Enclosed Trailer Weight Question

[kenny]

I'm sorry, but I've been towing commercial trailers for the last 13 years and you're quite incorrect about putting 1/3 of the weight on the hitch. Here's a great example, a class V hitch is rated to tow a 12000lbs trailer with a maximum tongue weight of 1200lbs. I will guarantee you've never had 5000lbs on your tongue before. The tongue rating on hitches are generally 10 percent of the maximum tow capacity. So if we go by your 1/3 of the weight goes on the tongue claim, you'd only be able to tow a 3600lbs trailer with a class V hitch. A correctly loaded bumper pull trailer should have a nearly neutral weight distribution over the axles with a small bias towards the front of the trailer. The only bumper pull trailers I know of that are designed to put a large weight distribution on the truck are pintle hook trailers designed to be put on the back of big trucks, but we're talking about car haulers behind a 2500. Now I'm not suggesting I haven't from time to time put way more than the rated tongue load on my truck, but that doesn't mean it was the best of choices.

A pintle is just a type of tongue attachment, it is not a different designed trailer. Myself and my entire family and some good friends tow commercially. I been doing it for 20 years and tow my own trailers with my dmax. If you tow commercial, I would hope you should already know how to tow properly. Yes that is the rating of a class 5 reciever, lol. Now your finally starting to understand the purpose of a light truck and what is considered safe to manufactures. Like I said before, we load our trailers to fit our personal needs. Don't think that a sticker, by any means, is a limit for what someone will do. Everyone always put their load over the trailer axles so the light truck doesnt get as much weight just like you claim. Have you even pulled a 15k+ trailer load behind your 3/4 ton truck? That load is not light on the truck, unless you put the load only over the axles. If you were to use the entire deck and distribute the load evenly over the entire deck, you would realize what I am trying to explain. Take that bitch over the scales and see for yourself. Oh, and quit trying to claim you know what weight I have put on my truck before. You clearly don't even know, lol.:angel:

 

[PACougar]

Cool man, keep loading 5000lbs on your 2500's tongue. I'm sure you know what you're doing. :rofl:

 

[kenny]

Cool man, keep loading 5000lbs on your 2500's tongue. I'm sure you know what you're doing. :rofl:

lol, Now how am I suppose to do that with 3600# on the trailer? Besides, I find it tows best with all the weight behind the trailer axles...

 

[lts1ow]

So, other than the side debate here... can trailers be safely upgraded with heavier axles or not worth the effort?

And 5k lb on a tag along tongue. :roflmao:

 

[PACougar]

So, other than the side debate here... can trailers be safely upgraded with heavier axles or not worth the effort?

And 5k lb on a tag along tongue. :roflmao:

I'd say you'd have to be really careful about throwing larger axles under one of these to increase the load capacity. The structure of the trailers are often not very strong and that would be what would really hold you back from putting a heavier load inside.

 

[kenny]

Upgrading the axles can be done safely and its an option from the manufacture. If you check with them they can tell you if the frame is built and designed to handle a max weight greater than the current carry axles. Thats why axle size is an option from most manufactures. Just like they said though, anything over current sticker GVWR is when I would be more worried about structural integrity. They are rated for static and dynamic loading for their stickered GVWR (weight in motion). Hope this helps.