Quote:
Originally Posted by jdmccright
And sorry MagicRat, but i have to somewhat disagree...no matter how tricked out the trailer is, the truck still ultimately has to haul and control it. Dual axles doesn't make a 10k-lb trailer easier to pull up a steep grade (though yes the extra pair of brakes can help stop it, the extra axle is primarily to distribute the weight among more tires).
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While I agree with your comments, let me expand on my points a bit.
The recommended trailer towing weight is imo very arbitrary, and its not reasonable to put too much faith in that figure.
For example, is a 7000 lb trailer "safe", and a 7001 lb trailer dangerous? Of course not,
Imo this poster is fretting about details without looking at the big picture.
In the real world, some trailers are safer to tow than others. So, going ONLY by the trailer weight is unreasonably narrow attitude.
Really, that camper could be 5000 lbs, but be unsafe to tow by a 1500 series pick up truck, depending on equipment, layout and weight distribution.
Engine power and coolant capacity are overrated in importance. Manufacturers use high power ratings to sell trucks, but in reality, any modern full size pick up has ample power to get a 7000 lb trailer moving down the road in a reasonable fashion. So long as you can keep up with the semi-trucks, you are going fast enough. Extra power is nice but not essential. Effective trailer towing then becomes an issue of trailer control and braking.
I must disagree about your comments on dual axles. Dual axles greatly reduce "polar inertia", or the tendency for the trailer to sway, and shift the truck side to side. Heavy, single-axle trailers need a much heavier tow vehicle to control them. Dual axles greatly reduce this tendency, and make a trailer much easier to control, especially for long camper trailers.
Imo a fifth wheel hitch is the best layout for towing with a pick up truck. They allow for far better trailer control than an ordinary Class III or IV hitch. If the trailer was not so designed, a weight distribution hitch is a great alternative.
Other suggestions? Learn how to use trailer brakes correctly. Applying trailer brakes alone, without applying the truck brakes is a valuable aid in retaining trailer control in some situations.
So, if his trailer is substandard, his money may be better spent on
getting his trailer and hitch safe, especially brakes, than worrying about details like the truck radiator size.
Doing so is not "tricking out" a trailer, but simply making it meet a basic, safe standard.
As you suggest, though, the entire rig, especially the trailer needs to go to a pro for at least an inspection of its fitness and compatibility.