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Before we purchased our current trailer, we had a single axle 18' tow behind (full profile, 8' wide, 18' box). I was towing it with our 150 but went to the 250 knowing we'd be getting something bigger, so there was a time I was dragging the little 18' camper with the F250. I remember I was pulling into a campground, with my 250 towing the 18' camper and there was a guy coming out towing the exact same camper behind a Ford Escape. We were clearly on very opposite ends of the spectrum for towing that size trailer, but I'd much rather have too much tow vehicle than not enough.
wish I could say them same. Bought the f450 thinking the same, well now I am towing a 9k gooseneck with a 23k dozer. It does great, but would like to move to a larger 29k machine. That will put me at 40k trailer. Guess I shouldn't. Should just brake out the big rig. But harder to navigate, etc.
The worst load I could possibly pull is my buddy's D4 dozer, but that would require him to buy a 40k gooseneck to haul it. So I figure it will handle anything else I can throw at it. Currently just a 14k dump trailer but future plans include a Host Mammoth or similar sized truck camper and pulling a sbs.
Something like a D4 or what not is probably best off hiring out unless you haul it often. At least newer ones, kinda heavy. Could be right around the max the 5th wheel prep plate will take.
You could spend all day looking up on Google "worst towing vehicles or worst towing " in general and see a host of morons towing things well beyond common sense(which is not so common). Most creatures in nature get a year or so with their parents to learn what it takes to survive, but we humans take 18+ and even then it's not enough for some. The main problem is the " I know what I'm doing " gene. It comes on at an early age and by the time the teenage years happen it has become " the I know it all" gene. Many of these go on to work for themselves because why work with others when "I know it all". If a semi was needed back 30 years ago to pull something 40' long, why think that a pickup truck would be a great substitute. I just find it funny when people pulling 40' trailers are turned back from most national parks and every CCC camp grounds. Hell my house is only 32' long.
Something like a D4 or what not is probably best off hiring out unless you haul it often. At least newer ones, kinda heavy. Could be right around the max the 5th wheel prep plate will take.
His rig with ripper scaled around 34k. He does his own hauling. I was just looking at worst case scenario. Besides, as much as I'd love it, I can't see him spending $25-30,000 on a trailer just so I can pull it once in a blue moon...and only short distance backroads at that. Just nice to know I have a truck that is capable even if pushing the limits a bit.
I snapped a 6" drop hitch once pulling a load of gravel in a dump trailer.
Heck I had a 2 5/16" ball that's a big improvement over a 2" ball Why wasn't that good enough?
As I looked at the broken pieces, I read the stamp on the adjustable drop hitch that it was rated for 9,000 lbs.
My dump trailer 5,000 lbs empty add in the scoop of gravel at 10,000 and I was over even the 14,000 lbs trailer rating.
I got a quick lesson in physics and I've overly cautious of what I hook up to ever since.
Grateful for the 3" shank/receiver on the F350's I use a 3" shank rated at 21,000 lbs with a ball that has 1-1/4" shank rated at 30,000 lbs
Now I watch more carefully that I don't overload the tires. Farmers often tell me " you can fit another 5 bales on that trailer"
and I'm thinking 5 x 900 = 4500 lbs and I'm already got 14,000 lbs on my trailer that has 4 tires rated at 3150 lbs each
Nope I'm good. Not going to overload the tires for hour long drive in 100³ heat.
The guy with the u-haul rental figures if he breaks the truck, it isn't his so he doesn't care, not even considering safe towing.
I know what my truck can handle safely, and don't exceed that.
A few weeks ago the company was begging me to tow a 20K 3-axle toy hauler and I told them no way, and they kept saying "can't you do it for us, it only needs to go across town..."
NOPE, sorry, not me.
It never ceases to amaze me at what you see on the road towing.
I bought my truck to tow with specifically and it does a great job.
But, I see so many people with trucks towing trailers and it makes me cringe.
Two pics below, my tow rig, and one that makes me cringe.
Wish I had gotten a better pic of the one that had no business towing the trailer it was hooked to, a triple axle toy hauler on a short bed RAM, looked like the rear axle was on the bump stops, and the front was about to pull a wheelie. I was taking a quicky pic of it while pulling out of the wendy's drive-thru at Marion IL. and didn't get as close as I would like, it looked much worse in person than in the pic, just looked like a wreck looking for a place to happen.
The trailer I was towing was a brand new one we picked up, has a $13,000 special paint job, very pretty!
A great tow rig...
A wreck waiting to happen...
Do you live in Marion or were you transporting for one of the two RV dealers there? Obviously I live in the area which is what peaked my attention .
You could spend all day looking up on Google "worst towing vehicles or worst towing " in general and see a host of morons towing things well beyond common sense(which is not so common). Most creatures in nature get a year or so with their parents to learn what it takes to survive, but we humans take 18+ and even then it's not enough for some. The main problem is the " I know what I'm doing " gene. It comes on at an early age and by the time the teenage years happen it has become " the I know it all" gene. Many of these go on to work for themselves because why work with others when "I know it all". If a semi was needed back 30 years ago to pull something 40' long, why think that a pickup truck would be a great substitute. I just find it funny when people pulling 40' trailers are turned back from most national parks and every CCC camp grounds. Hell my house is only 32' long.
That's not the case around here, they'd be turning away 1/2 or more of the campers if so. Times are changing, campers are getting longer. My bumper pull is right around 38, anything with a separate bunkhouse is going to be in that range along with any 5er bunkhouse as well.
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