Can my stock Titan legally/ safely tow my tractor on a trailer?

Diamondpilot · Oct 20, 2011

I agree on the all flat deck. I have a 18' x 82" wide low boy with 5' slide in ramps. Its only 14" from the ground and can legally haul 5,600#. The trailer only weighed 1,250# when I got it but it did not have a spare tire, tool box, winch, or brakes at the time. I added brakes to one axle, the tool box on the tongue, the winch, and a spare tire and mount.

Chris

RandyT · Oct 20, 2011

As quoted from someone else "I agree you will need a 10k trailer with brakes on both axles and a weight distributing hitch, which will use a 2 5/16 ball. However, a trailer like that is not going to weigh 2600-2700 pounds unless you get a super heavy duty tilt bed trailer. A normal deck between the fenders 10k trailer 18' to 20' long with slide in or stand up ramps should weigh between 1800 and 2000 pounds which will put you under your max tow rating".

I was basing that weight off of the load trail 82 x 20 car hauler that they list at 2701 pounds on there website. I looked at a 82 x 20 at a dealer last month list a GVWR of 10400 and a Maximum cargo capacity of 7800 plus a little. Making trailer weight of 2600 pounds.

Verticaltrx · Oct 20, 2011

I think finding a 10K trailer that only weighs 1800-2000lbs is going to be a problem. If you do it's going to be a pretty cheap/light built trailer, or aluminum (big $$$.) My 8,000lb trailer weighs a little over 2200lbs. Most 10K trailers are over 2500lbs.

IMO you're right over what is legal and safe. I know most people these days have little regard to safe and prudent towing, but personally wouldn't tow that much with a 1/2 ton truck.

Diamondpilot · Oct 20, 2011

Here is a link to PJ Trailers. They make a 4" and a 5" car hauler. I am posting the heavier 5". They list the weight of the 18' 82" wide 5" channel Car Hauler flat bed at 1,970#. That is for one with 2 3,500# axles.

They list you can upgrade to a 2 5/16" coupler and 2 5,200# axles. They do not list a weight difference but it can not be more than 150# for the heavier axles, springs, and wheels/tires.

This would put the PJ 18' at around 2,100# empty. They are one of the most respected trailer manufactures and are built very well.

Remember, weight does not equal strength. Its engineering that makes something strong.

PJ Trailers - 5" Channel Carhauler (C5)

Chris

timswi · Oct 20, 2011

Chris,

My GMC doesn't have "car" mirrors...Can't resist a jab, can you?:smiley_aafz:

buck12 · Oct 20, 2011

I guess trailer weights must really vary. I have an 18' 7000 lb trailer that weighs 1879 lbs according to the title. It is a heavy build trailer but it seems odd it would weigh 600 lbs or more than other 7000 lb trailers.

beppington · Oct 20, 2011

Thanks for all the info, suggestions & discussion! :thumbsup:

If it's close, to avoid overloading the trailer, even by a little bit, I guess I could carry my QA bucket (331 lbs) in the bed of the truck.

Kind of a pain in the butt, but might help meet the specs.

crazyal · Oct 21, 2011

If it was me I would do it. Get the 10k tag trailer and load just the tractor (no loader or attachments) up and find a scrap steel dealer or gravel pit with a scale. Around here they are all over the place and as long as you're just driving on then off they don't mind weighing you. This will give you a baseline to start at. Then you can decide which attachments you want to add.

If you're thinking of buying a trailer then remember a trailer with the wheels under the deck vs the narrower deck style with the wheels on the outside will weigh more. Also 18' will weigh more than a 16' trailer. If you are close (and I don't think you will be) you can always deal with an attachment hanging off the back. However an 18' trailer will allow you to balance your load better. If it was me I would rather tow 500 over the mfg rated limit and have the load better balanced than save a few pounds.

I would also not be too worried about exceeding the weight limit a little if I was going to be only doing it occasionally and not driving long distances or high speeds.

nwngunner · Oct 21, 2011

Another thing that has not been said is how much weight do you have your truck registered for. I had to up the registration on my dodge to ten ton. That still is not enough for some of the loads that i pull. Consider my truck weighs in @ almost 8000 pounds then add my trailer which was built for hulling trailers which i dont know what it weighs. Heavy as **** is all i know. Then what ever i am pulling, i am pushing 10 ton in a **** of a hurry. I would never ever ever pull 10,000 pounds with a 1/2 ton truck.

I would ask around if a friend or any one has a 3500/f350 dully and pull it the right way.

Bama67 · Oct 21, 2011

You will be fine, even with a 10k, 20ft trailer, although you may be a little over weight.

I had a 2007 Armada with big tow, same powertrain as you. Except yours should tow even better due to your longer wheelbase.

My Bobcat CT440 was heavy to start with, plus loaded tires, bush hog, and grapple, and my 10k trailer, not sure on the weight (at least 2500lbs)

I figure I was around 10,500lbs. My tow rating on the Armada was 9,900lbs I think. But it seriously pulled it like it was several thousand pounds less.

Armada with the built in airbags, and a WD hitch with trailer brakes towed it like a dream. I was super impressed, it towed much better than my 05 F-150.

It will do it no sweat.

(Yes tow ****'s I was probably a little overweight, yet I would not have done it if it wouldn't do it safely and properly)