60 on a 7K# car hauler?? (1 Viewer)

I ran a search with no luck to my question. I am looking to buy a open car hauler for my 62. I don't want to go overboard with a 10K# trailer. The next size down is a 7K#, which is 2, 3,500# axles. The dry weight of most of these trailers is around 2K# plus or minus a little depending on the length, floor material etc. Of course the 7K# figure is to include the weight of the trailer. So if you throw a 62 on there, I'm right at the max or a little over. What do you guys use that use open car haulers?
Thanks,
Tom

You're not going "overboard" with a 10k trailer, you're giving yourself and others on the highway a safety net. I have been looking for a trailer for years now, and just can't bring myself to settle for the 7k weight rating, simply based on the fact that the 60 would put the trailer right at its max. The beef between the 7k and the 10k+ trailers is readily apparent. When I am towing, peace of mind knowing that I have more than adequate equipment is priceless.

I haul my FJ 40 and my Fj 60 on my 16' 7500lb H&H trailer. It has electric brakes on both axles.

The hardest part about hauling the 60 is the overall size of it. Getting it balanced on the trailer without exceeding the tongue weight. I have to back it on so I'm not hanging off the back of the trailer.

Also, check your local Department of Motor Vehicles. Some states require you to get a commercial license if your trailer has a GVWR of 10,000lb or more.

Get the 10K if you are going to be towing a lot.

Mace said:

Get the 10K if you are going to be towing a lot.

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I agree.

D'Animal said:

I haul my FJ 40 and my Fj 60 on my 16' 7500lb H&H trailer. It has electric brakes on both axles.

The hardest part about hauling the 60 is the overall size of it. Getting it balanced on the trailer without exceeding the tongue weight. I have to back it on so I'm not hanging off the back of the trailer.

Also, check your local Department of Motor Vehicles. Some states require you to get a commercial license if your trailer has a GVWR of 10,000lb or more.

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I've hauled both my 40 and 60 on the same 7500 lb trailer at different times, too. I've had the same problems you have D. I've even had to stop on the highway and back the 60 farther towards the truck once. That sucks.

Mace said:

Get the 10K if you are going to be towing a lot.

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My advice as well. Don't mess around. When I buy mine, I'm getting a 10K.

I have a 7500lb trailer I have hauled both my 60 100 miles on it and its OK but it wags the dog alot with the full body go 10 k

My 62 works great on my 7k trailer. I hauled it the couple hundred miles home with no worries at all. I tow vehicles alot. My trailer has over 100k on it. I guess I might be more comfortable than some of you as it is 2nd nature to be loaded. I've had my Excursion on my trailer, they weighs in around 8200#, now that gets ugly. It tows great but the trailer doesn't like it.
Either way 7k or 10k, when you buy a trailer get brakes on both axles, good properly rated trailer tires, I like radials, some have better success with bias ply, I don't. Stay away from car tires. Try to get LED lighting and lots of it. Get a breakaway box (IIRC now required in most states if not all) I also prefer a Bulldog coupler over other styles, they seem to wear better and tow quieter. I have worn out two of them and they are easy to replace. I also like at least a 2' dove tail and underneath ramp storage. Steel decks are nice for wear but slippery as all get out so I have a wood deck and use the best treated lumber and replace every two years or as needed. Also no matter how great the top side of the trailer looks, look underneath, when I bought mine it was bare metal underneath and automotive paint on top. That sucked but I got it 2nd hand a year and a half old. A quick clean up, bare metal treatment and oil based paint brushed on and sprayed on and it has held out since 1999 in WI weather. I have painted underneath only one more time and done the outside 4 times. Also if you go 10K I like the Dexter Torsion axles over the leaf spring. They ride better IMHO and are less maintenance. I am constantly checking and maintaining my shackles, bolts, hangers and leaf springs. This is a factor of the loads my trailer sees.

Guess I got on a tangent there, HTH

Hank brings up a good point. If you are gonna overload the trailer (the excursion counts) then you HAVE to keep up on mainteneance. Underloaded trailers are a bit easier to ignore.

Like I said in the other thread on this; if you see much rough road use I would be worried about the axles of a 7000 pound trailer holding up when used close to or beyond the limit this way. I have seen three 7000 pound trailers which suffered bent axles after bring '40s up the Alaska Highway. Another (probably overloaded) 7000 pound trailer with a '40 that didn't even make it to the beginning of the Alaska Highway on a trip across the country before both axles had to be replaced.I've seen a lot more of the lighter trailers that I don't personally know anything about running around with bent axles too. Rough roads put a lot more stress on those trailers than the guys who rate them are thinking about.

A 10,000 pound trailer is not overkill at all.


Mark...

I have straightened many an axle and replaced them also. I would NEVER attempt to run my 62 up to AL on my trailer behind my EX. That's what paid transports are for!

Thanks for all of your input on this, I appreciate it!!

To add to all the good advice here, check your wheel bearings every year or more often. They are the life blood of a trailer.

Later,

I have towed my FJ60 for about 150 miles on a 7k trailer, with dual axle brakes. The trailer is made from aluminum so you buy at least 500 lb of extra load capacity from that. It seemed fine to me though a properly adjusted electric brake controller is important.

Used a 7K trailer behind my 2500HD Crew Cab to bring the FJ60 back from Nevada to Texas.

Trailer: Magnum (Texas manufacture, expensive but great quality). The wheels are set back,
so very easy to balance weight out to give 10# on the tongue.

First thing: My hitch is rated at 1000 pound tongue weight. I put about 700# on the tongue.
(Many vehicle trailer hitches are only rated at 500#.... best to check)

Brake Controller adjusted for the load..

For the 1800 mile trip home, everytime I stopped for fuel I'd walk around checking both tires and hubs for any signs of heat. I did get warm going across Texas, so kept is at 70mph max (posted is 80 for stretches of I-10).

Since you are buying trailer for the purpose of hauling the FJ60... 10K with tandem brakes. Just good insurance.

Edit... opps, old thread. Looking for something else, got districated, posted a reply... only a few months late.