View Single Post
Old 04-09-2013, 09:49 AM   #12 (permalink)
slowmover
Banned
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Posts: 2,442

2004 CTD - '04 DODGE RAM 2500 SLT
Team Cummins
90 day: 19.36 mpg (US)
Thanks: 1,422
Thanked 737 Times in 557 Posts
Good thread idea. Folks need to know that their car/trucklet can do actual work (and they may be in circumstances that force it).

One can also see what U-Haul allows (interactive site). They have liabiity concerns weighted against profit. And their trailer designs ought to be studied for closer-to-innate understanding of what works best over the decades.

FWIW, "tow ratings" are usually too low for the majority of vehicles. If they are well set-up they can easily do the job. They also have little to do with reality (as auto manufacturers rig the game towards super high profit pickups).

A Crown Vic, for example, is easily capable of a 5k trailer. Same for minivans "rated" at 3500-lbs; they can tow a large aerodynamic trailer easily twice that weight (given hitch rigging that keeps the front axle planted).

FWIW, in this kind of discussion, I'd rather have an open trailer narrow/long over wide/short (for a given square foot trailer floor comparison). It is much easier to tow a trailer close to, or inside of, the tow vehicle width dimension.

Tandem axle, too, once the length is to a certain point. Trailer brakes, always, once trailer capacity is over 1k.

.

Last edited by slowmover; 04-09-2013 at 09:59 AM..
  Reply With Quote
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to slowmover For This Useful Post:
bsantoso (10-03-2016), MobilOne (04-10-2015)