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Can a Megacab pull a 8.5x34' gooseneck without crunching the cab?

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Old Jun 27, 2009 | 09:24 PM
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Can a Megacab pull a 8.5x34' gooseneck without crunching the cab?

Anyone have some experience with this topic. I'm told you need 4' from the back of the cab to the front of the gooseneck trailer. Is there 4'? I'm looking to buy a large trailer for hauling produce from FL to WV. Anyone have some pics or experience? I don't want to crunch my cab on a tight WV turn in the mountains.
thanks Jamie
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Old Jun 27, 2009 | 10:59 PM
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CD in NM's Avatar
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I bought an 'offset' for all my GN trailers, plugs into the vertical adjustable tube of the GN. Do a search for 'Pop Up Hitch', there should be a listing of the mfrs website, you will find the offsets there.

My 8' wide x 32' Custom Fab Aulm GN Horse Trailer with a large LQ has a tapered nose - 6' to 8' at the front bulkhead, it actually cleared the cab just fine, but the offset gave me more clearance, I figured more would be better.

CD
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Old Jun 28, 2009 | 09:04 AM
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X2 on the tapered nose. I have a 8.5' x 40' 5th wheel trailer w/ a SuperGlide automatic sliding 5th wheel. Even w/ the slider I come SO close to my window it scares me. 1"-2" at times.
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Old Jul 6, 2009 | 08:18 PM
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From: North Central Florida
Originally Posted by CD in NM
I bought an 'offset' for all my GN trailers, plugs into the vertical adjustable tube of the GN. Do a search for 'Pop Up Hitch', there should be a listing of the mfrs website, you will find the offsets there.

My 8' wide x 32' Custom Fab Aulm GN Horse Trailer with a large LQ has a tapered nose - 6' to 8' at the front bulkhead, it actually cleared the cab just fine, but the offset gave me more clearance, I figured more would be better.

CD
I talked to a lady at the "Pop Up Hitch" company. She tells me I will need a 16" offset on the trailer I'm having built. She said it was specifically made for the megacab trucks. Are these offset hitches any more dangerous than a standard hitch? The guy I'm paying to run produce to WV says he doesn't trust it when loaded heavy, but he's an old dog that doesn't want to learn new tricks. Either way safety is my main goal. Any further help with this topic will be greatly appreciated.
Jamie
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Old Jul 7, 2009 | 11:26 AM
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Wow, I've got a B&W turnover hitch... I've seen options for a 4" or 8" offset but never 16" offset. Is this a custom trailer your having made? If so just have them build the neck longer and beef'er.

OR have your driver use his brain and don't turn as sharp and get himself into bad streets with tight turns. Tell him you'll take the cost of a new window out of his paycheck!
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Old Jul 7, 2009 | 10:14 PM
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Originally Posted by FunFinder5
Wow, I've got a B&W turnover hitch... I've seen options for a 4" or 8" offset but never 16" offset. Is this a custom trailer your having made? If so just have them build the neck longer and beef'er.

OR have your driver use his brain and don't turn as sharp and get himself into bad streets with tight turns. Tell him you'll take the cost of a new window out of his paycheck!
No it's not a custom but b/c there is limited room in the bed of the megacab truck I'm really worried about not only loosing a window but crunching the cab itself. I've ordered the 16" offset, that (by the way) is very beefy. It weighs 73lbs!! I going to go with common sense and rely on the simple fact that the engineers that designed this coupler would not design it to be unsafe. 24K gross trailer and 6k tongue weight.
Jamie
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Old Jul 10, 2009 | 07:14 PM
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The problem with that type of hitch is that it moves the tongue weight that much farther back, but maybe your tongue weight isn't enough that it matters.
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Old Jul 10, 2009 | 07:54 PM
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Originally Posted by bigdave
The problem with that type of hitch is that it moves the tongue weight that much farther back, but maybe your tongue weight isn't enough that it matters.
No it's produce on the way to WV and Hay on the way back. both will be stacked over the axles mostly.
Jamie
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Old Jul 10, 2009 | 11:03 PM
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Originally Posted by bigdave
The problem with that type of hitch is that it moves the tongue weight that much farther back, but maybe your tongue weight isn't enough that it matters.
According to PopUp - there is no difference in the weight placement because the BALL stays in the same place forward of the axle and the tongue weight is ON the ball the way the offset is designed.


CD
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Old Jul 13, 2009 | 08:04 AM
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From: Clinton Twp., MI
I pull a 40' Featherlite Race trailer with mine. I use a B&W hitch with their 4" extended ball (Reduces tow capacity to 20,000 lbs. I have no probles, but again it also has the tapered nose.
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Old Jul 13, 2009 | 01:56 PM
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Yes a tapered nose is the best.
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Old Jul 13, 2009 | 03:30 PM
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From: Miinetonka, MN
The tongue weight should increase by using the 16" extension. It is moving the axles back 16" from the ball. Still not a problem, just watch the design on the trailer so that other parts on the trailer don’t hit when making a sharp turn.
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