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12-27-2007, 06:48 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Trailer: Casita
Posts: 451
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Hi
I have a 4000lb towing pickup and a 3000 lb trailer.
I want to downsize a little but and was interested in what you pull with and how much you pull.
My trailer weight is 75% of my truck weight.
Do any of you go more than "one to one"? trailer being heavier than your car/truck?
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12-27-2007, 07:13 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Trailer: No Trailer Yet
Posts: 4,897
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Thats something i never thought of. I normally go by tow rating of tow vehicle.
__________________
Retired Underground Coal Miner.
Served in Canadian Army (1PPCLI)
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12-27-2007, 10:37 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Trailer: Casita 17 ft Spirit Deluxe
Posts: 509
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I once (1970s) pulled a 2,000# (fully loaded) stick built 14' (8' wide) travel trailer with a 1,600# 1966 Covair Monza. Does that count?
__________________
CD and Joyce Smith - Lily, Violet, and Rose
1999 Casita 17' SD - "The Little Egg"
2007 Escalade - 6.2L V8 - 6L80E Trans - 3.42 Diff
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12-28-2007, 05:10 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Trailer: Y2K6 Bigfoot 25 ft (25B25RQ) & Y2K3 Scamp 16 ft Side Dinette
Posts: 5,040
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Ron, I pulled my 8,900 lb Airstream with a 7,500 lb Excursion. I also occasionally pull my 5,300 Bigfoot 25RQ with my 4,300 lb Tundra.
Roger
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12-28-2007, 02:58 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Trailer: 2004 Bigfoot 17 ft ('Beastie')
Posts: 564
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I would shy away from towing with a tug lighter than the trailer, but I realize that it may be acceptable with some rigs, such as a 5er and a well equipped truck. For information about towing, check out Trailer Life's 2008 "Guide to Towing" which just came out with the January issue. It is a great reference on towing!
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12-28-2007, 03:07 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Trailer: 1983 13 ft Scamp
Posts: 3,082
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Trailer wt NO more than 85% of Tow Vehicle.
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12-28-2007, 03:07 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Trailer: Scamp
Posts: 7,056
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I think Chester has the right answer.
As for towing with a vehicle light than the trailer, towing ratings of vehicles seem to discount that. Example: My 2005 Dakota with tow package is rated to tow 7,000 lbs. The vehicle weighs 4,700 lbs.
We have examined and discussed tow ratings here on this forum. From those discussions I don't believe weight of the tow vehicle vs weight of trailer are important. What is important the towing rating of the tow vehicle vs the weight of the trailer.
__________________
Byron & Anne enjoying the everyday Saturday thing.
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12-28-2007, 04:42 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Trailer: Casita
Posts: 451
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Quote:
Trailer wt NO more than 85% of Tow Vehicle.
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I'm with you there somewhere Kevin.
Maybe 1:1 max
Just makes me feel better if the trailer doesn't weigh more than the puller.
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12-28-2007, 05:45 PM
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#10
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Member
Trailer: 1977 Boler 17 ft
Posts: 33
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I believe it's true that many tow vehicles have ratings higher than their weight. Actually a 3/4 ton is not that heavy and can have quite a large towing capacity. I believe one huge factor would be brakes on the trailer so that the tow vehicle is not trying to stop the whole load in an emergency. I would think that as long as you are within the towing capacity of your TV you are safe, but I do agree 1 to 1 sounds sensible.
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12-29-2007, 12:00 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Trailer: 2005 19 ft Scamp 19 ft 5th Wheel
Posts: 1,555
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A vehicle's tow rating has a lot more to do with its design and construction than its weight. Consider a diesel tractor in a tractor-trailer combo where the weight of the trailer and cargo is often some multiple of the weight of the tug; at the other end of the spectra some cars are rated for zero-tow-weight. There is no golden ratio.
Off the top of my head, some of the things that affect tow rating are
-- The TV's brakes. They have to be able to effectively handle the TV & Trailer.
-- Wheel base & weight distribution. A longer wheelbase and shorter distance between the rear axle and the hitch helps maintain front-tire traction; vehicles with shorter wheelbases and greater hitch overhang loose traction and directional control as the vehicle's effective center of gravity shifts backward when weight is applied to the hitch. (Additional downward weight beyond the standard hitch weight is applied to the hitch while braking and as the TV and trailer go over rough terrain.)
-- Rear axle and tires. They also have to handle the added weight and demands of towing.
-- Body/frame type. Cars and trucks with traditional frames have stronger mounting points for the hitch than frame-less "unit body" vehicles.
And the list goes on and on . . .
--Peter
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12-29-2007, 08:42 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Trailer: 2007 Casita Liberty Deluxe 17 ft / Honda Odyssey
Posts: 705
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I would go with whatever the automotive engineers in their infinite wisdom determine for the tow vehicle.
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12-29-2007, 08:44 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Trailer: 1989 Casita Spirit Deluxe
Posts: 2,055
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In the US (and, perhaps, Canada) we seem to go more by tow ratings and length of trailer to tow wheelbase than weight ratios. However, the Europeans seem to use weight ratios. I believe the British trailer-to-tow ratio is around 85% to 89%.
It'd sure come in handy if North America had a website LIKE THIS. They furnish a lot of helpful information.
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12-29-2007, 08:03 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Trailer: Scamp
Posts: 3,072
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The manf tow capacity rating trumps all.
That said, I don't think weight is that much of a factor if all the other stuf is right. I have seen a small trailer yank a pickup truck around on the road when the loaded pickup weighed almost three times the loaded trailer's weight. Conversely, as PeterH points out, what's the weight ratio of a tractor-trailer rig hauling a load of structural steel...
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12-30-2007, 08:30 AM
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#15
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Senior Member
Trailer: Boler 1984
Posts: 2,938
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Like Byron I tow with a Dodge Dakota. It has a V8 and 4X4. I don't require that much truck to tow the boler but I got it with the idea that if I upgrade I don't have to change tows unless I go Supersize and then I may have to get a full sized one. What changes your ratings is the addition of brakes to the trailer. Go back and read the threads on brakes, they will change your ratings. With NO brakes I would stay well below the weight of the tow. WITH brakes I would now go to the Mfg specifications.
Jim
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12-30-2007, 11:45 AM
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#16
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Senior Member
Trailer: Y2K6 Bigfoot 25 ft (25B25RQ) & Y2K3 Scamp 16 ft Side Dinette
Posts: 5,040
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My Excursion had a 10k lb tow rating with a 7,000 lb +/- curb weight. It handled a 9,000 lb trailer just fine, but IMHO the more weight you're towing, the more critical your towing equipment (hitch/brakes/controller) and their proper setup becomes.
Roger
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12-30-2007, 01:38 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Trailer: Casita
Posts: 451
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Quote:
My Excursion had a 10k lb tow rating with a 7,000 lb +/- curb weight. It handled a 9,000 lb trailer just fine, but IMHO the more weight you're towing, the more critical your towing equipment (hitch/brakes/controller) and their proper setup becomes.
Roger
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I agree, Roger. The bigger the more caution.
But my problem with towing specs from the manufactures is that it is just a number on paper. I have no idea what rules they follow or how they arrive at a "safe" ratio. I trust myself more than them. So I'll probably never tow a big trailer without a bigger TV.
Just me
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12-30-2007, 02:46 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Trailer: Scamp
Posts: 7,056
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If you really want to know how ratings a re arrived at go to http://www.sae.org Search for the information on towing ratings, pays your money to the standard. It's there someplace.
__________________
Byron & Anne enjoying the everyday Saturday thing.
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12-30-2007, 05:40 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Trailer: Y2K6 Bigfoot 25 ft (25B25RQ) & Y2K3 Scamp 16 ft Side Dinette
Posts: 5,040
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Quote:
If you really want to know how ratings a re arrived at go to http://www.sae.org Search for the information on towing ratings, pays your money to the standard. It's there someplace.
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The SAE standards are apparently a work in progress:
Performance Requirements for Determining Tow Ratings
Roger
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12-30-2007, 05:42 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Trailer: Y2K6 Bigfoot 25 ft (25B25RQ) & Y2K3 Scamp 16 ft Side Dinette
Posts: 5,040
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And HERE is one that I'd bet trailer manufacturers would just as soon see go away... a standard for measuring trailer sway!
Roger
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