Bumper-pull trailer length

DJR
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Bumper-pull trailer length

Postby DJR » Mon Nov 12, 2018 11:12 pm

I'm working on planning a custom-built trailer that will serve as a carriage hauler but also can double as a 2+1. It's a fun process, but SO much to consider (I'm doing it through Hawk including LOTS of input from their designers & engineers).

The trailer is based on one of their custom trailer designs with a bit of length added: the box length will be 20' which is less than a foot longer than the factory Hawk trailer that it is based on. It will be very similar to the Balanced Ride bumper-pull trailer (the 2-horse MAX model), but with custom-placed dividers and a custom-width side ramp.

This trailer will carry two full-size horses as straight-load in back (over the axles), and have a front area big enough to accommodate either my marathon carriage, or (with a simple divider configuration change) my daughter's pony. The front cargo (carriage or pony) will load via a side ramp. There is also a small area in the nose for tack/equipment.

It has to be bumper-pull for a variety of reasons I won't get into here. I am aware of the issues with hauling a longer BP trailer (this trailer will include proper weight-distribution brackets for sure). I have gone over, with the engineers' input, dry weight, tongue weight, axle placement, axle size/carrying capacity, expected loaded weight, and that sort of thing. I've also gone over my existing truck's max towing capacity and tongue weight (this trailer is well below both). I have experience hauling long bumper-pull trailers, as long as 30-35' when we went camping this past summer.

For those of you who have hauled a longer BP trailer (e.g., a 3-horse slant is one that comes to mind and that is built by most of the leading trailer companies), I'm wondering how you've found it with that extra length. I'm asking to see if I've considered all the details & issues that I might want to think about.

Thanks!
formerly known as "Deanna" on UDBB -- and prior to that, as "DJD".

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Fatcat
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Re: Bumper-pull trailer length

Postby Fatcat » Tue Nov 13, 2018 4:58 am

I have a long Logan 20' 3 horse slant BP trailer. It hauls like a dream, especially since I moved up from a 3/4 ton to a 1 ton dodge (single axle). You wouldn't even know it was back there. It made a big difference when I got the bigger truck with a longer wheel base (crew cab, 8' bed) and a bigger engine. My first long haul was 8 hours and it was an easy drive. It has no weight distribution hitch, just a standard class IV hitch.

As long as you've got enough truck, it shouldn't be a problem.

khall
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Re: Bumper-pull trailer length

Postby khall » Tue Nov 13, 2018 5:17 am

I would talk with some car hauler trailer people. Those enclosed car haulers can get LONG! Most of the ones I see are bumper pull. Very often pulled by a dually.

I have no experience with such a long BP horse trailer, but do have experience pulling a 20 ft BP flat bed with a tractor on it. Last time I did is when we went and bought a GN flat bed. Scared the crap out of me and I was only going 8 miles. That was using a 3/4 ton diesel truck. Same truck easily pulls 20 ft flat bed GN with the tractor on it. I did not have a stabilizer hitch on the BP though and it is my understanding that makes all the difference in the world.

I do like my diesel trucks though understand in your colder weather they would probably not be practical unless they can be kept up and plugged in. I agree with Fatcat, as long as you have a big enough vehicle to safely pull the trailer you should be fine, especially with the stabilizing system on it.

Literiding
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Re: Bumper-pull trailer length

Postby Literiding » Tue Nov 13, 2018 7:13 pm

My BP trailer is just shy of 25 feet long, is a two horse slant load with LQ.

1 Rig.JPG
1 Rig.JPG (85.56 KiB) Viewed 5996 times


A couple “aces to live by” items:

The equalizing hitch has about three times as more steps to hook up than a standard trailer hitch. I can usually hook up a standard hitch trailer in ten minutes or less. For my big trailer I allow thirty minutes. With more steps, there are more opportunities to miss one so a “post hook-up” check list is particularly valuable. Also, as a human factors issue, never allow your hooking up process get interrupted. Once you start don’t stop or do anything else till it’s hooked up and ready for the road. Also, the equalizer hitch parts can be quite heavy for a large high GVW trailer. My carrier (part with the ball and the weight transfer bars) weighs about 70 lbs without the torsion bars.

Always worry about where the trailer wheels are. The greater the distance between the rear wheels of the towing vehicle and the trailer wheels, the further inside a turn the trailer wheels will track. This is always an issue in the land of deep roadside ditches and gate posts the world over. A lady I follow on FB who competes in harness driving events ruined her gooseneck going through a gate when she dropped the inside wheels into a drainage ditch and twisted the trailer to the point the frame cracked. Trailer was declared a total loss. BP don’t twist like that, but they are more likely to roll on their sides in a deep ditch.

In your part of the world, BP trailers are more difficult to pull in ice and snow. Because a BP trailer has very limited trailer weight transferred to the rear of the towing vehicle, there is little increase in traction for the towing vehicle. But the trailer has four tires that are being dragged through the snow and/or over ice. While one can avoid driving in the winter, getting caught in a pasture after a “gully washer” thunderstorm is even worse than snow. (Been there done that!) I have always used a 4x4 towing vehicle for that reason.

And in the “I hope you never need to use this tidbit,” if in a auto accident where the trailer with an equalizer hitch and the towing vehicle are at different angles (such as running into a ditch), the torsion bars can have extreme stress on them and only a trained person should try to de-tension them.

DJR
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Re: Bumper-pull trailer length

Postby DJR » Tue Nov 13, 2018 7:56 pm

Thanks very much for all the info. I’m reassured to hear that those of you who have hauled that much trailer as a BP are happy with it.

I agree that the truck makes all the difference. I’m driving a 2005 Ford Excursion diesel and it has a very long wheelbase itself, and a large tow capacity. The diesel IS a pain in the patootey in winter - I MUST keep it plugged in even when it gets to 0^C (32^F) or it likely won’t start - but it hauls like a dream.
formerly known as "Deanna" on UDBB -- and prior to that, as "DJD".

silk
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Re: Bumper-pull trailer length

Postby silk » Tue Nov 13, 2018 8:26 pm

My bp is much smaller (13ft plus drawbar or about 16 ft overall) so no additional suggestions.

I make sure I know the wheel tracking before I attempt any gateway. There are times when I choose an alternative route/entry point or wait for traffic to pass so I can make use of the other side of the road (we live on a narrow lane so I have to enter our own driveway from the "wrong" side of the road).

Other than that, don't let anyone who doesn't know the wheel tracking drive the rig. Don't ask me how I know that.

silk
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Re: Bumper-pull trailer length

Postby silk » Tue Nov 13, 2018 8:28 pm

Oh and backing - is both easier and harder with a long BP rig.
The distance between the rear axles of the truck and the trailer axles, and the pivot point, determine how quickly or slowly the trailer begins to turn. Short distance = quick turning (snakey!), long distance = slow turning. I could manoeuvre my tiny straight load BP trailer around very tight corners, I can't do that with the current one.

kande50
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Re: Bumper-pull trailer length

Postby kande50 » Tue Nov 13, 2018 9:10 pm

silk wrote:
Other than that, don't let anyone who doesn't know the wheel tracking drive the rig. Don't ask me how I know that.


I was taking my horse for a ride in the outdoor ring and ran over practically every marker out there because I was paying attention to where the back of the flatbed was relative to the front of the trailer, instead of where the trailer wheels were.


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