Horse Trailer Weight Question
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Tuned
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 465
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From: Metro DC
Horse Trailer Weight Question
I'm casually looking at horse trailers with LQs to fulfill a retirement dream. I have an F-350 SWR Auto SC 4X4 PSD LB that I thought could pull nearly anything I see behind a superduty and can afford 
.
Turns out that the max trailer weight listed in the owner's manual is 12500# with a GCWR of 20000#. Doing the calculations and reading lots of "how to tow safely" info tells me that I really need to know the empty and typical wet weight of any trailer I consider. A couple 1200# horses cuts into max weights very quickly.
I can't find much about weights on trailer manufacture sites. Is this number a trade secret? Too variable to publish? What am I missing?
.Turns out that the max trailer weight listed in the owner's manual is 12500# with a GCWR of 20000#. Doing the calculations and reading lots of "how to tow safely" info tells me that I really need to know the empty and typical wet weight of any trailer I consider. A couple 1200# horses cuts into max weights very quickly.
I can't find much about weights on trailer manufacture sites. Is this number a trade secret? Too variable to publish? What am I missing?
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2002
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From: Chicago Area
I have had your problem with both trucks and trailers. Everybody talks about gross weight, but you don't know what you can add if you don't know the net (unloaded) weight. Where "curb weights" are available, they seem to be very approximate, depending on options, and unrealistically low even at that.
Only real solution I've found is to actually weigh the item in question.
Another question is, what happens if we ARE slightly overweight. I know we shouldn't go there, but obviously the axle doesn't turn to peanut butter for 10 extra pounds. If that axle would normally last in effect, forever, do we now accept that it wears out at 200,000 miles?
Make your best estimate, try to eliminate the shock-type stresses, maintain everything well, and don't lose any sleep!
Only real solution I've found is to actually weigh the item in question.
Another question is, what happens if we ARE slightly overweight. I know we shouldn't go there, but obviously the axle doesn't turn to peanut butter for 10 extra pounds. If that axle would normally last in effect, forever, do we now accept that it wears out at 200,000 miles?
Make your best estimate, try to eliminate the shock-type stresses, maintain everything well, and don't lose any sleep!
Last edited by MrBSS; Jun 10, 2004 at 09:47 AM.
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Tuned
Joined: Dec 2003
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From: Metro DC
Thanks much for the insight. Since this doesn't appear to be confined to particular makers, it must be a wide-spread practice. Silly too. I'd be tempted to choose a trailer solely on the ability to get an accurate curb weight.
New User
Joined: Jun 2004
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you can call or e-mail most of the horse trailer manufacturers and they will tell you what the (approx.) dry weight of the trailer is. (for example, I recently looked a a big one which had a 28 foot box, or about 36' overall and the dry weight was about 6700 pounds). Living quarters usually add about 250 pounds per foot, measured on the shortwall if its a slant load...so a 13' LQ would add about 3200 pounds.
Hope that helps....
Kathy
Hope that helps....
Kathy
Originally Posted by mrc59
I can't find much about weights on trailer manufacture sites. Is this number a trade secret? Too variable to publish? What am I missing?
New User
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 2
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Originally Posted by mrc59
Indeed it does. Welcome to FTE!
forgot to add that there is a very helpful forum on Horse Trailers online...nice folks who can answer almost everthing over there to do with trailers and towing them:
www.horsetrailers-online.com
Kathy
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