I have been towing since the 90’s with a Sequoia but would like to find a used truck I can pull a larger trailer with. I realize a lot of this is personal preference but I don’t even know where to start. Hoping to buy a 2 horse gooseneck. Maybe a 2 plus 1 if I can find one that isn’t crazy expensive. Do you find a trailer first or a tow vehicle first?
This webinar might be helpful: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYDU4Vy2Kvk
I upgraded to a Hawk 2-H straight load gooseneck two years ago and am so glad I did (previously had a 2H Featherlight straight load with tack room). For the tow vehicle, hefty is the way to go. I currently tow with a F250 V10, but will probably upgrade to a one ton diesel in a few years, but haven’t done the research on trucks yet.
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I’m sorry about your dad. I’ve had two Ford 250s, both of which have been trouble free. One was a 2001 and the other is a 2015. I’ve had three 4 Star 2 horse straight loads that have also been trouble free. Every time I’ve traded, it’s been for something smaller w respect to the dressing room size. They hold their value well. Edited to add both trucks are diesel.
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I’m not sure what your threshold for “crazy expensive” is, but I got this trailer (for slightly less) three years ago: http://happytrailstrailers.com/2017/05/15/2017-hawk-2-horse-bp-dressing-room-2-2-5/ (I don’t know why the link name is 2h BP dressing room, but it’s actually a 2 + 1 GN with no dressing room)
I tow it with a Chevy Silverado 2500HD
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Thanks, that looks nice. The whole reason I want a new rig is to get a dressing room so I can leave the bulk of the show stuff in the trailer instead of having to load and unload it in the back of my car. Still unsure if you buy a trailer and find a truck to pull it or the other way around.
I ran into trouble after buying the truck first. My 2017 F250 is too tall for 98% of the used gooseneck trailers. Most brand new goosenecks accommodate the high rails on newer trucks, models under 2019 don’t. I ended up with a bumper pull/dressing room after this discovery.
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You can fix that height discrepancy issue; many options. See my reply in the other thread…
OP, get a 3/4 ton truck. Then start looking for trailers. The person getting a 1 ton for a 2 horse trailer is nuts - while there is no such thing as “too much truck” in the engine, there is such a thing as “too much truck” in the suspension, where it will ride like absolute dog poop if it isn’t loaded down heavy. A 3/4 ton will do everything you need and more.
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When I bought my set up, I had a specific trailer in mind, as my horse was very particular about what he would/would not load into. So I got the specs on the trailer and then extrapolated what specs a truck would need to safely pull it, and went shopping from there. The key, I found, was to look at a much broader menu than just the tow rating, as most set-ups have a rate limiting factor in one of the other specs long before you run out of tow capacity.
So, if you have the flexibility to do it, start with the trailer. That way you can get exactly what you want. Bonne chance!
ETA: I’m not suggesting you buy the trailer before researching the truck. Figure out which trailer you want, and then use its specs to sort out what truck you need. Then you’ll have both pieces of the puzzle and can figure out of the whole picture suits your budget and needs.
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I actually think that you should get the tow vehicle first.
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They’re typically more expensive and harder to find what you want, in a good enough quality, for the price point you have. Get a big enough truck that you can bounce around a little with trailer options (ie - can’t find a 2+1 but find a 3 horse you really, really love).
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You’re limited in picking a trailer based on what is pulling it. Literally the definition of putting the cart before the horse.
You might end up with a steel trailer, or an aluminum. You might love a bumper pull or a gooseneck. But until you know what you’re pulling it with, it’s a moot point.
I’ve hauled with an '01 F250 for almost 20 years. Thank god my husband surprised me with a new dually for Christmas, because that poor truck couldn’t take much more. It has been a blessing for many years hauling my three horse trailer around, but I’m at the point where I need a bigger trailer and I need a bigger motor when I’m loaded down with my big hunt seat horses in back.
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I would find the tow vehicle first. We are partial to Ford’s here. We have an older F-250 we bought new 20 years ago that has been a great truck. My son has an older F-350 he bought and fixed up that he is very pleased with.
If you have the truck first you can see how it pulls the trailer you are interested in buying.
Thanks for calling me nuts. Like I said, I haven’t done the research yet because I won’t be in a position to spend tens of thousands on a newer truck for a bit. I just know that my current V10 feels marginal at times towing over mountains (I live in Idaho). A diesel might be the cure for this, but I want to ensure that I can tow two 1,400# warmbloods plus all the gear/hay on mountainous interstate routes. YMMV if you live in a flatter part of the world.
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Good information
http://www.blueridgetrailer.com/blog/newer-taller-trucks-making-older-gooseneck-trailers-obsolete/
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FWIW I don’t think you’re nuts.
I have big horses. Most trailers these days aren’t the tin cans of the 80s. They’re sturdy and evolve like vehicles do.
I hauled my three horse BP with only my mini loaded in a dually this fall when he colicked. It rode like a dream, certainly nothing dog related about it. I’d always rather have more truck than not enough.
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99% sure you feeling like you dont have oomph is because of your gear ratio, not your engine - gas or diesel.
Mine is a 3.73, but when I put 35s on it it changed it more towards a 3.3. Doesnt really matter when I’m putting out over 1000# of torque, but it screams a little more on the highway than I like, and can be a weak little sissy if there’s a stop sign on a hill. My rig is 51’ overall. 2012 cummins, deleted and tuned by yours truly, CC long bed 4x4. Trailer is a 26 on the floor 2+1, I installed a half-assed weekender in the dressing room.
So, if you put bigger tires on your truck to handle Idaho roads without regearing, or you have wimp gear ratio to start with, there’s your problem. Getting a 1 ton wont fix that, unless you have enough torque to override the crappy ratio. (Or best yet, buy something that is geared for hills)
And yeah, I know Idaho roads. Most of my family lives there and in Washington.
Engine, I agree. Suspension, hell no. Give me enough +10%. I’m not a hotshotter, and I like my teeth to remain in my face if the truck is unloaded. Towing PSI in the tires just puts icing on the poop-cake.
Now, if we want to talk about the new long arm suspensions, I will drool and be green with envy.
The second one thing breaks on my truck suspension related, I am going full Carli. Screw the stock crap.
25+ years ago, I bought a trailer first because the deal on the trailer was way too good to walk away from. Over the years, my trucks have gotten progressively larger, but so have the trailers. I started with a two horse straight load with a 4’ dressing room and an F150, and topped out at a 3 horse with a 13’ LQ and a RAM 3500 cab and chassis 4 X 4 crew cab. I am down to a 3 horse with a 10’ LQ and slide, but also have a 16’ gooseneck stock trailer and other various farm trailers.
The more truck you have, the more you can tow. Yes, I have heard much about how well a half ton will now pull a gooseneck. You wouldn’t catch me doing that ever, as I have been in tight situations where the size of the truck has saved my bacon! If you buy the truck first, buy the biggest you can afford. I have had two gas trucks, but in the end diesel has done better for me. I have experienced better fuel economy, had one gasser get 6 mpg down hill if the wind was blowing the right direction. I have also had great longevity with a diesel.
Never, ever listen to a dealership salesperson tell you how much you can tow. Do your own research. There are plenty of internet resources, like Horsetrailerworld.com and various Facebook pages, to get solid, realistic answers.
Best wishes and safe towing!
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You forget that for many people their truck is used for so much more than just hauling a horse to lessons, shows or trail rides.
I would rather have more than I need now and then if my needs change in a year or 2 I am not looking for another tow vehicle…
Since this thread was bumped I thought I would update to say I am probably more confused about where to start than when I started this thread but am so busy dealing with the estate that I haven’t had any time to even think about it. Hopefully things will calm down some day and I can start to really explore the equation further. Thank you.
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I’d hazard a guess that the double duty will most likely be commuting to work, not pulling a low boy with an excavator on it. So, I’m gunna double down on my 3/4 ton truck recommendation.
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I also don’t think you’re nuts - but one thing to bear in mind is there is a big difference in how a 1 ton rides vs a 3/4 ton if you’re using it for more than just hauling trailers. A 1 ton is likely going to drive pretty rough compared to a 3/4 ton. My non-scientific opinion - GM rides smoother than Ford. I’ve only been in a 1/2 ton Dodge, so no side by side comparison for me on that brand.
I moved from a 1 ton gas single axle to a 3/4 diesel, and feel like the tow capability is pretty equivalent. But, to be fair, I live where it is mostly flat, but do tow a ginormous fifth wheel trailer (45’ in trailer floor alone) for SO’s drag race car.
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