for those who followed my car accident

[Susquatch]

For all those who mentioned it, I agree totally that load distribution is critical. But that isn't something the vehicle or the trailer companies can control. Instead it speaks to the fundamental principal that the weakest link in the whole deal is the nut holding the wheel.

I've seen it too.

 

[Tom O]

Remember the old ad of towing a line of bolder trailers to show how well they towed and they were flipping all over the place?

 

[DPittman]

Remember the old ad of towing a line of bolder trailers to show how well they towed and they were flipping all over the place?

Ok I can't resist...

Awesome idea in many ways, weight more evenly divided on tow vehicle axles and awesome maneuverability but hitch mounted to the rain gutters/rails?!?

I think the idea has merit bit needs a bit of reworking. Hilarious all the same.

 

[Dabbler]

@DPittman I love that camper! dangerous as any getout, but I still love it....

 

[YotaBota]

@DPittman - I hope it has trailer brakes, some of those older bugs had a hard enough time stopping themselves. lol
@Dabbler - did you have the frame checked out? When I was researching frame swaps for my 2004 Tacoma there was a lot of mentions for the newer bigger trucks as well.

 

[Dabbler]

We had it on the hoist, and checked it out really well. There's a bit of surface rust, and otherwise everything looked really great. It is single owner, and heated garage.

 

[YotaBota]

I figured you would have checked it over well but had to ask, sounds good.

 

[Tom Kitta]

The towing equation is dependent on a lot of factors. Its hard to create rules for it unless you want to go way, way over board.

Even light loads can be scary if they are not well balanced. You can go 80km/h and have an issue towing 30% of tow capacity.

As to tow ratings they are combination of suspension / engine power. Comparing my old Toyota to my parents old Porsche towing (similar capacity 6500 vs. 7700) the Porsche tows like 100x better lighter loads, reason being is the limit of 7700 is suspension based not engine power based.

There is also terrain issues that I do not think were mentioned as well as distance of towing. On flat for short distance low resistance load taco can easily tow well above its tow rating. But towing fraction of max over the mountains is an issue.

There is also issue with having or not weight distributing hitch and other equipment, mostly on tow vehicle.

So many variables.

All I can say Taco towed around 5000 lbs few times from Ontario without any issues. My parents Porsche towed 3500 to northern tip of Canada doing 10k km in the process without any issues. But once I had a quad and if that sucker was not well balanced that 2500 lbs max load over 80km was scary.

 

[historicalarms]

Smartest thing in that photo is the mule!!

 

[Chicken lights]

I'd never pull anything above 80% of the weight of the pulling vehicle, even with trailer brakes. I found out with a near miss on the Coquhaula highway in a Ford Explorer pulling a 2000 lb load.

I wanted to get home and look at scale tickets before I opened my mouth. With an 8500 pound tow vehicle I’ve (legally) hauled a 23000 pound (gross) and a 25000 pound (gross) load combination (truck, trailer, load). Truck plus trailer empty was 13,500 pounds. So 10-12k loads. (I’ve hauled plenty more loads with that combo but those scale tickets are the only ones I have)

BUT. That was a goose neck trailer. With a one ton pulling it, crew cab long box. NOT in the mountains. That combo would walk the dog on highways and not feel unsafe.

I would not like to try similar with a bumper pull trailer

I think @Dabbler as usual shows common sense in his actions, most hobbyists/pull an RV twice a year guys have no clue on what they’re doing (in my opinion)

My tractor weighs 23,000 pounds with no trailer, and I wish the general motoring public understood physics a little more, when they dart in front of trucks that outweigh them significantly

 

[Dabbler]

@Chicken lights Right on! I've never owned a 5th wheel truck or trailer, but I'm sure they handle the trailer far better...

On this truck I'm maxing our capacity at about 5000 lbs. Since it is a very (very) long truck, it might go 500 lbs more, but that's what I consider a hard ceiling for my skills, this truck, and the fact I live in the mountains.

I agree about all of @Susquatch comments about the standards process for towing, and so under ideal conditions with an ideal trailer, this truck could manage 10000 lbs. I'm just not comfortable with it - perhaps on a non-windy day, flat road, short trip, no traffic, flag car, fallout shelter, etc.

 

[Chicken lights]

@Chicken lights Right on! I've never owned a 5th wheel truck or trailer, but I'm sure they handle the trailer far better...

On this truck I'm maxing our capacity at about 5000 lbs. Since it is a very (very) long truck, it might go 500 lbs more, but that's what I consider a hard ceiling for my skills, this truck, and the fact I live in the mountains.

 

[140mower]

I wanted to get home and look at scale tickets before I opened my mouth. With an 8500 pound tow vehicle I’ve (legally) hauled a 23000 pound (gross) and a 25000 pound (gross) load combination (truck, trailer, load). Truck plus trailer empty was 13,500 pounds. So 10-12k loads. (I’ve hauled plenty more loads with that combo but those scale tickets are the only ones I have)

BUT. That was a goose neck trailer. With a one ton pulling it, crew cab long box. NOT in the mountains. That combo would walk the dog on highways and not feel unsafe.

I would not like to try similar with a bumper pull trailer

I think @Dabbler as usual shows common sense in his actions, most hobbyists/pull an RV twice a year guys have no clue on what they’re doing (in my opinion)

My tractor weighs 23,000 pounds with no trailer, and I wish the general motoring public understood physics a little more, when they dart in front of trucks that outweigh them significantly

If only they knew the "double the weight, double the stopping distance.... Double the speed, quadruple (4x) the stopping distance..... double both speed and weight and it's eight times the stopping distance" rule.