7k or 10k trailer? (1 Viewer)

[Sam Stewart]

So I'm looking at buying a car hauler/trailer to pull my mini to events and such. I know that a 7k will be more than enough to pull the mini and gear as the mini only weighs about 2500 lbs (I think). However, I am looking at getting an 80 some time in the next couple of years to do some mild "family wheeling". My daughter is 6 months now so hopefully she will be able to go by the time she is 3. Anyway, I would like to have the ability to haul the 80 if necessary. Is there any chance the 7k could haul the 80? I have read that they are about 4800-5000 lb stock and upwards of 6500 with bumpers, tires, etc.

The trailer: Flat steel car hauler with dove tail, 7k
The tower: 11 Tundra with 10k lb tow package
The towee: Mini for now, maybe 80 later
The question: Will it tow the 80?

Any help from trailer towing gurus is much appreciated!

 

[EVILSPOTTER]

I haul FZJ80's on our 22' Texas Bragg 7k all the time.

 

[Mark W]

I haul '80s and full size (old school) Suburbans on a 7000# trailer all the time. Thousands of miles worth over sometimes pretty rough roads. Hauled a '62 home from White Horse BC. (The stretch between Haines Junction and Beaver Creek has trashed a lot of rigs over the years and still does.)

I'd like to have a 10K trailer (and a 20 or 22 footer instead of an 18), but mine has served me and all of my buddies who borrow it well for years now.

If you expect to be carelessly slamming it over frost heaved roads a lot, then you will probably wind up bending an axle. But for more normal lower 48 roads, you will be fine.


Mark...

 

[crushers]

i will pass on what was told to me when i was shopping ...
buy more than you need now.
i had been shopping for a 7500 lb but ended up with a 14K and never regretted it.
better breaking
better axles
i even found it to tow nicer than the smaller trailer.
2400 lbs empty.

 

[The Jade Bean]

I think the smaller ones can do it, but I agree with crushers that whenever possible buy bigger than what you need.

-Daniel

 

[Sam Stewart]

Well Mark we don't have many roads like the ones you're describing down here in the south. The main part of any journey that I make is highway and it's pretty flat. We usually go to Tennessee so once we get up there I'm dealing with some pretty steep grades and winding roads but nothing too bad.

Crushers what type of trailer do you have? Is it a flat steel car hauler or like a bobcat trailer with skids? And it's 22x7?

 

[Sam Stewart]

Thanks for the responses btw. Some good advice to consider.

 

[crushers]

24' tandem
twin 7500 lb axles.
i bought it new since used in good shape was only a couple grand cheaper and i wanted reliability

 

[Sam Stewart]

24' tandem
twin 7500 lb axles.
i bought it new since used in good shape was only a couple grand cheaper and i wanted reliability

Dang. That's a long trailer. Looks like you've gotten plenty of good use out of it. The ones I'm looking at only have about a $600 price difference between the 7 and the 10. I'm actually kinda leaning towards the 10 I think. My truck can tow 10 easily so...

 

[D'Animal]

One thing to keep in mind is the manufacturer of the trailer.

Carson, Big Tex, H & H, etc.

The load raiting of the trailer is dictated by the axles. You can put a set of 3,500lb axles under a sheet of plywood but that does not make it capable of hauling 7,000lbs.

Look at the actual construction of the trailer. A few manufactures unrate their trailers. For example, they build one 12,000 frame and and then put 3500, 5000 axles under it.

 

[Sam Stewart]

One thing to keep in mind is the manufacturer of the trailer.

Carson, Big Tex, H & H, etc.

The load raiting of the trailer is dictated by the axles. You can put a set of 3,500lb axles under a sheet of plywood but that does not make it capable of hauling 7,000lbs.

Look at the actual construction of the trailer. A few manufactures unrate their trailers. For example, they build one 12,000 frame and and then put 3500, 5000 axles under it.

Yeah the trailer I'm looking at is a 10k trailer (2 5/16 10k coupler, etc) and they sell it with either 2 3500# axles or 2 5200# axles. The brand is called "Down 2 Earth". The place I'm looking at is an authorized retailer. I've looked a few other places and these seem to be the best (at least best looking) construction. They have built in D-rings, solid ramps, etc. A lot of the other ones I looked at had no tie downs, angle iron ramps, and just didn't look as sturdy. That being said this one is a good bit more expensive. I'd rather not discuss the price bc then everyone is going to jump in and say "you can buy that same trailer here for 1000 less" etc etc. I'm willing to pay good money (probably a little too much TBH) for a good trailer though. I don't want to ever have to buy another one.

Here's a couple pics from their web site:

Pictures are of the 7k.

 

[crushers]

take a look at the wiring, is it run inside a conduite or just hung off the inside of the trailer?
is the e/brake back up battery a water tight unit.
i did some research and ended up buying one from High River Alberta (not practical for you) and it was about $1000 more than other trailers of the same size. I like the no BS sales, i liked the quality of the trailer, the attention to detail (water tight conduit from front to back, good quality plug, aluminum rock guard, etc). never regretted it.
i have found you pay a bit more upfront and have piece of mind in the future.

do your research, ask the company for a couple people that have bought from them and then contact them for a review. me, i did a tour of the facility and chatted with the employees. they were happy and usually a happy employee shows a shop that cares. if the shop cares about the employee then it makes sense it will care about the customer.

sorry for the rambling.

 

[crushers]

oh, and slide in rear ramps are REALLY nice.
i ended up making 8' long ramps since i load some pretty low slung vehicles at times and i disliked the Vbar ramps so i made the grip ramps.
i also towed (weighed at a weigh station) 18K across Canada and the US a few years back. the heavier braking worked very nice as well as the axles and suspension worked great. i did have to upgrade the tires from 8K tire rating to 12K Samson units for the tow. i was impressed.
but i don't recommend that kind of nonsense to others.

 

[Sam Stewart]

take a look at the wiring, is it run inside a conduite or just hung off the inside of the trailer?
is the e/brake back up battery a water tight unit.
i did some research and ended up buying one from High River Alberta (not practical for you) and it was about $1000 more than other trailers of the same size. I like the no BS sales, i liked the quality of the trailer, the attention to detail (water tight conduit from front to back, good quality plug, aluminum rock guard, etc). never regretted it.
i have found you pay a bit more upfront and have piece of mind in the future.

do your research, ask the company for a couple people that have bought from them and then contact them for a review. me, i did a tour of the facility and chatted with the employees. they were happy and usually a happy employee shows a shop that cares. if the shop cares about the employee then it makes sense it will care about the customer.

sorry for the rambling.

I believe it does have the conduit wired that way. I'd have to go look again to be sure though. That's one of the things I like about this manufacturer. They are a local Georgia company (factory is in Baxley, GA about 2 hours from where I live) and employ my fellow Georgians. I like the idea of going to see where they are made. It actually has an open invitation on their web site to come visit the factory.

 

[crushers]

well worth the drive if it gives you piece of mind with the investment. trailers are not a cheap investment and a cheap trailer could lead to an unsafe load situation.

 

[Mace]

99.999% of 7 or 10K trailers produced will work just fine for your application. Personally I would do the 10K just to have the extra load rating. It'll potentially get you better options for tires as well. Go to the plant 2 hrs from your house and see how they are built. If you like it, take one home with all of the options you want.

I hate trailer tires. Almost all now a days are garbage.


BTW, I might see if they would do a flip up jack as an option. I hate hard mounted jacks. They drag a lot.

 

[Mace]

BTW, I'm not a fan of this design for a car hauler. Too light duty. Be good for a rhino or RZR and quads tho.

 

[Elbert]

I bought a 10K trailer.... I haul my junk 60 around with it. its something like 10,400 pound total rated.
It has electric brakes for both axles and tows well. It will haul about anything I plan to use it for and I'm not concerned about excedding the capacity of the trailer. We did modify the trailer to add stowable ramps and also removable stake pocket spare tire mounts. Mine is a metal deck... If you come to some of the STLCA rides you are welcome to drop by and check it out.. I also modifed the trailer for some running lights on each fender so I can see their location at nigt (poor design by mfg).

The last time I weighed my 60 it was close to 6K loaded.

 

[Sam Stewart]

I did check the website about the wiring it is a "* completely sealed wiring harness" according to them.

Mace: What don't you like about the trailer design? I've hauled a number of other trailers that were similar design and I like them for my use. I didn't much care for the equipment style trailers with skids and open in between. What other type should I look at?

 

[Sam Stewart]

I bought a 10K trailer.... I haul my junk 60 around with it. its something like 10,400 pound total rated.
It has electric brakes for both axles and tows well. It will haul about anything I plan to use it for and I'm not concerned about excedding the capacity of the trailer. We did modify the trailer to add stowable ramps and also removable stake pocket spare tire mounts. Mine is a metal deck... If you come to some of the STLCA rides you are welcome to drop by and check it out.. I also modifed the trailer for some running lights on each fender so I can see their location at nigt (poor design by mfg).

The last time I weighed my 60 it was close to 6K loaded.

Thanks for the offer. I have been trying like heck to get to one of the STLCA rides. They either keep falling on weekends I have to work or just a weekend I can't make it. I was originally going to come to the ride at CC but ACC is having their invitational the same weekend. (They are a business partner of mine after all ) Your trailer sounds a pretty much just like the one I'm looking at.

Also, Mace I do like the better options for tires as well. The 7k only has a 205/75/15 and the options are not really great in that size as you stated. Do you run a bias or radial on yours? Most come with bias and I've heard they hold the weight a little better but they ride horribly unless they are brand new.