Posted 2011-06-22 3:28 PM (#135050) Subject: Gooseneck hits corner of truck on hills
New User
Posts: 1
Have a hilly driveway to go into and out of with a sharp curve coming in. Normally I can avoid the hitting problem by keeping the truck and trailer exactly straight, but I can't do that here without hitting a tree. I barely make contact but it is enough to crush the corner of the truck (where the side and the tailgate meet) a tiny bit. I have read about raising the ball, etc. but right now the trailer is perfectly level and I don't want my horses standing on a hill. Does anyone simply sell steel caps that I could put on the truck corners to protect them from damage? Anything like that?No, the gooseneck is not adjustable. This is an old trailer that I am driving for a job.
Posted 2011-06-22 8:01 PM (#135053 - in reply to #135050) Subject: RE: Gooseneck hits corner of truck on hills
Expert
Posts: 2453 Location: Northern Utah
Just raise the gooseneck hitch one hole. It won't affect the horses.
Raising the front end 2" is spread over the distance beween the ball and axles. So in any given spot, You've only raised a horse 3/8 to 1/2". Depending on the length of your trailer.
Posted 2011-06-22 8:42 PM (#135055 - in reply to #135053) Subject: RE: Gooseneck hits corner of truck on hills
Location: Kentucky
Originally written by Painted Horse on 2011-06-22 9:01 PM
Just raise the gooseneck hitch one hole. It won't affect the horses.
Raising the front end 2" is spread over the distance beween the ball and axles. So in any given spot, You've only raised a horse 3/8 to 1/2". Depending on the length of your trailer.
I think the op said the gooseneck was not adjustable..... So can that be changed out to an adjustable one?
Posted 2011-06-23 9:46 AM (#135073 - in reply to #135050) Subject: RE: Gooseneck hits corner of truck on hills
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 399 Location: Ottawa, Illinois 61350
We have changed stationary couplers to adjustable by cutting the actual coupler off of the tube, and than inserting an adjustable into it. It usually means drilling holes for a pin to go thru it, or welding adjusting nuts onto the hitch, but it can be a remedy for your problem.
Posted 2011-06-24 5:41 AM (#135095 - in reply to #135050) Subject: RE: Gooseneck hits corner of truck on hills
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 304
Instead of a steel cap on truck bedrail, how about some rubber (like 1/2 thick stall mat). Since the trailer is older, I would look into attaching a rubber pad to both sides of it. Maybe with some velcro or glue. You may lose them over time due to weather but it's cheap enough to replace often.
Posted 2011-06-24 10:15 AM (#135105 - in reply to #135050) Subject: RE: Gooseneck hits corner of truck on hills
Regular
Posts: 58 Location: Clearwater, MN
We had this problem on our old truck. We put blocks on the axles, the trailer sat level and didn't hit.
I guess I wouldn't do the steel cap idea. You never know where you might bring the trailer. I had to get in one spot and it did a pretty good job on the box, a plate would not have helped. And it seemed like I was just barely was hitting the truck...bent the box out.
Gooseneck hits corner of truck on hills
