25ft vs 30 ft powder coat or paint Gooseneck Deckove Advice

[BobbyLummus1]

Looking to buy Gooseneck deckover 19 or 20' deck with 5' beavertail or 24 or 25' deck with 5' beavertail . Those that have had both any difference in maneuverability ? Any noticeable difference in a 45' or 50' rig ( truck and trailer )

Also looking at the Gatormade , PJ , Big Tex in that order . These come with the powder coat finish and cost a little more . How does the powder coat hold up ( I ask this because the trailer will be left outside for now and maybe several years to come )

 

[JMJ Farms]

Bobby, I currently have a 20' with 5' dovetail. I've pulled a 30' quite a bit. It's a little different but not very much to me. I like the 20' because I have the dual tandem axle and it's a little easier on my truck because it's built so heavy. I have no experience with the powdercoat on a trailer. The sun is worse on my equipment than rain is.

 

[bird dog]

I have a 27' + 5' dovetail made by one of the Kerney brothers in East Texas that is powder coated JD green. It has been sitting out for 6 years now and has held up very well. The boards on it, not so much. I much prefer the powder coating as you get a much more uniform finish and every bear piece of metal gets coated. Nothing is missed like a spray paint guy will sometimes do.
I have also seen some trailers where they don't paint the bottom very well. Powder coating doesn't miss anything. Even my safety chains have a nice green finish. I would pay a little extra for the powder coat.

 

[littletom]

I have a 25 +5 Gatormade dual tandem, did research bought little over year ago. I love the trailer it pulls great and is very heavy built. Big difference in the 20 and 25 is the wheels are further back puts more weight on truck more room to turn around etc. I pull with 3500 with air bags. Don't think you could overload trailer. The bad the powder coat is awful coming off like crazy mostly under it but other places too. Buddy has a 30 +5 powder coat sucks too. They both stay inside unless on road. Heard the same with other brands too. What ever you get I would for sure get torque tube and pierced frame for more low profile. I would also look at goose neck brand another friend has one these seems to hold up well, no pierced frame or tube though. I would pay more for a good primer paint job. Prolly paint mine in next year. A 25+5 dual tandem is a big heavy trailer.

 

[littletom]

I think pj makes a 23+5 that might be something to consider too.

 

[BobbyLummus1]

Tom will you elaborate on why to get the pierced frame and torque tube . Not sure I understand

 

[littletom]

Tube compensates for a uneven or shifted load takes brunt of a mess up to keep from twisting frame. Example you got ran off road load shifts to one side, or dumb farm hand loads or unloads all of one side of a load first. You got A piece of 6'' pipe that goes whole lengh of trailer under bed. Pierced frame they use two big pieces of square tube down the middle with the bed built even with them, you can see them running lengh of bed. The other way is the bed is built on top of I beams. Pierced frame will make bed height several inches shorter. Load is less top heavy and goes down road closer to ground. I think Gatormade is only one that does this without having steel over the tires. Some say the steel over tires is fire hazard if it got hot from a flat tire and you had hay on it. Not sure I buy all that. The monster ramps that flip over to make a total flat deck are awesome I would try to get those on whichever brand you pic.

 

[BobbyLummus1]

Thanks Tom

 

[joeu235]

I have a 20 + 5 BigTex and a at least 20 year old 35 ft flatbed of unknown manufacturer. Both sit outside. Paint is 25% on the old trailer and just starting to flake on the BigTex but I don't care since they are equipment. Only issue with the BigTex is the deck was untreated which makes me mad since a treated deck would have added maybe $100 to the cost.