Anyone got an aluminum frame trailer that they have used with a weight distribution hitch? I'm eventually going to need a trailer bigger than 7k once I get the subframe for the backhoe on my new tractor. I have a limited tow capacity per manufacturer rating (9300 lb) so I wanted to go with an open frame aluminum 10k trailer to help keep the weight lower since I'll be around 6000+ lb for the tractor. My understanding is that (most?) aluminum trailers aren't recommended for use with weight distribution hitches and the manufacturer says WD required for over 7k towing with the truck. a 7x20 steel trailer is going to be pretty much 3k, and with the tractor i'm going to be right at my tow rating, not to mention probably right on top of the 15k combined number. An aluminum trailer would likely save me 500 lbs if i can go that way. I'm quite certain i've never seen anyone towing an open trailer with a WD setup around here, though i'm pretty sure most 1500 series trucks would probably require it by the numbers, and if at all possible I try to make the numbers work, just in case...
Weight Distribution on Alumium Frame Trailers
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fried1765
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You really need a 2500 series truck for what you are considering.
the numbers will work out fine - right on the limit, but still fine. I'm just looking to shave a little weight where i can.
it's towed a solid 7k perfectly on only a weight carrying hitch with only a slight amount of extra shifting noticeable really - the little 3.0 liter really does fine. I'm not doing this daily or for a living and i'll be at the limit on a rare occasion, but i may as well account for it with the trailer i buy next. I've had trucks ranging from compact to 3500 series over the last three decades and the trailer is a constant for a lot longer than the trucks, so i'm looking for one that will work now and with the next vehicle, whatever it may be.
it's towed a solid 7k perfectly on only a weight carrying hitch with only a slight amount of extra shifting noticeable really - the little 3.0 liter really does fine. I'm not doing this daily or for a living and i'll be at the limit on a rare occasion, but i may as well account for it with the trailer i buy next. I've had trucks ranging from compact to 3500 series over the last three decades and the trailer is a constant for a lot longer than the trucks, so i'm looking for one that will work now and with the next vehicle, whatever it may be.
4570Man
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You could get a gooseneck trailer and skip the WD hitch.
ironically, 9300 lb manufacturer rating for conventional pull trailer, and i believe only 7100 lb for a gooseneck or 5th wheel... not to mention the trailer would be even heavier. plus, to get the deal i got i took a true shortbed ~5.5 foot bed so a gooseneck would be a no-go.
I'll probably end up going with a steel trailer, but i figured it's worth a shot to see if there's a way to make aluminum work. i'll just have to be real conscious about how much extra junk i intend to carry if i tow the tractor. as i said, i'll do what i can to make the numbers work, but the same truck with a different powertrain is rated for 12k, so it's not so much a safety issue as it is a drivetrain one, and I don't do high speed interstate towing anyways. we've got one interstate in the state, and it doesn't lead anywhere i normally trailer to. lower speed backroads are my thing.
Sawyer Rob
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A different powertrain (bigger hp) MOST times includes other upgrades with it...
SR
SR
LouNY
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It used to but I'm not seeing that as much anymore, in the half tons the axles brakes and most of the transmission are the same,
in the 3/4's the the axles and differentials and transfer cases are the same transmissions may be different brakes are the same.
Morning Wood
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I wouldn’t put a WD setup on an aluminum frame. It won’t hold up in the long run.
dodge man
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A lot of 1/2 ton trucks say a weight distribution hitch is required for anything over 5000 lbs trailer weight and 500 pounds hitch weight. What is the payload of you current truck.
3Ts
Elite Member
The aluminum frame is softer than a steel frame and is more likely to distort with a WDH. Also, be sure you check the weight of the aluminum trailer! Aluminum is not as strong as steel so they have to use more of it. I heard of one guy who wanted an aluminum truck bed so it'd be light. But to meet the structural requirements, it ended up heavier than a steel bed would have been.
Also, aluminum doesn't rust - ever! Rust is only ferrous metals, aluminum does corrode so trying to make it last a long time still requires maintenance. A repair to a steel trailer is much easier than an aluminum one and there are more welders that can do steel compared to aluminum.
Also, aluminum doesn't rust - ever! Rust is only ferrous metals, aluminum does corrode so trying to make it last a long time still requires maintenance. A repair to a steel trailer is much easier than an aluminum one and there are more welders that can do steel compared to aluminum.
skipmarcy
Veteran Member
My '99 F250 king cab short bed (6') handles my gooseneck just fine and I even have a toolbox across the bed. Very hilly around here and never had an issue with the hitch getting even close to the toolbox, much less the cab. Modern goosenecks are built to fit a wider variety of trucks and the hitches are more accommodating. I'm 6'4" and can actually walk under my hitch when attached to the truck. Load Trail car hauler gooseneck.
4570Man
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Cutting 5th wheel campers in the cab is a concern but I don’t think it would ever happen with a GN trailer without completely jackknifing it. I’ve pulled GN trailers with a 6’ bed truck and never had it happen. I’ve seen people getting the back corner of the bed into the trailer trying to cross ditches.
well, some of the online sites that sell trailering equipment there make mention that there are ones that do support wdh towing on their aluminum trailers. i'm just looking for more than anecdotal information, and potentially what brand(s) they happen to be.
i had it in the first post, but manual says no wdh required up to 7k. don't remember the payload, but 9300 lb towing, 930 lb max tongue weight i remember. payload must be somewhere in the 1700 range? 7200 gvw & call it 5500 for the truck - just guessing cause i don't have the numbers in front of me.
just checked and it's 5405 curb & 1795 payload
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1999 homemade 16' wood deck, 5" channel frame, 3" channel cross members, a-frame tongue, dual dexter mobile home style axles on 14.5" tires. Trailer is slightly narrower than normal due to the width of the axles. I have a set of 5th wheel take off torsion axles and 5 new 15" wheels and tires I got before I found the new tractor. trailer is slated for a rebuild that I hope to do this fall / winter, regardless of when I buy a new bigger trailer. It's been a great trailer for two decades and has hauled a lot of stuff a lot of miles, but it's just slightly smaller than what I should have. Back when I built it, all of the steel was bought at under $20/cwt and now it's about 5x that price, plus no deep discounts on takeoff axles and tires, so i don't find it cost effective to build a new one. $3899 for a 20' steel 10k is probably where i'll be headed when all is said and done.
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