Trailer for a TC as a stopgap until getting a one ton?

10,000lb trailer require CDL, that is why most of them are rated at 9900 lb.
Good thing to check when you are buying.

Kayteg1 wrote:
Careful with utility trailer in CA and probably in other states as well.
Having commercial registration on your truck, you should declare max GCWR at registration and display weight sticker on your door, or pillar.
That will also push you via the scales and checking trailer emergency brake systems is red flag for DOT.
RVs are exempt.

That may not be correct. I believe that trucks registered in California that have a curb weight of less than 8,000 lbs., a GVWR of not more than 14,000 lbs., and have a standard pickup bed--are exempt from "weight tags," stopping at scales, etc., so long as the trailer they are towing has a GVWR less than 10,000 lbs, and the combined weight of the trailer and its load is under 10,000 lbs. The OP's anticipated rig of a 4,000 lb. TC on a 2,000 lb. utility trailer should be exempt, so long as his pickup truck has a conventional truck bed. I apologize to Kayteg1 because I'm sure this is the first time he posted erroneous information

The proper term for this type of unit is "Redneck TOY HAULER" because the TC is usually loaded on the front of a gooseneck trailer, while the rest of the trailer is used to haul a vehicle or other piece of equipment. Offroad trucks, mud boggers, and pulling tractors are common cargo, hence the "redneck" aspect.

There is no trailer manufactured specifically to haul a TC, but just about any tandem axle flatbed trailer can be used. Mostly, the trailer has to fit between the jacks, but even that can be dealt with.

"Bumper pull car hauler" is probably what you would want for an F150 type truck. No sense in dealing with a gooseneck if this is only a short-term solution.

The key is getting the TC loaded on the trailer where you don't have an excessive amount of tongue weight, but you also don't have too little tongue weight.

Here in Texas, if the trailer's capacity is under 5000 pounds, it doesn't even need to be inspected, just registered. I don't really need a 10k GVWR trailer for this case. Dual axles, yes. However, I don't really need past that.

The TC trailer serves two purposes: First, it is a way to use the TC with my spindly half-ton until I get a F-350. Second, it is a way to set up the TC during renaissance festival season without stressing the jacks on shifting sugar sand.

yblaw wrote:

Kayteg1 wrote:
Careful with utility trailer in CA and probably in other states as well.
Having commercial registration on your truck, you should declare max GCWR at registration and display weight sticker on your door, or pillar.
That will also push you via the scales and checking trailer emergency brake systems is red flag for DOT.
RVs are exempt.

That may not be correct. I believe that trucks registered in California that have a curb weight of less than 8,000 lbs., a GVWR of not more than 14,000 lbs., and have a standard pickup bed--are exempt from "weight tags," stopping at scales, etc., so long as the trailer they are towing has a GVWR less than 10,000 lbs, and the combined weight of the trailer and its load is under 10,000 lbs. The OP's anticipated rig of a 4,000 lb. TC on a 2,000 lb. utility trailer should be exempt, so long as his pickup truck has a conventional truck bed. I apologize to Kayteg1 because I'm sure this is the first time he posted erroneous information

You will find pretty detailed information about CA laws in topic about side entrance.
There is huge amount of confusion as the very old laws start to be enforced only in last years and enforcement is still lacking.
But everybody agrees that only more enforcement is coming.
Making long story short - anything above 11,500lb GVW in CA is consider truck and per law should drive via checkpoint.
If they weight your combo at 14,000lb and you have only 11k registration, you are for hefty ticket.
Practice is another story.

op wrote:
Here in Texas, if the trailer's capacity is under 5000 pounds, it doesn't even need to be inspected, just registered. I don't really need a 10k GVWR trailer for this case. Dual axles, yes. However, I don't really need past that.

I bought a new 16' utility trailer some years ago with tandem 3500 lb axles. Because the trailer had a 2900 gvwr it had one axle braking.

Make sure your trailer has two axle braking.

I’ve done it and I think it’s a great idea for your situation. Mine was the same, I needed to haul a camper with a 1/2 ton Chevy. I’d swapped in a Cadillac 500 and it had no problem pulling, just couldn’t carry.
All you need is a car trailer. They have wooden decks. If you need a platform to raise the camper you can build something or just screw down some stout pallets.
I made a wide front camper jack extender bracket thing from square-tube steel that bolted on across the front of the camper. I removed it once loaded.

You can find a decent car trailer for $1500-$2000 and either keep it (they’re handy for all sorts of stuff) or sell it when you get your one-ton.

It was great having all that deck space on the front under the cabover bed for carrying stuff. I made some “stake sides” from 2x4s to hold my stuff in. A few cans of black Krylon makes it look decent.
The extra deck space on the back was a great porch. It was also nice having it so low to the ground.

So, yeah, just buy yourself a car trailer. It works great.

Don’t use a pickup truck bed trailer. It’ll sit up high and be essentially a tricycle, two wheels and the hitch ball. It’ll be tippy and bouncy. A nice low car trailer will be solid and stable and have good brakes.

Jeep club here is full of rigs like that. TC up front jeep in back pulled by a P/U.

Thank you. Any suggestions for anti-theft measures to secure the TC to the trailer? Even if it is just some Fastguns with padlocks, that is better than nothing.

Thank you for the input. This may turn something that was impossible into something quite doable.

Take the jacks off.
It’s extremely unlikely anyone would be able to steal the camper off of the trailer, the far more likely scenario is someone just pulls the whole trailer away. I’d just worry about securing the trailer.