How much does my trailer weigh?

[Sea Six]

Not the one I live in. :nono:

I'm talking about my 18' tandem axle car carrier with treated wood bed. It's made of steel and has two approximately 50 pound ramps. It's a 2" ball mount, and the tongue assembly is probably around 4 feet long from the bed of the trailer to the ball mount.

Best ballpark guess?

[LATB]

2K.

[Nemesis]

Best ballpark guess?

The manufacturer probably has this information. A weigh station can find it pretty quickly as well.

[Sea Six]

The manufacturer probably has this information. A weigh station can find it pretty quickly as well.

Yes, but I need it even quicker than that. :willy:

[Sea Six]

2K.

That's about what I was thinking. The wood alone is going to be around 500#.

[Y2Kvert4me]

Somewhere around 2000 lbs.

[Jeff '79]

Not being able to see it, because pics are apparently not allowed in this thread, I'll say 2150 lbs....:slap:....Why do you want to know ??? I sense that you are gonna do something that you really shouldn't...:D

[Sea Six]

Ok. Next question.

You can tell I'm a n00B for towing issues.

I have a 1992 Nissan pickup with the 2000# towing capacity package. The 2000# towing package comes with the automatic transmission and the step bumper with the trailer ball mount.

Can I safely, and without trashing my truck's suspension, tow this 18' car carrier trailer empty (or with something on it that has a negligible weight)?

[Sea Six]

Why do you want to know ??? I sense that you are gonna do something that you really shouldn't...:D

You are wise, young Grasshopper. See post ^^ above.

:waiting:

[VatorMan]

Ok. Next question.

You can tell I'm a n00B for towing issues.

I have a 1992 Nissan pickup with the 2000# towing capacity package. The 2000# towing package comes with the automatic transmission and the step bumper with the trailer ball mount.

Can I safely, and without trashing my truck's suspension, tow this 18' car carrier trailer empty (or with something on it that has a negligible weight)?

Tow ? Yes. Safely, doubtful. Getting the trailer moving is one thing. Stopping it is another.

[Sea Six]

Tow ? Yes. Safely, doubtful. Getting the trailer moving is one thing. Stopping it is another.

I hear what you're saying... but if it weighs around 2,000 pounds and the truck is rated to tow a 2,000 pound load... why wouldn't the truck be able to safely stop?

The trailer has brakes. I failed to mention that.

[Y2Kvert4me]

Tow ? Yes. Safely, doubtful. Getting the trailer moving is one thing. Stopping it is another.Does the trailer have brakes? If so, stopping won't be an issue, but you will need a brake controller installed in your truck (if they are electric).

The bumper mount hitch would be my concern. If truck and bumper is rated for 2000# towing capacity, it will also probably be rated for a 200# max tongue weight, and I'll take a guess right now your empty trailer exceeds that considerably.

[Sea Six]

Does the trailer have brakes? If so, stopping won't be an issue, but you will need a brake controller installed in your truck (if they are electric).


That's why I'm asking these questions... the trailer does have the brakes, but I'm questioning the sanity of installing a brake controller if I shouldn't be doing this in the first place.


The bumper mount hitch would be my concern. If truck and bumper is rated for 2000# towing capacity, it will also probably be rated for a 200# max tongue weight, and I'll take a guess right now your empty trailer exceeds that considerably.

I don't know what the tongue weight is. When the trailer is resting on the trailer jack, and I am off by a small amount (1" or so) I can wrestle (wrassel) the tongue over a little bit to center it over the ball mount. If I had to guess, I'd say it probably is around 200 pounds or more.

I bought the trailer around 5 years ago. I don't remember who the manufacturer is. The trailer may have a tag with this info on it but I don't recall seeing one.

[Sea Six]

This isn't the very trailer, but it is very similar. Note that their listed weight of the 18' trailer is 2,000 pounds.

http://www.bigtextrailers.com/pdf/70ch.pdf

http://www.bigtextrailers.com/pdf/70ch.pdf

[Jeff '79]

Does the trailer have brakes? If so, stopping won't be an issue, but you will need a brake controller installed in your truck (if they are electric).

The bumper mount hitch would be my concern. If truck and bumper is rated for 2000# towing capacity, it will also probably be rated for a 200# max tongue weight, and I'll take a guess right now your empty trailer exceeds that considerably.

Just load up the trailer, at the very back, with big rocks, and stuff....You'll be ok..........No, what Y2K said is right....You will run into problems with the tongue weight being too much for the hitch, and risk damaging it, or worse yet, tearing it right off.

[VatorMan]

I guess I'm kind of leary about bumper hitches. I like to have big hunks of steel either welded to the frame or with big frikken bolts.

[Sea Six]

Just load up the trailer, at the very back, with big rocks, and stuff....You'll be ok..........No, what Y2K said is right....You will run into problems with the tongue weight being too much for the hitch, and risk damaging it, or worse yet, tearing it right off.

Hmmmm... not getting the answers I wanted to hear. :mad:


Maybe I'll just go check with NNial over "there" and see if he can give me some ****ing support. :beat:









:lol:

[Jeff '79]

Get your bathroom scale and check out the tongue weight yourself. Just put it under the hitch wheel, on level ground.

[Nemesis]

That'll be too close for comfort. A bumper hitch? I always thought those were only for small things like log splitters.

I'd rent a truck from someone and make sure I bought the insurance.

[Jeff '79]

That'll be too close for comfort. A bumper hitch? I always thought those were only for small things like log splitters.

I'd rent a truck from someone and make sure I bought the insurance.

:iagree:

[LATB]

Tow ? Yes. Safely, doubtful. Getting the trailer moving is one thing. Stopping it is another.

this is Florida...

you can tow a 2000 lb trailer across town with a good bicycle. :D

[Sea Six]

That'll be too close for comfort. A bumper hitch? I always thought those were only for small things like log splitters.


That's a good point. The maneuverability would probably suck with that stupid bumper hitch.

I used to tow a single SeaDoo personal watercraft with that truck. It was hard enough maneuvering that thing, let alone an 18' car carrier.

I have a Ford E350 full-ton van, with the brake controller installed, and a hidden hitch (2" square mount trailer ball) mounted to the frame of the van that I normally use for towing this thing.

I was just wondering if I could occasionally use the Nissan pickup instead.

Thanks for answering that question for me, guys.

:cheers:

[Sea Six]

Finally found a link to what is essentially the very trailer I own... the only difference is that I've since replaced the untreated (and rotten, thank you) wood with treated 2x8's.

NEW 18' car hauler flatbed utility trailer, INSANE DEAL | eBay (http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-18-car-hauler-flatbed-utility-trailer-INSANE-DEAL-/290437676023?pt=Trailers&hash=item439f6f3bf7#ht_1317wt_793)

[Sea Six]

this is Florida...

you can tow a 2000 lb trailer across town with a good bicycle. :D

Bicycle? Hell... I was thinking about making a rickshaw out of this thing.

[Nemesis]

I used to tow a single SeaDoo personal watercraft with that truck. It was hard enough maneuvering that thing, let alone an 18' car carrier.

The longer the rig, the easier it is to maneuver. The short pickup with the short personal watercraft trailer must have been like shooting pool with fishing line.

[Sea Six]

The longer the rig, the easier it is to maneuver.


Ah! I didn't know that.

The short pickup with the short personal watercraft trailer must have been like shooting pool with fishing line.

It WAS. :mad:

[island14]

Just take your time and go slow, shouldn't be a problem.


I once hauled a 60 foot house trailer with a 1/2 ton Chevy truck. :beer:




It was a several hour trip normally, but it took me over 3 hours to make the trip because it was hard to stop, and also to steer with the front wheels barely touching the ground.


I did pass one State Highway Patrol who was heading the other way.

He must have been busy because he just shook his head when he went by. :lol:

[Jeff '79]

Just take your time and go slow, shouldn't be a problem.


I once hauled a 60 foot house trailer with a 1/2 ton Chevy truck. :beer:




It was a several hour trip normally, but it took me over 3 hours to make the trip because it was hard to stop, and also to steer with the front wheels barely touching the ground.


I did pass one State Highway Patrol who was heading the other way.

He must have been busy because he just shook his head when he went by. :lol:

:rofl::rofl:...:slap:

[6spdC6]

Ok. Next question.

You can tell I'm a n00B for towing issues.

I have a 1992 Nissan pickup with the 2000# towing capacity package. The 2000# towing package comes with the automatic transmission and the step bumper with the trailer ball mount.

Can I safely, and without trashing my truck's suspension, tow this 18' car carrier trailer empty (or with something on it that has a negligible weight)?

NO and please do us a favor and tell us where you going to drive so we can be sure to stay safely away!

Bumper hitch:rolleyes:

[Sea Six]

Just take your time and go slow, shouldn't be a problem.


I once hauled a 60 foot house trailer with a 1/2 ton Chevy truck. :beer:




It was a several hour trip normally, but it took me over 3 hours to make the trip because it was hard to stop, and also to steer with the front wheels barely touching the ground.


I did pass one State Highway Patrol who was heading the other way.

He must have been busy because he just shook his head when he went by. :lol:

Thanks, I'll take this sage advice!




:dance:

[Fastguy]

If you had to hit the brakes hard and the trailer brakes grab, it would most likely pull the bumper right off the truck. Every empty trailer I have towed, even with the brakes dialed down, has been grabby.

[Sea Six]

Unless I'm looking to post up a Youtube video for some serious entertainment for you guys, I'll keep the trailer hooked up to the full-ton Econoline.

[island14]

You never did say what you wanted to haul on the trailer.


Maybe you can just drag it with a chain...

[Sea Six]

You never did say what you wanted to haul on the trailer.


Maybe you can just drag it with a chain...

You mean the weed? Or the trailer?


:)