# Road tractor with gooseneck hitch?



## JD3430

Anyone deliver hay with a air brake CDL road tractor, but instead of a 5th wheel, have a gooseneck hitch?
Found a nice deal on a 30' Big Tex. can get a road tractor for peanuts. Was thinking I could use road tractor to deliver hay, haul equip, etc and also use same trailer as a gooseneck on my 550. One trailer, but both trucks could pull it.


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## Guest

Never done it but have seen it done in my area. I think its a great idea. I have a 30' gooseneck and its a handful for my diesel pickup truck when its full of hay or equipment


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## bluefarmer

Only way to go, best step I ever made 95 international dt 466 4900 single axle 6+1 transmission


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## Bob M

JD I have been thinking the same thing. I have an 06 dodge 3500 that I have been thinking of selling and buying a small road tractor or flatbed to pull goosenecks. The 06 should be worth more money than a road tractor, and bigger truck should handle trailers better.


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## bluefarmer

I've even got a electric brake box in mine for electric brake trailers


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## JD3430

I want to build a 24' straight flatbed, but I was having 2nd thoughts. They're also more expensive than a road tractor and "pickup truck" gooseneck combination.
I can get a decent white IH 4900 road tractor with a DT 466/530 for $3,500.


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## RockyHill

Done/doing that.

Have a '84 International and about 29' including dovetail, gooseneck, air brakes.

In Kentucky don't have to have CDL license for within 150 mile radius from farm; do have to do vehicle inspections, DOT #, UCR registration, driver medical exam

had a guy tell that 'them air brakes worth every penny they cost when you're trying to get stopped'

Put a 9' Knaphide bed on truck.

Haul 16 rolls on trailer (includes 1 on neck) 17 with roll on truck

Haul JD2955 and JD535 hay roller, had to make some extensions on trailer sides for roller -- couldn't find picture of that but substituted mini-truck


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## Waterway64

I have a goose neck trailer with three 8000 lb axeles. I can pull it with a conventional truck or with my jx95 with loader. When I haul hay I simply pull into the field or hay yard and lower the three point and load or unload the trailer. It's okay for short hauls but slow if you are going very far. Mel


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## JoshA

Figuring on doing that here as well, not for hay but for equipment, as that's my only trailer with ramps, can put more weight on when you got a real truck in front.

Only question is whether to put a gooseneck ball on the truck, or get a 5th wheel hitch to slide into the tongue on the trailer.

Thinking its a better deal to go the 5th wheel route, should be pretty easy to switch hitches on the trailer when you want to pull with a pickup again.


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## Farmerbrown2

I've seen a 5th wheel pin to goose neck ball hitch adaptor somewhere you just have to have a locking 5th wheel like they use on a frameless dump trailer.


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## JD3430

I have to go with ball route because I have hidden ball on my 550 already. I like it because I can load flat materials in the bed. 
Would like to buy road tractor, remove 5th wheel and install maybe a air ride gooseneck ball??


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## Tim/South

The first time I ever saw it done was at the cattle sale. I guy was pulling a cattle trailer. Made and impression.

I pull a 32' goose with a Mack 250. Put 17 rolls on the goose, 4 on the flat bed in front of the goose. The trailer has electric brakes.

I am usually with in 10 miles from home when hauling hay.


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## ANewman

When I was looking for a truck to pull a gooseneck I came to the conclusion that I could buy a decent single axle truck for half price or less than I could buy a diesel pickup. I bought a '93 White/GMC ( pre- runner to Volvo). It has a L10 Cummings 330 hp with an Eaton 9sp. It already had a gooseneck ball and electric breaks controller. I pulled a 25' gooseneck with it. Couldn't even tell the trailer was back there. It was a lot better setup than a pickup and gooseneck. I was gonna buy a king pin adapter for the trailer, but an idiot with no brake lights stopped in front of me and I wrecked it. Paid $5500 for the truck. Only had liability insurance on it so now its gonna cost over $2500 to repair. As long as you can get one that's not already worn out its the way I'd recommended goin


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## 8350HiTech

I wouldn't take the 5th wheel off. Before you know it you'll be buying a cheap 48' step to haul bales out of the field.


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## cornshucker

You would not go wrong, DT 466 may be best med. duty poor mans truck engine of all time. 8350 HiTech right about not taking the fifth wheel off, you can buy a kingpin plate to attach to the fifth wheel and attach the ball to it. All you would have to do is pull the lever and you are ready to use fifth wheel. best of both worlds. Lots of beverage trucks out there would make great farm trucks.


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## swmnhay

Here a quite a few guys tried the single ax tractors but went back to using 4 WD pickups.

The SA semis ride like crap,the cheap older ones are all spring ride.Esp when empty.

They get stuck a lot easier in mud or snow then a 4 WD pickup.

And your new 4WD diesel pickup is just a whole lot nicer to be in all day. 

Karen is trying her damdest to talk me into getting one tho.But if you get one with air ride and auto trans the price jumps up there around 25K.It would give a guy options of pulling a grain trailer then also.


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## 8350HiTech

cornshucker said:


> You would not go wrong, DT 466 may be best med. duty poor mans truck engine of all time. 8350 HiTech right about not taking the fifth wheel off, you can buy a kingpin plate to attach to the fifth wheel and attach the ball to it. All you would have to do is pull the lever and you are ready to use fifth wheel. best of both worlds. Lots of beverage trucks out there would make great farm trucks.


I actually wouldn't do that either  Lots of these trucks around here and most just have an extra crossmember behind the fifth wheel with the ball on it. It sits lower so it's out of the way of the fifth wheel and it also keeps your gooseneck trailer at a more level hitching point


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## JD3430

8350HiTech said:


> I actually wouldn't do that either  Lots of these trucks around here and most just have an extra crossmember behind the fifth wheel with the ball on it. It sits lower so it's out of the way of the fifth wheel and it also keeps your gooseneck trailer at a more level hitching point


Yep, that's what I was thinking of doing, but I wasn't sure if you could have both hitches without some sort of vlearance issue.
I do have the tendency to think small and only in the present instead of the future regarding the 48' trailer. I have this natural inclination to want to make all my equipment as versatile as possible.


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## endrow

both


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## enos

Older single axles can be bought for the price of the tires and an oil filter on new dually pickups. Parts are cheap, no model changes halfway through a week like ford. Safer, big horsepower, big brakes, etc. And with a $5000 truck who gives a $hit if someone scatches the paint on a tree branch delivering hay in some pony princess yard!


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## JD3430

I have a Ih4800 for 10 years, but someone liked it so much, they made me a offer I couldn't refuse and I sold it in the spring. Used proceeds to buy more farm equipment 
Now I'm back looking for another. Might go with a 4WD to get in/out of fields easier.


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## 8350HiTech

JD3430 said:


> I do have the tendency to think small and only in the present


We know 
Lol

[I'm kidding.  ]


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## sethd11

I've always wanted the single cab international 4900 for hauling my bigger loads. The biggest bonus is the drive axle weight rating at 20K or more. I always run out of weight on my drive axle. Which is a big deal with the dot nazis around here. I'm not sure how much a difference in plate costs are going to be. On the bright side you can you usually buy a 48ft step deck or even a regular flatbed cheaper than you can buy a nice gooseneck.
Last week I loaded 670 bales of straw on a regular flatbed. Made me seriously contemplate going that direction.


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## JD3430

If its a farm plate, it shouldn't be much more.


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## enos

Or tandem body jobs can be bought cheap too. $5000, 1987 ford 9000, 350 cummins, jake, 13 speed with 12,000 original kms. Had a well drilling rig on it with own power plant. Needs CVI every 6 months and class one when pulling 30 ft, 20 tonne trailer.


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## Lewis Ranch

We try to run king pins on all of our trailers as it's a whole lot easier to unhook one that way, No need to jack it up to clear a ball. Makes it real nice when trying to drop a loaded trailer for sure and if you get a truck with air ride you can flip a switch and it will dump the air bags and let it drop anywhere from 6"-10". Only way to go in my opinion.


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## JD3430

My original thought was a 24' flat bed tandem. 
I could put 18 4x5 round bales on it.
Avoiding single use equipment, I thought I could put a dry material spreader on it and spread mushroom soil over the winter.

Thought of buying something like this. Guy out in Colorado has dozens of 'em


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## somedevildawg

Paid 3k for this one....insurance is that for three years....little better than 1k a year for truck and trailer......truck has 465k miles, runs great, A/C has a leak, I suspect from the compressor, don't really worry too much about that, if its hotter than hell, I'll charge it up, otherwise just deal with it, that's why they used to make vent windows.....


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## NewBerlinBaler

A year ago, I too had this idea. At first, it seemed a good alternative to getting a new, stupid-expensive, heavy-duty pickup. But the idea lost it's appeal when I looked into it a bit further. Even with the restrictions of occasional use and staying close to the farm, the registration & insurance would run about $5,000/year.

At least here in PA, I can't deliver hay to customers using vehicles that are covered under a personal auto policy. I had to get a commercial policy for my F350 & flat-bed trailer ($1,100/year and I don't use these vehicles very much either).

Also in PA (perhaps other states as well), the tow vehicle must be registered for the max combination weight (truck & trailer) that the truck will pull. For my F350, this pushes the registration fee & insurance premium way up. I regularly see people with heavy-duty pickups pulling large trailers - and the registration sticker on their windshield is a "1". God help them if they're ever in an accident, they'll lose their farm.


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## JD3430

Huh, I live in PA and only pay $700/yr for my F550 for insurance and about $500 for registration with a weight class "10" sticker (35,000 GCWR)
For my Ih4800, I paid $450 for insurance and $800 for registration for "15" sticker at 54,000 GCWR.

Nationwide agribusiness insurance. They even cover me for commercial, construction, farming and personal use.

If I buy road tractor,it will be farm plated. $250 for registration.


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## sethd11

How much r those things going for?


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## JD3430

Too much. 19k.


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## sethd11

Jeez on government liquidation they go for 5k


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## JD3430

sethd11 said:


> Jeez on government liquidation they go for 5k


Show me and I'll buy one.


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## Bob M

JD check out Ritchie Brothers auction next time, they had several army trucks that didn't bring big money.


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## somedevildawg

I wouldn't pay more than 5-6k for it.....that's for sure......just don't have the need for 4-wheel drive in the field, not that I wouldn't like to have it occasionally, but the tractor is always in the field so it becomes my additional drive wheels, try not to get in that situation but sometimes it happens.....most locations we deliver to with large loads have docks, smaller loads (300 or <) get delivered with the F350 4x4 and gooseneck, I never hook the gooseneck to the tractor, only the F350....

Forgot to mention, paid 1,800 for the 48' flatbed.....course I worked on it, bout another 1300 so all total about 3,500 for the trailer.......plenty of them available for that.....


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## JD3430

Bob M said:


> JD check out Ritchie Brothers auction next time, they had several army trucks that didn't bring big money.


true, but they usually need to have frames lengthened and have low axle ratings.

the truck in the picture I posted is pretty much a IH 4900 6x6 civilian truck with a real long wheelbase and 48,000 GVWR painted green. Came from US Navy yards.

No need to lengthen frame, just install flatbed and done.

Theres something about the pure military trucks that makes them tough to use over the road for civilian use. Seems like they either lack GVWR or the frame is short or very low on power or all the above.


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## Bob M

JD thats good to know, I have never really looked in to them. Just thought they all had heavy ratings.


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## sethd11

http://m.govliquidation.com/?cmd=auction&item=view&auctionId=7046527

I have been watching all the 6x6 trucks sell for a long time. A lot go for 5 to 10 grand. I have been trying to justify picking one up for a while. Just haven't found a good way top pick one up. The Cummings 8.3 is a good motor.


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## JD3430

Local dealer near me has the Harscos, too. They are very short wheelbase trucks. Most are road tractors or they can take a 12' bed. 
I think some backing up is needed here and I am to blame for not first explaining that.
I want to buy a truck that can handle a 24' bed, so I can carry lots of hay rolls (18 was my goal) hence the 24' bed.
Lengthening the bed is pretty expensive on the Harsco, AM General, etc. trucks. The guy near me that sells them wants ~5 grand to do it. The frame height is another issue. They are just shy of 5' high top of the frame. Add ~8" more for the bed. Two layers of 5' bales is 9 more feet. So I'd be 14' or more. Most of my bridges around here are 13'-6". 
The IH in the picture I posted is most definitely overpriced, but it has a long wheelbase, lower frame height and its more road ready and it has a legitimate GVWR tag on the door. I can also get parts from local IH dealer a lot easier.

I don't want you to think I don't appreciate your wanting to find me a cheaper truck, because I do appreciate it.
It's just that my local guy already has them and after I crunched the numbers and specs and it seemed like I was too high in loaded height and about same in cost as civilian truck.

I think if I could get a truck like in the picture for about 12-15k and put about 5k into a body and probably a few repairs, I might be at a reasonable number. 
Trailer is still the cheapest route.


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## sethd11

I didn't realize you were going with a flatbed route I thought you were looking for one with fifth wheel.


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## JD3430

Looking at both options. Military road tractors are twin screw. Too much truck.

Prob better off with "civilian" airbrake single screw (unless I could find a single screw 4x4)

If I go straight truck route, would like to go 6x6. Not sure a single axle could carry 18 round bales legally if they were 1000lbs ea.

Might be nice to put manure spreader on straight 6x6, too


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## 8350HiTech

Everyone wanted to know why you needed front wheel drive in a baling tractor, so ... Why do you need front wheel drive in a hay truck?


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## JD3430

8350HiTech said:


> Everyone wanted to know why you needed front wheel drive in a baling tractor, so ... Why do you need front wheel drive in a hay truck?


 Because the nightmare of my F550 in 4WD unable to pull a gooseneck load of hay up a slight incline in one of my fields just keeps playing in my head. lol

BTW: the baling tractor runs up/down some steep hills. 4WD is a practically a necessity.

I could do a 4x2 road tractor, but would have to load on the road or flat field when dry.

My 6x6 flatbed idea was for delivering hay and flatbed mount manure spreader.

I can get all the free mushroom soil IF I pick it up at the plant. If I have it delivered to my fields, its $100/tri axle.

Was thinking I could mount a pretty good size manure spreader on 6x6 truck, drive to mushroom plant, load up, then go back to fields and spread manure on sloping or slightly wet fields and not get stuck.

I appreciate yout "criticism" of my ideas. I really dont know which way is right. I dont have any help here where I live and dont always know whats best.


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## 8350HiTech

Taking advantage of the free compost is certainly a good incentive. Personally, I think the 6x6 is kind of silly as a spreader truck, especially on what I gather is all permanent hay ground. If it's wet enough to fear getting the truck stuck (or even just leaving some tracks) I don't want to be in the field with ANY truck. Youre looking for a tractor that rides better. You'll need it if you go spreading and make a mess when it's wet. But that's just me.


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## JD3430

8350HiTech said:


> Taking advantage of the free compost is certainly a good incentive. Personally, I think the 6x6 is kind of silly as a spreader truck, especially on what I gather is all permanent hay ground. If it's wet enough to fear getting the truck stuck (or even just leaving some tracks) I don't want to be in the field with ANY truck. Youre looking for a tractor that rides better. You'll need it if you go spreading and make a mess when it's wet. But that's just me.


Down here, I am renting a spreader to spread mush soil and paying for delivery. Most guys do it that way. Once in a while, I see it done with a truck, similar to the way lime is spread by a Martin Limestone truck.


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## ontario hay man

Your 550 would pull it fine if it had cummins power lol.


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## JD3430

Not a lack of power, a lack of traction!
Lol


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## Bags

I built a 5th wheel adapter for the 28 foot 10 ton gooseneck trailer I pull for 50 dollars. I can use my pickup to pull the trailer with the ball hitch installed in the neck of the trailer--- or loosen the two large bolts in the gooseneck stinger--- and slide the 5th wheel adapter into the stinger neck and pull the trailer with the old GMC Brigadier.

I haul a D-4 Cat (22,400 lbs) around locally for NRCS projects and a pickup has a time moving the big piece of iron. Its convenient to be able to change out the ball to 5th wheel in a few minutes and haul the heavier loads with the short GMC Otr tractor.

I've seen some folks mount a cross member to the frame of a road tractor and stick a gooseneck ball on the rig. That's just asking for trouble. Most good gooseneck balls are rated around 10,000-12,000 lbs. and nowhere near the 50,000 lb capacity of a kingpin. In an emergency situation out on the road--- its good to know where your trailer is gonna be--- still attached to the truck.

Materials for the 5th wheel adapter were:

Kingpin from the local steel yard (it was $35.00)

One piece 18" X 24" X 1/2" steel plate

Two foot length of .025 wall steel pipe that O.D. and I.D. matched the gooseneck stinger.

Cut and welded it up in about 30 minutes and it was good to go.


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## mlappin

Maybe it's just Indiana but we plate all our farm trucks at empty weight.

The difference between a single screw truck and a tandem are night and day. Our tandem axle grain trucks when locked in will go places the singles won't empty.

I much prefer a straight truck with a dump bed for hay, when it's dry that compaction isn't a concern I hook a pintle hitch trailer with walking tandems behind the straight truck.

I've been real happy with our DT466's, if they won't start in the winter you don't need to be outside. Air brakes are an absolute, you can't give me a heavy truck that still has hydraulic brakes.


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## JD3430

I did some more measuring and research today. Straight truck may be out of the question due to height restrictions.
I think I'm going to road tractor/gooseneck to keep loaded height manageable and safer. I can also carry 22 bales on a 30' trailer.

Now I need to find the ideal road tractor.


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## mlappin

I carry 22 between the straight truck and trailer, if wet just use the truck. Partial loads? Just use the truck. Owner not around? Just use the truck and dump em in the drive.


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## JD3430

Double layered 4x5 bales on a tandem with 5' bed height put me at 14'. Most of our overpasses are 13-6. 
I was thinking a single screw road tractor with automatic, a live front axle and air brakes. 
That would get trailered loads in/out fields and allow me to keep the loaded height much lower. I could also tow the trailer behind my 550, as I do right now.


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## cornshucker

Ditto on the air brakes. Much more simple than hydraulic brakes and much more effective. Just make sure you get the cam type instead of the wedge type. Probably not many wedge types left so probably not a problem you have to deal with. Cannot think of any reason that air brakes are not better than hydraulic. Like was said before DT 466 excellent medium duty truck engine. As for the ride the trucks I drive at my job ride a heck of a lot lot better than my F-450. If you really want live front axle check some utility company sales, lot of power company medium duty trucks have live front axles.


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## mlappin

JD3430 said:


> Double layered 4x5 bales on a tandem with 5' bed height put me at 14'. Most of our overpasses are 13-6.
> I was thinking a single screw road tractor with automatic, a live front axle and air brakes.
> That would get trailered loads in/out fields and allow me to keep the loaded height much lower. I could also tow the trailer behind my 550, as I do right now.


When I get home I'll measure the height of our bed, never had a problem running two high though and the newest hay truck is taller than the old one.

Wedge type brakes would have to be really old, we have a '72 that has em on the front and s type on the rear. The wedges still work better than hydraulic as long as you grease up the wedge with some synthetic brake grease.


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## JD3430

I have (had) a 92 International with wedge brakes. Once we got them set up, they were never a problem.

On the utility line trucks: the guys who buy them at auction and resell them mark them up to 15-25k. They are tough to find, and they know it so they jack the price up a lot.

Found a '92 4800 4x4 with a 220hp DT466, MT643 auto for $11,500. I could move the back axle up and cut frame myself for a few hundred bucks and add a fifth wheel. Total would probably be under $14k.
Still too expensive. Going to keep looking.


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## Rodney R

Something you have to be careful of - The 4x4 axles in these trucks - if you ever need parts you have to search around in junk yards for them. The 4x4 also makes the entire truck higher, probably why the tandem is too tall to haul 2 bales high.

Rodney


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## JD3430

Rodney R said:


> Something you have to be careful of - The 4x4 axles in these trucks - if you ever need parts you have to search around in junk yards for them. The 4x4 also makes the entire truck higher, probably why the tandem is too tall to haul 2 bales high.
> 
> Rodney


Yep....I know, I hauled a lot of round bales with my 4800 before I sold it. Could only do single layer
Never had any parts needed for Fabco front axle. Thing was very well built.


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## Stuckey1

Love my frightliner! I'm going to add a gooseneck hitch on the peterbilt ASAP! Very handy and will save your personal vehicle!


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## JD3430

Real nice!


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## deadmoose

Stuckey1 said:


> Love my frightliner! I'm going to add a gooseneck hitch on the peterbilt ASAP! Very handy and will save your personal vehicle!


How many bundles and bales per bundle there?


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## Stuckey1

21 bale bundles and there was 26 I'd put 27 but ran out of straps


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## shortrow

ontario hay man said:


> Your 550 would pull it fine if it had cummins power lol.


Pffffffttttttt.


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## somedevildawg

Stuckey1 said:


> 21 bale bundles and there was 26 I'd put 27 but ran out of straps


Those are baron bundles......?


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## Stuckey1

Yeah those are.... I do not like baron bundles!


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## Bob M

Just bought a 02 International 4300 with 466 and Allison automatic. Plan is to put a 11' to 12' flat bed with gooseneck hitch. As long as goes well I'll probably sell my 06 Dodge 3500.


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## deadmoose

Where did it spend its previous life? Or rather what was it's task?


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## slowzuki

Works well, just have to use the correct rating ball. 30K is common rating for a 2 5/16" gooseneck ball. The 10K balls are meant for bumper pull hitches.



Bags said:


> I've seen some folks mount a cross member to the frame of a road tractor and stick a gooseneck ball on the rig. That's just asking for trouble. Most good gooseneck balls are rated around 10,000-12,000 lbs. and nowhere near the 50,000 lb capacity of a kingpin. In an emergency situation out on the road--- its good to know where your trailer is gonna be--- still attached to the truck.


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## HayU

Best thing we have done- F650/allison w/air handles our GN much better than our F350. Stopping no problem with hay or baler.


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## blake2727

This is my first post here but have learned a lot from the forum so far. We have a small part time cattle farm and bale our own hay. For my main business I own a trucking company so I can hopefully help a little on this topic. Do a google search for (gooseneck Kingpin) you should have some come up for about $125. All you do is pull the pin on your gooseneck coupler and slide it out and slide the kingpin coupler in, now you are ready to hook to the fifth wheel for $125. The fifth wheel is much easier to hook up as you don't have to jack the trailer up and down like a gooseneck. It's also much more sturdy and a lot safer than a gooseneck. Try it and you will probably want to add a fifth wheel to your pickup instead of a gooseneck to your semi.


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## JD3430

Every time I look at that gooseneck ball, I keep thinking man that looks kind of light weight for what were towing. 
I go back to my driving days and remember the kingpin hook ups and how much stronger they were.


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## blake2727

Yes it looks strong and for the most part they are. Where the trouble comes is the side to side motion you get with them. Don't get me wrong, they work and we use them here but I wouldn't add a gooseneck if I already had a fifth wheel.


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## sethd11

I would've added a fifth wheel long ago but my flatbed is not conducive to a fifth wheel hitch. My big gooseneck real needs a more stable hitch especially if one side is loaded heavier than the other.


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## Bob M

The first load going out with our ( new to us) International 4300. Seems to have really turned out nice, we put a 12' flat bed on it and are very happy so far.


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