How big of an enclosed trailer can I haul?
- Thread starter m7freak
- Start date
I have a small 2 place enclosed .... a 16' Mirage.
Honestly, it's too small to house a 151" and a 144" sled ... I have basically no room in the nose whatsoever, so I would highly recommend getting at LEAST an 18' whatever you do ..
With that said, this trailer fully loaded hauling sleds, fuel, gear, whatever weighs at MOST 4,500-lbs ...
I had a 2000 Chevrolet Z71 with the 5.3L and 3.73 gears, and I was lucky to pull that trailer at 70 mph down I-80. Driving up long mountain roads at even a 5% grade I was lucky to hit 55 with it.
I'm assuming a Dodge 4.7 would be comparable to a GM 5.3L ....
Towing it on flat ground, yeah, it's doable, but once you get up into the mountains it's a completley different animal ... I wouldn't recommend getting less than an 18' enclosed trailer because less than that kinda defeats the purpose....IE, it's nice to have a place to sit and put your gear out outta the wind, etc ... but towing one that's bigger than an 18' perhaps unless you buy an all aluminum one with a half-ton truck really isn't that fun....
Honestly, it's too small to house a 151" and a 144" sled ... I have basically no room in the nose whatsoever, so I would highly recommend getting at LEAST an 18' whatever you do ..
With that said, this trailer fully loaded hauling sleds, fuel, gear, whatever weighs at MOST 4,500-lbs ...
I had a 2000 Chevrolet Z71 with the 5.3L and 3.73 gears, and I was lucky to pull that trailer at 70 mph down I-80. Driving up long mountain roads at even a 5% grade I was lucky to hit 55 with it.
I'm assuming a Dodge 4.7 would be comparable to a GM 5.3L ....
Towing it on flat ground, yeah, it's doable, but once you get up into the mountains it's a completley different animal ... I wouldn't recommend getting less than an 18' enclosed trailer because less than that kinda defeats the purpose....IE, it's nice to have a place to sit and put your gear out outta the wind, etc ... but towing one that's bigger than an 18' perhaps unless you buy an all aluminum one with a half-ton truck really isn't that fun....
W
Wyoming T/A
ACCOUNT CLOSED
i have a 2002 durango with a 4.7..its a good motor but a 3500# load works it pretty hard,,4 place enclosed weighs 3300 to 3600 # empty add another 3000# for 4 sleds and gear and its tounge is going to be hanging out , if you tow in the mountains it will kill it..also had a 99 light duty 3/4 ton ford with a 5.4 automatic and a 24' v enclosed and sold the trailer out here cause the truck was worthless in the mountains with the trailer hooked to it..flat land but a alum. trailer ,it will save 1500# and you would be ok.jmo
S
Supplicate
ACCOUNT CLOSED
is yours a 16' including the nose, or 16' deck? I'm looking at the Triton two place trailers that are 12' deck w/ 5' nose. Figure that should be enough to haul 1-156" and 1-162" sled. Might have to start looking at the triton three place though that has the 16' bed w/ 5' nose, its only 4' longer overall.
You could do a standard 4 place enclosed if it was aluminum. Well you could go steel as well but it would be just that much more weight to be lugging around. You won't be the quickest or most efficient out there but capacity wise and so on you will be just fine.
Make sure you get electric brakes. NO SURGE brakes for snowmobile trailers. It's an accident waiting to strike IMO.
Make sure you get electric brakes. NO SURGE brakes for snowmobile trailers. It's an accident waiting to strike IMO.
If you tow a 4 place enclosed with a 4.7L you will be the one guy that the rest of us will be cussing out all the way up the hill when we are behind you and the one that we will be laughing at as we pass.
I wouldn't do it. Too much weight for the light duty truck. I suspect the trailer will be outweighing the truck.
BigT
I wouldn't do it. Too much weight for the light duty truck. I suspect the trailer will be outweighing the truck.
BigT
G
Gold5th
ACCOUNT CLOSED
i have a 2002 durango with a 4.7..its a good motor but a 3500# load works it pretty hard,,4 place enclosed weighs 3300 to 3600 # empty add another 3000# for 4 sleds and gear and its tounge is going to be hanging out , if you tow in the mountains it will kill it..also had a 99 light duty 3/4 ton ford with a 5.4 automatic and a 24' v enclosed and sold the trailer out here cause the truck was worthless in the mountains with the trailer hooked to it..flat land but a alum. trailer ,it will save 1500# and you would be ok.jmo
I have an 87 fifth ave CAR with 2.2 gears and a 318, 3500lbs is nothing behind that car with trailer brakes, Shoot a month ago I was hauling 5500lbs behind it, just acceleration was a little slow, but 65mph was easy at 2400rpm.
I've towed a 16ft enclosed behind my car with a decent load in it.. twas a little hairy.. damn trailer didn't have brakes, but driving accordingly it was all fine.
My dad's 96 ram 1500 long box extended cab with a 5.2L(318) not sure what gears, i towed a 20ft enclosed loaded to the roof(not with sleds, but I was moving, so it was taken apart desks, big heavy stuff), the bed of the truck was loaded, with a 200lbs canopy on it, with my matress strapped to the top of the canopy.. pulled it over 200miles with a dieing oil pump, no prob and decent milage, trailer didn't have brakes either.
Last edited:
A
Adrenaline Revolution
Well-known member
Is that being brave or just really stupid?
I own a 2000 Dodge 1500 with the 360 motor and I pull a 3 place enclosed Interstate trailer with two sleds in it.
The trailer weighs 3200 lbs empty
The sleds weigh @ 500 lbs each full of gas
Add a couple hundred more lbs for gear and extra gas.
I HATE THE DAMN TRUCK AND NO, IT IS NOT SUFFICIENT FOR A 4 PLACE.
For a truck, it makes a real nice car.
I would replace this damn truck in a heartbeat for a real truck with real gearing and a real motor if I hadn't used all my spare $$$ on a new sled for the wife.
It is too light duty for hauling even though I installed air bags and HD shocks.
"The right tool for the job" comes to mind. I'm sure that you could pull a 4 place enclosed with a 4.7 1500 BUT how safe would it really be.
Put yourself in everyone else's shoes for a minute and think about it. No way in hell do I want someone next to me with a big trailer pushing an undersized tow vehicle around, let alone driving it up a snowy grade. Take it from the guys who have had bad experiences with towing.
Put yourself in everyone else's shoes for a minute and think about it. No way in hell do I want someone next to me with a big trailer pushing an undersized tow vehicle around, let alone driving it up a snowy grade. Take it from the guys who have had bad experiences with towing.
G
Gold5th
ACCOUNT CLOSED
On what part? I've got a pic of my car towing a flat deck car hauler with a car on it.
I've also got a pic with my car towing another car on a car dolly... I've got a pic of my car towing a 600lbs trailer with 350 gallons(us) of water in a 100lbs tank.
when I towed with my dad's truck I dunno total wieght.. I know the trailer(fiberglass) wieghed in at about 2800lbs empty.
I've been checking into durango's as I need to upgrade, a 2003 durango with a 360, non-R/T is rated to tow 7600lbs with factory tow kit. The 2004 durango with the 5.7L hemi is rated at over 8000lbs, with factory tow kit.
I know my limitations and I drive according... like this weekend I want to bring my wife's car to they city to get her Christmas gift installed, if the roads were in better condition I'd tow it.
Gold 5th lets see it!!!
here is mine...
http://my.opera.com/phatty2/albums
My jetta TDI does awesome pulling 3 bikes or 1 sled. I still get at least 35 mpg pulling this way. Im way too chicken to pull it up to the mountains after a snowstorm though... Would i try pulling a 2 place with it? heck no...
I pulled a four place enclosed with my 93 ford f150 (302) 5 speed more than a few times. 8 mpg and top speed of 65. Took an extra 15-30 minutes but still made it. however there was one hill that the trailer dragged me back down, jack knifed and broke a tail light (chains would have prevented this)
Moral is screw the people that pass you in their duramaxs. Your truck will pull it fine, but just slower. Take your time and be safe and you can do it all winter long!
here is mine...
http://my.opera.com/phatty2/albums
My jetta TDI does awesome pulling 3 bikes or 1 sled. I still get at least 35 mpg pulling this way. Im way too chicken to pull it up to the mountains after a snowstorm though... Would i try pulling a 2 place with it? heck no...
I pulled a four place enclosed with my 93 ford f150 (302) 5 speed more than a few times. 8 mpg and top speed of 65. Took an extra 15-30 minutes but still made it. however there was one hill that the trailer dragged me back down, jack knifed and broke a tail light (chains would have prevented this)
Moral is screw the people that pass you in their duramaxs. Your truck will pull it fine, but just slower. Take your time and be safe and you can do it all winter long!
OK, lets see em!
G
Gold5th
ACCOUNT CLOSED
Ok.. here we go:
This is before I upgraded my rear suspension:
Just tied it down...
Going 50mph down the highway...
Got back with the rental car:
Unloading the rental car:
Water hauling:
Backed into my neighbours yard, draining the tank(making a skating rink)
The pics of the flat deck/car I think are on my laptop, I'll find them later... I do have pics of the car I towed, but that doesn't prove anything...
This is before I upgraded my rear suspension:
Just tied it down...
Going 50mph down the highway...
Got back with the rental car:
Unloading the rental car:
Water hauling:
Backed into my neighbours yard, draining the tank(making a skating rink)
The pics of the flat deck/car I think are on my laptop, I'll find them later... I do have pics of the car I towed, but that doesn't prove anything...
Similar threads
