Max trailer weight
Thread Starter
|
New User
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
From: Eugene, Oregon
Max trailer weight
I have a 71 F250 with power drum brakes all the way around, and My Question is what is the max wight of a trailer that I could pull and stop safely with out trailer brakes?
Thanks,
Scott
Thanks,
Scott
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,496
Likes: 3
From: Simpsonville, KY
What CAN you stop? My 150 can stop 7000lbs without trailer brakes. Is that good or remotely safe or legal? No way!! Its always a panic when the stupid connector dies on me. What SHOULD you tow without brakes? No more than 2-3k like mentioned.
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 909
Likes: 9
From: San Luis Obispo, CA
The feds seem to be pushing the states for lower & lower limits for trailers without brakes. Many are down to 1,500 pounds. Some years back there were a few states that were as low as 500 pounds and two that would allow up to 10,000 without brakes.
Stopping under ideal conditions is one thing. I have four huge drums on my '68 F-350 and it stops very well ONCE. I would not expect it to have the fade resistance to do repeated panic stops or to be used continuously down a long grade. These conditions are where you need disk brakes.
Stopping a trailer is not the same problem. If you are on a curve, of road conditions are uneven, you can go sideways under heavy braking. Without a trailer, most of us could probably steer out of a slide, but with a trailer things are going to happen faster. A trailer without brakes is going to rapidly push you all the way into a full jacknife.
If you have enough weight in your bed to keep the rear wheels planted, the 2,000-pound limit is reasonable, but you will always be safer with trailer brakes.
Stopping under ideal conditions is one thing. I have four huge drums on my '68 F-350 and it stops very well ONCE. I would not expect it to have the fade resistance to do repeated panic stops or to be used continuously down a long grade. These conditions are where you need disk brakes.
Stopping a trailer is not the same problem. If you are on a curve, of road conditions are uneven, you can go sideways under heavy braking. Without a trailer, most of us could probably steer out of a slide, but with a trailer things are going to happen faster. A trailer without brakes is going to rapidly push you all the way into a full jacknife.
If you have enough weight in your bed to keep the rear wheels planted, the 2,000-pound limit is reasonable, but you will always be safer with trailer brakes.
