3 Important Tips To Keep In Mind When Hauling A Gooseneck Trailer For The First Time
Designed for hauling heavy loads, the gooseneck trailer is one of those fixtures that not every driver is familiar with towing. Even if you are quite accustomed to pulling a traditional trailer hooked up on a hitch, hauling a gooseneck trailer can be a totally different experience. Therefore, it is best if you take a few minutes to learn some of the basics before you set out with a gooseneck trailer hitched onto your ride for the first time. Take a look at these three important tips to keep in mind as you haul a gooseneck trailer.
A gooseneck trailer will usually tighten your turning radius.
When you are hauling a trailer hooked up at the end of a vehicle with a regular hitch, you learn to adjust your turns a little wider so you don't run the trailer off the road or even worse, take a risk on jackknifing the trailer itself. One of the greatest advantages of the gooseneck trailer design is that it usually tightens your turning radius just a bit. This is because there is less space between the end of your vehicle and the trailer itself. With this turning radius requirement changed, it is easy to forget that you don't need as much room to make a turn. Before you head out on the highway with the gooseneck trailer in tow, practice making a few turns until you get used to how much space you actually need.
A gooseneck trailer feels more like an integrated parts of the vehicle.
Because the gooseneck trailer is hitched onto the bed of your vehicle, the trailer feels more integrated with the vehicle during movement. Therefore, the movement of the trailer can affect the movement of your vehicle during motion. If items on the trailer are unstable, it can make your vehicle a little harder to control, for example. because of this integrated feel, it is important that you learn how to properly load the trailer before hauling it.
A gooseneck trailer can slightly raise the back end of the towing vehicle.
Once you have the trailer connected to a gooseneck hitch and lock it in place, you will actually see the bed of the vehicle you are using to tow raise just slightly. This slight change in state can alter the way the vehicle feels as you drive and can take some getting used to. To ensure you don't get on the highway and find yourself uncomfortable with how your towing vehicle handles, it's a good idea to hook up the gooseneck trailer and run a few practice trips in a place where there is not a lot of traffic.
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