RedOne

Looking to get a trailer to haul a small car and wanted to know how big a trailer I can go before I need to get a load equalizer hitch?

One trip one way about 2100 miles...

KR Kodi

iTrader: (1)

What's the tongue weight of the rig???

My factory hitch on my 2013 with tow package has a sticker on it that says the max tongue weight for a weight carrying bumper hitch is 500 lbs, and the max tongue weight for a WDH is 1050 lbs.

Look on your hitch for a sticker that may answer your question.

In my case, I've pulled locally for 20 or 30 miles without my WDH with 650 lbs or so of tongue weight with no problem.

However, if I were pulling much over the bumper pull limit for the distance you're going, I'd mount up my WDH for the tow.

BTW, the tongue weight of your rig should be 10-15% of the total weight of the trailer. If your trailer with the car loaded on it is 5000 lbs or less, and you can load it so the tongue weight is 500 lbs or less, then you'll probably be fine with no weight distributing hitch required.

Bob

zx12-iowa

Just grab a uhaul trailer. Your truck will pull any dual,axle car carrier well without a wdh. I have done it many times thousands of miles.

RedOne

Here is the deal.
We are moving our son out to Portland, OR. He has two cars of which we will be hauling one out. It only weights 2300#, is 13.5' long and 6' wide. We are looking to get an enclosed trailer to put all his stuff and the car in. He will have about 4-5k# of stuff including the car. He thought of getting a 20' enclosed tandem trailer and I will pull it with my truck. I lined up a WDH off Craigslist for $250-300 that should do the job. If he buys the trailer and hitch here he can always sell it all out there for what he has in it or a little less and still come out ahead.

Uhaul wanted way too much for us to rent a trailer one way and a UBox with most of his stuff in it shipped to Portland. PODS was way out of line all ways around.

130428

better pack / tetris / tie all that "stuff" down properly inside the trailer, or you may find the bedside table through the windshield of the car...

tomb1269

Unless you had panned to go with him, Uhaul truck and trailer is the option to go with. I assume he is moving for work, which make to cost tax deductable. I assume if he/you can afford a trailer of that size, then cash is not the limiting factor. You may be able to get what you paid for the trailer when he sells it in Portland, but no garantee. He will get a tax break for every dime (with in IRS guidelines) that he spent in moving, rental fees, fuel, overnights etc. and the wear and tear will not be put on your truck. And you have the option of purchasing additional insurance for damage to the truck and trailer and or to the goods being moved, with the added benefit of not putting the wear and tear on your own truck.
PS: If you and the wife were planning to go along for the ride you could drive his car (tax deductable for mileage etc.) and fly back (not sure flight would be tax deductable) or just drive your truck with out the added load and wear of towing.

xcntrk

The answer is right on the hitch.

500# tongue weight without load-distribution. That's a 4-5k lb trailer.

RedOne

Well we bought a 8.5 x 20' trailer. Getting the WDH and new 2-5/16 hitch next week...hope all the boys stuff fits inside...

zx12-iowa

First you are a good dad. Expect less than 10 mpg towing that trailer due to wind resistance. Truck with pull it effortlessly though. If you are new to towing, make sure the ball is on tight, take tools with you (duct tape, wiring tools and a wrench to tighten the ball if you need to)and , a spare trailer tire. Inflate trailer tires to max psi on sidewall and air up,truck tires as well to a bit higher than it says on the door.

You may or may not want to use tow/haul mode. I usually don't unless I'm towing over 8klbs or maybe 5-6k in big hills/mountains.

custm2500

Air bags are at least one million times better then a WDH. For the same $250-$300 you can add helper bags and really gain some ground! If you want to do it right for $450 you can install an on board air compressor and have full control!


I don't know why WDH still exist with helper bags so readily available now!