I have a sawmill and I'd like to get a deckover equipment trailer, mostly to haul logs but occasionally a small tractor or skid loader. I'm thinking when I pick up logs in tight spots every bit of maneuverabilty will help. I've used tag alongs before, but never a gooseneck. Assuming both trailers are 16+4 deckovers, would the gooseneck or the tag along be easier to back or move around in a tight area. I'll be pulling w/ a 96 reg. cab long bed CTD. If there isn't much difference I think i'd prefer the gooseneck because I've heard they are much more stable to tow, and I won't have to worry about overloading the tongue on a reciever hitch.

 

get the gooseneck

 

You want the gooseneck....

That being said when towing a tag around tight turns the trailer will almost follow the trucks tracks as the rear of the truck pushes the tongue of the trailer to the outside of the turn...
Goosenecks pivot right over the axle and will make an inside track behind the truck...

That being said backing a gooseneck up allows you 90* or greater of cutting ability, where a tag will not....

Eh whatever, for the loads you want to pull, a gooseneck is what you want

 

A bumper mount will get into tighter spots. You can back a goosneck around a tighter corner but that usaly backfires because you cant pull it back threw the same tight corner you just backed it around. Goosnecks pull nicer down the road but if you are gone be getting them into the woods or tite spots a lot a bumper mount will follow the truck better.

 

If the trailer will be backed while loaded, you will be better off going with the gooseneck or a fifth wheel. If you plan to put the trailer intop a tight spot and then load it, I'd go with a tag-a-long and also put a hitch reciever on the front of your truck. I've done this before and you won't believe how easy it is to put a trailer into any spot.

Personally, I'd go with the gooseneck and drag the logs a little farther. The trailer will be more stable and be easier to load legally.

 

What is a 16 + 4 deckover? Only 20' overall length?

 

16' flat+4' dovetail. It seems like theres pros and cons to each. I'm leaning towards the gooseneck for the capacity. I'm adding a winch to the trailer to load logs, so if need be i can get a log arch and w/ a little more effort i can bring tricky logs to the trailer instead of vice versa. My biggest problem w/ a tagalong is my tongue weight could get up into the 1000-1200 lb. range, and if i have to upgrade to a bigger reciever hitch or a weight distribution setup, i'd rather go the gooseneck route.

 

The 16' is the flat part of the deck, the 4' is for the beaver-tail w/ flip over ramps. to that 20' of flat deck you add the tongue (GN or Tag.) length which varies with mfr. Some mfrs list the trailer length by combined bed & tongue length other by bed length only..

Go with the GN it will tow better and handle more weight.

Here is a pic of my 42' GN beyond a 90:

 

Thanks. I didn't think he meant 16' lower deck and 4' above the pickup bed but didn't think of a beavertail.

 

I've pulled both and prefer the GN. It handles so much better, that it just doesn't make sense to buy a BP. If you learn how to pull the GN it will get into some tight spots.

 

I have two goosenecks and more than a dozen assorted bumper pulls.
My opinion: If maneuverabality is top priority, get a bumper pull.
If load hauling capacity is top priority, get a gooseneck.
Either one is a trade-off.

 

No Problemo

Deck Over means the Deck is Over the Rubber (no fenders)..

Deck Over the Neck means there is a deck on top of the GN itself..

 

I've been driving trucks since I was 19. 36 years ago. Never heard that term before. Hmm.

 

Here you go as per a Google, bottom of page 8 pic is second from left:

http://www.pjtrailers.com/brochures/web_flatdecks.pdf

 

for maximum weight per weight of trailer the tag a long will allow you to haul more. i found that a 14k gooseneck is considerably heavier then a 14k tag a long; i.e. 14k gooseneck will limit you to about 9k where a 14k tag a long will haul about 10k. my 2cents