Question about towing

[Volphin]

Well, it looks like my other half needs a new trailer for her marching band... she's a music teacher and band director. They have been towing the band gear with a little 8-10 foot single axle trailer. I found a really cool 21 ft. tandem axle Haulmark on CL, but the curb weight is about 3250lbs. Most of the time band parents volunteer to tow the trailer. Is this too heavy for the average F150 or Chevy 1500? Once the gear is loaded we are looking at 4250-4500lbs. Thought I would get your opinions friends!

V

 

[kemer1]

Re: Question about towing

Nope...it shouldn't be an issue. Most mid sized SUVs would be able to handle the weight. Only possible hiccup I would foresee is the light connections. Those sized trailers sometimes have electric brakes and therefore use the 7 plug harness. So your volunteer would need at least that 7 round plug and possibly a brake controller to properly pull that. But as far as the weight is concerned it would not be a problem.

 

[crvantreese]

Re: Question about towing

You should be just fine, it realy depends on the model of the truck and the towing package. Here is a link to the 2010 F150 towing capacity.
http://www.ford.com/resources/ford/general/pdf/towingguides/10FLMrvF150sep09.pdf

 

[DFW Miles]

Re: Question about towing

As far as the weight goes you will not have a problem towing that trailer with a 1/2 ton pickup. I would check with the other parents who would be towing the trailer before buying it. This trailer is over twice the size and weight as your old trailer. The other parents might not be as excited about hitching it up to their truck as they were about the smaller trailer. Just my .02.

 

[sschefer]

Re: Question about towing

One of the things that is most often overlooked is the tow vehicles suspension. While it may have the ability to tow the object from a straightline capacity perspective it may not have a suspension and braking system capable of withstanding the side and forward forces that it will be subjected to. A tandem axle trailer tends to exhibit less side force during road and wind condition changes but it does tend want to travel in a straight line when turning which increases the side load on the suspension. The 1/2 ton trucks of today are generally setup with suspension systems geared towards comfort because so many are being sold for other than work uses. These suspension systems are not geared towards side loading and suffer (sway) when it occurs. Many vehicles of today have something called traction control devices that are used to conteract sway. These do a very good job at redirecting the forces away from the suspension system but should not be considered a total solution.

There's a general rule I go by and that's if it has a single axle a 150/1500 will do the job. If it has a double axle you need a 250/2500 and a tripple you need a 350/3500 or more.

 

[Volphin]

Re: Question about towing

As far as the weight goes you will not have a problem towing that trailer with a 1/2 ton pickup. I would check with the other parents who would be towing the trailer before buying it. This trailer is over twice the size and weight as your old trailer. The other parents might not be as excited about hitching it up to their truck as they were about the smaller trailer. Just my .02.

Yep. That's why I'm asking. I can tow it myself if need be. I have a 7 pin on the Durango and a beefed up suspension. The good news is that we are getting more kids in band and need something bigger.

V

 

[Volphin]

Re: Question about towing

One of the things that is most often overlooked is the tow vehicles suspension. While it may have the ability to tow the object from a straightline capacity perspective it may not have a suspension and braking system capable of withstanding the side and forward forces that it will be subjected to. A tandem axle trailer tends to exhibit less side force during road and wind condition changes but it does tend want to travel in a straight line when turning which increases the side load on the suspension. The 1/2 ton trucks of today are generally setup with suspension systems geared towards comfort because so many are being sold for other than work uses. These suspension systems are not geared towards side loading and suffer (sway) when it occurs. Many vehicles of today have something called traction control devices that are used to conteract sway. These do a very good job at redirecting the forces away from the suspension system but should not be considered a total solution.

There's a general rule I go by and that's if it has a single axle a 150/1500 will do the job. If it has a double axle you need a 250/2500 and a tripple you need a 350/3500 or more.

Good advice. Thanks Steve!

V

 

[642mx]

Re: Question about towing

There's a general rule I go by and that's if it has a single axle a 150/1500 will do the job. If it has a double axle you need a 250/2500 and a tripple you need a 350/3500 or more.

You've got to be kidding....lol.


Its amazing how many people on here think you need a diesel with suspension upgrades and a weight distribution hitch to pull a canoe. :facepalm:


To the OPer... Haulmark builds a heavy trailer. I've owned them before and hauled mx bikes all over the midwest when I was racing.... 20'+ enclosed trailers pull pretty easy, but they can cut your average SUV's fuel mileage in half. Something to think about and discuss with the other volunteers before pulling the trigger. And if that trailer is 7 foot wide (interior), your Durango may need some mirror extentions.

 

[Volphin]

Re: Question about towing

You've got to be kidding....lol.


Its amazing how many people on here think you need a diesel with suspension upgrades and a weight distribution hitch to pull a canoe. :facepalm:


To the OPer... Haulmark builds a heavy trailer. I've owned them before and hauled mx bikes all over the midwest when I was racing.... 20'+ enclosed trailers pull pretty easy, but they can cut your average SUV's fuel mileage in half. Something to think about and discuss with the other volunteers before pulling the trigger. And if that trailer is 7 foot wide (interior), your Durango may need some mirror extentions.

Oh I hear ya on the mpg. The Durango has a very modified Magnum 360. Her nickname is Miss Piggy. LOL The trailer is not 7 feet wide. It is 8.5 feet wide. Forgot about the mirrors! :facepalm:

V

 

[rallyart]

Re: Question about towing

If you are looking for a trailer that will be pulled by varied volunteers over several years you want to buy one that will have a loaded total weight of 3500# maximum and use surge brakes in my opinion. 642mx's comment on mirror extensions is really valid for the occasional use person. Narrower, lighter, easier to hook up, towable by more vehicles, towable by less experienced people, simple wiring, safe when Mom and four of the band are in the vehicle. Those are really important things to consider.
Wouldn't it be really nice to have a trailer that most SUV's could pull. You're only looking at pulling 1300# of gear, even if it is bulky.

 

[1980Coronado]

Re: Question about towing

V

I tow my Coronado (5500-6000 lbs on a tandem trailer with gear) with an 08 GMC Envoy Denali 4x4 (5.3L)........it does just fine. Trailblazers and Envoy's with the 5.3L option are probably the best bang for the buck for towing....capacity is 6600 lbs and they are much less expensive then a used crew cab 4x4 truck. You could tow that with the same type vehicle w/o the V8 option.....even an Acadia or similar would work fine.....I think they are rated for 4400 or 4600 lbs.

I was a band guy myself...we had a small semi to carry our stuff...large HS band with 300 members equals lots of stuff to drag around! We won a State Championship my senior year....good times!

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Question about towing

You've got to be kidding....lol.


Its amazing how many people on here think you need a diesel with suspension upgrades and a weight distribution hitch to pull a canoe. :facepalm:

It's not that bad of a rule of thumb.... keep in mind that the term "rule of thumb" implies some flexibility.....

anyhow.... I REALLY want to see this canoe that gets hauled on a tri-axle trailer..... gotta be a beast

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Question about towing

Well, it looks like my other half needs a new trailer for her marching band... she's a music teacher and band director. They have been towing the band gear with a little 8-10 foot single axle trailer. I found a really cool 21 ft. tandem axle Haulmark on CL, but the curb weight is about 3250lbs. Most of the time band parents volunteer to tow the trailer. Is this too heavy for the average F150 or Chevy 1500? Once the gear is loaded we are looking at 4250-4500lbs. Thought I would get your opinions friends!
V

as for the original question.... load the trailer and get it weighed..... pay attention to the tongue weight and make sure is load consistently so that tongue weight stays about the same..... Working trailer brakes are a VERY good idea and that could pose a problem for having multiple people towing it.... The "average" half ton is anything but average, there can be a HUGE difference from vehicle to vehicle... Also the driver can make a HUGE difference .....I might have no problem towing that trailer with an s-10 where as Suzie's mom (or dad or uncle) might be deadly towing it with a dually.... I'd say the determination needs to be made on a case by case basis but that it IS definitely possible

 

[109jb]

Re: Question about towing

There's a general rule I go by and that's if it has a single axle a 150/1500 will do the job. If it has a double axle you need a 250/2500 and a tripple you need a 350/3500 or more.

TOTAL OVERKILL!!!!

A truck can tow up to the limits listed in the owners manual. Period.

 

[N3UP]

Re: Question about towing

V8 powered half ton pickup or similar SUV should be fine, unless you have someone with an Ecoboost..... (think Expedition/Tahoe)

This exact situation is why I'm still pulling the Band trailer 5 years after my daughter graduated High School.
Her time in the band helped shape the adult she has become, so it's my way of giving back to an activity that has done so much for her....

Invest in a WD hitch with the trailer.
That is what we did, and the hitch stays with the trailer.

I feel your growing pains.....we bought a 16ft enclosed 2 years ago, and now the band has grown again.....

We've had it wrapped, but I haven't gotten a good picture of it yet.....
Maybe this weekend if the rain stops.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Question about towing

for a trailer that gets towed by various vehicles, dexter free backing surge brakes would be really nice.... idiot proof and require nothing on the tow vehicle

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: Question about towing

I agree with the surge brakes, but not on a 21 foot trailer. These trailers when there this long pull way different than a normal length trailer. Alot of your discision is going to have to be based on how the trailer is set-up. Where the axles are located is a concern with a trailer this long. The tongue weight can almost be double of what a 14 or 16 ft trailer would be.

You need IMO electric brake set-ups on this long of a trailer. They are instant and don't rely on a surge to get the job done. Electric brakes are also adjustable for different weight loads and adjusted for different tow vehicles. All trucks are going to handle stopping a trailer that size differently.The 21 ft trailer will also be alot harder for various people to get use to driving with, turning, cornering, stopping, excellerating, use of mirrors, etc., are all going to be more difficult. With this long of a trailer, you need extension mirrors if you are driving a f150 or a 1500.Not to mention it will be harder to get in and out of places. I think I would be looking for a second trailer instead of a larger one.

By the way, mentioned above, traction control in most cases just controls the slip of a wheel, not sway from side to side.. It will transfer power to the tire that is not spinning and lesson the power to the wheel that is slipping. Thus controlling traction.

I think you should look for a nice 16' trailer to start and see how it goes.

 

[drrpm]

Re: Question about towing

My kids high school band had a similar sized trailer which was towed by volunteers too. Band equipment tends to be pretty light but bulky so you may have a pretty big trailer to carry a light weight. Generally the people who volunteered to tow it were pretty experienced and it was done with 1/2 ton pickups or SUVs. Even if the loaded trailer weighed 5,000 lbs it would be well within the limits of any relatively modern V8 powered pickup or SUV.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Question about towing

By the way, mentioned above, traction control in most cases just controls the slip of a wheel, not sway from side to side.. It will transfer power to the tire that is not spinning and lesson the power to the wheel that is slipping. Thus controlling traction.

I know you said 'most' so you probably had this in mind... Some of the newer 1/2 tons are coming out with traction control that includes sway control systems. Apparently they are VERY good at preventing sway, through some computer magic.

 

[N3UP]

Re: Question about towing

A tandem axle trailer should not have any sway issues provided it is loaded correctly and the hitch is properly setup.

We used ours for 2 competitions before the who knows how old dry rotted tires got replaced and the WD hitch was installed with zero sway issues.

Having a trailer with electric brakes tends to lock you into drivers who have some experience towing due to requiring a brake controller on the tow vehicle.
A little due diligence on the part of the Band Director/Band Parents group should be sufficient as far as finding responsible drivers to tow the trailer.

Marching Band season being in the fall, at least in the Northeast, makes towing easier on the tow vehicle due to the cooler temperatures.