Will my truck be ok pulling 8,000lbs

[Matt_INW]

Yeah you need brakes. This past weekend I pulled our 9-10k 5th wheel WITH brakes and had to stop fairly rapidly at 45mph. If the trailer didn't have brakes I wouldn't have stopped before using the car in front of me as a speed bump.

 

[junk]

Truck will handle the weight just fine. I pull 18-22k (total weight) with my truck several times a summer. Stopping will be the concern. Keep your head when stopping and allow plenty of room.

 

[larson]

How far are you planning to tow this? Are there any freeways involved? Your truck can pull it easily but stopping suddenly might be a little difficult.

It is a 50 mile trip with the truck and trailer in tow.
Well hell I will plug in the brake controller it came with and see if it still works. If it does I'll use it.
I don't have a piro gauge my truck is n/a so I never bothered getting one considering I have had the truck for almost 3 yrs now and towed one small trailer.

 

[larson]

Now all of you guys got me nervous as hell now. I take it serious as far as other people's life's go on the road. I drive commercially for a living so I'm definitely not looking to brake any laws. If the brake controller I disconnected doesn't work I won't tow it.

 

[Thewespaul]

I would reccomend getting a pyro for your truck as well, its a great investment that could be the differance in saving your engine or melting it. If you do any kind of pulling in this heat egts can get pretty high, even without turning a pump up much, glad youre being conservative and thinking of others on the road, most other people dont know days!

 

[austin92]

I use a 4K lb tilt deck car hauler when I need to move vehicles on occasion. I moved a John Deere B and Jeep Wrangler before I rebuilt my brakes and I gave my self LOTS of room to stop. I did a "mock" panic stop and I was less than pleased. Now after I rebuilt front and rear brakes I've hauled a 68 f350 that had a 1200lb generator mounted to the steel dump bed, a 91 Dakota, 99 neon, 88 Comanche, and an 08 civic. I wished I had trailer brakes but I felt confident in my stopping distance. Aside from brakes, my truck has 3.07 rear gears and I stuggled to hold 70mph up long hills while staying safe on the pyro but it had plenty of power to move the load


1983 f350 6.9 zf5 2wd srw single cab long bed. Facet duralift, optima red tops, bfg all terrains, 4" exhaust from y pipe back, autometer z series pyro, pump turned up 2 flats

 

[Dieselcrawler]

He may be right on the weight depending on the trailer. My car trailer weights 2200 lbs. it's a steel framed 10000 lb trailer. Ramcharger is around 5500-600.

 

[mblaney]

I would love to have a car hauler / flat bed trailer. Blows my mind when people have them but brakes don't work, crappy tires... they are such a nice tool to have I would spend a little time and fix it up. The brakes on your buddy's trailer are probably stuck - rusted up from lack of use. It might take two hours and $0 to take the drums off and clean them up. A controller is a cheap investment; and REAL TRUCKS HAVE BRAKE CONTROLLERS!

I pull my 'big boat' - all 3500 lbs of it - and I will be adding brakes to the trailer. Peace of mind!

 

[pafixitman]

If I read correctly, the brakes on the trailer are "iffy" - does not matter if you install a controller. IMHO, drop $100 at a rental shop and rent a trailer. Most rental trailers have surge brakes, not my favorite but they work. Also as stated make sure your hitch is not rated for 5k.

 

[FORDF250HDXLT]

I drive commercially for a living so I'm definitely not looking to brake any laws.

really then,you of all of us here,should be the one informing us, that no one should ever tow heavy weight around, without properly working trailer brakes.we entrust our lives that you commercial haulers know and respect these safety laws.

Now all of you guys got me nervous as hell now.

who's scaring who?!


when do you legally need trailer brakes? click........

http://drivinglaws.aaa.com/tag/trailer-brakes/

 

[riotwarrior]

Truck fronts 50%...but what grade..service grade or premim

Rears...no idea....

Sounds like you should be more concerned with your truck and its immediate BRAKE system before it breaks because you cannot stop fast enouh because of work or missadjuzted BRAKES.

If the trailer BRAKES are not working fix em. If he wojt invest in fixing them explain thou shalt not tow thy trailer with out fully functioning BRAKES.

JM3.3CW Eh!

 

[OLDBULL8]

Breaks, Brakes, Weight. Is not the question. You've got the answer to them.

What is the penalty for Involuntary Manslaughter?

 

[firehawk]

Now all of you guys got me nervous as hell now. I take it serious as far as other people's life's go on the road. I drive commercially for a living so I'm definitely not looking to brake any laws. If the brake controller I disconnected doesn't work I won't tow it.

As a commercial driver in Texas, your personal infractions are tied to your CDL. I can't imagine that you would risk your livelihood on such a trivial matter. Risk versus reward should be factored into every decision you make. You are better off paying for a tow truck than taking the risk you are contemplating.

 

[Shawn MacAnanny]

My empty equipment trailer is 2400lbs. I still use the trailer brakes even when empty on a low setting. You need trailer brakes. I've had some heavy trailers push my trucks through intersections because of fading trailers brakes. And you can bet if you get into an accident they'll check your trailer brakes and hold you liable. Then in today's mindset you'll likely be personally sued for everything you have because you knew you didn't have working trailer brakes.

 

[snicklas]

Not trying to beat a dead horse, but I agree with everyone here.

1. Address you truck brakes. If you are not certain they are 100% please fix/adjust/replace what is necessary to make them 100% again, even if just driving the truck around empty.

2. Install a working, good quality trailer brake controller in your truck. I strongly recommend NOT buying one of the $20 time delay controllers you can get at Wally World. Buy a good inertia based brake controller, install and adjust it per the instructions and LEAVE IT THERE....... My Excursion has a working controller, and I do not own any trailers, at this time, that have brakes, but I am looking for another camper, and I have access to a car trailer that does have brakes if I need to go rescue a vehicle.... if it has a hitch, it should have a controller.....

3. Make the brakes 100% on the trailer....... if not...... it DOESN'T MOVE!!!!!!!

4. If 1-3 can not be accomplished...... call Calvin (if his towing business were in Texas) it will be better in the long run....... his flatbed is cheaper than best case, totaling 2 trucks and a trailer, or worst case, running someone over........

5. If 1-3 can be accomplished, try and load it correctly..... a difference in tongue weight can make a huge difference.......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jk9H5AB4lM

If you haven't towed anything sizeable as a "bumper tow", it is a bit different, even if you drive a semi...... with a sizeable load, the "tail can wag the dog" which is not a fun experience..... even a small trailer, like my 5x8 Flatbed with one of my IH Cub Cadets on it, which is ~ 1500lbs does make a difference..... it won't wag the dog (at least with my 8000lb Excursion) but it does push a bit. It's not heavy enough to legally require trailer brakes...... but I did tow my Jetta on a PJ Flatbed Trailer, total weight of 5000lbs or less, and I would not have wanted to tow it without brakes....... maybe moving it on the property, but not 50 miles, or the 200 I did.......

If in doubt, bail out...... there was a post in the IDI group on Facebook, a guy banged up 2 IDIs and a trailer because he loaded the truck on the trailer tail first, though it felt ok, got to speed and the "tail wagged the dog" and he bounced off the median wall............