Posted 2007-04-03 8:41 PM (#58418) Subject: Pulling a LQ trailer
Member
Posts: 6
Location: Washington
My husband and I are looking into buying a new LQ trailer. I will be showing heavily this year and would like to get living quarters for the convenience. I would haul 1-3 horses (AQHA) most of the time. I drive a 97' 3/4 ton Long bed extended cab Chevy pickup with a 454. I currently haul a WW stock trailer all over and this truck does just fine. Will I have any problems hauling a 3 horse LQ? The trailer we are looking at is a Circle J 3 horse, the manufacturer web site lists it as 7" wide and about 8,820 lb. I'm not interested in a different truck, I need to be able to haul with my current truck. Can I get it done?
Posted 2007-04-04 9:17 AM (#58452 - in reply to #58418) Subject: RE: Pulling a LQ trailer
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 304
Is that the weight with the LQ or without? If it's with out you'll need to add at least a 1000 lbs to that figure depending on what options you get,and how much else you put in it like dishes,utensils,clothes,food supplies, water in fresh water tank, ect. Then add weight of your horses. 3000 lbs ???.
So now you are up to 12,820, or so. Most people will tell you pin weight is aprox 17% to 25% of trailer weight. So let's go high to be safe. 3200 lbs.
How about hay in truck bed? By now I'm thinking the payload of a 3/4 ton is less than what you have. People do it, but you are subjecting yourself to big time lawsuit if you are over loaded and cause an accident.
Posted 2007-04-04 11:15 AM (#58464 - in reply to #58418) Subject: RE: Pulling a LQ trailer
Regular
Posts: 56 Location: Oregon
Rockyrider, I would agree with your assessment. Following is my way to change the numbers. I purchased a trailer with LQ and a hay rack. I moved the 40 gallon water tank to the hay rack and haul my hay up there as well. That way the weight of the water and hay is carried by the axles on the trailer and lessen the pin weight on my truck. I only have a 2 horse with LQ (truck is a HD 250 diesel) so I'm not overloaded, however I like the weight distribution better with with the added weight on the trailer axles. The rig seems to handle better this way too. Let me know if I'm off on my assumption that the trailer axles are taking some of the pin weight from my truck. (I drew this conclusion after I ran the truck and trailer over scales with horses loaded, checked pin weight then repeated the process without the horses. My pin weight was heavier without the load on the axles of the trailer)
Posted 2007-04-04 6:52 PM (#58514 - in reply to #58452) Subject: RE: Pulling a LQ trailer
Member
Posts: 6
Location: Washington
The trailer website quoted the weight of the LQ western triler as 8,820 LB, so I assume that is with the LQ. I did forget to mention that my truck has the airbag shocks or whatever they are called to help with the weight load already, as we used to have a camper (smaller, older, not too heavy though). I read an earlier post about someone getting pushed by a trailer because it was too big and I really don't want that to happen to us. If my truck can handle the pull is there something I can do to the brakes to help beef them up? Or a trailer braking System that will help? I'm deathly afraid of coming over Snoqualmie Pass and being out of control!
Posted 2007-04-04 7:05 PM (#58517 - in reply to #58514) Subject: RE: Pulling a LQ trailer
Expert
Posts: 2828 Location: Southern New Mexico
The trailer will have brakes (required by law), you will need a brake controler installed in your truck if you don't already have one. For those "OH SHOOT" moments there is a "OH SHOOT!" lever or button on the controler. Just remember not to speed or tailgate and watch for other drivers. There is always the dumb *** that decides you have too much room in front of you and jumps in your saftey zone. That's why I hate driving through cities, you can't leave any stopping room in front of you because everyone else keeps filling it in.
Posted 2007-04-04 7:06 PM (#58518 - in reply to #58418) Subject: RE: Pulling a LQ trailer
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 383 Location: Texas
Electric/hydraulic or vaccum/hydraulic trailer brakes are both options you can do. They are $$$ though. I really doubt you'll have a problem as long as you have truck and trailer brakes that are in good shape and don't ride the brakes on long downhill runs.... if you do that you'll have all sorts of trouble.
Pulling a LQ trailer
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