cary on 7k trailer... real capacity?

[newbury]

Also important - What's the truck?
I can fit 2 ton in my 2002 dually and I see the newer 350's are rated for up to 7,600 lbs.
https://www.ford.com/services/assets/Brochure?bodystyle=Truck&make=Ford&model=SuperDuty&year=2018
Maybe he just needs a new F350 dually

 

[Morning Wood]

You need to weigh the trailer on a truck scale and that will tell you how much load capacity it has. Weigh the truck too and you can dial in tongue weight somewhat, but 3 tons on your 7k trailer is probably all it can handle. You need a 10k trailer to add another ton

 

[dieselscout80]

Hello,
I know technically a trailer with 2 3500lb axles can only hold about 6k payload...
But im sure that this has a large safety margin built in for hitting holes and loads not loaded right...

Every year i have to go about 100 miles to get coal. i try to get as much as possible,
I normally put 3 tons in the trailer and one in my truck..
It has new "E" rated tires on the trailer *15 inch

Is it safe to put 4 tons in this trailer or would the risk of bending something be too high... weight is distributed almost perfectly

on a side not... if I doesnt hit big holes, obviously not all the time, but how much can a 3500lb axle really take?

I have brakes on both axles
Thank you everyone,
Dave

What is the construction of said 7K trailer?

If it is an angle iron frame then I would say no.

However if it has say 5" channel and a doubled section for the tongue from just in front of the front axle then maybe.

What are the tires rated for and how old are they?

What shape are the wheel bearings in?

I have hauled a 8K excavator on my 7k trailer about 30 miles at 55mph, but it has 5" channel frame and a doubled section for the tongue from just in front of the front axle. I hauled this with a K3500 GMC.

I also have ST rated tires that are rated for a 2,540 lbs load, so +10K for the tires.

In the end you have to decide.

 

[Jchonline]

You haven’t mentioned any towing ratings or capacities for your towing vehicle. Can you also share that information?. I agree with above posters, it sounds like you are already way over on your trailer GVWR. Other capacities would include GCWR (GVWR truck + GVWR trailer) , truck GVWR (curb weight + payload + passengers), hitch towing capacity, etc. Lots to think about, and you may already have all of this under control. All of these need to be within limits.

 

[Jchonline]

100 miles at 10 mph?

I've seen trailer tongues bent because they were overloaded. What is it for a pickup? A ton in the bed is a pretty good load.

Somewhere on this site is the story of a member who went for a wild ride after suddenly snapping the front straps holding his tractor down causing it to roll backward, losing his tongue weight. He later determined that while he was within the weight rating for the trailer, it had flexed on a bump causing his straps to break.

I have an F250 and my bed payload capacity is 1500lbs. He better have a really big truck!

On the member story, hopefully he is using chains now...no straps!

 

[BHD]

with loads like that one would start to bend the axles in time,

if you want haul that kind of load I would suggest, a heaver trailer,

I have no problem with "overloading" something, but any time one does there is going to be some negative effects on the machinery, and safety, the metal will fatege faster, and things fail,

and now days if you "over load things" beyond manufactures ratings, trailer, tires, truck, you will be in violation of DOT, rules and if caught subject to fines, and may have to leave part of the load and come back an retrieve later to what was over loaded,

 

[CobyRupert]

You'all are just playing numbers games not directly tied to reality, but based on legality.

Regarding REAL capacity: What's more likely to fail first? : Legally having 7000 lbs on those axles over a potholed road at 60 mph for 4 hours, or illegally having 8000lbs on those axles on a smooth road at 30 mph for 10 minutes?

There's no one real answer to how much can a 3500lb rated axle "really take" without narrowly defining what the conditions are and how much shortened lifespan you can tolerate.

That is, Is the question: How much can it take before it snaps while stationary? Or is it how much can it carry take while hitting a x inch high pothole at y mph before it snaps? Or is it how long before heat at x mph rises to a point it causes bearing failure? Or how many tons shortens "expected" lifespan (from say 20 years) to 10 years, or to 5 years, or to about 30 minutes?

We see this with electrical questions all the time. Example: How much can a cable rated for 20 amps "really carry"? My point is: There's are a lot of answers that might range something like: 30 amps indefinitely, 60 amps, but you cut it's lifespan from 40 years to 5 years; 200 amps for an hour, 400 amps for 20 seconds, 2000 amps for 1 second, etc...
:2cents:

 

[Jstpssng]

^^^^^ The OP stated that he's traveling 100 miles, so your's is a moot question with regard to this thread. Furthermore those ratings aren't strictly to be legal, they are based on industry standards.

 

[robertsa]

^^^^^ The OP stated that he's traveling 100 miles, so your's is a moot question with regard to this thread. Furthermore those ratings aren't strictly to be legal, they are based on industry standards.

Exactly. Rhetorical question, how old is the trailer? Materials degrade. Sure there's a safety factor built in when engineered but how bad do you want to find out what that limit is?

Even if it doesn't suffer catastrophic failure, you will be degrading parts and the frame at a faster rate. It sounds like OP needs more trailer. I don't know what his tow vehicle is but people often overestimate what capacities their 3/4 and 1 ton trucks are engineered for.

 

[RickB]

If you factor in a 1000 pound hitch weight and a 2000 pound trailer weight youæ±*e probably fine with 3 tons on the trailer. Thereç—´ no way I壇 put 4 tons in a 7000 pound trailer.

True. But with another ton in the bed heç—´ grossly overweight all the way around. Please post your location so I can be on the lookout.