I'm towing with a 02 Chev 1/2 ton 2wd. Its got the 5.3 so powers not really an issue. I know, I really need a Mac truck with a 53' trailer to tow correctly by most peoples standards in this forum, but right now I'm using what I've got. It's got a HD aux tranny cooler. and I'm getting a prodigy controler. It will have bags eventualy for leveling.

So, with that said. I'm gonna be towing a 82 toy, 110" wb truggy. 38's blah blah blah. I'm estimating that I'm looking at 30-3200 fully loaded.

How long of a trailer should I look for? Obviously it will have brakes, I'm thinking not a dovetail cause I've heard people talk about them getting hung up. Steel constuction with a wood deck is what I'm figuring on.

Opinions? Again. I am not asking what kind of tow rig I need.

I have a 16 foot trailer that I used to use for my half bodied 4 Runner. I'd go with a 16-20 foot trailer, the 20 allowing room for camping gear, etc. Try to get a weight on the trailer, mine's about 1500 lbs. Use that to figure your total tow weight and keep it within your truck's rating.

Yep mines a 14+2, and my truck fits on it alright. I'm planning on moving the dovetail up for a complete 16' flatbed, though. My trailer weight is about 1500 with the spare and tiedowns on the trailer. I think I'm running 117" wb at the moment.

Thanks for the replys, I plan on having camping gear in the truck, is that not the way to do it? From what I've seen. 16' is going to be the most ecomonical anyway.

Be smart and go a little bigger than you think you will need, I went 14+2 and only kept it for 2 years and then sold it and upgraded to a 20 with 102" deck.

Yep mines a 14+2, and my truck fits on it alright. I'm planning on moving the dovetail up for a complete 16' flatbed, though. My trailer weight is about 1500 with the spare and tiedowns on the trailer. I think I'm running 117" wb at the moment.


I f you are modifying it anyway, you may want to add a little extra. I cna't get my 118" wheelbase truck back far enough on the 18' trailer for proper TW. Of course, I have fold up ramps, so I can't put the tires at a the back.

I have an 18 foot counting the 2 foot dovetail and haul an 85 longbed with no problems even have room for my bike sideways in front of the truck and the bed is right at the back of the trailer. I sprung for the 10,000 pound trailer so I could get high load tires instead of laod range c and also so that I get brakes on both axles. It was well worth the money for getting load range e tires and both axles with brakes. If you are tight a 16 foot will get you by.

16' of flat deck +2 of dove on my trailer. 2500lb empty (no, I'm not kidding). It's a little overbuilt; 2 6k axles, brakes on both, drive-over fenders, all the goodies, but if I get into a pinch and have to put a friend's V10 xcab longbed Dodge on it, it's not a problem. I've run with two buggies on it at times as well.

I think an '82 Toy on 38's will probably push closer to 3.5-3.8k pounds, but getting back to the question at hand, 16' of deck is very popular, and will be most economical both to buy, and to sell in the future. And as long as you don't try to put a fullsize on it, it'll be fine.

Knowing that this will probably be uneconomical, if you can step to 5k or bigger axles instead of the 3.5k's that you're likely to get under a 16-footer, I think you'll be a lot happier with its stability. The group I usually run with, there's a couple of trailers with 3.5k axles, and all the rest are 5k on up, and the guys with the 3.5k's can't keep up on the interstate. Their trailers get whippy, and the rest of us run off... and there's comparable tow rigs on both sides (so it's not just us dually guys, nor is it the chipped trucks, who can run fast).

I have an 18ft flatdeck I haul my 4door explorer on...(wb is 116 or somthing close) and I love the extra room..

go bigger...you'll be glad you did..

BUT...if I had gotten a 16 with a beavertail I would probably drag the back of the trailer on every gas-station entry and campground road....take into account where your probably going to haul to..

Thanks for the replys, I plan on having camping gear in the truck, is that not the way to do it? From what I've seen. 16' is going to be the most ecomonical anyway.

depends on what all you haul with you to the trails,and what else you need to use the trailer for.

if you dont plan on using the trailer daily for other things,the more stuff that you keep on it is less youll have to pack up when you go ;)

i carry alot of tools,spare parts and camping stuff(tent and sleeping bag) in my truck,and i carry spare tires,gas,extra water/coolant,and some other spare parts on the trailer. id evenatually like to build a tire rack and add some extra storage boxes so i have less stuff to have to load into my truck.

my trailer is 18" of tool box,16 feet of flat and 2 foot dovetail. it weighs about 2200 lbs.

My 14+2 hauls a fullsize fine, and will do highway speed no problem. How does an axle dictate how a trailer whips? :confused: Maybe sidewalls, but I don't see axles having anything to do with it.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f56/chevyman_57/trailer/DSC00452.jpg
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f56/chevyman_57/DSC00428.jpg
I'm raising the dovetail to help with weight distribution (trailer is set up funny), and also to stop beating the hell out of the bottom of the trailer coming out of driveways and such. Are you sure a 'yota is that light? It seems odd, but maybe they are. My nissan weighed 4300 stock. I would definitely go 5,000 pound axles though, I plan on upgrading mine, since my trailer is always loaded right to the gvw. I still won't exceed gvw, but it's a nicer safety margin, and I'll be hauling across 4 states. Don't care to weld bearings on the axle.

Are you sure a 'yota is that light? It seems odd, but maybe they are. My nissan weighed 4300 stock.


I found this in the toyota weight thread. I can't be much more than he is.

So I think 3000 is very realistic.


Fix-its 83 SWB with no bed on 31s weighed 2600#s(on 35s in pic)
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=254824&d=1153206805

How does an axle dictate how a trailer whips? :confused: Maybe sidewalls, but I don't see axles having anything to do with it.

Didn't make a ton of sense to me either, but one of 'em swapped-out for bigger axles and the problem went away. Didn't change anything but axles, wheels, and tires--maybe the tires were the real thing, could've been that the little-car-size tires that'd fit on the 3500lb axles were the real cause. (shrug)

Didn't make a ton of sense to me either, but one of 'em swapped-out for bigger axles and the problem went away. Didn't change anything but axles, wheels, and tires--maybe the tires were the real thing, could've been that the little-car-size tires that'd fit on the 3500lb axles were the real cause. (shrug)

my guess is poor tires and/or worn out springs. The only difference between the two would be the tires and springs, and about 40 pounds of bigger parts.I'm betting the tires were not trailer tires and too small.

.. the other possibility is that the new tires are just tall enough over the older smaller ones to level the trailer out and force a little more tongue weight. possible, but unlikely...


:usa:

I use to tow my toy with a 1500 5.3 with tow package and a 16 ft trailer .Sold the 16 ft and bought a 18 ft you can get better weigth distrubution(sp) with a longer trailer plus you can put camping gear and grill on a longer trailer.When I got the 18 ft I also added a weight distrubution(sp) hitch with sway control world of difference on a 1/2 ton.

with sway control world of difference on a 1/2 ton.

Anyone who runs sway control to get rid of sway needs to understand that they are not loading their trailer properly; or something is mechanically wrong elsewhere.

Hopefully, you arent one of those. :)

my guess is poor tires and/or worn out springs. The only difference between the two would be the tires and springs, and about 40 pounds of bigger parts.I'm betting the tires were not trailer tires and too small.
:usa:

It need not be "trailer" tires per se. Light truck tires work just as well, just stick to the load range "E" tires.

That said, Ive got passenger tires on the camper at the moment. They are within their load range, but I can definately tell their sidewall isnt as strong. same thing - the trailer can whip around, I can drive in a manner that compensates for it and safely pull 60-70mph but its less than ideal. when I can, truck or trailer tires will get on it.

I switched from 7.00-15 LR C's on my trailer (18' w/5200 lb axles) to 245/75LT16 LR E's. Stability at speed increased noticably. The 7.00s were the stock size for my trailer, but it was supposed to have LR D's (they C's were on it when I bought it).

As to the original question, you should be fine with a typical 16', 7k trailer. This is a very common size, and is easy to find new or used. You may wish to upgrade the tires on it to a 225/75R15 LR D, they are rated at 2500 lbs. I had to go to the 10k trailer, as my trail rig is a full size porker.

Pete

Sounds like the concenes is 16-18' is what I'm looking for. Thanks All.

I'll post up when I find the right deal.

The only time the sway control come in is during cross winds towed many miles without it no problems. It was just nice to have to keep from pushing the truck and trailer around. I have since moved up to 2500 HD Duramax with a 25 ft gooseneck. Just have to use what you got till you can get something better.

I've got an 18' with 2' dovetail, it drags, but not that big of a deal. My trailer weighs about 2200 lbs. 6" c-channel frame and all diamond plate deck.