Need a new Trailer

ampsucker · Feb 19, 2008

fwiw, no one seems to really mention that unless you go aluminum, you'll be hard pressed to find a trailer with anywhere close to the rated capacity that weighs less than 2,000 lbs dry/empty. i just bought a 20 ft car-hauler with no rails or anything, just two 3500 lb axles and a spare tire and ramps, and it weighs 2400 lbs empty. it is a well built trailer but they simply could not trim any more weight and still maintain the carrying capacity.

be sure to weigh your rig in various configurations including the fully loaded truck and trailer to make sure you are under all your weight limits. local quarrys are a great place to get your weight for free with no DOT involvement.

also, don't forget the weakest link in the chain determines you hauling capacity. on a stock truck, this is often the 5,000 lbs rated receiver hitch or the 3500 lb hitch ball. check EVERYTHING and don't trust the dealer who sold it to you and TOLD you it was all rated for the max the truck COULD theoretically haul. he won't be around when the accident happens. hopefully, neither will you!

seriously, check everything. do the math if using a drop down hitch. check the ball, check the safety chains, check the hitch rating on the trailer, etc.

ahlkey · Feb 19, 2008

Thanks again for all the good advice. I willing be traveling about 350 miles round trip at least 5-6 times a year on mostly interstate highways that are flat. It may be possible that the loader weighs less or that the tire fluid is not as heavy as the estimates that have been given me. The cab is really small and the dealer indicated it weighs 1,000 lbs? Therefore, before doing anything I will take the tractor over to the local "iron works" scale here and give it a good measure. Perhaps if I am lucky it will come much lighter. I do agree AMPS that the problem is also the overall 14,000 combination limit and the trailers are over 2,000 lbs minimum.

I absolutely do not want to take any risks and will definitely error on the side of safety. Thanks for all the good advice.

Stay tuned.

ahlkey · Feb 21, 2008

I was able weigh the tractor and it appears the weight of the loader & cab was estimated wrong by the dealer. The total weight is 5,600 lbs which is 600 lbs less. However, given everyone's comments it would be foolish to try the GVWR 7,000 trailer since when you add back the weight of the trailer I would be over or right at the payload limit. Likewise, I will likely want to add more equipment at some point. Therefore, I will take the sound advice and get a 10,000 or even 12,000 GVWR trailer, use my distribution hitch, go for a 22, 20' or 18' model, get brakes on both axles (brake controller as well), and lots of chains & binders.

The weight of these trailers that I have looked at range from 2,000 to 2400 lbs which means I should be below or slightly above my 7,900 lb car towing level. However, as was pointed out it is better to have the trailer not be overloaded. I am sure the trailer and the tractor will out live my truck so in the long run I should be set.

Any additional advice would be greatly appreciated as this forum has definitely saved me from going the wrong direction. Thanks again