t changed all that much. We are still under $2.50/lb for 6061T6. We also usually buy 15000 to 20000 pounds per shot. The boss gets nervous when we have less than 10000 pounds of mostly round tube on the shelf.

If the trailer companies are buying from job shops then they aren’t doing it right.

 

I have a Sundowner gooseneck horse trailer. Two horse and dressing room.
I also have a 8.5 x 22 Featherlight enclosed.
Bought the Sundowner new and the FL I found on eBay.
Love them both. Aluminum is the way to go. Towing weight and rust.
My FL is a tag along. Less thought needed to go around corners. They basically follow you truck in line. And backing a tad more forgiving.
The gooseneck takes a little caution backing and in tight corners. My wife took the rear window out of my truck backing the gooseneck up. Oh well.
Gooseneck is probably a tad safer on the highway with cross winds.
JMHO

 

Oh and I have a 2017 F250 with....an aluminum body. Awesome truck.
Aluminum trailer will cost you more but shop patiently. I got my FL in pristine condition, cabinets, insulated and skinned inside in aluminum, A/C and heat for just under $10k. Same thing new probably twice that. Yes that was almost a decade ago and yes I have been offered more almost every time I go to the track.
My opinion is spend the extra for aluminum, take good care of it and it won’t depreciate much if any.
Gooseneck if you can stay alert to it not tracking with your truck in tight turns and can appreciate the steadiness on the road and the increased ability in tight spots. Tag along if you haven’t pulled a lot of trailers or just like the confidence of it tracking around turns with you and not cutting in a bit.
JMHO

 

So here’s a stupid question: How hard is it to remove the horse dividers in the back portion?

 

That's funny you should ask, a friend and I (non-equestrian people) were wondering the same thing last weekend. Living near Ocala there is an abundance of used horse trailers with some pretty spiffy living quarters.

 

I seriously considered a gooseneck horse trailer with living quarters in the front and visited several dealerships to check them out. The horse dividers can all easily be removed. In the 8 foot wide versions only thing that is permanent is the feed trough on one side. (The 7 foot wide versions don't have a feed trough)

I ended up buying a 36 foot Sundowner gooseneck toy hauler. 18' garage and 18' living space. All aluminum frame, 8150 pounds empty, 15,500 max weight, it tows very well behind a F350 diesel. Sundowner just took one of their horse trailers that they have been building for decades, and put a garage in the back instead of horse stuff.

I frequently tow long distances so it's nice to know that I am well under the max weight instead of at or above it like most conventional toyhaulers.

 

Looking at the Sundowners and STW trailers as well in a similar size. What is the pin weight on your model. I've got a new F250 but am finding out I probably should have gone for the F350. Do you have a PDF of your floor plan and option list?

Thanks in advance.

 

Thats great to know! Thank you!

 

Hey, I know a guy: 2011 f350 Black Dually in Florida | 13x Forums

 

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/443001586929363/

 

The only real difference between the 250 and the 350 are the rear springs. Same frame, same cab, same wheels, same engine, same drive train. If you already have the 250 and aren't worried about any stinking stickers on the door jamb....a relatively quick swap of springs could be in order.

 

And I am guessing that would only matter if you get in an accident and are towing higher than 250 rated sticker specs but lower than 350 specs?

 

Thanks but was looking for one with a living quarters.

 

I have been told the brakes are bigger but don't know if that is true or not.

I can verify the brake pads on my 3500 are massive

 

The front pads for my 350 are the same as they are for a 250.

 

Very easy to remove. And BTW my 2017 Crew F250 6.2 gas engine pulls it and my enclosed Featherlight very easily. Diesel has more torque but not necessary.
But......you are looking at bigger trailers than mine. The Sundowner is a two horse (side by side not slant load) with a dressing room. Section over the truck bed is big enough for a King size mattress and several feet of floorspace between it and the divider wall (not removable) so good for an overnight but not "living quarters" by any means. My 22' x 8.5 enclosed Featherlight which has a slight V nose giving plenty of room for cabinets and tons of room for motorcycles and/or race car with room to spare. But not really RV style living quarters so still significantly lighter albeit smaller. Works for me though. FWIW pulling shorter, though 22ft isnt really short, is much less stressful at gas stations, parking lots, motels (uh oh, now you know why I don't need living quarters and negotiating the two lane dirt road I live on and getting in and out of the barn driveway.
If you absolutely NEED living quarters then much of what I just said is not very helpful but thought I would weigh in on the F250 question. And possibly that is useless as well as my Featherlight empty is about 25% the weight of dammyheadhurts' 35 footer. Not sure about the Sundowner weight wise but must be close. I pulled it with my old 2001 F250 5.4 gas with horse and gear with no problem.

 

Thanks, Grady! Not looking for living quarters as in a month of living but just a bit of space with a bed would probably do.

 

Another vote for Intech. Don't know how their current prices are but a nicely equipped gooseneck could easily be upward of 80K in 2016 when mine was built.

 

The day I picked it up at their shop