enough truck to pull this trailer?

[Pilsner]

I towed a loaded 4 place encl with my half ton 05 Chev Crewcab, I did this once, 800 KM, then the trailer was for sale. This was during the summer too. I now have bought a 2 place encl. and that's enough for my truck. I should get a 3/4 ton but it'll have to wait.

 

[Cyle]

Like others said it's probaly not a good idea. If it was a open you'd be fine, but a enclosed catches a lot of wind. A 3/4 or 1 ton would haul a 4 place enclosed easy though. I personally tow 1 in the box of my dodge 3500 diesel and 3 on a open trailer, and it tows like theres nothing there.

 

[summitboy]

If your going to pull an enclosed like that with a Tahoe or Jeep don't come to BC. Your just asking for trouble. Get real truck !

 

[knee deep in it]

if you have to ask, then the answer is no


it isn't the engine, it is your wheelbase. It is all about the weight of the trailer + wind load area vs the weight of your truck.

One drive down a windy icy covered road will answer your question.

 

[raceu4it]

big NO for me, hell i've been spooked enough with my charmac enclosed with a crew duramax. oh yea, i wrapped my truck around the v-nose 3 years ago, at sicamous, at least the trees and snow stopped me from going over the edge, as you're looking out the passenger side window.

 

[vmaxfrank]

Can it legally tow, or do you really want to tow with it? Two different questions. To find out if it can legally tow, find the weight of the trailer, loaded and add the weight of your truck, with all your gear, people and gas. If the two weights combined are less than the GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating) of the truck, you are on your way to being legal. Next weigh the rear axle of the truck with the trailer attached and make sure it doesn't exceed the weight rating of the axle. If you are using a weight distributing hitch, also check the front. All that should tell you if you are legal.

Now for the judgement part. Like others said it's more the wheelbase you need to worry about. My BIL has a 30' ultra-light camper he pulls with a Tahoe. It is fine on the weights, but in wind, it's like the tail wagging the dog. He won't drive more than 2 hours away because it's so stressfull.

If you really need the trailer, it may work for one season, then look to upgrade to a 3/4 ton Tahoe or Suburban or such to gain extra wheelbase for stability. I have a crew cab 1 ton that I love. It pulls 2 sleds on a deck and a 5000lb camper behind it no problems.

If you haven't bought a brake controller, get a Tekonsha Prodigy. I think the newest model is the P3. The proportional type controllers make all the difference in the world.

 

[powderbound]

I pull a 4 place open with 1/2ton chevy 350 etc. Short distances only on known roads. mostly because you must go slow then slow. It is the ice and mountains that are bad. Flat land no problem. I don't rcomend it, and when finances allow I am getting a new used truck.

 

[RJF]

I usually say that if the trailer has twin 3,500lbs axles under it, then a half ton can pull it....

But... these enclosed trailers are a different breed. They are so long and so tall that they really fall more into the catagory of a 10,000lbs trailer. So in essence, when you factor in the vertical sway and wind catching ability the long 27 footers provide, it's like pulling a much heavier trailer than one rated at 7,000lbs (twin 3.5K axles).


4 place open deck= almost any extended cab 1/2ton (or tahoe), anything but a short bed/regular cab.

4 place enclosed= 3/4ton vehicle or better.

 

[SylvanLaker]

that's nothing... I know a fella that put a sled deck on a ford Ranger!! Those sleds were getting to the mountain one way or another!!!

 

[GMCRMK]

It's unanimous...

I've got a 5.3 Yukon and have been debating whether a 2 place enclosed will be too much. I wouldn't even think of pulling a 4 place not only for the reasons mentioned above but also because I'd be affraid of smoking the tranny and rattling the engine too much.

IMO it would be a red line, white kuckle experience.

 

[Gold5th]

Do a towing search on both the new and the old snowest forum. This topic has been covered several times.
In flat dry conditions towing that kind of weight with an suv or 1/2t is marginal at best. Towing an enclosed 4 place with an suv or 1/2 ton in mountainous icy conditions is pure suicide.
For safe winter towing you are looking for a weight ratio of 80/20% tow vehicle vs trlr weight, and at max a 60/40% ratio. It is as simple as that.
Its a recipe for disaster if the trlr weighs more than the tow vehicle or any where near it.
Personally I use a 1ton crew dually 4x4 to tow a 2 place aluminum trlr with two more sleds on the truck. Thats about an 80/20% ratio. Drives like a dream on ice, no more white knuckle driving for me.

Your math doesn't work, example.. 2006 Mega Cab ram (1 ton dually)- 6500lbs curb weight with 80% being the truck you could tow.. what? 1600lbs? That's 1 sled on an open trailer... now with 60% being truck... Your sitting at 4500lbs you can tow.. so say a 2 place enclosed tends to be in the 2500-2800 mark, add 2 sleds, your done.
So with say a 4 place running at about say 3600lbs.. 4 sleds at say 800lbs each... and we're talking dry wieghts here... You'd need a truck that wieghs in at over 9600LBS based off 60% being truck. 80% you'd need a truck that wieghs 21,600LBS to pull a trailer with a wieght os 6800lbs...

 

[Seeyacop]

I wouldn't even think of towing that with a half ton let alone a gas truck. You should be towing that with a diesel 3/4 ton. Hopefully you never get into a dicy situation where you need more power, especially while in 4 wheel drive towing. Its not just the weight but also the amount of air you are pushing with a trailer that big.

 

[Viper5]

PM'd you some info.

 

[Squeal]

I got a Expedition and pull a 4 place. It will pull it, but don't be in a hurry. Get a equilizer hitch for sure. I only go short distances, I don't think i would try a 100 mile trip with it.

 

[RJF]

Your math doesn't work, example.. 2006 Mega Cab ram (1 ton dually)- 6500lbs curb weight with 80% being the truck you could tow.. what? 1600lbs? That's 1 sled on an open trailer... now with 60% being truck... Your sitting at 4500lbs you can tow.. so say a 2 place enclosed tends to be in the 2500-2800 mark, add 2 sleds, your done.
So with say a 4 place running at about say 3600lbs.. 4 sleds at say 800lbs each... and we're talking dry wieghts here... You'd need a truck that wieghs in at over 9600LBS based off 60% being truck. 80% you'd need a truck that wieghs 21,600LBS to pull a trailer with a wieght os 6800lbs...

He posted the same lame info in another thread like this one. He didn't believe me when I pointed out the same thing.....

 

[RJF]

I wouldn't even think of towing that with a half ton let alone a gas truck. You should be towing that with a diesel 3/4 ton. Hopefully you never get into a dicy situation where you need more power, especially while in 4 wheel drive towing. Its not just the weight but also the amount of air you are pushing with a trailer that big.

Having a diesel or gas is the least of a person's worries. A guy needs a 3/4ton CHASSIS!!! A small or big block is plenty of power to get where it needs to go. Having a diesel is nothing more than a convieniance.

 

[RJF]

I've got a 5.3 Yukon and have been debating whether a 2 place enclosed will be too much. I wouldn't even think of pulling a 4 place not only for the reasons mentioned above but also because I'd be affraid of smoking the tranny and rattling the engine too much.

IMO it would be a red line, white kuckle experience.

Your drivetrain will be absolutely fine with a 2 place enclosed under 5K.

 

[Gold5th]

Your drivetrain will be absolutely fine with a 2 place enclosed under 5K.

No kidding.. if my car with a 2.2 rear end, not a towing ratio by any means can tow 5200lbs without even leaving normal temp.. your truck should be good for it too. Now I'll admint 5200lbs with may car was exceeding recommended safety thresholds.. but it did it no prob, my rear end wasn't even bottomed out. And yes in winter conditions would be different.

 

[Ultra]

Your math doesn't work, example.. 2006 Mega Cab ram (1 ton dually)- 6500lbs curb weight with 80% being the truck you could tow.. what? 1600lbs? That's 1 sled on an open trailer... now with 60% being truck... Your sitting at 4500lbs you can tow.. so say a 2 place enclosed tends to be in the 2500-2800 mark, add 2 sleds, your done.
So with say a 4 place running at about say 3600lbs.. 4 sleds at say 800lbs each... and we're talking dry wieghts here... You'd need a truck that wieghs in at over 9600LBS based off 60% being truck. 80% you'd need a truck that wieghs 21,600LBS to pull a trailer with a wieght os 6800lbs...

Pay attention cause math class is now in session:
Per dodge.com a 1T Mega cab 4x4 dually has a curb weight of 7,810 lbs. At a 60/40 split that would give you a safe winter towing capacity of about 5200 lbs:

7800 + 5200 = 13,000 total combined gross weight, x .4(40%) = 5,200
Or 7800 divided by 13,000 = .60 (60%)
5,200 of trlr and sleds would in my opinion be a max winter ice towing load in this application. Keep in mind as you add fuel and gear to the truck it also raises max trlr weight. 5200lbs – 2800lbs of sled leaves 2400lbs of empty trlr. Better be looking for an all aluminum.

In my case I have a GMC 1T crew 4x4 dually which is about 6,700 lbs, a sled rack at about 400lbs two sleds wet at about 700lbs each or about 8,500lbs not including gear or truck fuel. My trlr is a 12’ floe enclosed at about 1,100lbs plus 2 sleds wet at 700lbs each or 2,500 total trlr weight. Math is as follows:

8500 + 2500 = 11,000 total combined gross vehicle weight, x .23(23%) = 2,530
Which is a ratio of 77/23, with truck fuel and gear is pretty dam close to a very safe ideal ratio of 80/20.

An example mentioned above was a 4 place steel trlr (4,000lbs) loaded with 4 sleds 700lbs each is about 6,800lbs total trlr weight. Then hook up a 2001 Tahoe with a curb weight of 5,050lbs. Math is a follows:

5050 + 6800 = 11,850 total combined gross vehicle weight,
5050 divided by 11850 = .43 (43%)
Which is a ratio of 43/57. It’s a no brainer.

We are in agreement on one statement, a 6800lbs trailer needs about a 9000lbs + tow rig in front of it.

80/20 = very comfortable towing.
70/30 = very safe towing
60/40 = reasonably safe towing
50/50 = marginal towing in good conditions.
43/57 = suicide

Again we are talking about winter ice conditions. To many people are pushing the envelope with these big trlrs and light tow rigs partly due to the light winters we have had over the last few years and partly because they haven’t had the sh!t scared out of them yet If you are in the 43/57% ratio area and are towing in winter mountainous conditions you will find your disaster. Plus the word CAR doesn't even enter into this conversation.

Now if your talking about July, you can toss this all out and start over.

 

[Gold5th]

hmmm oops.. I guess I messed up on my math in my spreadsheet one wrong equation messes the results...

Sooo me I have a 3800lbs car, then with me, the wife, all the tools I keep in the trunk, plus our gear, and puppy... prolly adds up to 4200..

My single trailer weighs in at 600lbs, plus my sled(I dunno how much it wieghs) tows fine, I've done it the last couple weekends... I have 0 problems, even stopping for morons.

I'm borrowing a trailer, a 2 place open. Soooo guessing that's in the 700lbs-800lbs range.... plus 2 sleds say based off your number 1400lbs(I read somewhere they might be closer to 900lbs), so lets go with that actually.. I could end up with upwards of 3200lbs behind me.

I'll be close to the 55/45 range.. I've done worse without problems... car, me no gear bout 4000lbs, with about 4200lbs of weight behind me(water to boot)... icey roads... maybe 30lbs tongue weight, most of it up hill.. actually the steeper hills were easier than the less steep ones.


***edit*** I should add my car is pretty much a 1/2 ton with a car body and highway gearing. 318 with an a999 tranny with a shift kit and cooler, and a good frame under it all, with upgraded suspension and brakes.