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Towing. (New questions)

shady

shady

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I'm possibly going to have to do a long distance tow very soon. And I have a few questions.

All the rental trailers I've found have a 7k capacity but the truck I'm getting is roughly 6200-6500 pounds. So I'd technically be over a little after trailer weight :doah:

Has anyone done this and been ok? I know it's not ideal at all. But is it possible?

And my truck has a 9200 pound tow rating... So figuring in at 6500 + about 2000 or so for a trailer, I'll be near tow capacity.

Is this all a scary situation or doable. I know a LOT of people that way over tow and do fine. I've towed a few heavy loads before, and know how to balance/load a trailer correctly,. So not a newb. But I've never towed at capacity for 18hrs lol.

I have a brake controller and will be picking up a weight distribution hitch + sway control.

If I can find a 10k trailer I'll use it. So the trailer will be better off, but the weight of that will put me AT or slightly over my trucks rated capacity.


Am I forgetting anything or should I let myself get raped by a shipper? They have all told me that a crew cab requires 2 spaces plus a deposit. So I'd be looking at $2000-2500 minimum and I have to wait for THEIR schedule.

If I do it myself, I can do the whole thing for about $1500 and get a vacation out of it to.

Drive time would be broken up into about 2 hr blocks at a time with an HR or so inbetween. Roughly 8 hrs of total drove time a day. So it won't be like a full on total loaded 18hr haul

Any input or advice?
 
bigger 10k trailer will be much better .

and KNOW the full bumper to bumper length of the vehicle your getting . then make sure the trailer will fit it . i had a nice 10k equipment trailer years ago . . . had to pull the flip up ramps off a lot as they would not clear with a long bed truck on .
 
I'm not positive of total length... But it's a CCLB squarebody... As for flip up ramps.. I've already determined they could be an issue.... The one place I can rent from has em... The other I'm not sure.

If I had the means right now I'd just frickin buy one since I want one anyway... Unfortunately I can't though :notworthy:
 
It's like 22 or 24 ft total.

I think it's risky on a rental trailer. I hate having tire problems and stopping for 15 or 20 minutes every couple hours isn't enough to let the tires cool.

I think your truck will be fine. Bit I think it's a risk with the trailer.
 
The rental place in town here is a normal equipment rental. ... That one may be sketchy tires or something I'm sure... But it's a 10k possibly. The other place is an actual trailer dealer, so probably better maintained. But I'm pretty sure theirs is only 7k... Im going to call them both today and find out the fine details.
 
Looks like a 20', 10k, slide ramp trailer is about $3500 new. A goal to shoot for later I guess.
 
What is your current truck again? Towing at capacity usually means you are driving slower than usual by a good amount. Towing over capacity by 1000-2000 lb and you better plan on driving like a grandma to prevent damage (ie 45 mph in a 60 zone).
 
Won't be over capacity most likely. If so it'll be less than 1000. But it's a 2015 silverado 1500. 5.3, double cab, 4x4, 6.5' bed. Towing package with 3.42 gears.

By the owners manual it's 9200, since the j2807 standard came out. Same truck was 9500 before they adjusted the number to comply with the ratings standard.
 
Towing at capacity, I simply take my time and run a little slower. You will get there. You just don't want to rush.
 
That's why the 7 days to do what maps says is a 36 hr round trip... Well probably zing out there and crawl back.
 
Ok...

Trailer 1,...
7k, 20', weighs 1900# so I'd be roughly 1000-1500 over weight on that :confused1:

Trailer 2,...
12k, 18', weighs 3000# so I'd be fine on the trailer, but AT capacity for the truck....

Third option that just came up....
Flat tow with a tow bar rated for 6000# that I can borrow.
Pull the driveshafts and get a set of magnet towing lights. Only real drawback is no brake assist like trailer brakes... But no weight of a trailer either...
:dunno:
 
i would NOT flat tow a untested truck out that far . if its 4x4 and the dana 60 has weak or worn king pins and gets death wobble HOLD ON for the ride of your life .

if you want to tow it find a beefy tow dolly and also pull the drive shaft . and some tow dolly units can be had with brakes.
 
I hadn't thought of death wobble and front end components lol.... See this is why I ask :waytogo:...

I'm thinking I'm going to go with the 12k trailer and be done. I don't want an over loaded trailer, and towing AT capacity is still just that... Within tested limits. My same truck would have had an 11,000# rating if it had 3.73s. I have all the other equipment in the max trailering package except the 3.73 gears. Due to also having a sport package, giving me the 3.42s, Which drops me to the 9200.
 
Load it right and it will be ok. Here's a crew I brought home on a 20' trailer.

You might want to trade that poor tow rig in after that though. Gonna need a trans lol

IMG_0060.jpg
 
I plan on selling it as soon as I get the CC on par with driving 30 mile round trips to work lol.
 
Rick, I used my 99-2500 w/ 6.0l to tow to Moab and back, it didn't like the mountains at all, but it did it...I was over the rated tow capacity by almost 2000lbs. I took it slow and comforatable for the truck (70-75), Kert hauled ass with it (80-85....I was sleeping in the back) but we had no issues w the truck and it had over 200k on it at the time. Mine is the 4L80, not sure what you got, but make sure it has a good trans cooler and use tow/haul mode. it raises the shift points and pressure significantly, so you might see up to 5000rpm at times. using a weight dist hitch I feel is a must and the sway control is always a good idea IMO.
 
I use tow haul mode even with my 1500# dump run trailer lol. I'm checking my rpo codes because I'm bored. But I have the factory window sticker and it has

Stability control with trailer sway control
Hill start assist
Engine assisted braking
Trailering equipment package
HD trans cooler
6l80 trans

With my addition of brake controller and weight distributing hitch, I should be fine.... Unless that 12k trailer weighs 5k instead of 3k like I believe lol. Some of the similar ones I found for sale weighed 3k and that's what I'm going off of there
 
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All of the 2 wheel Dolly's I've found are rated for 3500# cars....:dunno: . I think being in the hills for a bit makes me want some sort of brakes though. That's why I'm thinking trailer. Wish I could just buy one. There's a place that sells the one I want about 3 or 4 miles from me. But I don't have $3500 :doah:
 
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