Towing capacity

[MossRoad]

I pull my L2550DT with a 3/4 ton Dodge with a V10 and a 7K tilt bed trailer (two 3,500K axles). It pulls fine up and down hills and being a dual axle trailer it has brakes as well.
My regret in the purchase was not getting a 9K trailer but no issues with my current package for the Kubota use.

Something's confusing to me in that calculation.

Two 3500 pound axles can only hold 7000# total. You have to subtract the weight of the trailer from those axles to get the usable load.

For example, I have a 7000# car hauler trailer with two 3500# axles. My trailer weighs 1500#, so I have to subtract the 1500# trailer weight from the 7000# capacity of the axles to get a 5500# usable load capacity.

 

[repete]

Something's confusing to me in that calculation.

Two 3500 pound axles can only hold 7000# total. You have to subtract the weight of the trailer from those axles to get the usable load.

For example, I have a 7000# car hauler trailer with two 3500# axles. My trailer weighs 1500#, so I have to subtract the 1500# trailer weight from the 7000# capacity of the axles to get a 5500# usable load capacity.

You are correct on including the trailer weight as well as subtracting the tongue weight on the truck. yes it is marginal but with heavier rated tires it does just fine. I never go more than probably 20 miles maximum.

Biggest thing is taking care of tires and keeping them inflated.

I had considered changing out the 3500 axles with 5000 axles. Both a 7K and 10K trailers were the same frame according to the manufacturer. I found out in Washington State that once a trailer is licensed for 7K that is all it can ever be licensed for unless it gets a new vehicle inspection. Not that anyone is going to stop it and examine it though....

 

[RandyT]

Trailer manufacturers like to play fast and loose with their specs sometimes. Like gooseneck 16K trailer with 7K axles. They assume a certain amount of tongue weight in their weight rating so it doesn't overload the axles.

 

[ning]

I am trying to build out parameters for a truck and trailer I will need to transport my tractor. I can get specific weights on tractors and equipment. I am trying to determine how much 'wiggle room' I need to build in to my calculations. So if I get a medium-sized CUT with ROPs, that is about 3300 lbs. 16 ft trailer with about 7000 lb capacity is 2500-3000 lbs. Cab is a maybe right now. FEL is a definite yes, so I will have to add in weight for that. Also likely to have med-hvy duty RC on 3pt. What other factors do I need to consider? Like, how heavy would loaded tires be? At this point, I don't know what I don't know. I don't want to buy too small a truck, but I also have no interest in a behemoth.

I'd personally love to find a good trailer at a great price, but since I haven't and I only occasionally need to use a trailer, I put up with renting about once a year. It's *way* cheaper than owning a trailer, and as I said, once a year...

Now if I needed to haul my tractor even once a month I'd probably eventually break even by buying a trailer and that would be excuse enough for me to buy one.

@Torvy how often do you expect to need to move the tractor via trailer?

 

[Grumpycat]

It has a lot more to do with weight of the tow vehicle, method of towing, and tires than it does with rating. Also as a general rule there’s accepted trailer to tow vehicle ratios for different types (bumper pull, goose neck, etc). You should consider more facts with applicable data and less feelings.

No, you are confused. The vehicle tow rating includes all those factors which it is so hard to get a straight answer from the vehicle manufacturer as to tow rating when there are (3) different cabs, (2) different wheelbases, 2WD and 4WD, engines, tires, and tow packages. And then one must subtract the weight of options such as sunroof, bed liner, power seats....

A 1/2 ton may be rated for 7800 pounds bumper pull, 9500 bed (5th wheel or gooseneck) pull. A 3/4 ton may be rated 10,000 bumper, 15,000 bed.

 

[RandyT]

No, you are confused. The vehicle tow rating includes all those factors which it is so hard to get a straight answer from the vehicle manufacturer as to tow rating when there are (3) different cabs, (2) different wheelbases, 2WD and 4WD, engines, tires, and tow packages. And then one must subtract the weight of options such as sunroof, bed liner, power seats....

A 1/2 ton may be rated for 7800 pounds bumper pull, 9500 bed (5th wheel or gooseneck) pull. A 3/4 ton may be rated 10,000 bumper, 15,000 bed.

Plus the wife, 3 kids, atv in the bed of the truck, the kids bikes, and other thing else they decide to bring with them.

 

[oldballs]

How much.....how far.....how often......how hilly.....flat lands or mountains......on Inter State hwy....are things to consider.
It ain't the towing that gets ya...it's the stopping that trix "ya.

Cheeers,
Mike

 

[dodge man]

A pic of my rig. You really need to know roughly the weight of your tractor your getting. My tractor naked is a little less than 2000 pounds but by the time you add fluid to the tires, a loader and a rear implement it gets a little over 3000 pounds.

I will also be the payload police. The truck in my picture is a Ford F150 XLT. It has a payload of 1940 pounds. Add me and my tool box and that number drops to 1600 pounds. Add a couple of buddies and it’s 1200 pounds. Figuring a 13% trailer weight, this would allow a trailer weight of 9000 pounds. The problem is many half ton trucks will have a much lower payload, as low as 1300 pounds. In my example above, this would mean a trailer weight of less than 5000 pounds. The payload is listed on the door jamb sticker on newer trucks. Learn where to look for this.

Also don’t buy into salesman’s or makers claims. Ford says something like 3000 pounds of payload and 13,000 towing. That’s a fairytale truck, a regular cab, 2 wheel drive, heavy duty payload, max tow, no options.

Good luck on the search.

 

[TractorGuy]

The owners manual for my old F150 has a very detailed chart listing towing capacities. It breaks it down by cab model, engine, and rear axle ratio. Above the chart it discusses all the details about not exceeding the GVWR OR GAWR limitations. It also warns that replacing tires with those of a higher rating do NOT increase the other values.

I considered upgrading but my max towing capacity is 7200 LBS so without a bigger truck the point is moot.

 

[Jstpssng]

This is an example of a truck which is probably within it’s limits, but IMHO is still sagging too much. I don’t know if the weight is too far forward or he just needs a set of load levelers.
I could also be wrong, I followed him for about 15 miles and there was no sign of wobble. It was a long ways to New Hampshire though.

 

[Lineman North Florida]

This is an example of a truck which is probably within it’s limits, but IMHO is still sagging too much. I don’t know if the weight is too far forward or he just needs a set of load levelers.
I could also be wrong, I followed him for about 15 miles and there was no sign of wobble. It was a long ways to New Hampshire though.

A real sharp turn just might get his tailgate with his FEL bucket, if not paying close attention.

 

[Panik]

This is an example of a truck which is probably within it’s limits, but IMHO is still sagging too much. I don’t know if the weight is too far forward or he just needs a set of load levelers.
I could also be wrong, I followed him for about 15 miles and there was no sign of wobble. It was a long ways to New Hampshire though.

You know... I had a trailer like that when I first had my BX. While I don't remember the specs, things were well within weight limits for the trailer and tow capacity for my truck with plenty of weight to spare. Honestly? It sucked towing my little tractor - it flexed and jerked, was a pain to balance and all together made for a discomforting towing experience. Upgraded, with overkill, to a Kaufman 20' 10K with brakes on both axles and, while on paper I lost some capacity, I feel much much more comfortable going down the road.

Point being is that sometimes it's not just about the numbers, it is also about how things actually feel and work when driving/towing. Aside from the stability the Kaufman gives me room for a deck mounted toolbox, room to adjust tongue weight and also move cars to the mechanic when needed.

 

[Jstpssng]

You know... I had a trailer like that when I first had my BX. While I don't remember the specs, things were well within weight limits for the trailer and tow capacity for my truck with plenty of weight to spare. Honestly? It sucked towing my little tractor - it flexed and jerked, was a pain to balance and all together made for a discomforting towing experience. Upgraded, with overkill, to a Kaufman 20' 10K with brakes on both axles and, while on paper I lost some capacity, I feel much much more comfortable going down the road.

Point being is that sometimes it's not just about the numbers, it is also about how things actually feel and work when driving/towing. Aside from the stability the Kaufman gives me room for a deck mounted toolbox, room to adjust tongue weight and also move cars to the mechanic when needed.

The potential problem I saw was that in order to put his ATV on, the tractor is beyond the center of the axles. Loading the ATV sideways would have allowed him to balance the load better.

 

[bcp]

This is an example of a truck which is probably within it’s limits, but IMHO is still sagging too much. I don’t know if the weight is too far forward or he just needs a set of load levelers.
I could also be wrong, I followed him for about 15 miles and there was no sign of wobble. It was a long ways to New Hampshire though.

Heavy in front makes it more wobble resistant.

Bruce

 

[4570Man]

“I bought too big of a trailer!” Said no man ever...

I don’t like my 23’ tilt trailer. I actually do like the trailer it’s my favorite one I have but I wish it was 5’ shorter.

 

[dstig1]

I'll add another vote for 16' being not long enough, I know because that was what I had. I had an L3130 tractor open station with loader and loaded tires at the time. The trailer was a 16' 10k rated (well 9990 lbs) car hauler/equipment low boy style. At the time I was doing this I kept a logging winch on the 3pt, which sticks out very little - maybe a foot total, and either the bucket or grapple on the FEL. Sometimes I would set the forks on all the way to the front, facing rear and put the tractor over it. The forks would get strapped down separately.

10k was the right weight class for this size tractor. 16' was way too short. I ended up having to back it on to get the weight dist right, which is OK to do, but that was the ONLY way to do it, so there was no flexibility. All that and the grapple or bucket would overhang the rear by 6-18" (grapple was longer).

20' would have been perfect. 18' would have been at least a bit better. But you are talking about a RC on the 3pt. That means you are looking at something sticking out 6-7', and heavy putting a lot more weight out back which hurts your tongue weight.

In your case I would think 22' should be OK in a 10k trailer with brakes on both axles. But your question was what truck to pull it... Well you need to go through all that first to see what the load is like. I was somewhere around 7-8k total load with trailer included. You will be a bit more with bigger trailer and the RC. So you need a truck that can pull 10k for sure, and things like integrated brake controller would be very wise. There will be half tons that can do it, but a 3/4 ton will handle it for sure. 3/4 ton is what I have, though I no longer have the trailer.

I know having a super long trailer can be a real PITA in tight spaces. Another thing to keep in mind is that plans change. Down the road you may find you need to tow longer distances, more frequently where you will be happy you have a bigger/better trailer than you might have got...or the complete reverse and you can sell the trailer. If you might need to haul more weight then you should be talking 14k trailer and then for sure a 3/4 ton truck. So you need to evaluate what you might want to do later on as well. It is always a bit of a guess, but worth thinking through.

 

[TractorGuy]

Heavy in front makes it more wobble resistant.

Bruce

But takes weight off the steering axle of the tow vehicle.

Too little or too much tongue weight creates a safety issue. It is one area that needs to be set up within acceptable parameters. The tow vehicle also needs to meet the needs. If it sags in the rear with proper tongue weight then it isn't sprung for the task.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

OP,

In my case, my cabbed tractor weighs 4200 lbs (that's bare chassis weight) dry weight (according to manufacturer listed weight). The FEL with standard bucket weighs 1200 lbs. When I bought mine, I had the dealer fill the rear tires with Rimgaurd. At the first opportunity I brought it to the CAT scale and weighed it. According to the actual scale, my tractor with FEL + bucket, filled rear tires, and a box blade (it's what I had on at the time) weighs 7100 lbs. Rimguard is the heaviest liquid you can fill your tires with, but it's not available in all areas. My tires are size 420/70x24, and they are filled up to the top of the rim on the high side, to give you an idea of how much weight to add for filling rear tires.

I have been hauling this on my 18' car trailer. It's been "working", but the load is too heavy for my rated trailer capacity. My next trailer will be a +/- 30' deckover gooseneck. The reason I want such a big jump in trailer deck length is there have been several times I've wished to have more that one set of attachments with me while on a job site. With an 18' trailer, it's not an option because there is no room to put anything else on. You get what's on the tractor and that's it. I also want the deckover for hauling pallets or IBC totes more easily that a standard deck with wheel wells in the way.

This is my 18' trailer with my 6' mower on the back:

As you can see, it hangs off the back by several feet. A 22' deck would keep it all on the deck with no overhang. But I want room for a couple of attachments as well.

With the box blade on the 3pt, it doesn't overhang at all:

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

But takes weight off the steering axle of the tow vehicle.

Too little or too much tongue weight creates a safety issue. It is one area that needs to be set up within acceptable parameters. The tow vehicle also needs to meet the needs. If it sags in the rear with proper tongue weight then it isn't sprung for the task.

That's not actually true. In today's world of "sissy-fied" trucks, they all have to ride like luxury cars, or "truck buyers" won't buy them. So they make the springs extra soft compared to decades ago so today's "momma's boys" won't wet their pants when they go over a bump.

This will surprise you. The actual scaled weight in this picture is less than my truck's rated capacity (the actual sticker on my door jamb) by 600 pounds. The pin weight on this 5th wheel was 2500 lbs (proven by a CAT scale). My door jamb sticker gives me a rated capacity of 3156 lbs.

Looks scary, right? It did steer pretty bad. That was our first trip out in the new 5th wheel. It got air bags installed before we went out again.

Same exact load a month later with air bags. Everything is within ratings on all aspects, truck, axles, tires, everything. It's just the squishy stock 3/4 ton springs that flex so much.

Compared to my last 3/4 ton:

It rode like it had iron bars for springs.

 

[TreeToad]

I am trying to build out parameters for a truck and trailer I will need to transport my tractor. I can get specific weights on tractors and equipment. I am trying to determine how much 'wiggle room' I need to build in to my calculations. So if I get a medium-sized CUT with ROPs, that is about 3300 lbs. 16 ft trailer with about 7000 lb capacity is 2500-3000 lbs. Cab is a maybe right now. FEL is a definite yes, so I will have to add in weight for that. Also likely to have med-hvy duty RC on 3pt. What other factors do I need to consider? Like, how heavy would loaded tires be? At this point, I don't know what I don't know. I don't want to buy too small a truck, but I also have no interest in a behemoth.

FWIW. I have a SCUT with a FEL and a 48” tiller and my 14’ dual axle trailer (7000 lb) is only a few inches of being too short. I urge you to measure your overall length and decide if it’s long enough. I should have gone with a 16’ and mine is a smaller setup than yours. Just my 2 cents worth.