How much weight can I haul???

[LBrown59]

I have a 70PI tandem axle utility trailer with an 18foot bed GVWR 7000#GAWR 3,500#. Both axles are 3,500#. I'm modifying this trailer to a goosneck pull style.

Can anyone tell me how much weight this trailer will be capable of hauling?

Thanks,
ArkLaTexSam

Depends on the tow Veh.
What's the GV W R ?

 

[LBrown59]

The trailer seems to handle this load well even though I know it's close to being maxxxed out. However, my 2000 Chev Z71 sits rather low on the backside and I know the bumper weight is applying too much stress on the frame, rear-end etc.
ArkLaTexSam

So why fix the trailer when the truck is the problem?

 

[LBrown59]

If your guess is correct that your tractor weighs 6000#, I highly doubt your 7K trailer only weighs 1000# so you are overloading it.

And now he wants to over load it another few hundred pounds.

 

[QRTRHRS]

Assuming the pickup to carry some of the load in order to be legal may get you in trouble.

In PA, an arresting officer can ask you to seperate your truck and trailer in order to weigh only the trailer.

I never knew this until the farmer I get hay from got caught and they made him do this with his 10k licensed trailer. He does have a CDL so he ended up paying a fine and upgrading the truck to a combination to cover the trailer. His trailer was speced out heavy enough to do this.

This happened in a supposedly farm friendly county with the locals, not the state police too.

Re: Up rating your suspension. There are shops that are qualified to do this. Although usually done say for example by adding a lift axle to a truck or trailer for heavier applications, I have seen one shop advertise the service on one ton trucks.

Like mentioned, trading the trailer is usually a better option.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

"You can deduct tongue weight carried by the truck." I believe that does not affect the GVWR for the trailer. That still loads the frame, etc. True, the load carried by the truck is not carried by the tires, etc, but I'm pretty sure that's still part of the GVWR.

GVWR will be what weight can be scaled on the trailer's axles. If that weight is on the TRUCKS axle(s) it ISN'T scaled on the trailer, therefore, not added to the GWV of the trailer.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

So why fix the trailer when the truck is the problem?

Look back through all the simular threads and you'll note that I'm not in favor of pulling much of any trailer behind a 1/2 ton truck for various reasons. And this thread is asking us to draw conclusions from less than adaquate information. So, I'm not going any further with this.


BUT..... One thing to consider. A gooseneck trailer places its tongue weight directly over the rear axle, or in the case of most of the better factory made hitches, slightly in front of the rear axle. That allows MUCH better control of that weight than basically hanging it on the back bumper. (My B&W hitch sits 3-1/4" in front of axle centerline.) Even with a WD hitch, a gooseneck is a better(read SAFER) alternative.

That said, I wouldn't tow a "home made" trailer across a hayfield, muchless on a highway, loaded to the absolute maximum.

 

[ArkLaTexSam]

GVWR=7,000#
GAWR=2,998#

I think this means that my trailer will max out at 4,000#. How do I calculate the amount of weight that's scaled on the truck.

My truck handles the trailer when loaded quiet well on the road. The truck and/or trailer does not walk side to side or anything like that. I've hauled a load too heavy one time and had to deal with a walking trailer. I don't plan on dealing with that situation again. I've seen people dragging their bumpers on the roadway when carrying a load too heavy. My situation is no where close to that. I keep my transmission in the tow-haul mode go a top speed of 55mph and take it very easy. The longest distance I've been one way is 40 miles. If I'm only going to a place in my area I take the back roads.

When I load my tractor I try to position it with the rear tractor tires a little forward of the rear trailer axle in order to even out the weight on the Z71 and trailer. The truck squats more or less depending on how I position the load. When I follow the aforementioned procedure I guestimate that the back of my truck squats down about 3 inches.

I will not get another truck just to haul my tractor. I DON'T travel enough for that. I am looking at buying a better trailer goosneck style which will even out the weight more over the entire truck or I am going to modify the trailer I have.

ArkLaTexSam

 

[wushaw]

You can fix the squatting rear by using a weight distrubition hitch, it will raise the rear back up and put the ft. of the truck where it needs to be so you won't be loosing any ft. brake action or any light steering effects.
Having a GN in a 1/2 ton is just not right.
When you need to get a new truck then a 3/4 ton may be in the cards.

 

[Neil L]

My be a very uninformed question, but how do you determine the weight rating of the axels. Is there some identifing marking or some dimision you can check.

Thanks, Neil

 

[mlauk]

There should be a sticker in the door showing empty weight front/rear axle and GVW front/rear axle.