Chaz Murray
Well-Known Member
so.. Who makes the best Hydraulic gooseneck and why?:beatsme
hummmmm you guys gonna start building them, chaz?
http://www.jctrailers.ca/
SImple, light, no pins to bind, dont have to be level or perfectly straight.
The biggest thing I would say is the ease of hooking up to it on site. As we all know sites are not level and even. I have not operated many different models like somebody on this site, pssst! Hey lowboy!
To the rescue...(I actually tend to stay away from these topics believe it or not, due to the variations of opinions...kinda like politics:Banghead)
In the Northeast here there is a good sales and service network of Fontaine Specialized, Talbert and Rogers for a good quality, 35-80 ton range. So most users tend to go with one of those. I can only speak from my experience and "grunting" out in the field. I've pulled several Fontaines, both 3 and 4 axle level deck and dropsided. And, I've hauled some pretty unique and diversified contraptions. I happen to like them (Fontaines) simply because I got so doggone used to their quirks and ease of operation. However, hooking back into their gooseneck design will try even a passive man's patience sometimes, especially if upon initial detechment that trailer isn't perfectly level and most importantly...lined up dead straight as you pulled away.
Fontaine's design is a dual hook and shaft system. 2 hooks on the trailer mainbeams must line up perfectly with the shaft down on the gooseneck, with about a 1" side to side window of opportunity. Mainly because at the same time, you're "threading a needle" so to speak by having to place the safety pin eyelet on the bottom of the neck into the slot in the trailer bed. Miss this window, be off level or out of square, and you're gonna struggle.
Another little buttache you'll get from a Fontaine is from the safety pin slide. A 2 1/2" pin must slide into a boss locking the neck into the trailer to prevent seperation. Every one I dealt with, (2 I picked up fresh from a dealer...)I had to go home and put the grinder to the pin and give it a good 45 degree bevel so it would freely slide, because they are blunt from the factory. If not, all the tea in China won't be worth the aggrevation you'll recieve trying to put that stupid pin in. My first trip with the 2nd from last trailer, I loaded a D-6 at a Cat dealer in Maine, and I was there over an hour taking up valuable space in the yard, trying to get that pin to slide. Now I had people walking up to me trying to give me instructions on how it's done...but with sweat beading off my forehead and a long string of cusswords, they decided to leave me alone.
Talbert, Rogers, Eager Beaver and some others use a simpler "eyelet and pin" design, having the two rugged pins protruding from the front of the trailer bed, and the 2 "eyelets" down on the gooseneck. Even if you're not perfectly square or level with these, once you get somewhat close to attachment and need to adjust things, it can usually be done by lifting the neck with the hydraulics up past the point of normal ride height, and 9 times out of 10 everything slides together. If not, a block under one side of the trailer or the other, raise up and down to determine what needs shimming, etc., and you'll be truckin' in no time...
As one guy mentioned here, Etnyre has been seen around more and more recently. Allstates Asphalt in Mass. runs nothing but them, mainly because of their fleet of asphalt tankers and specialty trailers is so large I imagine it's a loyalty issue between them. They even run Etnyre tag-a-longs.
But if weight is critical, Etnyre won't really be the first choice.
Depending on what your application is, how big, wide, hefty you're going to be...It's a matter of seperating the "fly droppings from the pepper" among the first three mfg's, Fontaine Specialized, Talbert and Rogers.
Another critical issue to mention is "DECK HEIGHT". Fontaine's will squat pretty good with a little imagination and some adjustment to the leveling valve rod. They seem to dominate the market with a 12" deck height on their dropsides. I've moved a good deal of 980G's from places like Long Island to Florida, but on a level deck all the while wishing I had a dropside. It makes for a lot of extra messing around like deflating the tires, removing anything on the roof, and hoping you've read your tape measure right.
There you have it. That's MY story and I'm sssstickin' to it.
so.. Who makes the best Hydraulic gooseneck and why?:beatsme