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5th wheel on compact pickup?

SBAER

Hot Rolled
Joined
Aug 21, 2006
Location
Kitchener, on canada
I have a 1992 Nissan 4x4 pickup that I really like, I have gone to the trouble of swapping in a 100Hp turbo diesel from Japan. It suits my needs perfectly in every way other than towing capacity. Its not so much that I lack the power, I can live with that, its the handling. I would like to be able to safely move a 4000lb (not including trailer) load every once in a while. I do this over short distances now but it feels pretty dodgy. Would a small gooseneck trailer and a 5th wheel hitch work for this?
 
YES--but the one I saw had dual rear wheels for stability. Even a small gooseneck with a 4000# load will weigh as much as the truck.The small trucks came with duals(usually overseas)but JC Whitney did carry adapters at one time for a conversion.The dual rears are what give you stability.Sounds like a lot of expense & work for an occasional load,but you asked.
 
I apologize for the OT omission, If the dually axle is required, this idea is a non-starter. I figure my truck could handle a 5th wheel tongue weight of 1000lbs no problem which seems like a huge improvement over the weight distribution offered by a ball hitch.
 
I didn't say change the rearend--I said they make wheel adapters to make the original rearend into a dual rearend.This would be your next best option,the best being buy an old full sized truck for those overweight times you need one--probably cheaper than the dual rears--adapters-new special wheels--4 rear tires--fender extensions--but you did ask "could" it be done not if it should.
 
In a perfect world, with it loaded perfect, you may be OK, my vote would be to add the extra wheels and air shocks to you can put enough weight on the truck to have good control. With minimum weight on the truck the trailer may do the driving at a very inappropriate time.
 
I apologize for the OT omission, If the dually axle is required, this idea is a non-starter. I figure my truck could handle a 5th wheel tongue weight of 1000lbs no problem which seems like a huge improvement over the weight distribution offered by a ball hitch.
 
Sorry about that last post. I am not sure how much weight is on the hitch when it feels dodgy, it happens when I using dump trailer with hydraulic brakes. On the surface, an old truck is the smartest solution, the problem is that it will cost $800 in licensing and insurance, not to mention having it in the way all the time (I do not live in the country).
 
Sounds crazy to me.

I doubt any part of that truck, especially the brakes, are up to the task. That dodgy feeling is nature's way of telling you that you might be in line for the 2007 Darwin awards.
 
I am not sure how much weight is on the hitch when it feels dodgy
That might be part of the problem. When pulling 4000 lbs, the hitch should have 200-300 lbs on it. Too little and the trailer sways, too much and the trailer sways the truck.

Steve.
 
The dump trailer and a 4000# load will exceed the safe load handling on that truck for sure.You didn't say a dump trailer in your OP.
 
I don't know about Canada's laws, but the USA is cracking down on loads exceeding the rated weight of the truck. A 4k load on a short 5th wheel trailer is probably going to max out the GCWR, along with the GWR.
I have a 1/2 ton p/u purchased to haul a load of 7500 pounds which isn't much more than you are talking about, and it has some serious factory modifications over a standard p/u to allow it to do that. Nearing max capacity, even it gets a little "Dodgy". The $800 will feel cheap if some kid pulls out on his bicycle and they find out your over your GCWR.
In a perfect world, the kid will stay on the sidewalk, but this isn't a perfect world.
David from jax
 
The dump trailer and a 4000# load will exceed the safe load handling on that truck for sure.You didn't say a dump trailer in your OP.
Agreed

This is a Darwin Award candidate for sure. If you do not want a larger truck "in the way" then please rent one. Last weekend the driver of a 3/4 Ton 4WD flipped his overloaded truck and trailer on I70, had traffic tied up in town for quite awhile. Too much Trailer has a way of taking away propper control - don't ask me how I know :rolleyes:

John
 
Back in 1991 I installed a gooseneck hitch in a 4 x 4 Nissan V6 for a friend. She (yes I said she) towed a small 2-horse stock trailer that weighed about 5000 when loaded. The handling was far superior to towing a 3500 pounder on the rear ball. Trucks carry and handle the weight better in the bed than on the tail end. (Think leverage)

IT IS IMPERATIVE that the trailer brakes function correctly!

BTW, that truck was rated to tow 5000 pounds.

Good luck, be careful even when towing with big trucks.

SCOTT (fabricator - wanabee machinist)
 
FWIW, you would want a gooseneck ball hitch on a gooseneck trailer. A "fifth wheel" is a very different type of mount, usually used in conjunction with enclosed camping type trailers...where the ball (a T shaped pin really) is on the trailer rather than in the truck bed. I sometimes wonder if gooseneck folks don't say "fifth wheel" just because it sounds "cooler" but regardless, it is flat out wrong to call it that.

The truck being a dually per se has nothing to do with it. My previous F350 diesel pickup was single rear wheels and worked just fine with a heavy 8 wheel gooseneck trailer. I only went with dually on current Dodge 3500 diesel for safer capacity when hauling in the bed of the truck without a trailer.

You do need apropriate to trailer weight/capacity, truck hauling capacity with regards to springs, tires and motor/tranny pulling power of course..but you knew that already.

What you may not know, is that pickup trucks below 3/4 ton have a type of rear axle that if overloaded can break and fly out ! I mean literally, the wheel on one side and the internal axle shaft will fly out...and this is not a super rare occurance...I've seen it happen twice over the decades and have heard a few stories about it happening to others.
 
A couple other things to consider...adding a gooseneck to a non-purpose-built trailer is a lot of steelwork to undertake.

Then there's the pesky issue of storage...the goose adds 6+ feet to the trailer and is eye catching...your neighbors are pretty sure to notice it, where a low-tongue trailer can "hide" somewhat behind a hedge or the like.

The vehicle dynamics of a gooseneck are pretty favorable since the load placed just ahead of the rear axle centerline puts (some) load on all 4 wheels and avoids the "leverage" effect that Scott mentions above.

Also, just to underscore, it don't matter what kind of monster truck you own if you don't secure the load properly and keep your vehicle's speed within reason. I'll never forget the first thing out of my grandfather's mouth when he was giving me a driving lesson: You have to be Cargo Conscious. I didn't really understand way back then but it's hit home over and over again what sage advice that was.
 
Yeah, I don’t know about bolting some extra wheel outboard. I would think the axles and bearings would suffer. Like putting a band-aid on a ice pick puncher wound. Looks good till all hell breaks loose.

They put duals on trucks that can already handle the weight as far as brakes and steering are concerned.

My dad has a F350 with singles on the back and hauls a 10,000lbs trailer fine. But the brakes, steering and suspension are already up to the task.. JRouche
 








 
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