i was wondering how big of a trailer i would need to haul around a early '77 f250 4x4. don't know a lot about hauling things. seems that the popular opinion is that you should haul your 'wheelin rig to where ya wanna play, just in case you play too hard and break something. then you can at least get it home to fix it for next time. the truck has a GVWR of 7500 lbs. is this the actual weight of the vehicle?? and if so, does the trailer i get have to meet or exceed this rating? i heard you also run a full size ford 4x4, and trailer your rig to these locations. can you offer any advice or suggestions on this topic? i've heard horror stories on other FTE forums about trailered rigs coming loose on the hwy/interstate with obvious tragic consequences, but no specific towing info or advice given. please point me in the right direction, thanks.

 

sparky,

I'm no expert by any means in this area, but here's something to get you started.

Gross Vehicle Weight Rating refers to the maximum loaded weight of a vehicle, including fuel, fluids, and full payload. That includes the driver and passengers. What you need to know is the actual weight of the vehicle as it will sit on the trailer. Fill it up with gas and take it to the local truck scale and weigh it. If you're in a farming community, find a grain mill or co-op with a large truck scale.

Most new trailers made by reputable companies will have their own GVWR tag on the trailer. This GVWR is figured the same as the one on your truck in that it's the maximum weight of the trailer plus it's cargo. Once you know what your truck weighs, you can easily pick a trailer that can handle it. Mine weighs about 5000 lbs. and the trailer is around 1800 lbs. with a GVWR of 7000 lbs..

As for the size of the trailer, longer and wider is better. It gives you some wiggle room to adjust the position of the load. Legally, the load cannot hang over the sides or the ends of the trailer. I have an 18 foot long, 83" wide trailer. My 78 F150 reg. cab short box fits with a little room for front/back adjustment. (I REALLY wish I'd have spent the extra money and got the 20 footer.) Measure the length of your truck and add 2 feet. That's the minimum length of trailer I would personally reccomend. 4 feet would be better.

The next thing (and probably the most important) is the towing vehicle itself. Here's where you have to look at the GCVWR, which is the Gross Combined Vehicle Weight Rating. This is the maximum weight of the entire setup including tow vehicle, trailer and payload. I think my CGVWR is around 14,000 lbs. The towing truck weighs 6,600, trailer and off-road truck are around 6,800, giving me 13,400. That leaves me around 600 lbs for me, passengers and additional cargo.

The hitch is THE most important piece in the whole setup. A weight-distributing hitch is the best thing you can get. It helps distribute the weight (hence the name) to all 4 wheels of the truck, and improves handling. It also increases the capacity of the trucks hitch to (usually) 10,000 lbs..

Take a look in the Towing forum. You may have to dig through several pages or do a specific search, but there's tons of great info in there.

Hope this helps.

Kevin K.

 

also look at the weight of the plates on your truck-- pulling the gooseneck we are slightly over weight with the current plates and will need to step up to the next level of blue when renew time comes.

 

thanks for the info. never noticed the towing forum, guess i will look around in there to see what else i can find.