Too big? Too heavy?

[rhalloran]

Hey all - thinking about transport for next winter. I have a 28' Carson toyhauler; it'd be nice to cook/dress/eat lunch inside, but I'm wondering just how big is too big.

Trailer weighs ~6500# empty, so maybe 8k loaded.

I fully realize it'll limit where I can go - certain spots will be impossible with it (some places I used to go were tricky with a 10' open two place).

Question is - how big is too big/too heavy? I've never towed this thing in winter, only summer. I know some guys are towing some monsters - huge trailers, 35+', they have to be approaching 10k# loaded up. At what point does the weight start to affect things? Snowpacked roads? Plowed lots (Rabbit Ears, the VP turnaround - I'm in CO)?

Towing with a 3/4 ton longbed/4dr Dodge diesel, not worried about power, will have good tires on it, but I'm wondering if it is too much of a good thing.

Thoughts?



RH

 

[turbolover]

If you were going to stay for the weekend or an extended stay it would be nice.
Thats a whole lot of weight and messing around for a day trip.

 

[rhalloran]

Yeah, agreed - shopping for a sled deck, too, for the day trips (or keep my little open trailer). I'd likely only drag it out for overnight trips, but I'm thinking it'd be nice if I could find places to park it, ride, go to trailer, cook, hang out, sleep, repeat.



RH

 

[Coldfinger]

Depends how far you are towing and how steep the mtn grades.

If it is a 5th wheel, I'm sure it'd handle a lot better than a bumper pull. I wouldn't want to be towing my Jayco trailer tow 24' Octane on bad roads because it is just that much more weight to push the tow rig around.

As far as hauling sleds in a toy hauler - I wouldn't want all that snowmelt in my toy hauler but then again I don't have the separate garage on my camper.

 

[94fordguy]

You'd definitely have to know that where you are planning to take it will be plowed VERY well.... I have had my 3 place enclosed (5K fully loaded) almost anchor me a couple times this past season with good tires on, and those were in places I would never have thought twice about going into.

 

[Dogmeat]

Hey all - thinking about transport for next winter. I have a 28' Carson toyhauler; it'd be nice to cook/dress/eat lunch inside, but I'm wondering just how big is too big.

Trailer weighs ~6500# empty, so maybe 8k loaded.

I fully realize it'll limit where I can go - certain spots will be impossible with it (some places I used to go were tricky with a 10' open two place).

Question is - how big is too big/too heavy? I've never towed this thing in winter, only summer. I know some guys are towing some monsters - huge trailers, 35+', they have to be approaching 10k# loaded up. At what point does the weight start to affect things? Snowpacked roads? Plowed lots (Rabbit Ears, the VP turnaround - I'm in CO)?

Towing with a 3/4 ton longbed/4dr Dodge diesel, not worried about power, will have good tires on it, but I'm wondering if it is too much of a good thing.

Thoughts?



RH

You'll be fine ... Yes, a lot of days it'd be nice to just have a sled deck, but hauling a support wagon around has its advantages too. I would highly recommend a set of studded snow tires, those helped me out quite a bit last year. My trailer is not as heavy as yours is, but its not light by any means .... What really slows me down with it is the wind. Case in point, coming back from West Yellowstone last march ... the roads in Idaho were perfectly dry and tractable but the wind was blowing like 50-60 mph broadsiding the trailer .... so I was literally driving 45 mph in a 75 with it. Never got blown off the road either, so 45 mph was just dandy with me.

The wind is really what gets you with the big trailers more than anything IMO, but yeah in a fuster cluck parking lot like Muddy Creek unless you get there early and get parked with your nose pointed out at a good angle you can really get in a bind.

Overall I do like having a support wagon, its sort of groovy

 

[rhalloran]

Thanks, Dogmeat - studs on the truck or trailer?

I'm a firm believer in studs on the truck; planning on trying a set of studded Goodyear Duratracs this season - but wondering about studs on the trailer; not found a studdable trailer tire, searching here, it looks like the way to do it is to buy a high speed drill/stud gun (ugh, I've studded plenty of tires that already had holes, what a hassle...now I have to drill the holes, too? Yuck).

Maybe a pair of loadrange D or E studded truck tires on one axle of the trailer?

I'm paranoid about this thing locking rear wheels on a downhill and trying to pass me.


Thanks!


RH

 

[Blk88GT]

Make sure you've got a set of tire chains in the truck for "those" parking lots.

 

[robertyoke]

Thanks, Dogmeat - studs on the truck or trailer?

I'm a firm believer in studs on the truck; planning on trying a set of studded Goodyear Duratracs this season - but wondering about studs on the trailer; not found a studdable trailer tire, searching here, it looks like the way to do it is to buy a high speed drill/stud gun (ugh, I've studded plenty of tires that already had holes, what a hassle...now I have to drill the holes, too? Yuck).

Maybe a pair of loadrange D or E studded truck tires on one axle of the trailer?

I'm paranoid about this thing locking rear wheels on a downhill and trying to pass me.


Thanks!




I ended up replacing/upgrading to 16" wheels to run these cooper discovery studded snows 225/75 16 LR E light truck tires. they should have been a whole inch taller but really just 1/2 ~ 5/8 total in hight so it only raised the trailer just 1/4 inch or so.
I did sell the near worn out 225/75 15 LR D good(luck)year trailer tires and rusty steel wheels for $175 on craigslist.

 

[rhalloran]

Interesting - I've been using those tires on my tow vehicle for years, had not thought of swapping to 16" wheels, but duh, why not?

Thanks!

 

[Dogmeat]

My trailer has 16" wheels as well, that would be a good deal putting those studded tires on it .... probably help out when towing in the wind at least, probably no much else, but hey it can't hurt.

 

[robertyoke]

My trailer has 16" wheels as well, that would be a good deal putting those studded tires on it .... probably help out when towing in the wind at least, probably no much else, but hey it can't hurt.

im sure they help stopping as well, especially when some dumb ars decides to pass you on the pass and then play bumper tag with the guard rail.... seen that too often.

to the op, my wells cargo 29 footer is somewhere around 6000 lbs without sleds in it. it tows fine but i do run studed snows on my truck as well as the trailer, as shown above. I have a set of chains, but it would have to be really ugly to need them as the studded snow tires I'm running on the truck do really well (general Altimax Arctic).

 

[Dogmeat]

I would also like to add.... with a big trailer like this, air bags and an anitsway/weight distributing hitch are a HUGE plus.

 

[rhalloran]

I would also like to add.... with a big trailer like this, air bags and an anitsway/weight distributing hitch are a HUGE plus.

Yup, got both. It tows absolutely great on dry roads, a little worried about snowy roads/trailer brakes, was a bit concerned about getting into/out of parking lots, but at the places I'm likely to go, should not be a problem.

What about Buff Pass? Anyone ever drag something big/bigger up there? Enough room to turn around?

Thanks for all the help - this place is great!

 

[Matte Murder]

You don't say what you are towing with or I missed it, that could make a big difference. I have a big Featherlite and and it isn't feather light. I am about 7000-7500lbs loaded up and I am using a Tundra with air bags. Took it on a few LONG trips last year and it tows great. I use it even when it's just me. I have all my gear in the trailer all the time, my tools, snacks and drinks etc. I can load up and be on the road in less than 30 minutes and know I am not forgetting anything. I am looking for a sled deck and a 2 place topcap trailer for very early and very late in the season though.

 

[rhalloran]

3/4 ton 4wd longbed/4dr Dodge diesel, airbags, leveling hitch/antisway, etc etc etc.

How long is your trailer, Matte?

The truck should be more than adequate. I needed to put new tires on the trailer yesterday, decided on sticking with 15s for now, might look for some used 16" wheels and do studs, but from reading things, it seems like brake controller settings are key (duh). I'll chain the trailer if I'm really concerned about it, but I thnk it'll be OK.

I'm less concerned about turning it around now, too - spent the past few days at tire shops and whatnot with it - the turning radius is actually pretty tight. I think it'll be fine. I hope. My old tow vehicle turned WAY tighter (2wd Ford), it is noticable how much less space I need to get that thing turned around, but the truck is not as bad as I thought in reality - the truck and trailer just LOOKS huge.

Getting a deck either way, not going to drag the contraption EVERY weekend, but it'll be nice for weekends where the storm is forecast to start Saturday afternoon and nuke all night.



RH

 

[Matte Murder]

31' hitch to tail lights. 24' "box" with 7' of nose. The Tundra has great power, transmission and brakes. The chassis is pretty heavy duty for a 1/2 ton too but the air bags make a huge difference in how it tows. Get a really good brake controller too, good ones cost about $200 or so but really help to balance the truck and trailer brakes. As said this truck will really pull but it drinks the gas. I get 7-8 mpg but I am pulling the passes at 60-70mph. Another thing I did and love is I put a 46 gal fuel tank in from Transfer Flow. I can go 300-350 hard miles now, like 150-175 with the stock tank which is a joke. It will go almost 600 miles daily driven too. This truck should get a 35 gal tank stock at least. My buddy has a brand new for F150 with the V8 . He has been telling me what great mileage he gets lately. I rode in his truck today and saw the display. Only 13.3mpg. I get near that with my 5 year old Tundra with 120,000 miles on it and I have 50hp on him. Fail for Ford there.