Can I tow it without brakes a short distance?
OK. I just bought a 2007Ford F 150 with the 5.4 V8. Runs like a dream but does not have a 7 pin adapter yet. I have one ordered but want to take a short trip close to home, The trailer is an Econ 14BB...
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I would do it too. BUT, a caveat from experience. I find no matter what your law in your state says about brakes, i am assuming you have met ALL other legal requirements.........If the trailer out wieghs the payload available of the tow rig, it is nice having brakes on the trailer. Even if you tow rig is a one ton dually pulling one of them utility single axel trailers with a typical 3500 lbs capacity axel plus hitch wt trailers. While it may not seem like you will stop quicker, yes you will with brakes on the trailer! This is doing speeds in the upwards of 45 mph pulling a trailer with lawn mowers etc totally maybe 2000-2500 lbs total!
With that said, in the state of washington, you get 1500-4500 lbs of trailer max wt, with a caveat of no towed rig, be it a trailer, car towed etc, over 40% of the gvw of the tow rig without brakes. So if OPs van is good to say 10,000 GVW, he would get a max trailer of 4000 lbs with out brakes. Yes I realize "MOST" 150 vans from Ford are rated less, but there were a number of E150's in later years that were 8 lug 8800 gvwr vans.....
With that said too, I have moved a 20K 12x40 mobil home off the highway in 4lo with my old 88 SW K3500. Speeds no more than 10 mph. Stopped reasonably well for speed etc. No I would not want to haul it down the freeway at 60 mph!
Assuming one has a brain, or at least a brain electron like I do, use it with some common sense, and you may or may not make it to where you are towing too! As even if you plan everything with in a rating, some DS in the rig ahead, may blow thru an intersection, you're toast!
Marty
With that said, in the state of washington, you get 1500-4500 lbs of trailer max wt, with a caveat of no towed rig, be it a trailer, car towed etc, over 40% of the gvw of the tow rig without brakes. So if OPs van is good to say 10,000 GVW, he would get a max trailer of 4000 lbs with out brakes. Yes I realize "MOST" 150 vans from Ford are rated less, but there were a number of E150's in later years that were 8 lug 8800 gvwr vans.....
With that said too, I have moved a 20K 12x40 mobil home off the highway in 4lo with my old 88 SW K3500. Speeds no more than 10 mph. Stopped reasonably well for speed etc. No I would not want to haul it down the freeway at 60 mph!
Assuming one has a brain, or at least a brain electron like I do, use it with some common sense, and you may or may not make it to where you are towing too! As even if you plan everything with in a rating, some DS in the rig ahead, may blow thru an intersection, you're toast!
Marty
