looking at getting a trailer moneys kinda tight so of curse the 7k trailer is looking good right now but is it to small for a fullsize k5 on 1 tons and 40s heres the one Im looking at http://sweetriversfarms.com/_wsn/page6.html but if you guys think its to small Ill wait a little bit longer for one of these http://sweetriversfarms.com/_wsn/page12.html the 10400lbs one and both will be 18ft long, so what do you guys think?
I really debated about saving some money and going with a 7000lb one, but in the end I went with the higher rated one. Figure your truck is probably 6000 lbs wet and loaded with gear, the trailer is 1500 lbs, take 10% for tongue weight and you're 250 lbs under the rated capacity. Your truck might be a little lighter than 6k so you might be farther under than that, but the first time you put on your buddy's quad or something with your truck then you're over the limit, or if you put a toolbox on the trailer and load 400 lbs of tools and spare parts in it then you're over the limit again. I'd wait and get the HD trailer, if you're going to buy the regular 7k car hauler save money and get a used one, then resell it later when you can afford a new trailer that really meets your needs.
Ya what Shagg said. I have seen 7K trailers work for fullsize rigs. Your towing at max or over max. Having a overloaded trailer makes for an unpleasant towing experiance. Not that I know in real world as I have never done that but that is what I get out of all the stuff I have researched, so my commnets are only worth .02c ...if that
I've got a well built 7k trailer that I tow my truggy with. Not a big deal to me, but my truggy weighs a bit less than a full bodied K5.
I belive that incorrect tongue weight makes that happen. Aprently you can have too little weight(rig sitting too far back on the trailer) or too much( rig sitting too far forward on the trailer) and get sway. So there is a sweet spot that will alow it to travel straight waytogo
Just putting this out, i have a 9000lb trailer, both 4500lb axles have brakes but i can only load 7200lbs on it, so 1500-1800lbs for the trailer itself is accurate, a 7000lb trailer should only be rated at around 5500lbs, sounds like your rig is a bit more than that. Of course people do it all the time with no problem.
Yes, insufficient tongue weight will cause wagging. Too much give some control issues, but usually not so much on the wagging. This is definitely pushing it to the reasonable limits, maybe even a little into the "safety margin". But if it's a well build trailer, and you use common sense when loaded, I think you'll be ok. But as always, "it depends". I would say get some real weights before you do too much to find out if your exceeding tire, axle, or frame specs before you go very far with it…
I'm in the same boat, going to buy a 7000 to haul my toyota 4x4 truck, I,m also worried about my weights and my factory IV reciever, do I need a class V ? WD hitch? sway control???? Help Im lost.
A class III receiver can be good to 10k lbs with a WD hitch. That's what I have on my dump truck that I use to tow my 6,500lb backhoe on an 18' trailer. And I'm here to tell ya if you are not balanced right you will notice. My truck is about 7k lbs loaded with duallies and long wheelbase (10.5' dump bed) and I can definitely feel when my loader isn't in the right place. Sway control shouldn't be necessary as long as you aren't towing with a short wheelbase. ie. towing a 30' camper with a blazer requires sway control, it's almost totally uncontrollable without it. I don't recommend trying hehe.
I,m still concerned about my reciever and if it will handle the weight. Never towed anything over 2000lbs before. Man there is so much to know to be able to tow heavy safely and I don't know the half of it yet. But I,m gona learn everything to be safe before I do , instead of some guys ya see goin down the road wayyyyy overloaded. Great site keep the tips CUMMINGS
Like the other guys mentioned, sway has more to do with improper weight distribution. But...a trailer that is just plain too heavy for itself could cause some movement. As long as the weight is distributed correctly, I would think swaying and trailer push would then have more to do with the pickup itself. A big heavy 1 ton diesel pickup would be able to handle an overloaded trailer better than a 1/2ton pickup pulling the same trailer, mainly since the max GCWR would be pushed to the limit on a smaller tow rig, where the bigger pickup could handle the squirrely trailer. As far as if 7K ratings are enough or not... I was originally (still plan to with future outings) going to use our tripple axle gooseneck to haul my fullsize but since it needs a lot of work and I don't have the cash to get a fancy gooseneck ball in my pickup yet... I'm going to use our tandem flatbed that has twin 3.5K pounders under it. I'll be overloaded, the trailer itself weighs about 2,500lbs and my K5 weighs 5,260lbs. Personally, I would have used 5K axles since it's such a heavy trailer but when my dad built it he decided on 3.5K's for some reason. :doah: Anyway, I'm not worried about being a little overloaded.
I think your main worry about being overloaded isn't sway as long as the load is balanced. My main worry would be braking. If you are overloaded on the trailer it means the trailer brakes are not sufficient to stop the load putting more strain on the tow vehicles brakes. In a mountainous area towing an overloaded trailer with a 1/2 ton pickup with insufficient tow rating I would be concerned. Losing brakes due to heat and fade down a steep grade would be bad. Now if you are in a 3/4 or 1 ton and a few hundred pounds over the trailer I wouldn't worry too much. Now going grossly over the trailer weight (2-4k lbs over) would not be a good idea not only for braking but for the trailers wstructural integrity. Then you have tires, springs, bearings, and the general bed construction to worry about. Should, god forbid, you have an accident and the trailer comes loose will it be able to stay together with that load or would it disintegrate causing dangers to other folks on the road?
I would have to say in your case to wait and get the heavier one. If you were only going to be towing you rrig once or twice the light one would be fine. But since it is a trailer you are going to have for quite a while it is probably better just to do it right the first time and get one with a margin of safety. -Brent
well I guess you guys missed my other thread like 2 weeks ago but I got a 12k trailer waytogo but the only downside is the deck is rotted but I get free wood and it only has one brake, https://towrig.com/forums/showthread.php?t=707
