Would selling this trailer be irresponsible?

06Fargo wrote:
OP - your offer of a test tow is the best idea - jump in with them and point out if their vehicle is handling the trailer poorly...

Anyone know of a case where someone towing 150lbs over the lawyer limit went to jail after being sued after being arrested on the spot after the RV.net Weight Police Response Unit arrived on scene and shoveled up a crashed RV trailer and weighed it?

They WILL be considerably more than 150 lbs over.

Think about it.

Vehicle is "rated" at 1500 lbs "towing", at best that rating is only good for cargo of the driver.. add in one passenger and the 1500 lbs is now 1300 lbs..

Add in some gear in the vehicle and now they are at 1200 lbs..

And that is not even taking into consideration of the actual available cargo of said vehicle which typically you will run out of before hitting the vehicles tow rating.

I am not being the weight police by any means but really a 1500 lb "empty" trailer will not weight 1500 lbs when loaded to camp, instead it will be closer to 2000 lbs - 2500 lbs when food, clothing, pots, pans, drinks, water, propane, ect are loaded.

They will most likely be 400 lbs - 500 lbs over their vehicles axle ratings not to mention over the tire ratings of said vehicle.. That A liner most likely can not be outfitted with WD and the vehicle may not have a hitch rated for WD..

Then there is the little matter of STOPPING the combination.. That trailer will not have electric brakes (unless it was bought as an option or added on aftermarket)..

Sure, modern engines can easily get it rolling but a good chance the vehicles brakes will not be up to the task of getting them stopped when overloaded.

Not a smart thing to do.