Towing Question??

   / Towing Question?? #1  

gilbertmsg

Gold Member
Joined
Dec 25, 2006
Messages
348
Location
Disputanta, VA
Tractor
2007 Kioti CK20
A good friend of mine has a 06 Chevy 2500 diesel that weighs about 6700 lbs. He has had transmission problems and needs his truck towed about 200 miles to a shop that will install built tranny. I have a 18 foot dove tail car hauler with 7000 lb axels. The trailer weight is 2026 lbs. That puts gross weight over about 1700 lbs. I understand that is overweight, but how much is too much. I have a 08 Dodge 2500 Cummins to tow with, so I'm not worried about towing his truck, just my trailer. Both good and bad comments appreciated.

Thanks!!

Eddie
 
   / Towing Question?? #2  
To cut to the chase (I'll explain later)... I think you will be fine for a one-time shot.

But I wouldnt make a habit of it.

Now on to the explination: You are not as much overweight as you think.

These are just rough numbers because I dont know the weights for sure.

FIRST, the axles are 3500lb axles. THAT means they can carry 7000lbs combined. The trailer weighs ~2000lbs, BUT the axles arent carrying their own or eachothers weight. So everything that is NOT sprung, doesnt count. Axles, wheels, tires, brakes, springs, etc. So just guessing here, but ~ 300lbs per axle for a total of 600lbs now brings you down to only 1100lbs overweight.

SECOND, the tongue weight is NOT carried by the axles either. So it too gets deducted. With the proper hitch and setup, you could easially and saftely run 1000lbs on tongue weight. Now you are only talking 100lbs over.

Again, these are just estimates, but you get the idea.:thumbsup:
 
   / Towing Question?? #3  
To cut to the chase (I'll explain later)... I think you will be fine for a one-time shot.

But I wouldnt make a habit of it.

Now on to the explination: You are not as much overweight as you think.

These are just rough numbers because I dont know the weights for sure.

FIRST, the axles are 3500lb axles. THAT means they can carry 7000lbs combined. The trailer weighs ~2000lbs, BUT the axles arent carrying their own or eachothers weight. So everything that is NOT sprung, doesnt count. Axles, wheels, tires, brakes, springs, etc. So just guessing here, but ~ 300lbs per axle for a total of 600lbs now brings you down to only 1100lbs overweight.

SECOND, the tongue weight is NOT carried by the axles either. So it too gets deducted. With the proper hitch and setup, you could easially and saftely run 1000lbs on tongue weight. Now you are only talking 100lbs over.

Again, these are just estimates, but you get the idea.:thumbsup:

What he said. :thumbsup:
 
   / Towing Question?? #4  
I personally would not do it but go ahead if you want. I fix trailers every week that have been overloaded. It plays havoc on axles, spindles, bearings, and most of all the tires. If the trailer has 205 or 215 6 ply tires with my luck I would not make it 20 miles. 200 miles is a long way to haul a Dmax with a bad tranny on too little of a trailer.

Chris
 
   / Towing Question?? #5  
Tires carry everything the hitch doesn't. Make sure they are up to the job.

Bruce
 
   / Towing Question?? #6  
Yep, tires will be the first area that will show their weakness.

Chris
 
   / Towing Question?? #7  
Probably be OK, but you are taking a chance.

I once hauled an 8200 lb dump on my 7000 lb trailer (dump had some wet gravel in the back, likely 9k! total). Made sure tires were hard, loaded it towards the front, went VERY slow with 4 ways on. Went about 5 miles.

Was a bad idea, and I would not recommend it, but the truck was given to me if I could move it right away!!!

Does your friend or anybody he knows have AAA?
 
   / Towing Question??
  • Thread Starter
#8  
The trailer is about 1 year old, with 200-300 miles on it. I use it to haul round bales 8 miles round trip for our horses. Thanks for the replys.

Eddie
 
   / Towing Question?? #9  
To cut to the chase (I'll explain later)... I think you will be fine for a one-time shot.

But I wouldnt make a habit of it.

Now on to the explination: You are not as much overweight as you think.

These are just rough numbers because I dont know the weights for sure.

FIRST, the axles are 3500lb axles. THAT means they can carry 7000lbs combined. The trailer weighs ~2000lbs, BUT the axles arent carrying their own or eachothers weight. So everything that is NOT sprung, doesnt count. Axles, wheels, tires, brakes, springs, etc. So just guessing here, but ~ 300lbs per axle for a total of 600lbs now brings you down to only 1100lbs overweight.

SECOND, the tongue weight is NOT carried by the axles either. So it too gets deducted. With the proper hitch and setup, you could easially and saftely run 1000lbs on tongue weight. Now you are only talking 100lbs over.

Again, these are just estimates, but you get the idea.:thumbsup:

:thumbsup:What he said or just call a wrecker you would be suprised how cheap they are sometimes.
 

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