Advice for towing enclosed trailer
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Cross-Country
Joined: Sep 2020
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Advice for towing enclosed trailer
I will be moving 1600 miles across the country soon. I'm planning on buying an enclosed trailer to haul my wife's RAV4 as well as some items we will want right away. A moving company will be hauling the rest of our items.
I have a 4WD 2011 F250 crew cab with the 6.2 gasser and a topper. Truck has rancho 9000 shocks I put on two years ago. Standard ball hitch.
The RAV4 is about 16' long so I've been looking into 20' trailers. With local used prices and availability I may wind up with a 24' but I'd prefer a 20'. Most of the trailers I've found have a GBWR of about 10,000lbs and I anticipate getting up to at least 9,000. Additionally, I will have about 500-1000lbs in the bed of my truck.
I have towed a 6x12 in my old anemic F-150 several times but never anything this long before.
I am concerned about the length since I will have to drive through some big cities. what kind of things should I know to do this safely?
Thanks
I have a 4WD 2011 F250 crew cab with the 6.2 gasser and a topper. Truck has rancho 9000 shocks I put on two years ago. Standard ball hitch.
The RAV4 is about 16' long so I've been looking into 20' trailers. With local used prices and availability I may wind up with a 24' but I'd prefer a 20'. Most of the trailers I've found have a GBWR of about 10,000lbs and I anticipate getting up to at least 9,000. Additionally, I will have about 500-1000lbs in the bed of my truck.
I have towed a 6x12 in my old anemic F-150 several times but never anything this long before.
I am concerned about the length since I will have to drive through some big cities. what kind of things should I know to do this safely?
Thanks
Moderator
Joined: Aug 2002
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From: Southern California
Balance of the load is most important- especially with the tongue weight! Steady, smooth pulling and smooth decel is all you really need for a nice trip...... FYI- I would also do a bit of a panic type stop prior to loading the trailer to check and get accustom to the trailer brakes. After loading, do a gently but firm stop just to make sure the trailer brakes are actuating the way you like.
Thread Starter
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Cross-Country
Joined: Sep 2020
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Balance of the load is most important- especially with the tongue weight! Steady, smooth pulling and smooth decel is all you really need for a nice trip...... FYI- I would also do a bit of a panic type stop prior to loading the trailer to check and get accustom to the trailer brakes. After loading, do a gently but firm stop just to make sure the trailer brakes are actuating the way you like.
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Cross-Country
Joined: Sep 2020
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Chicago has a similar route around the city that I usually take but often it's busy and full of dog**** drivers. I'm planning my route so we go through Chicago at around 10am so hopefully that cuts down on the traffic.. every previous time I've gone through Chicago has been at 4pm right before rush hour.
I've never been to Indianapolis or Nashville so I'm not really sure how that will go.
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Cross-Country
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Is there a noticeable difference in towing between a 20' and 24' trailer? I am struggling to find a 20' with a 10k GVWR in my price range near me but there are a few 24' ones
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Joined: Jul 2010
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From: Media PA
No significant difference between those two lengths. Just another 4’ to keep an eye on during close turns and such. Longer trailers are typically easier to back up. If I was shopping the 24’ would be preferable over the 20’.
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From: Angier, NC
I also think a 24' would be easier to re-sell than a 20'.
I take it the truck has a frame mounted hitch if not get one.
The trailer will have a 2-5/16" ball and a bumper ball would not cut it in my book.
Also you may need to adjust the ball down some to level the trailer. Never pull it nose up!
You may also want to look into a WDH this way if you load too heavy up front you can adjust the WDH to work around that.
It will also help make the pull more stable. When you sell the trailer you can sell the WDH with it if you want.
You have already planed what I was going to say, try and plan the big city's for off peak passing if you can.
Coming from just out side NYC and pulling down the I-95 / Cross Bronx to NJ and back for racing, big city driving never bothered me.
I pulled my open deck car trailer from CT to NC 3 times moving my projects when I moved down here.
First 2 were "turn & burn" the 3rd was a week later.
Take your time you will be ok
Dave ----
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Cross-Country
Joined: Sep 2020
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What he said on the longer trailers, I say both pulling and for sure backing up.
I also think a 24' would be easier to re-sell than a 20'.
I take it the truck has a frame mounted hitch if not get one.
The trailer will have a 2-5/16" ball and a bumper ball would not cut it in my book.
Also you may need to adjust the ball down some to level the trailer. Never pull it nose up!
You may also want to look into a WDH this way if you load too heavy up front you can adjust the WDH to work around that.
It will also help make the pull more stable. When you sell the trailer you can sell the WDH with it if you want.
You have already planed what I was going to say, try and plan the big city's for off peak passing if you can.
Coming from just out side NYC and pulling down the I-95 / Cross Bronx to NJ and back for racing, big city driving never bothered me.
I pulled my open deck car trailer from CT to NC 3 times moving my projects when I moved down here.
First 2 were "turn & burn" the 3rd was a week later.
Take your time you will be ok
Dave ----
I also think a 24' would be easier to re-sell than a 20'.
I take it the truck has a frame mounted hitch if not get one.
The trailer will have a 2-5/16" ball and a bumper ball would not cut it in my book.
Also you may need to adjust the ball down some to level the trailer. Never pull it nose up!
You may also want to look into a WDH this way if you load too heavy up front you can adjust the WDH to work around that.
It will also help make the pull more stable. When you sell the trailer you can sell the WDH with it if you want.
You have already planed what I was going to say, try and plan the big city's for off peak passing if you can.
Coming from just out side NYC and pulling down the I-95 / Cross Bronx to NJ and back for racing, big city driving never bothered me.
I pulled my open deck car trailer from CT to NC 3 times moving my projects when I moved down here.
First 2 were "turn & burn" the 3rd was a week later.
Take your time you will be ok
Dave ----
i do have a frame mounted hitch. I've been looking into weight distributing hitches as well.
I am planning on only going around 400 miles or so a day, slow rolling it.
I appreciate the input guys, I feel much better about getting a 24' trailer
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Cross-Country
Joined: Sep 2020
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Do you guys have any recommendations on trailer brands?
there are quite a few newer 24' trailers in my area, 2019-2023, in the $8000-10000 range. They appear to mostly be flat roofed V nose trailers.
There's also a 1995 24' featherlite flat nose in such good condition that I almost wouldnt believe is 29 years old. New wheel bearings, full electric brakes, wired for 120v and has lights inside. He's asking $8000
it seems like the featherlite is a much better built trailer, there are many small things I see that show more care was put into building the trailer than the cheap newer ones. Personally I am leaning towards the featherlite. Is it dumb to pay the same price for a nice 29 year old trailer that a much newer, if lower quality, trailer costs? Will I struggle to sell a trailer in its 30s later on down the road?
there are quite a few newer 24' trailers in my area, 2019-2023, in the $8000-10000 range. They appear to mostly be flat roofed V nose trailers.
There's also a 1995 24' featherlite flat nose in such good condition that I almost wouldnt believe is 29 years old. New wheel bearings, full electric brakes, wired for 120v and has lights inside. He's asking $8000
it seems like the featherlite is a much better built trailer, there are many small things I see that show more care was put into building the trailer than the cheap newer ones. Personally I am leaning towards the featherlite. Is it dumb to pay the same price for a nice 29 year old trailer that a much newer, if lower quality, trailer costs? Will I struggle to sell a trailer in its 30s later on down the road?
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 1,584
Likes: 483
From: Kemptville, ON,
It's up to you. I'm on my third enclosed trailer. The first two were Halmark's. Because they are work trailers in Ontario I need to get them safetied every year. Both trailers after 7 years were to expensive to get safetied, said the frames were getting "weak". I have a different brand now that is made in northern Quebec, I'd have to look up the brand but it is all galvanized frame. Seen one that was like 10 years old and still looked new. Guess it depends on how much you use it, when you use it, etc.
Tuned
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 424
Likes: 70
From: Somerset NJ
spend more on gas pulling it or spend more up front, cheaper to pull and hold their resale value more. I recently sold a 22 ft ATC all aluminum trailer and it was the best pulling
trailer I've ever owned - only sold it because I need a bigger trailer to fit my F150 inside.
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 10,156
Likes: 7,990
From: Texas
With your 6.2 gasser, plan your gas stops. Many stations across the country are chincy as hell when it comes to room at the gas pumps when you have a trailer in tow. Especially as you get into kore populated areas. Real estate gets more expensive and less available so they cheap out at the gas pumps and make more room at the diesel pumps.
Watch your tail swing when you pull away from the pumps also. The longer the trailer the more swing you have.
Watch your tail swing when you pull away from the pumps also. The longer the trailer the more swing you have.