I did some trailer shopping around here today, and I can get a brand new 10k rated 16' flatbed for $2500. And a similar gooseneck for $4500. Is a gooseneck really gonna be worth the extra 2 grand for just hauling a 7k lbs bobcat, or my mini excavator? I've pulled bumper pulls so far, and don't see a problem with a nice new one, but I've never pulled a gooseneck to compare the worth of one.

 

if you can go and rent a gooseneck for a day and drive around. the thing i like about them is its easier to get into tight places since you can jacknife it. around here the most common gooseneck size is 20' lowboy, two 7k axles, treated floor, safety chains, brakes on two axles. they go for $3250.

 

thats the deal i'm looking for ^. I'd spend that on a new gooseneck. I'll check some places near Seattle who probably have bulk and sell cheaper.

 

I went with a GN about 5 years ago and I'll never go back to a bumper pull again. You can't beat the GN for getting turned around in tight places. They normally don't give you any issues with porpoising or swaying and with something like the B&W Turnover ball hitch, you get plenty of weight on the front axle. This keeps the front wheels from wanting to lock and slide when you're loaded and traveling on wet or slippery roads. I would re-think the size though. A GN will weigh a little more than a bumper pull. You will also be surprised how quickly things get heavy when you start playing with skid steers and mini-X's. If you'll go up to the 7k axles, you get a little bigger brake, 2"x12" I think, and you'll be into the 16" tires. That will allow you to run E range tires just like the first gen's and they're easy to find.

 

I have hauled my xt 90 skidsteer on both bumperpull and gooseneck. the bumper pull it has to be loaded just right, to far forward the pickup gets loose to far back the trailer gets sloppy,the two problems with a gooseneck are it offtracks quite a bit more and and if your pulling through ditches you can destroy your tailgate unless the neck is set high but personally I perfer a gooseneck any day