Unbraked trailer, towing limitations
Hey folks, I’m looking for a new tow vehicle for a rig coming in at 2700 lbs, loaded, per the scale. I decided to trade down to a more modest unibody suv like the highlander, telluride or similar wit...
Forum Discussion
mkirsch wrote:
That's just it. It's a "recommendation" at best, not a "limit."
Those who have trouble with reading comprehension believe it is some sort of law, and that the F150 trailer towing shock patrol is going to spring from the bushes, throw them to the ground, stuff a sack over their head, and drag them off to a Siberian gulag if they try towing 1501lbs without brakes.
You are obviously smarter than everyone else. You can word smith as you wish, but I’ve looked at so many vehicles and these limits that I’m sure I mixed facts but for example, straight from the owners manual,
Gmc 1500 sierra Denali says “loaded trailers over 2000 lbs must be equipped with brake systems and with brakes for each axles”. I see the word”must” as a limit or requirement.
Toyota Sequoia and the tundra, owners manual says “ maximum allowable unbraked trailer weight is 1000 lbs”. You might also interpret that as a recommendation not a requirement but I don’t.
Ford, in all fairness is more vague. They say “ separate functional brakes “should” be used for safe control of towed vehicles and for trailers where the gcwr of the towing vehicle plus the trailer exceed the gvwr of the tow vehicle”. You have to do some math and make assumptions here but the way I understand it , the payload is appx 1550-2000lbs depending on model so that would imply a fairly low tow threahold before brakes “should” be used assuming you are trying to operate the vehicle in a safe and controlled manner as ford puts it.
