Ok Old Man winter has decided to screw with me and come early. I planned a trip to the dunes this Sunday and now its F-ing snowing.. my worry is, my tow vehical is 2wd ! I have an 18ft open deck car hauler.. I'll be pullin 3 MAYBE 4 Quads ( about 400 lbs each ) trip is about 180 miles there.. Forcast is callin for snow for the whole trip.. trailer does have brakes on ONE axle and the truck is set up for that as well. truck is 05 Sierra 1500 crew cab shor box 2wd 5.3 auto.

Totally dumb ass idea. or i should be OK ?

Are you new to Michigan? I'd probably give it a go if I had tires that worked good in the snow. If your truck is scetchy in the snow by itself, you'll probably wreck it with a trailer. Totally depends on your driving skill I'd think.
Travis..

Are you new to Michigan? I'd probably give it a go if I had tires that worked good in the snow. If your truck is scetchy in the snow by itself, you'll probably wreck it with a trailer. Totally depends on your driving skill I'd think.
Travis..
Ok ill do it then. truck does ok in the snow with weight in the back. so with the trailer weight we should be good. Just have to use Caution.. Kinda what i figured.. Not new to michigan but with all the towing ive done i have never done it during winter..

Just make sure to give extra room to stop since you will have more weight on the rear tires of the truck than the front.

what about trailer chains? would they aide in braking?

I have not thought about trailer chains before, that is an interesting concept.

yes, trailer chains aid in braking, and they also aid in keeping thrailer from sliding. I would call your local highway patrol and ask them about the legalities and requirements/restrictions of towing in the snow with a 2wd. My guess is they will require chains on the trailer and the tow vehicle. Also make sure you have the proper fender clearence for the chains on the trailer, most "car hauler and RV" typew trailers do not.


:usa:

In troll land I wouldn't worry, they put so much crap on the roads as soon as the white stuff start to fall down there. I've done some towing in the UP in the middle of a blizard when i didn't realize my tow rig was in 2wd with maybe 7k combined in the box of the truck and on the trailer and it was a pain to get moving and a little squirly. It's too early in the season for snow to really cause issues on the street when the sun is out. We got about 1/2" of snow up here last night, streets were fine. When all the pavement is white and the ground is frozen 2wd towing is a different story.

Only tow rigs on the farm were 2wd, and that was in North Dakota. Be careful, know your limits, have good tires on both, and you'll be fine. Just don't try to pass every car on the way there.

Only tow rigs on the farm were 2wd, and that was in North Dakota. Be careful, know your limits, have good tires on both, and you'll be fine. Just don't try to pass every car on the way there.
Hmmm so balls to the walls white knuckle thrill is outa the question.. GOT IT :D
Yes truck and trailer both have good tires, Drove the truck trailer to work tonight just to make sure everything was up to par after my recent service. i say we're good to go. Thanks for the advice fellla's

surprised noboy's said it:

Load one of the 4-wheelers in the bed of the truck.

JP

I would call your local highway patrol and ask them about the legalities and requirements/restrictions of towing in the snow with a 2wd. My guess is they will require chains on the trailer and the tow vehicle.


:usa:

We towed a trailer home from california last winter, Dodge Dually 4x4 w/good snow tires. Made us stop and buy chains for the trailer. Just another STUPID california rule, but I guess it is cause of all the stupid people driving in the snow. :flipoff2: :flipoff2: :flipoff2:

Well i got up sat morn. looked outside, Nothing but sunshine. Trip was great weather..

We towed a trailer home from california last winter, Dodge Dually 4x4 w/good snow tires. Made us stop and buy chains for the trailer. Just another STUPID california rule, but I guess it is cause of all the stupid people driving in the snow. :flipoff2: :flipoff2: :flipoff2:

I had a CalTrans guy telling me I'd probably need chains on my empty car hauler a few years ago... about that time, my English/Bull Mastiff mix decided she didn't like him, and he decided that I'd be good to go with just chains on the truck. :)

I haven't owned a 4x4 tow rig, living just outside of Denver, since about '99ish. Got chains, though, and carry 'em year round.

If it's snowing, but not icy, and not hilly, you'll probably be fine without chains; if it's icy, or you'll be in hilly country, or venturing off major roads, you might need chains. If you're unsure of things, I wouldn't set tire off the pavement just to be safe, and like I said above, I carry chains year-round just in case. They're not that expensive, and there's times that chains and 2WD will get the job done where 4WD just spins more tires.

When I lived in Col. I had a 2wd powerstroke and did fine towing unless it was really icy, or going up into back roads on the mountain. Weight is your friend.

Also make sure you have the proper fender clearence for the chains on the trailer, most "car hauler and RV" typew trailers do not.
:usa:

Unless you have my trailer - in that case if there isn't enough clearance, the chains will loose the battle if they tried to fight the fenders. :laughing:

In the 6 years transporting, I only had to chain up one time with my 2WD duallies. Then, towards the end of last winter, I had to chain up 6 times in one trip! Weight over the tires is your friend.

It wasn't uncommon for me to be the only one driving during some of the severe storms...all the while listening to the truckers on their CBs (in the truck stops), talking about how it was impossible. You get used to drifting around a bit. That's when I really enjoyed my job.

This one wasn't bad at all. 65-70, taking pictures, playing on the net, making sandwiches, pissin in bottles, and watchin movies. It the storms when I couldn't take pictures...or see the road for that matter, that were bad!
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c138/EMIEVEL/dashboard%20photos/5e36f7c0.jpg

You really don't want this big pig to come around on ya too far!

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c138/EMIEVEL/my%20fleet/503c972f.jpg

In the 6 years transporting, I only had to chain up one time with my 2WD duallies. Then, towards the end of last winter, I had to chain up 6 times in one trip! Weight over the tires is your friend.

It wasn't uncommon for me to be the only one driving during some of the severe storms...all the while listening to the truckers on their CBs (in the truck stops), talking about how it was impossible. You get used to drifting around a bit. That's when I really enjoyed my job.

This one wasn't bad at all. 65-70, taking pictures, playing on the net, making sandwiches, pissin in bottles, and watchin movies. It the storms when I couldn't take pictures...or see the road for that matter, that were bad!
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c138/EMIEVEL/dashboard%20photos/5e36f7c0.jpg

You really don't want this big pig to come around on ya too far!

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c138/EMIEVEL/my%20fleet/503c972f.jpg

The metal Foundry called, they need your balls back. ea you'd never catch me doing that.