what size channel for neck on gooseneck trailer?

[barebackjake]

what size channel should i use for the hitch neck for a 7000lb 18' trailer? i got a 18' bumperpull that i want to convert to a gooseneck and need to know what size channel to use i was thinkin 6" #8 for it and have the gussets all made out of the 6" also for the bracing at the 90's

[Sonora Iron]

A single 6 inch x 8.2# channel in an 8 feet span is good for 2,460 lbs.

[aametalmaster]

Why not 6" I beam? or 2 6" channels back to back...Bob

[welderdude402]

is the frame of the trailer made out of the same channel? the last one i did had an I beam frame so i just extended it out and used the same material.

[Joey-D]

I was in the same boat as you until last weekend. I was going to cut off the tongue of my 18 Car hauler and weld a gooseneck on. Instead I traded straight across for this monstacity. I cut the dovetail off my old trailer before trading it for this one. I plan on cutting all the bull**** off this thing to make it a dovetail car hauler. I couldn't pass up the deal. It had two 3500lb axles, both with brakes, actual trailer tires, break-a-way system, 82" between fenders and 16' deck, (plus 2' more for my dovetail). Anyhow this trailer has 6" channel for the neck. I you need any pictures or measurements off this thing just let me know. I am not saying this thing is built right, I am just saying it is built. I will include all the pictures here. Also I had been saving pictures of others coverting their car haulers to gooseneck. I will post those too. Hope this helps. P.S. I would check around to trading because that steel is gonna be expensive. My guy no longer had a truck so no gooseneck hitch. Also check out this trailer. My dream.... http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=110284112581

[Joey-D]

[Joey-D]

[JSFAB]

Depends on the axle location, and how much you want to cross-brace and gusset the gooseneck. Kind of an open-ended question,,,,, pics and a drawing of what your plan is, would help.

[Joey-D]

There were 36 pictures of conversions. Here is a link to them. Too many to post. They are still uploading to photobucket so this link may not work right away....
http://s272.photobucket.com/albums/j...%20Coversions/

[Sonora Iron]

A lot of manufactures use I-beam frame with C-channel bulkhead and neck. PJ, Big Tex, Corn Pro just to name a few.

Most goosenecks I’ve seen the neck is 5 feet long with a 30° down turn with an additional 3 feet to the coupler, for a total of 8 feet.

[JSFAB]

Joey,,,,, first thing I'd do, if I had that trailer, is cut those cute little plates off the joints,,,,, see what, if anything, was under them.

[JSFAB]

And oh, yeah, but I'm sure you noticed, and not a huge big deal to fix,,,, pretty good dip on the Right rear corner ......

[Joey-D]

I am fixing that dip. Running new c channel the length of the trailer. I am trying to pull up this floor now. I hate when the floors are bolted down. I like it better when the wood sits under a piece of angle front and rear. All new gussets are going in. Down anyone know how to figure out the axle weight. This guy told me two 3500lb but I just wanna double check.

[Joey-D]

My axles tubes are 2 3/8" if that helps. From my research it looks like those are 3500lb.

[JSFAB]

Just pull the hubs off,,,,, either measure the spindles, or make note of the bearing numbers, and compare to any axle supplier's specs on-line.