In reply to Rons :
Yup, it's been about 15 years since I've had to look it up.
In reply to Rons :
Yup, it's been about 15 years since I've had to look it up.
In reply to Rons :
Might want to check the statute where you got those #'s, because it is usually based on the empty weight of the trailer. So a flatbed trailer that weighs 1000# empty doesn't generally require trailer brakes even if it is loaded to the 3500# max of the axle. Most trailers on standard 3500# axles don't have brakes and they can't all be breaking the law.
I've had several single axle car trailers, including the most recent one I built, but I generally use a 5200-7k# axle and always have brakes. I find pulling a well loaded single axle trailer to be a lot less stressful for me and my tow rig.
Oh yeah here is the new work horse . They get a bad wrap but these final years seem to have it sorted and are dirt cheap.
Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) said:I would just tow with it. My guess is you'll find that it's fine as-is. Lowering the CG doesn't help towing much, but it has a big effect if you get the trailer, um... crooked.
If you do a panic swerve and the trailer gets up on one wheel, then a 1-ton dually will be less affected than a Caravan. So yes, lower CG is a safety item, but not from the standpoint of nice comfy towing. It's a safety item in terms of panic situations. Lowering the CG prevents those panic situations, but doesn't do much for how it tows in a straight line.
IIRC, your rear springs are coils, yes? I suggest against the urethane airbags that fit inside the springs. They might work on pristine, new springs that are 8" away from any exhaust, but all it takes is one crusty piece of rust. I put helper airbags in my Impala SS springs to tow a boat. On its maiden voyage to Lowes 5 miles away, the right side melted through from the aftermarket exhaust and the left side rubbed a hole through from crusty springs.
I"ve had the bags inside my coil springs on my Sequoia for going on 6 years now, no issues at all. no leaks, no sign of particular wear, and makes towing immeasurably better with ~500lb tongue weight, even for a big SUV. They're "Air-Lift" brand. Probably towed 10k miles on them, always 4500lbs or so (racecar).
And mine are not all that far from the exhaust, as I recall...YMMV.
Regardless of what the regulations are trailer brakes are a good idea on anything that weighs over 1,500 lbs loaded. That's enough to push a full size pickup around sideways under the right conditions. Sure you can say that you'll be careful and that you'll leave extra room but you can't get everyone else on the road to cooperate. Plus a touch of manual trailer brake can save your butt when you discover that you don't have quite enough tongue weight.
I'm late to this party but that whole setup sounds pretty ideal to me, other than 'it never hurts to have trailer brakes'. I think it's gonna be just fine and require basically nothing other than getting the right height adapter for the tow ball.
I also have the Airlift bags in my Sienna van- night and day difference with both hauling and towing. Best modification I've done to that van. I pull my Miata behind it on a tow dolly, tows like a dream. Plus minivans are the best paddock vehicle ever.
Glad you guys are having luck with your airbags. Like I said, mine lasted less than 5 miles. I think they were Air Lift brand. Kind of a Barney purple urethane cylindrical bag. Fortunately, I got a refund.
When it comes to the law part, I would certainly check the law and comply with it, but I have traveled 48 states and 5 provinces with all kinds of towing setups for hundreds of thousands of miles over the last 30 years. I have never once been questioned about weights, tow capacities, brakes, or anything as long as it "looks" adequate. Even when I was in PRC (people's republic of CA) I was pulled over towing a P30 step van on a flatbed with a 73 Impala Station Wagon. I was given a warning for a taillight not working on the trailer. Trailer surge brakes inop, no equalizer, wagon against the bumpstops. The whole story is that the car was really up to the task in theory; 12" discs up front, 11" discs out back, 12-bolt 3.73s, massive 255mm D-range rubber, surge brakes on the trailer (even though they didn't work) and the P-van was just a rolling shell on an aluminum trailer that weighed very little. I had air assist shocks which had pinched a line and the air leaked out. But it looked awful. It looked like that picture of a Chevy Blazer towing a 5th wheel on the tailgate.
As it was explained to me (by a police sergeant in his opinion), when they see a speeding car, they have done that dance a thousand times. They know the law by heart. It's simple:
Speeding:
Towing a trailer: A 1980s-ish chevy pickup truck drives by towing a travel trailer,
That list continues, which is why police are usually empowered to pull you over if things look out of whack. The net result is, you could be way out of compliance but look good and never have an issue, or you could be in compliance and get pulled over because it looks dangerous. That is why it is best to stay within the law. Yes, comply with the law because you can get a ticket if you don't. Since I don't live in your state and know the laws there, I'll leave it up to you to worry about the legal stuff. As far as the engineering and experience on SAFE towing outside of any law (logical or arbitrary) I can help you.
TL;DR - follow the law because it dots your I's and crosses your T's, but the laws are incredibly arbitrary. Assuming that legal towing compliance makes a safe rig is just folly. Complying with the law is just one tiny step in the safe-rig recipe.
Heading off on its Madden voyage...grabbing an E30 not the BMW kind ...Toyota !!!!! No idea if it has the 3k or 2T motor guess we'll find out when I get there
All of the cars pictured are loaded too far forward. This can cause more than the suggested 10/15% tongue weight.
100mile round trip averaged 19.6mpg and it towed great plus now I got a cool old 3tc powered Toyota
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