Car hauler trailer and towing a car

Mpoitrast87

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@xchamp - Wow that truck is absolutely perfect!

Do you have a link or info on those wheel straps? Something like that could come in handy when hauling other people’s cars that aren’t quite as easy to strap as my ‘66.
I have similar straps. I’ll see if I can find the box tomorrow. I know I got them off amazon
 

Mpoitrast87

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Been looking at some straps like that too.
Getting under the fox was easy. GT350, not so much.
These look like they’d work pretty well.
Don’t know if that’s the same brand but yeah, that’s what they are. They work well. Can be tough getting them behind the tire on a lowered car though.
 

apex svt

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I use my buddy’s tilt once in awhile. Way overkill for a car. Most the time I can get away with putting the truck up on ramps and driving right off. Other times I need some 2X6’s. It does suck not being able to open the doors.
Ideal to me would be an aluminum tilt, with removable fenders. And a wench because you never know when you need it.
 

RX1Cobra

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I am tossing around the idea of getting an open car hauler to tow my 2001 Mustang and to tow random stuff. I don't know anything about trailers or hauling cars. I searched the interwebs for info, but I got so much conflicting information I figure I'd ask the pros on here. My tow vehicle is a 2016 F150 that tows 11,000 lbs. The following are my questions:

What style trailer would be good for towing a slightly lowered car and be able to put sides on it to haul other stuff?

What length trailer?

How do you strap the vehicle to the trailer and with what? The car has a panhard bar if that matters.

Not that you're likely to hit it but you need to look at your payload number and not 11,000 pound tow limit. Chances are you'll hit the payload way before you do the 11,000.
 

PaxtonShelby

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Not sure what I’m missing but payload seems irrelevant? His truck, with a properly loaded trailer, can tow 11k. When towing, why would he exceed the truck’s payload, which for a 2016, ranges from 1514 to 2320 pounds?
 

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Not sure what I’m missing but payload seems irrelevant? His truck, with a properly loaded trailer, can tow 11k. When towing, why would he exceed the truck’s payload, which for a 2016, ranges from 1514 to 2320 pounds?
I’d have to agree with @RX1Cobra I pulled that same pj tilt trailer and my car with an F-150 EB. About 7,000lbs and the truck was pretty much clap’d out. Pulled really well but needed help in the back. I couldn’t imagine pulling our boat with it, bumper would be on the pavement.
 

jenkins_1120

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Bought this trailer when I moved. Stored all my stuff in it for a year while I was gone and now it’s my race car trailer. It’s 24x8.5” slowly adding things like a tool box, some extra lights and small things

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STAMPEDE3

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Not sure what I’m missing but payload seems irrelevant? His truck, with a properly loaded trailer, can tow 11k. When towing, why would he exceed the truck’s payload, which for a 2016, ranges from 1514 to 2320 pounds?

I believe they meant to say GVW not payload.
 

RX1Cobra

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Not sure what I’m missing but payload seems irrelevant? His truck, with a properly loaded trailer, can tow 11k. When towing, why would he exceed the truck’s payload, which for a 2016, ranges from 1514 to 2320 pounds?

That's not how towing works. You have two limits when towing. The weight limit of the trailer or when you hit your payload limit. You stop at whichever you hit first and it's almost always payload.

When you look at payload you have to factor in the tongue weight of the trailer, the weight distributing hitch (over 5K pounds you should use one), any accessories you added and the weight of the passengers.

For a 7K pound trailer you're looking at 900+ pounds of tongue weight, plus 150 for the hitch and you've already used up 1050 pounds of your payload.

If your payload is 1550 you only have 500 pounds left. Two guys, a few tools and bed cover can easily hit that. That's how you hit the recommended towing limit well before the max trailer weight. And why payload is more important than anything.
 
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DSG2003Mach1

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That's not how towing works. You have two limits when towing. The weight limit of the trailer or when you hit your payload limit. You stop at whichever you hit first and it's almost always payload.

When you look at payload you have to factor in the tongue weight of the trailer, the weight distributing hitch (over 5K pounds you should use one), any accessories you added and the weight of the passengers.

For a 7K pound trailer you're looking at 900+ pounds of tongue weight, plus 150 for the hitch and you've already used up 1050 pounds of your payload.

If you're payload is 1550 you only have 500 pounds left. Two guys, a few tools and bed cover can easily hit that. That's how you hit the recommended towing limit well before the max trailer weight. And why payload is more important than anything.

I remember looking at the door sticker one day, doing this math and quickly realizing all these ratings are largely crap because you'll never get there. So the truck is rated for 11k lbs, maybe if the driver weighs 100lbs and brings nothing but a wallet and cellphone
 

01yellercobra

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18' tilt deck. The driver side fender is removable and the side pieces swing forward to strap the front end down. My suggestions are to make sure it has electric brakes and has a way to mount a winch. Those are two changes I need to make to my trailer.
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jaxbusa

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That's not how towing works. You have two limits when towing. The weight limit of the trailer or when you hit your payload limit. You stop at whichever you hit first and it's almost always payload.

When you look at payload you have to factor in the tongue weight of the trailer, the weight distributing hitch (over 5K pounds you should use one), any accessories you added and the weight of the passengers.

For a 7K pound trailer you're looking at 900+ pounds of tongue weight, plus 150 for the hitch and you've already used up 1050 pounds of your payload.

If you're payload is 1550 you only have 500 pounds left. Two guys, a few tools and bed cover can easily hit that. That's how you hit the recommended towing limit well before the max trailer weight. And why payload is more important than anything.

This post is exactly why I posted this here. Thanks for clarifying this. I know anywhere I go to look at trailers they’ll just try to sell the most expensive thing they can and not care about me being overloaded.


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barstowpo

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I would rather have too much truck as opposed to too little. A F150 or 1500 is just barely enough for an open trailer and a light car. Add tools, fuel and gear and you easily overwhelm a light duty truck. I traded my 1500 for a 3500 and don't regret it.
 

ziggity

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That's not how towing works. You have two limits when towing. The weight limit of the trailer or when you hit your payload limit. You stop at whichever you hit first and it's almost always payload.

When you look at payload you have to factor in the tongue weight of the trailer, the weight distributing hitch (over 5K pounds you should use one), any accessories you added and the weight of the passengers.

For a 7K pound trailer you're looking at 900+ pounds of tongue weight, plus 150 for the hitch and you've already used up 1050 pounds of your payload.

If you're payload is 1550 you only have 500 pounds left. Two guys, a few tools and bed cover can easily hit that. That's how you hit the recommended towing limit well before the max trailer weight. And why payload is more important than anything.

Should be able to adjust to 10% tongue weight and be at a little more than 700, that's with the trailer at max gvwr. Should be a bit below that with his car.
 

RX1Cobra

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This post is exactly why I posted this here. Thanks for clarifying this. I know anywhere I go to look at trailers they’ll just try to sell the most expensive thing they can and not care about me being overloaded.


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For sure.

Should be able to adjust to 10% tongue weight and be at a little more than 700, that's with the trailer at max gvwr. Should be a bit below that with his car.

He could but most places say between 10 and 15% for tongue weight. I went right in the middle at 13%. All trailers are a little different. My light snowmobile trailer needs to be on the higher end of the % or it bounces around and tows shitty.
 

sleek98

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Never thought of the payload.

My 2012 GT500 weighs in at 3,800 at the local big rig scale with 1/2 tank.
Steel deck open trailer 2,200 pounds
Total weight 6,000
13% tongue weight would be 780#

My truck is rated for 1,960 payload.

I am 210#, say 200# of random crap in the truck including a couple tools, 780# tongue weight leaves 770# of extra payload so basically 2 more people could come but that is it.

Dropping the extra weight by going with an aluminum trailer might be worth it after looking at this, but dam they are expensive.
 
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earico

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I have a Big Tex 70DM 18' dovetail. The bed is all diamond plate steel. Both fenders come off quickly and are held down with 2 bolts each. I've had it for about 5 years and it's been great. I do need some wood to get the front end of the car to clear. I don't have pics but I glued and screwed about 3 different length 2x8s together and bevel cut the edges on them to make some budget Race Ramps. Works perfect.
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jaxbusa

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Earico, are you happy with the diamond plate, or do you ever wish you had wood?


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