Posted 2013-12-11 9:15 AM (#156198) Subject: trailer too heavy for truck?
Regular
Posts: 82 Location: The Land of Ahs
Two questions re: trailer shopping
1. Is this trailer too heavy for my truck?
Truck: 2007 Dodge 2500 5.9 diesel, 4x4, SBed, Ccab
Trailer: 25' box, 8500 lbs empty
My current trailer empty is 6500 lbs, loaded w/ 2 horses, 2 people and gear is 9100 lbs. And truck handles like it's not even there. I usually travel alone so that added 2600 would be the most added to the 8500; making 11,100 towed lbs. I haul a 50 gal water tank in the truck bed and probably at least 2 of the hay bales would be there when hauling a another rider/horse/gear.
The numbers are all good, but I'd like to hear from folks who haul, and stop, this weight with a similar truck. Do you feel under trucked?
2. What problems/concerns do you see from a trailer that has been sitting in a building for over 8 years?
It has full LQ with Onan generator. No rodent damage, was almost new when owner became ill and trailer stored. Tires and batteries, of course, will be replaced and all systems checked thoroughly. It's not in arid climate so drying out of seals, caulk is not evident. Thoughts on problems that may not be evident now?
Thanks so much. This forum has been very helpful with my towing learning curve!
Posted 2013-12-11 11:17 AM (#156200 - in reply to #156198) Subject: RE: trailer too heavy for truck?
Veteran
Posts: 109 Location: Florida
What it "can tow" and what it can tow "legally" is 2 different things IMO.
From a link I looked at ( http://www.dodge.com/towing/D/vehicle_to_weight.jsp?year=6 ), it looks like you have about 13,000lbs total to play with after curb weight... I'm sure it wont have a problem, BUT if anything bad happens, the numbers for capacity will be pulled. I am sure you wont get many people putting it in type here, but ALOT of us by-pass the numbers and go by our butt feeling when driving the truck/trailer combo and let our butt (that good old pucker factor) tell us if we should be towing the weight we are.
Trailer... You are on the right track, just look it over, replace what you think should be... Take short trips to start, then when the little or big things pop up they wont be a big problem close to home.
Posted 2013-12-11 11:24 AM (#156201 - in reply to #156198) Subject: RE: trailer too heavy for truck?
Veteran
Posts: 109 Location: Florida
...Sorry I missed that silly 3min edit time limit.
To add...
Myself, I'll say it here... With my 05 6.0 F350 CC, I will stay under 25,999lbs total (but really, never over 24,750 for a buffer), this way I will not hit the 26,000lbs for CDL... That gives me a butt factor of round/about 16,500lb of loaded trailer (I will never go over my own set limits).
Posted 2013-12-11 4:40 PM (#156202 - in reply to #156198) Subject: RE: trailer too heavy for truck?
Expert
Posts: 2957 Location: North Carolina
Sitting 8 years ... Pull wheel bearings & repack. Expect a few roof leaks. Keep checking for water after every rain. Overtime a small roof leak will destroy a trailer via mold & rot.
Posted 2013-12-11 5:46 PM (#156203 - in reply to #156198) Subject: RE: trailer too heavy for truck?
Expert
Posts: 3853 Location: Vermont
Originally written by pegasus on 2013-12-11 9:15 AM
Two questions re: trailer shopping
1. Is this trailer too heavy for my truck?
Truck: 2007 Dodge 2500 5.9 diesel, 4x4, SBed, Ccab
Trailer: 25' box, 8500 lbs empty
My current trailer empty is 6500 lbs, loaded w/ 2 horses, 2 people and gear is 9100 lbs. And truck handles like it's not even there. I usually travel alone so that added 2600 would be the most added to the 8500; making 11,100 towed lbs. I haul a 50 gal water tank in the truck bed and probably at least 2 of the hay bales would be there when hauling a another rider/horse/gear.
The numbers are all good, but I'd like to hear from folks who haul, and stop, this weight with a similar truck. Do you feel under trucked?
2. What problems/concerns do you see from a trailer that has been sitting in a building for over 8 years?
It has full LQ with Onan generator. No rodent damage, was almost new when owner became ill and trailer stored. Tires and batteries, of course, will be replaced and all systems checked thoroughly. It's not in arid climate so drying out of seals, caulk is not evident. Thoughts on problems that may not be evident now?
Thanks so much. This forum has been very helpful with my towing learning curve!
Weight the the trailer...because some LQs were not counted in the weight tag from the trailer manufacturer...that trailer may quite a bit more than the defined 8500 lbs...
Posted 2013-12-12 3:33 PM (#156211 - in reply to #156198) Subject: RE: trailer too heavy for truck?
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 373 Location: Texas
Never trust what they say it weighs unless you have seen a weight tag, and we always think our trucks "pull it just fine" until the horse poo-poo hits the fan and we REALLY need enough truck. Not saying its not enough to handle it, but the fact you have concerns, means it is a bigger trailer than you have had, and again, I would weigh it.
Posted 2013-12-12 10:04 PM (#156222 - in reply to #156198) Subject: RE: trailer too heavy for truck?
Expert
Posts: 5870 Location: western PA
Sitting 8 years ... Pull wheel bearings & repack
Ditto that. You can expect to find the tops of the bearings are rusted where the grease sloughed off over time. You can pretty much plan on installing new bearings and seals. The inside of the brake drums probably are rusted, which will need to be cleaned and inspected, along with the other brake components.
The trailer's caulking has dried and become rather inflexible and brittle over time, regardless of indoor or outdoor storage. As was stated, you don't want mold. Plan on recaulking all the seams before the trailer is subjected to poor weather.
trailer too heavy for truck?
