How much trailer do I need?
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Elder User
Joined: Dec 2000
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From: Georgia
How much trailer do I need?
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 07-Dec-02 AT 08:20 PM (EST)]As an eBay junkie, I'm always finding new trucks that I want to drag home. This time, I'm somewhat serious about bidding on a 1985 F-250 extended cab long bed 2wd. The seller says that the 6.9L diesel has a bad head gasket, so I'm planning on not being able to drive it home. What size trailer would I need to beg/borrow/steal to transport this truck home? I'll need to tow it approximately from Knoxville TN to Savannah GA. (I rounded up about 50 miles on both ends of the trip) Will a 18 ft. be long enough? I don't think that it would be, but I've never measured a x-cab lwb truck either....
That do y'all towing gurus think?
Jon
1989 F-150 XL- 4x4, 302, M50D
1995 Bronco Eddie Bauer- 351W, E40D
P.S. I'm not even considering having it professionally transported because the truck is going to sell for around $1000(US) and I'm not going to pay half of the cost of the truck to have it delivered....
That do y'all towing gurus think?
Jon
1989 F-150 XL- 4x4, 302, M50D
1995 Bronco Eddie Bauer- 351W, E40D
P.S. I'm not even considering having it professionally transported because the truck is going to sell for around $1000(US) and I'm not going to pay half of the cost of the truck to have it delivered....
Elder User
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 632
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From: State College, Tunkhannoc
How much trailer do I need?
thats plenty trailer. my brother used to put his regular cab f250 on a 16 footer when he hadda get both his pickup and his dumptruck to a jobsite and there was plenty room there. all you really need is to be able to get all four wheels on it. you can hang the front off and the back off if you can only get your hands on a shorter trailer. just need to be able to put the ramps up if the trailer has ramps.
chris
chris
Elder User
Joined: Jan 2000
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From: Crooked River Ranch, OR
How much trailer do I need?
Also make sure the trailer is wide enogh to fit the truck ...I've seen trailers that will fit a car but the trailer fenders get in the way when trying to load a wider truck. Also consider you normally want 10-15% of the truck/trailer weight on the hitch. With the short trailer you will probably exceed that amount by quite a bit since the front wheels will be all the way ahead. Just make sure your hitch is capable of handling the extra tounge weight. Of course you could always load the truck backwards...Deen
Logistics Pro
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 4,788
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From: Mansfield, TX USA
How much trailer do I need?
If you have access to a longer trailer, I would use it. 18 ft. might be physically long enough to get the truck on the trailer, but you are going to have a lot of weight riding behind the trailer wheels. All that weight back there makes the trailer behave like a pendulum, with the tail wagging the dog. I like to keep as much weight as I can on or in front of the trailer axles. The trailer behaves better. Not as much sway.
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Elder User
Joined: Dec 2000
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From: Georgia
How much trailer do I need?
Thanks for the quick replies and the great info. I'll keep y'all posted if I win the auction...
Jon
1989 F-150 XL- 4x4, 302, M50D
1995 Bronco Eddie Bauer- 351W, E40D
Jon
1989 F-150 XL- 4x4, 302, M50D
1995 Bronco Eddie Bauer- 351W, E40D
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