Was looking at a big dump trailer to use on side jobs, and was wondering if my 99 f250 with 5.4 will pull it? loaded the trailer will weigh close to 20,000 pounds it will be a goose neck, tandem axle.

 

That might even be to much for a deisel

 

well figure your gross weight will be 25k+,and lots of trucks out there with 26k gvw running a DT 466

 

why do they make these trailers to be pulled behind a pickup if no pickup will pull them?

 

my pickup will pull it

 

They're made to pull with a 450 or bigger. I've pulled one with my SRW 350 diesel. My motor had the power to pull it but could have used more stability and braking is an issue.

In a pinch, every once in a blue moon you might get buy with it. If you are thinking about doing it regularly or in heavy traffic get a bigger truck. Ask to test drive it around empty and you'll see what I mean.

 

Mine will pull it too.

 

i pull a regular hitch dump trailer with my 350 6.0dually, i just did a new driveway for my house. 7 miles to the gravel bank. 45 loads of cobbles, #2 stone and item 4. ech load was about 9 tons. i did have to hard wire the trailer battery direct to the truck batterys.it woldnt keep it charged up with the system in the trailer. noproblems with the electric brakes. you should have the response on the trailer brakes to come on emideatly. it pulled the 6% grade at 35 to 40 mph at 3000 rpm. sure saved me the $6.00 per ton delivery charge! plus i got the cobbles at $10.00 per load versus $3.59 per ton delivered. i have nearly 50 years big truck driving but most people using some descretion shoud be able to savtly do this. just take it easy and take your time. you dont impress other drivers by going like crazy. with the bumper hitch, you do have to bias the load towards the rear. i have a complete air ride so it dosent squat at all.

 

What are you hauling??? I have a Big Dump trailer and the most i've ever had in it was 11k, so total of about 14k, and that was full to the max. Heavy load too. I haul an 8k skidster around regularly and it's not too bad, but 20k. That's a lot of ?!*#!@* weight.

 

I have a 6.5' x 12' lowboy dump with 22" high sides. I haul between 6k & 10k #'s of stone with my 5.4 250 and the only issue is it takes a little longer to get it moving when loaded. Stopping is great, as long as you have a good brake controller and it is adjusted correctly to each load.

 

I think thats too much for your truck, maybe once in a while and very close distance. 20k trailer you need a bigger truck if you don't want to kill your truck fast and you better have a cdl for a trailer that heavy because if not your asking for problems. You would be better off getting a 14k dump trailer, loaded up even that will give your truck a work out.

 

That's too much for your truck, no matter what. You would want to look at mid sized trucks like a F450-F750. I pull a 12.5k lb. GVW dump trailer behind my V10 and that is more than enough of a load for it.

 

I am not a fan of the 5.4 in these trucks, but the truck is built to work. I would be more concerned about your gearing, you probably have 3.73. I think the 3.73 would be too high for your plans. The 5.4 has been put in motor homes, moving trucks, etc. When geared properly the 5.4 can handle a lot of load.

Look, never exceed the mfg limits on your vin sticker in the door. But if you are within or at those limits than you are ok. I just finished hauling a 24ft(box) moving truck (14K) with a goosneck tandum dual (5k) with both axels having elec. brakes. I figure I was at a grand total of 24-26k. (14ft tall) I went from down town Los Angles to northern San luis Obispo county approx 275 miles. Other than the wind on one of the passes, I had no worries the entire trip. Stop and go in LA and winding 101 up the coast.

These trucks are made to work and haul. If your equipment is up to par than use it for what they are made for.

A 12k trailer is nothing for an f250 if done properly.

The idea of it would be ok "maybe once in a while and very close distance" doesn't make sence. Most accidents happen close to home. If it is not safe for a 200 mile trip, than you have no business going 2 miles.

I would check your state laws about weight and CDL (Comercial DL), I have one.

 

A 20k trailer is way too much for a 5.4l. Even with 4:30s its not rated to pull a fiver much over 10k.

 

Sorry but that is complete bs, yes a f-250 is made to work hard but towing a 20k loaded trailer it is not what it is made for. When I said "maybe once in a while and very close distance" I meant around the farm or move it on your property. The combined weight of the truck and trailer would be close to 28-29k. There is a big difference in having a 12k trailer and a 20k trailer. Towing a 20k trailer with a f-250 is an accident waiting to happen and you should be held accountable for whatever happens when something goes wrong. For moving that load you should have aleast a 350 drw to do it safely.