Making improvements to my new Kaufman 30ft gooseneck trailer

[McMXi]

Earlier in the year a thread popped up asking about Kaufman trailers which is brand I wasn't familiar with. I was wanting to part ways with the PJ 22ft hydraulic tilt deck over trailer that I'd bought a couple of years ago because it was too short for my M6060 and Land Pride RC3712 folding cutter. I also didn't care for the tilt feature very much, and even after adding 3ft to the trailer it was still a bad situation made a lot worse when actually hauling with it. I knew I wanted a much longer trailer, and after buying a 2024 F-450 in the spring it became clear that a 30ft gooseneck trailer would be the best choice for me. I did manage to sell the PJ a few weeks ago at a loss, but I got a lot of use out of it, and I was more than happy to see it go and roll the money from the sale into the purchase of the Kaufman.

Kaufman appealed to me since they offer factory direct sales and pickup, the overall build quality is good enough, and the prices are hard to beat. I did a lot of research, watched some You Tube reviews and there were few surprises when I picked up the trailer. One of the reviewers who bought the same trailer I have mentioned the annoyance of getting stuff in and out of the storage box under the neck, and he was right. I hauled the M6060 and RC3712 to a couple of jobs a few weeks ago and yep, getting chains, binders and shackles in and out of the storage box while holding the 1/8" thick lid up is a pain in the butt. The trailer was around $15,500 so I'm not complaining, but at that price, something has to give. It has 10k oil bath axles and really nice wide ramps along with some other extras, but the paint job looks like it was applied with a garden hose in areas and almost missed in others, but again, that's something I can address as needed. I can handle any welding upgrades myself, and after hauling the trailer mostly empty for more than 1,000 miles, and using it to haul the bigger tractor and cutter around, I have zero regrets re this purchase. Tomorrow I'm towing the 17,000lb LMTV M1078 about 200 miles to the new owner so that will be another big test.

So on to the first upgrade to the trailer. I rummaged through my scrap pile this morning and cobbled together a system that will work well. I wanted a good way to hold the storage box lid open when needed, and a way to keep the chain under control when it's not needed. I modified a couple of old chain hooks and have a bunch of odd pieces of chain laying around so no big deal to get this done.

 

[McMXi]

With the two hooks welded on and a big link welded to the lid to secure the chain, all is good and I'm ready to load up the M1078 later this afternoon. I do need to check the wheel lug nut torque as well as the tire pressure, but that won't take long.

The hooks are welded to the lower and upper headache rack cross members. The upper hook is used to keep the lid open, the and the lower hook is used to secure the chain when it's not needed.

Sometimes these small upgrades can make a big difference.

 

[McMXi]

Here's the trailer a few weeks ago. I really like the location of the dual tandem axles relative to the neck. Some trailers have the axles much further forward but this set up works for me. I also like that the ramps can be locked in the vertical position if needed.

 

[S-G-R]

You always come up with cool mods @McMXi

I watched this video awhile back and thought these were a nicely built trailer.

 

[McMXi]

You always come up with cool mods @McMXi

I watched this video awhile back and thought these were a nicely built trailer.

Necessity is the mother of invention. There are lots of good trailer manufacturers out there, and if I hauled big loads on a regular basis I'd consider spending $25k on one of the better models. However, this trailer is well matched to the capabilities of the truck so it's a good fit for me at this time.

I already put the lid chain to use when I loaded up the M1078 this afternoon. Not sure if the truck is in the best spot on the trailer but it's probably close with the front wheels centered over the axles. I'll tighten up the chains in the morning when the tires are cold and then make a stop after a few miles to check everything over.

I checked the route, and the lowest bridge height is 13ft 6in in Sandpoint, ID. The truck sitting on the trailer is 11ft 8in tall so shouldn't be an issue.

 

[McMXi]

Had a great day today delivering the M1078. I'm so impressed with the F-450 and the Kaufman trailer. I got really lucky with the weight distribution and the towing experience was just about perfect. With a GCW of something like 33,480lb I had one of the best towing experiences of my life. The trailer tows as straight as an arrow loaded or empty, and with adaptive cruise control and the exhaust brake in auto mode it made for a really enjoyable 200 miles out to the new owner. The Ford could have easily had us moving at dangerous speeds, but given the road surface, lots of bends and switchbacks, and elevation changes I kept it at or a few mph under the speed limit. I keep saying it but that Ford is nothing short of amazing.

I re-positioned the chains last night to get them as short as possible and the angles close to optimal, and did the final tightening early this morning before heading out around 8 o'clock. I stopped at the Blue Heron near Sandpoint for breakfast and to check the chains and binders. All were still very tight and the load was as secure as could be. I also enjoyed the view from the diner at the back of the facility.

Selling the truck basically paid me back for the trailer, so I'm pleased to see the M1078 go to a good home, and really pleased to be using the F-450 and trailer for their intended purpose.

First two photos were taken at the Blue Heron, and the last two photos show the new owner of the M1078 driving away happy as a clam.

 

[S-G-R]

Great scenery and glad the trip went smoothly.

 

[McMXi]

Great scenery and glad the trip went smoothly.

Thanks! I really enjoy that drive through Bonners Ferry and Sandpoint. No wonder one of our mods lives over there! It's a nice area for sure.

I forgot to mention fuel mileage for the 406 mile trip out and back. Average for 203 miles loaded with a GCW of around 33,480lb and 203 miles with an unloaded GCW of around 16,480lb was 9.8 mpg. Considering that the trailer has eight tires and the truck has six tires and a 4.30 rear end that's pretty darn good. I had estimated 10mpg @ $4.00/gallon when I told the new owner that it would cost $500 for delivery. Actual fuel cost was $3.72/gallon so about $154 for fuel and $350 for my time and effort. Well worth it to me, and to the new owner.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Hey I seen that truck today....
Also seen that scenery too.

 

[McMXi]

Hey I seen that truck today....
Also seen that scenery too.

But did you see that fancy EV in the parking lot? Some sexy blue thing that's a real head-turner. A Tesla or any EV for that matter has never been on my maybe list let alone want list, but one of those Goodfellas brands might change all that .... maybe.

I need to do some work on my '02 F-250 and get it ready for winter, which will be here before you know it. The F-450 will be put away soon but I'll need to invest in some mouse mitigation products to keep those buggers out of the engine compartment. Some swear by peppermint oil or some such thing.

 

[Russell King]

Look for “car storage bubbles“ adding indoor or outdoor as required. They are basically blow ups that you park in. I assume they would be somewhat resistant to rodents but not sure how much.

 

[McMXi]

Look for “car storage bubbles“ adding indoor or outdoor as required. They are basically blow ups that you park in. I assume they would be somewhat resistant to rodents but not sure how much.

Or maybe a cat or two. They always seem to be in need of adoption from various animal shelters. I grew up around cats, lots of cats, and have always liked them but haven't had a cat for decades.

 

[McMXi]

I want to pick up a couple more binders and I seem to remember @The Evil Twin recommending a particular model. The four I have that are shown above are ok but not great and I'd like to try something different this time. I bought the ones I have at a local heavy equipment dealer, and one of them in particular is getting hard to use, and I don't think it's a lubrication issue. I'm not really sure what the issue is at the moment but it's hard to rotate the barrel without using the lever. The other three seem to work just fine.

If there's a particular make that you'd recommend then I'm all ears.

For the record, when my friend in Hawaii told me that he was going to give me the M-1078 he also mentioned that he found four shackles for it. I decided to keep the shackles and not include them with the sale because I really like them, they're useful, and my friend went out of his way to find them.

 

[JasonW]

I was going to recommend peerless binders with the folding handles, but looking closer at your pictures it looks like you already have those. I found it easier for me to have them hooked with the handle side closest to the trailer side.

I’ve had 4 (5/16 size) for over 10 years and they still work great. I did buy some more a few years ago that are in the mix.
I did have an issue with one of them that the lever was difficult to swap from in and out. The detent ball was extending too far wasn’t able to be pushed back in with the lever. A few seconds with a die grinder fixed that.

I believe the issue was with one of the originals. So probably 10-13 years of semi frequent use.

The new trailer 30’ total or 30’ deck length?

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

But did you see that fancy EV in the parking lot? Some sexy blue thing that's a real head-turner.

Did you catch the babe driving it.

Oh wait not that babe, this babe!

 

[McMXi]

Did you catch the babe driving it.

Yeah, but her taste in cars is a lot better than her taste in men!

Seriously though, that's one heck of a car.

 

[McMXi]

I was going to recommend peerless binders with the folding handles, but looking closer at your pictures it looks like you already have those. I found it easier for me to have them hooked with the handle side closest to the trailer side.

I’ve had 4 (5/16 size) for over 10 years and they still work great. I did buy some more a few years ago that are in the mix.
I did have an issue with one of them that the lever was difficult to swap from in and out. The detent ball was extending too far wasn’t able to be pushed back in with the lever. A few seconds with a die grinder fixed that.

I believe the issue was with one of the originals. So probably 10-13 years of semi frequent use.

The new trailer 30’ total or 30’ deck length?

A little over 30ft deck length with 25ft wood and 5ft of steel mega ramps.

The binders aren't bad but typical Chinese quality. It's hard to find US made binders these days.

I found the thread about Ancra EZ binders and it was @dirtydeed who recommended them. I think my chains are 5/16" but I'll go measure them and order a pair of binders once I've confirmed the proper size.

Ancra EZ Binders

If anyone is looking for EZ binders, Mytee Products has them on sale currently. They are at the lowest price I've seen in a few years. I have no affiliation with them. Just wanted to pass along the sale notice. (Ordered 2 more myself). link to their website...

www.orangetractortalks.com

 

[JasonW]

I thought it was 30’ total just wanted to make sure. Different trailer manufacturers sometimes list them differently. Mainly interested in how well yours fits with the batwing mower as I’ve been eyeing some used models. My trailer is a 35’ total so I’d be good there.

Those ratchets are different. My first thought would be how to store several without them getting tangled together.

I have seen another ratcheting style that are made by Speedbinders that you can also run them in or out with a drill/impact.

 

[McMXi]

I thought it was 30’ total just wanted to make sure. Different trailer manufacturers sometimes list them differently. Mainly interested in how well yours fits with the batwing mower as I’ve been eyeing some used models. My trailer is a 35’ total so I’d be good there.

Those ratchets are different. My first thought would be how to store several without them getting tangled together.

I have seen another ratcheting style that are made by Speedbinders that you can also run them in or out with a drill/impact.

I just ordered two of the Easy Binder 5/16"-3/8" variant. They're pricey but I needed two more, and even though the Peerless type I have are half the price of these, I want to see if the Easy Binder ones truly are superior. For now this will give me the ideal number of binders that I need to haul the M6060 and RC3712 as well as other things, and if they're as good as some say they are, I might get two more at a later date.

https://www.myteeproducts.com/easy-binder-ratchet-lever-load-binder.html

 

[dirtydeed]

I do like the EZ binders for their speed and ease of use. They are all that I use now., I did have one slack off one time maybe due to bounce? Since then, I secure them with these locks...haven't had another issue and they put my mind at ease... i think i got the locks from either amazon or mytee products.

I also have a full set of the peerless binders. They are pretty decent for the price.