Trailer Advice

[LCDR]

You may find a selection of Gore trailers hard to find on one lot. Gore is a very small company as far as trailer manufacturers go. Looking back over the company financial statements, they have typically employed 14-15 people. They are a business in a small town. They do not have much employee turnover so experienced people build their trailers.

A decade or more ago, when I was thinking about buying a bigger trailer and had some questions, I called their contact number, and in the blink of an eye I was talking to Jackson Gore, who started the company in the 1970’s. Try getting the President of most big trailer manufacturers on the line to spend 20 minutes giving advice to a possible customer.

[OTTBs]

I’ve posted several times that I had my B’up floor replaced with Rumber years ago. Yes, they added more supports underneath, no big deal. Had to sell the trailer as new mare said “you can’t make me stay in a straight load.” I noticed no change in towing after the floor replacement. I towed with a 2004 Explorer after the replacement.

[joiedevie99]

UPDATE: I bought the 2024 Toyota Sequoia and already adore it. I’m taking it to the trailer dealership next week to test drive some things. It’s looking like there are three brands reasonably available here in the configuration I want: Hawk, Kingston, and Adam but no dealer has all three on the lot. Kingston is tentatively out at 17.5’ length with a straight, not angled wall.

Those of you that knows these brands, help me out! Adam is less expensive and also shorter with less tack room space. Anyone used both?

What options are must haves? Any terminology I should know in terms of packages/sizes? My horses are 15.3 and 16.2 and I don’t like giants, but never say never. Rumber floor? Fans?

Thank you!!

[Pezanos]

Congratulations on your new SUV. I love those Sequoia’s. Just… not for a Hawk/Balanced Ride front ramp trailer. I own the BR version and while I love it, it is extremely tongue heavy and I’m pushing my hitch weight limits even with an F-250 with a Class 3 hitch. It “pulls heavy” if that’s a term- much heavier than my old 1999 Kingston straightload 2 horse.

So factor that weight in to your purchase decisions and I’m sure you’ll do great! Happy hauling!

[joiedevie99]

Very interesting! Thanks for sharing

[fivestrideline]

@Pezanos

I love those Sequoia’s. Just… not for a Hawk/Balanced Ride front ramp trailer. I own the BR version and while I love it, it is extremely tongue heavy and I’m pushing my hitch weight limits even with an F-250 with a Class 3 hitch. It “pulls heavy” if that’s a term- much heavier than my old 1999 Kingston straightload 2 horse.

So factor that weight in to your purchase decisions and I’m sure you’ll do great! Happy hauling!

Echoing this! I have an F150 and I would NOT push it any longer or heavier than my 2H straight with a DR. The tongue weight is the kicker, I have plenty of towing capacity. I definitely recommend a WD hitch like the equalizer for these types of rigs! Tongue weight for “American” trailers tends to be 10-20% of the total, loaded weight of the trailer, and the longer the distance between the axles and the hitch = higher tongue weight (especially the way we load horse trailers). Things to think about; know your Sequioa’s max for the tongue weight and the towing.

FWIW the 2H BP front ramp Hawk and BR Sport weigh something around 4400lbs EMPTY. My Exiss without the front ramp weight 3100lbs, I believe the single back ramp Kingston is similar. For these SUVs and “smaller” trucks, those few hundred pounds can make a huge impact!

Have fun shopping!

[fivestrideline]

@joiedevie99

Rumber floor? Fans?

Rumber is great! I like drop windows with bars at the heads if possible, and drop windows instead of bus windows whenever possible. Fans are always a good option, as well as interior lights. Extra roof vents are nice too but honestly I think the drop windows with screens or bars help the most.

If you go with a 2H straight and aren’t pushing it on weight, I prefer full doors with an outside ramp so you can close the doors with the ramp down. This helps with loading two horses if you have one that decides they don’t want another horse walking up their backside, or the second horse decides they’d rather climb in with their buddy vs their own stall . Safer for handlers putting up the ramp as well.

I also like a head divider, but that can be a personal choice.

[kaya842]

Thirding this! Borrowed a Hawk 2H straight BP + DR (rear ramp only) and wowee it pulled heavy for sure, even with a WDH. Our F150 had plenty of capacity, but you really, REALLY notice that tongue weight. Lovely trailer but I did not enjoy towing it (coming from Brenderups so different perspective). I would in no way recommend a side ramp American trailer with the Sequoia. The tongue weight will be heavy (too heavy for my comfort levels).

[joiedevie99]

@fivestrideline

Things to think about; know your Sequioa’s max for the tongue weight and the towing.

FWIW the 2H BP front ramp Hawk and BR Sport weigh something around 4400lbs EMPTY.

Thanks! My tow capacity is 9200 and my tongue weight is 920. It’s quite a lot beefier than the older ones (2022 or before), and was ordered with everything upgraded for towing.

I’m looking at all aluminum new, so they aren’t that heavy. Kingston w/ front ramp is 3500. Hawk is at 3700. Waiting on specs on the Adam. Only the 4Star was over 4000.

The Adam with front ramp is actually shorter on the floor than the Hawk w/o the side ramp. I’m leaning that direction.

[joiedevie99]

@kaya842

Borrowed a Hawk 2H straight BP + DR (rear ramp only) and wowee it pulled heavy for sure, even with a WDH. Our F150 had plenty of capacity, but you really, REALLY notice that tongue weight.

Thanks! Funny how often this is mentioned with Hawks. Looking forward to doing some test drives this week and going from there.

[kaya842]

@joiedevie99

I’m looking at all aluminum new, so they aren’t that heavy. Kingston w/ front ramp is 3500. Hawk is at 3700. Waiting on specs on the Adam. Only the 4Star was over 4000.

Not to be a contrarian - the one I pulled was all aluminum and I believe 3700lbs, maybe closer to 3900lbs. We only had one horse in it, no tack or supplies (it was to test and see how my horse liked the trailer). Nothing in the cab besides 2 humans, nothing in the truck bed. Truck is a 2018 F150 4WD Lariat with the 3.6 Ecoboost, tow capacity is roughly 11,000lbs, I was towing maybe 5,000lbs, so less than half my capacity and using a weight distribution hitch. The truck did not struggle but it was just heavy man. It was not super fun to tow. The trailer is great, horse liked it more than the Brenderup (I think the wider stalls helped). Just so you have all the information.

If you can, before you sign anything or put any non refundable deposit down, test tow the trailer even if it isn’t exactly what you’ll order just get close enough. Having a mismatched truck and trailer sucks, BTDT!

[NaturallyHappy]

I haul w a F 250 diesel and have always had goosenecks. I’m older…and when I was trading my trailer, I thought about a bumper pull for ease of hook up. I borrowed my friend’s Exiss and was shocked by how much I felt it. I don’t even notice the 4 Star gooseneck. I know OP doesn’t want a gooseneck…I’m just chiming in to support those who are suggesting caution when selecting a trailer.

[Leather]

Throwing this out because one thing that the dealerships never seem to mention is that for most 1/2 ton trucks and SUVs a weight distribution hitch is required over a certain trailer weight. You never see that in the towing spec sheets - it’s buried in the owners manual.

I found a 2024 Sequoia owners manual online and this is a line item in the trailer towing section under Warnings:

• If the gross trailer weight is over 5000 lb. (2200 kg), a weight distributing hitch with sufficient capacity is required.

2024 Sequoia Manual - Trailer Towing

The weight distribution hitch makes sure that your rear axle doesn’t get overloaded - it helps transfer weight to the front axles to even things out.

Back when I had my 1/2 ton I used an Andersen: Mr.Truck Andersen Hitch Review

[LCDR]

I use a WeighSafe trailer hitch. It has a scale built into it so you know what the trailer tongue weight on your hitch ball is. It is pricey but worth it.

When I started using it I became aware how much all the stuff I tended to keep or load into the front dressing room went almost directly into increasing trailer tongue weight. It didn’t take much to increase tongue weight over the maximum for the truck hitch. A 7 gallon tote of water (56 pounds) and second spare tire (60 pounds) bumped me up to 700 pounds of tongue weight, with recommended maximum of 600 pounds.

[joiedevie99]

@Leather

If the gross trailer weight is over 5000 lb. (2200 kg), a weight distributing hitch with sufficient capacity is required.

Thanks! The medium duty Weigh Safe weight distributing hitch is already on order by my trailer mechanic so we should bet set on that front!

[fivestrideline]

@NaturallyHappy

I haul w a F 250 diesel and have always had goosenecks. I’m older…and when I was trading my trailer, I thought about a bumper pull for ease of hook up. I borrowed my friend’s Exiss and was shocked by how much I felt it.

This is just BPs! It’s amazing how much you feel them, even when you’ve got WAY more truck than you should need. I often forget the gooseneck is back there (as far as white knuckling it on the highway, I’m a cautious driver), but a BP will NOT let you. Long road trips are more exhausting with a BP of any kind, IMO, though I love them for toodling around locally.

I’m wondering if a euro trailer “talks” less to the truck, as it were. Maybe someone can chime in about that!

[NaturallyHappy]

When I first started hauling 35-40 years ago, I had a Trailet with which I used sway bars. I don’t remember that feeling w the sway bars but it was a long time ago. And before I’d ever pulled a gooseneck. The trailer I tried on a whim did not have sway bars.

[fivestrideline]

This is with a WD hitch and sway bars, or just on a normal hitch. BPs just have a different feel to them because the weight is attached low and behind the tow vehicle. I call it “chatter”, and even with the perfect setup a GN is generally quieter and more stable. You definitely feel the horses more in a BP!

[Jarpur]

I’ve had three gooseneck trailers (including currently), an American bumper pull, and a Brenderup. I prefer the GNS, although the Brenderup - which I usually towed with a V6 powered SUV - was a far superior towing experience to American BP trailers, I’ve also towed a few friends’ American BPs, in addition to my own.

I towed my not-heavy American BP with both our Cummins and the SUV (which it was rated for), but still preferred the Brenderup, even to the Cummins towing the American BP. The inertia brakes are wonderful, and it cornered as though it was on rails.

However, when I required another tow vehicle, I went back to a full-size V8 truck – influenced by the significantly higher price of a suitable replacement SUV* – and I decided that I might as well go back to a GN trailer, too. Sold my Brenderup to a good friend, who tows it with a Volkswagen SUV. If I was ever again in a situation where my tow vehicle needed to be a SUV, I’d definitely consider another European trailer, especially if I was doing anything more than occasional towing to a nearby location via surface roads (not interstates), such as a vet clinic or lesson.

No contest that a GN is far superior, IMO, in regards to being affected by the double-bottomed semi tractor-trailers blowing past on the highway, especially to the American BP. The Brenderup did okay in that type of situation, although not as good as a GN. I do know that a GN is back there, but the tail is not wagging the dog.

*I live in the land of pickup trucks, so there are generally deals to be had, as compared to comparable SUVs

[kaya842]

@fivestrideline

I’m wondering if a euro trailer “talks” less to the truck, as it were. Maybe someone can chime in about that!

Yes! It is an easy to “forget” (as much as one can when towing loved ones around) the Brenderups, SUV or truck towing it. There is no pulling, pushing, bumping, heaving or hoing of trailer to tow vehicle. The only time I’ve had issue with the trailer transferring anything to the tow vehicle it was when the brakes needed servicing. Once serviced, back to not noticeable at all.

I had several American BP trailers prior to the Brenderups, but not since other than the one time tow of the Hawk mentioned above. I still find it incredible the difference in how they pull. Admittedly, I have no experience with towing a gooseneck (though often people looking at Euro trailers aren’t in the situation to have a GN, as I am).