Trailer towing

[vgbob]

I'm trying to get some information on what my
1988 Chevy one ton dump will pull for an equipment
trailer. I've given my local Chevy dealer a call and
they just laugh, saying they don't have the specs
going back that far. (of course they'll sell me a new
truck) I imagine a few of you have been down this
road, so to speak. All I can find in my manuals are
that it's brakes are rated for 10k GVW. But that's
just the truck. I need to pull at least a 10k trailer
and load. And probably better to go to 12k just for
a bit of margin of safety. It's a 454 with a TH400
transmission. Probably a 410/411 rear end. (I'm
guessing that based on the lousy gas mileage)
Anyone know what the CGVWR for this truck is?

[scsmith42]

The manufacturer's GCVWR is probably in the 20K range.  I would not be afraid to tow a 10 - 12K load behind it, as long as I had excellent brakes and tires on the trailer.  Manufacturer's GCVWR is typically conservative.

[Bill]

vgbob

I've been kinda dancing around this one also. I ended up with a friends F250 ( 3/4 ton ) pickup with a tow package to pull a 10K trailer. Just make sure the trailer has brakes and you get the 10K ( 12k ? ) hitch for your truck ( Class V - I believe ). A tow package typically will give you a HD radiator, trans cooler, HD turn/stop signals w/wiring to the rear bumper ), wide mirrrors on both sides and such.

FWIW - I've seen some threads on this board talk about different states wanting you to have a commercial license if you go over a 10K trailer.

Good Luck

[Kirk_Allen]

I dont know what your limit is for that truck but I know what my buddies 1 ton dually fords limit is ;D

He left here last week with 1000 bf of GREEN cotton wood lumber, 35 creasote treated telephone poles, 40 dried 2x6's and one 8" x 25' Steel I-Beam.  I told him those D rate tires arent going to make it.

He went across the scales at a truck stop in MO and the truck and trailer was 33,300 lbs.  Just a little over the 20k rating for the truck.  The truck pulled it fine but the back axle on the trailer blew a tire two hours from home.  Put on the spare and the other side blew out 5 miles down the road.  He had his son drive up to meet him with the other tires and rims at the house and before he managed to get home he had blown 4 tires, all on the back axle. 

The trailer wieght was 20K  .......on 15K axles  

[vgbob]

Thanks for the info, everyone. 20K sounds reasonable
for a CGVWR. Which is just what I need. 8 + 12.
The trailer dealer says 14k is no problem, but they
just want to sell trailers.
Yes, it will be a new trailer (brakes, tires).
I'm not so much concerned about going up the hills
slowly, rather not coming down the other sides too
fast  .
I won't get into how much one could put on the
trailer...
Even delivering a cord of firewood put the truck over
the registered limit.

[jgoodhart]

Had a 76 Chevy 1 ton with a 350 and 4brl carg, 4 speed and 4.11 rear and I would pull 14,000 with no problems on the flat, mountains going up and down was normally in 2nd gear. I also had swich in the truck that bypassed the brake controller and would apply full brakes to the trailer for those special moments. Pulling a load isn't as big a issue as getting it stopped.

[Kirk_Allen]

Three of the logs on this trailer could NOT be picked up with a 4520 JD tractor.  Dont know the capacity of that loader the farmer had but he said he had to roll them up the ramps with the tractor because they WOULD NOT even budge them.  I dont suggest hauling a load like he did today.

[scsmith42]

If you're buying the trailer new, and want some "extra insurance" re braking, ask the dealer to price it with hydraulic disk brakes with an electro-hydraulic master cylinder.  These are made by Dexter, hook into any tow vehicle's electric brake controller, and will provide an outstanding level of trailer braking - basically the same level as air brakes.  The standard slide-magnet trailer brakes don't even come close when you're hauling a significant load.

They aren't cheap - but worth it when you pull serious weights behind a dually.

I presume that you're going to buy a gooseneck trailer, rather than a tag-along?  This will increase your safe towing capacity by 4 - 5000 lbs, because you can safely transfer the weight to the dually.

My '05 F350 DRW is rated at 23,000 CGVWR from the factory, which is way conservative.  The truck itself weighs 8000 lbs, so 15K would be the rated trailer load.

Bill is correct re technically many states want you to have a CDL if you exceed 10K on a trailer.

Good luck.

Scott. 

[Captain]

Well, my Metavic is a 20,000lb GVW Trailer, and I bet I've pulled it DanG close to that with my 1988 Chevy 1 Ton Dually.  Did not go far though, and thank god for trailer brakes....I need a bigger truck... :

Captain

[isassi]

As Scsmith42 pointed out, a gooseneck would be a "best choice" in heavy trailering since it loads the rear axle of the towing vehicle. Anytime you pull a "tag" trailer or bumber pull, consideration is given to tounge weight. I have seen lots of problems with braking heavy trailers, especially if the tougne weight is a few hundred pounds and the trailer is loaded with 12,000 lbs. You don't get good breaking from the towing truck and if anything happens to the trailer brake connection,...well, you get the picture. I pull a big tag along trailer, but only on my 3 ton international dump, which can handle the braking duties whether the trailer wants to stop or not. All about weight and mass.

[TexasTimbers]

vgbob,

3 words - 14 ply tires.   I experienced numerous blow-outs hauling heavy loads - the kind Kirk described - before I went to 14 ply tires. Not a problem since.
Another tip I'd offer is to stay away from 3 axle trailers. The heavy duty 3 axle goosenecks are generally only rated at about 21,000 pounds and they weigh around 7000, so you can "safely" put on around 14,000 lbs. But when you have a blowout on a 3 axle trailer and you are hauling a heavy load, you are going to drop that wheel to the pavement. It's a pretty show at night on a long, dark, deserted rural road, but not much fun to change.
If you can, opt for a G-neck with tandem duals with 12,000 pound axles. 10,000 at least. They handle better, turn easier, can still get you home after a blowout, and the 12,000 lb will haul more weight.
The only advantage the 3 axle trailers DO have, is that when I hit the brakes, over loaded or not, that trailer stops my rig!

[sandman2234]

One thing that comes to mind when talking about towing a trailer, is the number of times I see people towing trailers with the safety chains dragging the ground. I assume that they hooked up the trailer, and then loaded it, and never bothered to check them again.
   Something I thought would keep the safety chains off the ground, and not "knotted up", which is the way most people shorten them, is using a bungee cord. Hook one end about 1/2 way down the loop, on the trailer side, and pull it back towards the trailer tongue,  using just a little tension. Do the same with the other, preferably with another bungee cord. If you make a turn, and your vehicle needs more chain, it just stretches the bungee cord, and you have all you need. Saves a lot of wear and tear on the chains.
     David from jax

[wiam]

If you cross your chains there should be no need for extra when turning. :

Will

[Ironwood]

At a recent Amish event I scoped out ALL the trailer the "for hire guys" had. ONE outstanding one had 17.5" tires on solid disk style rims rated at 5800 lbs per tire The two axles were torsion suspension HD 8 bolts. So the tires and axles could almost haul as much as dual tandems, which in some states automatically require CDL. LOOKS LIKE I FOUND MY NEW AXLES. I am sure the tires and rims were pricey but then go price 8 bud rims and 8 tires!!! IT WAS SWEET. I wish I could remember the name,..........Per, Pur, I cant remember, I think it was from Missouri. AWSOME

                       Reid