[AT] Gooseneck Hitch Location

[Cecil Bearden]

I have installed about 10 gooseneck hitches over the years.  My first 
was a 1/2 ton and it was 2 inches ahead of the axle ONe tons usually 
depend on the swing clearance as mentioned before.  they are usually 
about 2 inches ahead of the axle.  My 2 ton trucks are anywhere from 
over the axle to just behind the axle.  I had a 5 ton with a gooseneck 
hitch that was 3 ft behind the axle since it had a crane mounted up 
front and it was really great for backing into spaces once you got used 
to it...  I have purchased the hitches at auction and then make my own 
mounts as I do not believethe factory ones are stout enough. 

However, I rebuilt a bumper horse trailer for a lady down the road last 
year and had to take her to court for payment of my labor.  She had a 
phone conversation with the manufacturer and they told her that they 
built their trailers so that they would flex over rough ground.  the 
cross members only had 1/2 inch of metal holding them.  The floor boards 
were riding on the torflex axles.  I put additional cross members under 
it and then ran them wide enough to hold the fenders and then braced 
them to the upright members on the sideboards. 
They also had one of my welds in a non structural area blown up to 20 
times its size and it did not look too good.  the judge took welding in 
high school. 

I ended up working 5 weeks on this trailer, and paying her $576 for the 
privilege!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Moral of the story is:

Work only for yourself and make your own decisions..

Cecil in OKla