Bumper Pull Cattle Trailer
When thinking about a trailer to haul your cattle in, you may have only considered gooseneck trailers as a suitable choice. However, if you move your cattle around the ranch or farm, you may find that adding a bumper pull cattle trailer to your fleet may be a better choice. Sure, when hauling large numbers of cattle off site, a bumper pull may not be the way to go. But a bumper pull cattle trailer does have it's advantages.
The bumper pull trailer is also known as a tag along or drag trailer. The name bumper pull is a bit misleading, however. The trailer doesn't actually connect to the vehicle by its bumper. It connects to a ball hitch that is connected to the vehicle's frame. Imagine hooking up a loaded trailer up to a bumper - it'd quickly be yanked off.
Bumper Pull Cattle Trailer Advantages
One of the biggest advantages with a bumper pull cattle trailer is that they are much smaller than than goosenecks. This translates into a lower price for not only the trailer purchase, buy in fuel costs as well. Another added benefit is that you may not have to buy a pickup truck. Of course it will depend on the specific trailer you purchase, but you may be able to pull it with an SUV, motor home or even a CUV. Another big plus is that the combined weight of a bumper pull cattle trailer and chosen vehicle is generally under 10,001 pounds. This means you won't be required to have a commercial drivers license to operate the tandem. But to be safe, check with you particular state to make sure they don't have a lower limit.
Another benefit of this type of trailer is that it's much easier for a first time trailer operator. Its more common hitch system is a whole lot easier to get used to in terms of both connecting it and driving with it. Of course most first time trailer operators may not have a pickup truck to pull it with, so they very well may be limited to a bumper pull cattle trailer instead of the larger gooseneck trailers. New bumper pull trailer operators will also enjoy the fact that this type of trailer has a more normal turning radius. This means the trailer follows the vehicle as it makes turns.
Bumper Pull Cattle Trailer Disadvantages
One of the biggest drawbacks for a bumper pull trailer is that it's pretty darn small. There's no room for a dressing room or for living quarters if you are on a long trip or at a show. On top of this, it's pretty clear that you are limited in the number of cattle you can haul with a bumper pull. Hauling them around the ranch or farm is one thing, but if you've got to move several over a distance, this trailer won't cut it due to its size.
Another issue with this type of trailer is the weight limitations. You'll not be able to carry huge loads. If you do and your vehicle - SUV or pick up truck isn't rated for the larger load, you will likely run into problems while on the road. Issues such as swaying and lack of stability can easily lead to an accident.
This type of trailer is the one that is more apt to be involved in crashes. This is due to a couple of factors. First, most that are driving these smaller trailers are novices. Second, many who are used to driving smaller utility trailers forget that they are driving much heavier loads when they are transporting cattle and that it take much longer to brake.
All in all, the bumper pull cattle trailer is a great option for you if you are looking to haul a few cattle around the ranch or farm. However, if you are going to be hauling larger numbers around - either on farm or for a distance, you'll want to consider looking into a gooseneck trailer.
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