Help with possible trailer purchase. Can I haul it? Wife wants to buy ASAP

[62Blazer]

Check trailer tires speed rating too ... most are only rated for 65 MPH ??? Interstate driving.

Most trailer tires made in the last 20 years are rated for higher speed than that. Most typical trailer size tires for 15" rims are rated up in the 80+ mph range. That's simply to accommodate the higher average speeds on the freeway people travel.
However trailer tires are very important and many people take them for granted. Since a lot of trailers don't get a lot of miles and therefore the tires don't wear out, people run them for a long time without replacing them. Old tires will fail do to weathering and dry cracking. Most places will recommend at least considering replacing trailer tires after 5-8 years.

 

[62Blazer]

I always get a kick out of these posts and all the technical detail people try to present. The trailer mentioned in the OP is simply not that big of a trailer.
Is it a fairly big trailer for a 1500...sure, but it's not outrageous by any means.
Would a 2500 truck be "better"....sure it would be, but don't think it is really needed. A dually 1-ton diesel would be even better.
Should you use a WDH and possibly some other mods like air bags, heavier sway bars....sure. They all help.
Do you need to use common sense on weight ratings.....again, sure. But can tell you that that some of the cases people are pretty extreme. It's like they say this particular case will tow like a dream but if you add an extra 200 lbs. the truck will randomly explode and kill a bus full of nuns. I mean, really?
I've been towing trailers for 30+ years. Maybe it's my background in farming and construction. Both of these are notorious for "overloading" trailers using the old motto of "if it fits, it ships". I don't remember anybody ever running over a scale with the truck and trailer setup. They used common sense and looked at the truck...pretty easy to see if it squatted too much and you can tell shortly after driving how it felt.

 

[62Blazer]

As a fairly recent Chyrysler truck development engineer, and one who owns 2 Ram 1500 4x4s w/ 3.21 gearing, I can assure you the GVW and GCW ratings are *very* conservative, and you can easily tow that trailer anywhere. Yes, you might want a WDH, and yes, you might want airbags to level up your truck, but you'll be fine. You might spend some time in gear 7, but the 3.21:1 gearing will give you hugely better overall fuel economy ony, and especially when you're *not* connected to the trailer

I agree with this. Spent 10+ years as an automotive testing engineer and did a lot of work with Chrysler/Jeep/Truck/FCA or whatever. Also did a lot of work in the heavy truck (large commercial trucks) and can say that any factory rating is very conservative.

 

[nlambert182]

I agree with this. Spent 10+ years as an automotive testing engineer and did a lot of work with Chrysler/Jeep/Truck/FCA or whatever. Also did a lot of work in the heavy truck (large commercial trucks) and can say that any factory rating is very conservative.

Fair enough.... but we're primarily talking to NEW owners in these types of threads. Folks who have the experience won't ask if they can do it. How are they supposed to know when too much is too much? The safest thing for them to do is follow the numbers. It helps them learn how to spec a truck/trailer and will make their initial towing experiences much less stressful. Kinda funny to say the numbers are conservative (which I know they are) but then leave it open ended without real data to tell a new owner what the real numbers are. It's insinuating that you can exceed the posted ratings... but not telling them where the real limits are.

When folks come in and tell them to go by sight and common sense and not to worry as much about the numbers, that's where the confusion sets in. If you worked with large commercial trucks then you know that DOT, etc... follow the numbers to the decimal. It's for safety. No different here.

My point when I respond to these posts is really simple. Learn the numbers and learn what the mfg tells you is the limit for the truck and the trailer. If you get that good foundation under you, you'll be better equipped and will learn how to manage the load and minimize risks. Then... after some years of experience you'll know whether or not you can push those limits.

 

[Randy Grant]

Why not ask the engineer that posted on here (@Redbob) what his take is on modifying a 1500 to tow a 5th wheel? You mention sane towing practices at the same time of doing something that the truck was literally never designed to do (AND showing us that you were overloaded via your weights and your door sticker in another post).

I'll second what Tron said. If you have to modify the truck in any way to tow the trailer, you need more truck. This includes airbags.

I've never had to run anything more than a WDH and that isn't a necessity. I towed the current trailer home without it and the truck sat level. I could probably not even use it, but it came with the rig and is an added measure of safety.

If by modidify you mean adding an andersen hitch in the bed, QUILTY!!!!!
Never said anything about adding bags.
Focus now, he is talking about a tow behind and WDH, of which I said to properly set up.

 

[Qcman]

I always get a kick out of these posts and all the technical detail people try to present. The trailer mentioned in the OP is simply not that big of a trailer.
Is it a fairly big trailer for a 1500...sure, but it's not outrageous by any means.
Would a 2500 truck be "better"....sure it would be, but don't think it is really needed. A dually 1-ton diesel would be even better.
Should you use a WDH and possibly some other mods like air bags, heavier sway bars....sure. They all help.
Do you need to use common sense on weight ratings.....again, sure. But can tell you that that some of the cases people are pretty extreme. It's like they say this particular case will tow like a dream but if you add an extra 200 lbs. the truck will randomly explode and kill a bus full of nuns. I mean, really?
I've been towing trailers for 30+ years. Maybe it's my background in farming and construction. Both of these are notorious for "overloading" trailers using the old motto of "if it fits, it ships". I don't remember anybody ever running over a scale with the truck and trailer setup. They used common sense and looked at the truck...pretty easy to see if it squatted too much and you can tell shortly after driving how it felt.

We did buy a used trailer today. A 25' 2018 Crossroads Sunset Trail Superlite. Despite some of the responses that I should use GVWR for the trailer for calculations and that I shouldn't rely on manufacturers dry weights I went with the dry weights as the starting point for the trailer. The idea being the less the better. About 554 for the hitch and 5354 for the trailer with a GVWR of 7550. I'm targeting 6500 or less loaded with our stuff. We are modest travellers. I had my truck weighed with me and my wife in it and its very close to GVWR - Payload of 1485 with our weight removed. I'd say about 75 lbs heavier perhaps. Gas tank was full to the brim.

I also purchased a WDH for the trailer and will just need to buy a receiver hitch for my truck and a brake controller. The wiring is all there at the back for the truck which is nice. So I have capacity on the truck for about 875 loaded hitch weight when the trailer is loaded and all other weights are factored in. I feel this is a pretty doable number.

 

[Qcman]

Fair enough.... but we're primarily talking to NEW owners in these types of threads. Folks who have the experience won't ask if they can do it. How are they supposed to know when too much is too much? The safest thing for them to do is follow the numbers. It helps them learn how to spec a truck/trailer and will make their initial towing experiences much less stressful. Kinda funny to say the numbers are conservative (which I know they are) but then leave it open ended without real data to tell a new owner what the real numbers are. It's insinuating that you can exceed the posted ratings... but not telling them where the real limits are.

As another type of design engineer (not automotive related) I would typically assume a 10% safety factor on any reported design limits which would be reasonable knowing how design works.

 

[Qcman]

They didn’t have a 8 hp70View attachment 554282

Also there was no internet to tell them they were out of their minds.

 

[Randy Grant]

We did buy a used trailer today. A 25' 2018 Crossroads Sunset Trail Superlite. Despite some of the responses that I should use GVWR for the trailer for calculations and that I shouldn't rely on manufacturers dry weights I went with the dry weights as the starting point for the trailer. The idea being the less the better. About 554 for the hitch and 5354 for the trailer with a GVWR of 7550. I'm targeting 6500 or less loaded with our stuff. We are modest travellers. I had my truck weighed with me and my wife in it and its very close to GVWR - Payload of 1485 with our weight removed. I'd say about 75 lbs heavier perhaps. Gas tank was full to the brim.

I also purchased a WDH for the trailer and will just need to buy a receiver hitch for my truck and a brake controller. The wiring is all there at the back for the truck which is nice. So I have capacity on the truck for about 875 loaded hitch weight when the trailer is loaded and all other weights are factored in. I feel this is a pretty doable number.

Congratulations, and have fun joining the trailering world of outdoor recreation.

 

[mtofell]

I would typically assume a 10% safety factor

That strikes me as low but all I really have to go off of is when I was majoring in engineering... teacher usually put 50% factors on things like elevators, etc. where people's safety was involved. I never graduated and have no other experience so take me with a grain of salt.

 

[2003F350]

That strikes me as low but all I really have to go off of is when I was majoring in engineering... teacher usually put 50% factors on things like elevators, etc. where people's safety was involved. I never graduated and have no other experience so take me with a grain of salt.

It depends on what the application is and how great the chance of injury is. I deal with this daily, designing and building equipment for the foundry industry.

That said, while engineers like to build in extra safety...bean counters don't. If they can save money by cutting that safety margin down, they'll do it. That's part of why, while the limits placed on new vehicles are conservative...they're not as conservative as you might believe.

 

[Qcman]

That strikes me as low but all I really have to go off of is when I was majoring in engineering... teacher usually put 50% factors on things like elevators, etc. where people's safety was involved. I never graduated and have no other experience so take me with a grain of salt.

My discipline is civil and I agree safety factors were much higher but it was in part due to less certainty regarding how accurately we could determine things. I suspect automotive calcs would be far more reliable with less safety range needed. So my 10% is a safe assumption but no doubt conservative.

 

[Qcman]

Congratulations, and have fun joining the trailering world of outdoor recreation.

Thank you looking forward to it!

 

[Docwagon1776]

They didn’t have a 8 hp70View attachment 554282

Interstates didn't exist and US speed limits were generally 10-35 mph. A different era in travel for sure.

 

[CamperMike]

We did buy a used trailer today. A 25' 2018 Crossroads Sunset Trail Superlite. Despite some of the responses that I should use GVWR for the trailer for calculations and that I shouldn't rely on manufacturers dry weights I went with the dry weights as the starting point for the trailer. The idea being the less the better. About 554 for the hitch and 5354 for the trailer with a GVWR of 7550. I'm targeting 6500 or less loaded with our stuff. We are modest travellers. I had my truck weighed with me and my wife in it and its very close to GVWR - Payload of 1485 with our weight removed. I'd say about 75 lbs heavier perhaps. Gas tank was full to the brim.

I also purchased a WDH for the trailer and will just need to buy a receiver hitch for my truck and a brake controller. The wiring is all there at the back for the truck which is nice. So I have capacity on the truck for about 875 loaded hitch weight when the trailer is loaded and all other weights are factored in. I feel this is a pretty doable number.

Congrats! I would agree that you won't likely be at GVWR with that trailer as that is quite a large cargo capacity. That will probably work well with your truck.

 

[nlambert182]

We did buy a used trailer today. A 25' 2018 Crossroads Sunset Trail Superlite. Despite some of the responses that I should use GVWR for the trailer for calculations and that I shouldn't rely on manufacturers dry weights I went with the dry weights as the starting point for the trailer. The idea being the less the better. About 554 for the hitch and 5354 for the trailer with a GVWR of 7550. I'm targeting 6500 or less loaded with our stuff. We are modest travellers. I had my truck weighed with me and my wife in it and its very close to GVWR - Payload of 1485 with our weight removed. I'd say about 75 lbs heavier perhaps. Gas tank was full to the brim.

I also purchased a WDH for the trailer and will just need to buy a receiver hitch for my truck and a brake controller. The wiring is all there at the back for the truck which is nice. So I have capacity on the truck for about 875 loaded hitch weight when the trailer is loaded and all other weights are factored in. I feel this is a pretty doable number.

Congrats!

That's not too bad and you should still be under axle regardless, so be safe and enjoy it! Just always be mindful of how much you're loading into it and you should have a good time.

Unrelated topic, but pay attention to the cable slide out mechanisms on those. If you see them sagging when the slide is fully extended, make sure to adjust the cable tension so that the slide tracks properly. I think they have a BAL Accuslide system. (this is one area they save weight by avoiding the rack and pinion system.

 

[Qcman]

Congrats!

That's not too bad and you should still be under axle regardless, so be safe and enjoy it! Just always be mindful of how much you're loading into it and you should have a good time.

Unrelated topic, but pay attention to the cable slide out mechanisms on those. If you see them sagging when the slide is fully extended, make sure to adjust the cable tension so that the slide tracks properly. I think they have a BAL Accuslide system. (this is one area they save weight by avoiding the rack and pinion system.

Thank you yeah the cable system seems a bit more sketchy to me and I will check for any sag as you note.

 

[nlambert182]

It "can" be, if you don't maintain it. That's the tradeoff with cost/weight savings. Just keep it adjusted and it should last quite a while.

The benefit to it though, is that if/when it breaks they're pretty cheap and easy to replace.

 

[mtofell]

Thank you yeah the cable system seems a bit more sketchy to me and I will check for any sag as you note.

Fwiw, I've had 4 different RVs with slides and moving them in/out has always worried me a fair amount. Things squeal, grind and shudder and every time I hit that button I wonder if it will be the time my luck runs out. So far I've never had anything go wrong. I guess my point is don't be scared if things aren't perfectly smooth and quiet.

 

[62Blazer]

Fair enough.... but we're primarily talking to NEW owners in these types of threads. Folks who have the experience won't ask if they can do it. How are they supposed to know when too much is too much? The safest thing for them to do is follow the numbers. It helps them learn how to spec a truck/trailer and will make their initial towing experiences much less stressful. Kinda funny to say the numbers are conservative (which I know they are) but then leave it open ended without real data to tell a new owner what the real numbers are. It's insinuating that you can exceed the posted ratings... but not telling them where the real limits are.

When folks come in and tell them to go by sight and common sense and not to worry as much about the numbers, that's where the confusion sets in. If you worked with large commercial trucks then you know that DOT, etc... follow the numbers to the decimal. It's for safety. No different here.

My point when I respond to these posts is really simple. Learn the numbers and learn what the mfg tells you is the limit for the truck and the trailer. If you get that good foundation under you, you'll be better equipped and will learn how to manage the load and minimize risks. Then... after some years of experience you'll know whether or not you can push those limits.

I don't really disagree with anything you said. Though I probably need to explain my responses a little bit more as you seem to interpret them a little more extreme than what I intended. Yes, experience does mean something and rookies need to start somewhere. The numbers on a piece of paper are a place to start, but they are not the final answer.
When I say that factory ratings are conservative, I do not mean they should be completely disregarded and a person should way overload the vehicle by huge amounts. As I stated in my reply I'm talking about a couple hundred pounds, not a couple thousand pounds. Believe I used 200 lbs. specifically in an example. When you are talking about a 12,000 lb. combined truck and trailer setup that is nothing. You also need to consider all of the weight ratings. If you have a truck with a factory trailer tow rating of 10,000 lbs. there are people who freak out when somebody asks about a 6,000 lb. trailer because of tongue weight, RAWR, GVW, etc... Sure, you need to keep those things in mind but in general a 6,000 lb. trailer on a truck rated for 10,000 lbs. towing is probably not going to have any significant issues (well, unless the setup and load distribution is WAY wrong...like somebody did something stupid). I will go ahead and say it...if you have a truck with a factory 10,000 lb. towing rating and hook on a 6,000 lb. trailer but the payload is over by 100 lbs. based on a piece of paper.
My overall point is that these things get blown way out of proportion on the internet.