Posted 2007-08-29 3:37 PM (#66744) Subject: Do I have enough truck?
Member
Posts: 7
Location: south carolina
I am considering buying an Exiss 3-horse, 8 wide with mangers and 10' living quarters. I have been told this trailer weighs 8600 lbs. dry. My truck is 2003 Chevy 2500 shortbed 4 door Duramax Diesel. Can anyone speak from experience if this will be enough truck? I don't think power will be a problem, but not sure how the truck will handle that much tongue weight. Thanks, Nick
Posted 2007-08-29 5:55 PM (#66753 - in reply to #66744) Subject: RE: Do I have enough truck?
Expert
Posts: 1205 Location: Danielsville Georgia
Wow! You need a dually with 4.10 gearing.Don't think and I might be wrong that a single axel TIRE will be safe with that kinda weight.Much less rear springs.Bet you also have something like a 3.55 gear or 3.73 which will make the truck work HARD on inclines. There are ways to figure out your question correctly with hitch weight,loaded,tire capacity etc.But just from what you described I think you need MORE truck.
Posted 2007-08-29 6:52 PM (#66756 - in reply to #66744) Subject: RE: Do I have enough truck?
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 500 Location: West TN
In reality, I have a friend that I pull with that has a 3H Hart with a 12' shortwall. They pull with the same truck as you described. It is going to squat it down considerably. They have not had any trouble pulling it. I pull a trailer similar to yours with a F-250 and it handles the load. Granted the dually does add more stability. I would make sure your rear tires are in good shape and they have enough air in them.
Posted 2007-08-29 9:10 PM (#66778 - in reply to #66744) Subject: RE: Do I have enough truck?
Expert
Posts: 5870 Location: western PA
I have a Ford f250 SD PSD 4 X4 with additional 3000# "rubber" springs. It has a 373 rear axle and single rear "E" range tires. My larger trailer maxes out at #11,500 which meets my manuf max gvwr of #18000. I've had no problems over eight years of ownership. Our speed limits in the east rarely exceed 70 mph, and doing that, I easily top any hill with the cruise and air on.
Your truck is shorter than mine but should have the same type of power, I have a four speed auto, and with your five speed you should pull better.
I don't think you'll have a pulling issue, you'll need to know if you can carry #2500 over distances. This will tax your springs and tires. If they're heavy enough you should be ready to go.
Posted 2007-08-29 10:42 PM (#66797 - in reply to #66744) Subject: RE: Do I have enough truck?
Veteran
Posts: 148 Location: columbia tn
i bought a 3h shortwall full lq that weighs in about the same as yours dry weight..i had a 02 2500 4x4 diesel dodge i traded within a couple of wks after getting the new trailer for a dually... the 2500 will pull it there was just to much squat for my comfert. another thing to consider is what you are going to use the trailer for mostly if its going to shows you probably want pack it down as much as going camping.we have 75gal of water,3 or 4 bales of hay,three horses,tack food,bedding,firewood,it adds up quick to alot of weight.. happy trails and good luck
Posted 2007-08-30 9:21 PM (#66882 - in reply to #66744) Subject: RE: Do I have enough truck?
Elite Veteran
Posts: 671 Location: THE GREAT NORTHWET, OREGON(THE REAL GODS COUNTRY)
Hell yes! it's a chevy!!!! if you were asking about a ford.......well you would really get an ear full.With that weight and if your springs are up to the task you should be good to go.You can add air springs or there are other types out there.Do a search here on springs.That might help.As long as you are in range of your truck tow and haul specs go fof it.Happy trails
Posted 2007-08-31 9:16 AM (#66899 - in reply to #66744) Subject: You should be fine.
Member
Posts: 36 Location: Trout Creek, MT
I pull a four horse 8' LQ Logan aluminum skinned w/ a steel frame. My pickup is a 03 CC long bed Duramax. Loaded with four it is a few hundred pounds over on the rear axle according to the sticker on the door, however it is still well under the tire ratings. I added timbren rubber springs to level out the pickup and all is well. I can stop the load without the trailer brakes if need be, but whenever towing increase your following distance. I always leave a 5-7 second gap when towing. (The suggested standard for a normal car in normal conditions is 3 seconds.
Posted 2007-09-03 1:14 PM (#67071 - in reply to #66744) Subject: RE: Do I have enough truck?
Member
Posts: 6
Location: wantin to move west
I don't pull that type of trailer (at least not at the moment), but I do pull a 6-horse with a 2500 Dodge Cummins. I've not had any trouble. I've pulled a little bit of everywhere and can say it hasn't struggled to get up any mountains with the 3.73-6spd combo. I don't see stopping as a problem, leave adequate room and you'll be fine, assuming you'll have trailer breaks.
Posted 2007-09-03 10:22 PM (#67102 - in reply to #66744) Subject: RE: Do I have enough truck?
Expert
Posts: 1205 Location: Arkansas
We have that exact trailer....be careful of the short bed when you turn, as the trailer will want to get into the cab. As far as pulling and stopping, you may find that it is all the truck wants, maybe more...
Posted 2007-09-04 4:31 AM (#67113 - in reply to #66744) Subject: RE: Do I have enough truck?
Expert
Posts: 2453 Location: Northern Utah
I've got a Logan XT like St_Pinetree above has. 8' LQ and 4 horses, is 7'3" wide and 7'6" tall. Loaded, Water, Horses, people stuff, my trailer across the scales is 16,000lbs. Which means my trailer empty is more like 10,500lbs-11,000lbs. I think your trailer weight of 8600lbs might be before LQ was added and it probably weighs more than the rating plate says.
I pull it with a 2006 F350 Single Rear Wheel and I am about maxed out. Scales show me being under on front axle, 200lbs over on rear axle and lots of room left on trailer axles with the "G" rated tires.. I added the Firestone airbags, BD Exhaust brake, and started putting a lighter horse in the front stall and heavier horse over the trailer axles.
My truck pulls just fine. With the Exhaust brake it stops just fine. I buy a new truck every 3 years and I'll step up to a dually next truck just to make sure.
See if you can hook up and run it across a scale and see what it weighs and where it carries the weight.
Posted 2007-09-04 11:50 AM (#67134 - in reply to #66744) Subject: RE: Do I have enough truck?
New User
Posts: 2
Location: nv
The air springs are the way to go. and pulling power is never realy the question. Your tuck will pull it just fine put the air bags on and you will have a level load witch will save tires. The STOP is the question. The bigger trucks give you beter sopping power. I would put on an engine brake and you will be more than OK
eric
Posted 2007-09-04 6:41 PM (#67168 - in reply to #66744) Subject: RE: Do I have enough truck?
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 309 Location: MO
Your truck should be able to pull that load. You could contact Chevy Customer Service about it. I would recommend that you invest in an Exhaust brake for your truck to make sure you can stop with a full load. B-D, Banks, Jacobs and at least one other company make fine after market exhaust brakes.
I pulled a big 2h LQ trailer with a Dodge 3/4 T with a B-D exhaust brake. I now have a 1T dually and it handles the load like a dream.
Posted 2007-09-04 11:08 PM (#67193 - in reply to #66744) Subject: RE: Do I have enough truck?
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 544 Location: Claxton, Ga.
Realisticaly you don't have enough tires. Your rear axle weight is going to be over 6000 lbs when you get loaded up and with load range E tires they will support a little over 3,000 lbs a tire hence the 6000 lb limit. I have an Exiss Event 412. Empty I am well over 6000 lbs on the rear axle with no horses, camping stuff, or people. Load range G tires are an option but that would take 19.5 in rims and tires. Ballpark figure of around 5,000 to 6,000 dollars to upgrade. You will also need air bags or Timberens. I saw an F250 hauling one that he just bought and it looked like he was steering it with frizbe because the front tires were barely on the ground. In my opinion the only LQ trailer a 2500/250 can safely pull is a 8ft LQ and it is mainly due to pin weight. If it has a 40 gal water tank if you fill it up with water it will add an additional approx. 8x40= 320 lbs of just water to the pin weight. You will be very close with load range E tires. I bet over. DOT does look at this very closely.
Do I have enough truck?
