I hadn’t thought much about this, as the B’Up carries 250 lbs. of tongue weight, which has never even been worthy of a thought with tow vehicles ranging from 7k to 8.6k tow capacity.
I’ve spoken with some dealers on this today since no one seems to post tongue weight on ads. So far I’ve learned that the side ramp Gore has a tongue weight of 760 lbs and the side ramp Adam has a tongue weight of 700 lbs. (Both of which are under the 860 tongue weight max for my current truck). However, based on some things I’ve seen, it does appear that there may be some that go over that. I’ll update here if I compile more info in case it helps anyone in the future.
In case you don’t know there is a hitch which has a scale built in so that you know exactly what the tongue veight of your tow vehicle is. Search “Weigh Safe Trailer Hitch.” I have one.
It is very useful for hauling my tractor and implements on my flat bed trailer as it allows me to position the load to achieve the proper traiiler tongue weight on the vehicle.
I also use it on my Gore trailer like the one you are considering. When two horses are loaded my trailer balance changes since the greater part of the horse weight is towards the rear of the trailer. Tongue weight goes from a dry 750 down to 640 with two horses aboard.
And the trailer came with the spare mounted on the side over the rear axle area, and the loaded tongue weight was 600 pounds. When I remounted the spare inside the tack room that is when tongue weight with horses went up to 640. Weight carried in the tack room at the trailer nose adds its weight selectively on the tongue.
So that is likely why trailer makers don’t publish tongue weight. It can vary a lot as you load horses and add cargo to the tack room. Add 300 pounds of hay bales in the tack room and tongue weight will likely go up by 200 or so pounds.
I swapped my Brenderup for an Equi-Trek last year and I love it! Full dressing room, but with all the advantages of a lightweight European trailer. Plus my horse travels backwards, which was a godsend when he suffered a neuro episode on Wednesday and I had to take him to the hospital. I don’t think he could have balanced standing forward, and he definitely couldn’t have backed off my Brenderup ramp.
But I believe the person was also looking for the extra headspace a side ramp provides. Yours is just a reconfiguration, whereas typically a side ramp bumper pull American trailer is closer to a two plus one model, ergo more square footage AND more weight. That’s problematic if you stick with an SUV unless you get the type that is the slant wall configuration. That one has the same square footage as a standard bumper pull plus dressing room, while still having that extra headspace feature the op was thinking about.
I can comment about my Gore experience. The side ramp version of the 2 horse bumper pull with 5 foot tack room is 19.5 feet from rear to hitch ball. The version with side exit doors (no side ramp) is 17.5 feet. Tack room sizes up front are the same, and horse standing spaces in the rear are the same sizes. Check the pics.
The side ramp configuration adds 600 pounds to the trailer weight - 3,040 vs 3,640 pounds, and 200 pounds to the dry tongue weight - 560 vs 760 pounds.
That difference in tongue and trailer weight will eliminate a number of SUV models from consideration as haulers for the side ramp trailer. But certainly not all SUV’s.
The OP’s current SUV is rated to tow from 6,200 to 8,700 pounds, depending on her particular engine choice, so for the side ramp Gore trailer she may need a different SUV, which she said was her plan to select and buy after she decides on a trailer. So this is just a bit more information for her to add into the mix as she trailer shops. I’m sure she will include other considerations like her altitude, towing terrain and such, too.
Hi @LCDR, Could you share why you chose Gore as your trailer of choice as opposed to others which have steel in the frame or all aluminum? Thank you!!!
Sure. Forty years ago we were planning to buy a Merhow. No internet, so searching was just word of mouth, what we saw other folks pulling at horse trials, and brochures that we collected by mail. We packed up, drove to their one-man dealership in NC, check in hand, and arrived to find it closed. On the way home to Georgia we realized that we would be passing close to a Gore dealer in Eastover, SC, so we stopped in. They were nice, helpful people, and still are. The father has since retired and the family operated business is now run by his daughter. and we have stayed customers for 4 decades.
So essentially we got lucky. I was happy with the first Gore, and as our needs grew for bigger, we just continued with what we knew. There is now a Gore dealership just about 10 miles from my farm, but I drive right past it and go 70 more miles to get to the people I know and trust.
I’d love to tell you it was the quality of the welds, the fit and finish, the wiring harness skills, and the grades of steel and aluminum, but in 40 years I have worked on many brands of trailers just as a friend with some basic repair skills, and under the skin I do not see much difference in decent trailer brands.
Thank you! This is very helpful. I’ve made a couple of expensive mistakes and do not wish to make another one. Gore appears to be able to build what I’m looking for. I spoke to a dealer in VA today. Could/would you share your dealer’s name…pm if you prefer.
Middleboro Trailer Sales, Eastover, South Carolina… They are just east of Columbia, SC, near where I-77 and I-20 intersect.
BTW, if you look at where the spare tire is located in the pictures I posted, I had mine moved inside the tack room, vertically against the side wall under the lower saddle rack. It does not interfere with saddles.
Two problems with the stock location for me. One was always having to take off the tire cover to check the tire pressure. Second was that it got in the way when I wanted to tie my two horses both to that side of the trailer at shows. I could have just moved it to the driver side fender, but that would have put it on the traffic side if I ever had a flat and was pulled off onto the shoulder.
Gores are very nice trailers. 4Stars, too. I recently replaced my older Trailet with a newer Hawk, which is also pretty nice.
But I’ve never seen a Gore trailer I didn’t like, and I know of several that have gone strong for 25+ years without fail. Very well-made and reliable trailers.
I had a Trailet. If you run across one of those they are nice. Out of business but I never had problems buying parts. I currently have an Equispirit that I love. I know people that are happy with 4Star, Eby and Hawk. Be aware that the 4Star are sorta know to have roof leaks. I personally would not go with one as I prefer the fiberglass roof since I think it keeps things cooler. I do not like aluminum floors.
Ugh, YES. I have a 4Star that is completely wet inside today from all the rain we’ve had this week. Previous trailer was a 30 year old Trailet that still was dry as a bone inside. No one would ever believe that thing was that old - it still looked that good. I’m not so impressed with 4Star quality at all.
yes but those keys are sort of very common and a door lock can easily be defeated, I had the tire lock from when the tire was mounted exterior so continue to use it. I moved the tire primarily to get it out of the sun as it is never used.
So cool! I’m definitely going to invest in one of these.
Thanks! I absolutely love your trailer. But I do want to be mindful about all the considerations before going for something like that, without the slant wall to reduce length/weight.
My current SUV is rated at 8600 (max specs, but 4x4). And yes, I am considering SUVs up to 10k pounds for its replacement. However, it’s looking like no SUV I’m considering has tongue weight max over 1k, so it will really depend on what happens to the dry tongue weight when loaded, which I’m still working to understand how to predict
Thanks!
That would drive me crazy. The B’Up has never had a leak - although the design of the rear cover over the ramp intentionally doesn’t seal - so I do get a bit of wetness down the inside of the ramp in sideways rain.
So far I’m really like the Adam Ju-Lite. It seems to check all my boxes at a really attractive price point new. At a slightly higher price point, I’m liking Gore, Hawk, and JAMCO. If I can find a dealer with good examples of more than one of these on the lot, I’m not opposed to a longish drive. I drove from CT to MD when I used Traveled Lane to order my B’Up.
I’m taking the B’Up in for detailing next week before I list it for sale, so I’m going to see if my mechanic has any opinions on the subject too.
