7,000# vs 10,000# trailer

[wallace]

My question is: how will a law enforcement officer know what your vehicle is rated to tow? The federal label on the door won't tell you; at least not if it is a SUV like the Explorer I drive or the Expedition used in this case. The owner's manual, which a person is not required to carry in their vehicle will tell you different ratings depending on what axle ratio, etc. the vehicle is equipped with. I'm not arguing, but I'd just like to know how a law enforcement officer is going to know what my vehicle is rated to tow?

Those vans you see in the rest areas or the ones that pull you over with a marked Trooper and even the Troopers cars have internet access now.
All of the tow ratings for all vehicle are found on the WEB

 

[KeithInSpace]

I'm not overly concerned about the whole "trailer rating over your tow rating" issue. It's not like I'll have a pintle hitch, bulldozer, and wide load sign on my trailer attracting attention to the fact that I'm pulling it with a 1/2 ton vehicle.

The general appearance of a BX is a mower on super steroids...not something that would attact a huge amount of attention. And the trailer doesn't have a big "10,000# RATING" sign on the side, either. The layperson would have a hard time distinguishing it from a 7,000# trailer.

I'd further argue that between these two situations:

Scenario 1) 7,000# capacity trailer weighing 2,500# and loaded with 4,000#...93% of capacity
Scenario 2) 10,000# capacity trailer weighing 3,200# and loaded with 4,000#...72% of capacity

scenario 2 results in a generally safer tow condition as long as you have a tow vehicle capable of managing the extra weight of the trailer. Which I do.

Since most of my trips are to my parents, my wife and kids will be in the car, as well. This is why my wife is being so sensitive to the "stoutness" of the trailer. Who am I to not accomodate when my wife says, "Why don't you get something a little bigger, honey?"

 

[Blk88GT]

Get the 20' 10k trailer. You won't be sorry. The extra space also gives you more room to adjust your load for proper tongue weight, something that is very important. If you insist on towing with your current vehicle, I would strongly recommend a weight distributing hitch. In fact, I don't think I'd tow without it.

For the record, I like AND dislike the fold up loading ramps. 1) they look ugly 2) They're too short to load a low car with 3) They're a pain in the *** to move over (heavy), but they're very functional and well built.

I have a wood deck on mine and don't have any complaints about it. The trailer is stored outside and has been for 7 years. There's no sign of rot anywhere.

I went overkill on the tow vehicle, but I don't have to worry about stopping, pulling or getting a ticket. Love my diesel.

 

[KeithInSpace]

I have never considered a weight distribution package, but if it makes the thing safer, I guess I should think about it.

Question: Say I buy a 1,000# package or whatever seems to match the capacity of the trailer...if I travel with the trailer UNLOADED, what happens? Is the whole thing somehow binding in the middle? Or is it a passive system that just "does"? And what happens to the springbars if you go through a large angle breakover...commercial entrance ramp into a gas station, for example? Is it something you can adjust depending on the tongue weight?

Just never seen one in action before. I want to be as safe as possible, but don't want to get crazy. The back of my truck stays up in nearly every situation...hauled over 2,000# of tile/grout from Home Depot 3 miles up and it never hit the suspension stops. She was sagging a bit, though. Does it only combat "rear end sag" or does it help combat any possibility of sway as well?

 

[Blk88GT]

Keith, there are systems that do both sway and weight distrobution. My experience towing my open trailer and a 28ft enclosed is that the weight distrobution bars help reduce sway, but likely not as much as a real "sway bar" setup.

The main idea is that they put some weight on the front of the vehicle. You shouldn't have any problems with using them in the scenarios you listed. You can adjust the tension on both bars in under 30 seconds. You can also remove them in under a minute if you so choose. I don't think they would benefit you with an empty trailer, but they certainly won't hurt anything by being there.

The only time I'd take them off is if you need to jacknife the trailer to get it backed up where you need it.

It's worth thinking about, for the small investment I think it's worth it.

 

[KeithInSpace]

Cool. Understand about the jacknife thing...the bars would get crossed up in that situation. No problem during your normal "sharp turns" though, right?

Regarding sizing of the arms...it is a guessing game of exactly how much you're loading the tongue. This is my only trailer, so it is conceivable that I'd be using it lightly loaded...would I simply 'disengage' the load distribution arms at this point? Then just hook them up when I load my tractor (or some other heavy thing/stuff) on the trailer?

Soooo, would I go ahead and get 1,000# arms for a 10,000# trailer? Or is there some benefit to trying to 'refine' the arm strength to 650# or something else...I guess I'm asking: Is there a DOWNSIDE to having 1,000# arms given that I can adjust them and/or remove them depending on the situation?

 

[Blk88GT]

To my knowledge, there is no downside to the oversized arms. I don't even know what size I've been using to tell you the truth!

etrailer.com was the cheapest place I've seen the setups. The arms can be removed completely for running unloaded if you prefer. The arms are chain mounted on the trailer side, so you won't have any bind going on with tight corners etc.

I would say the 1k setup would be fine, but that might be a good question for the vendor you decide to buy from.

 

[Beavis]

Those vans you see in the rest areas or the ones that pull you over with a marked Trooper and even the Troopers cars have internet access now.
All of the tow ratings for all vehicle are found on the WEB

I'm aware of the internet access, and also how the tow ratings are available online: BUT, there are usually several different tow ratings for each model of vehicle depending on what gear ratio, motor, and other equipment it has. For example I have an Explorer with a tow package that is rated for 7,000lbs where a regular Explorer is rated for 5,000lbs. On most vehicles you can't tell just by looking; heck, almost everything comes standard with a hitch. So if I have an Explorer and get stopped towing a 6,000lb trailer and the officer looks up tow ratings on the internet he/she sees 5,000 and 7,000; how is he/she going to know what I have? The only way I can think is if he/she contacts the dealer with my VIN# and gets a breakdown from the dealership to see what axle ratio, etc. the vehilce has. Even then, in some states (like mine) there is no statute that addresses it; only a civil mess after the wreck

 

[KeithInSpace]

Just checked with my dealership where I'd buy the trailer. The weight dstributing hitch deal is $425 installed, shank and everything included. That is with 1,200# arms.

Now I just need my wife to choke down $3,425 + tax for a big freaking trailer that I wouldn't need but for hauling my $20,000 rig to other people's houses to do work I don't get paid for.

Maybe I'll pour a glass of wine first.

 

[em14]

"Now I just need my wife to choke down $3,425 + tax for a big freaking trailer that I wouldn't need but for hauling my $20,000 rig to other people's houses to do work I don't get paid for."
Good Luck!
Leo