Ttailer weight

[svytlana]

So ive been using a small flatbed to carry 3 atvs. Im thinking about upgrading to a 20 foot enclosed trailer. Wondering what the expexted tingue weight is on these. Im using a 21 inch super truss now. Would i need a wdh? Truck is an 02 1500hd and im carring an 03 elkhorn lt 8.6ft. Weighing about 2300lbs

[burningman]

The way to tell is just look at the hub. Full floaters will have a bolted on flange on the end of the hub where it sticks through the wheel.
Semi floaters usually don't protrude through the wheel center at all.

[Bedlam]

We all learn. It wasn't until recently that I found out some 2500's do not use full-floating axles. I had always assumed they were the same as the 3500's. Do these semi-floats use eight lug hubs so they cannot be easily identified from the heavier models?

[burningman]

I found this kind of interesting, so I checked pretty thoroughly into it.
That Chevy 1500HD is literally a rebadged light duty 2500.
Thrre's nothing half-ton about it. It is the 2500 frame, it's got the 6.0, it has the heavy duty 4L80e, its got the big brakes, it's not a beefed or modified 1500, it IS a 2500, with 1500 emblems.
Why? Becatse Ford offered up their F150 crew cab and this was the easy instant answer.

I think this setup is going to work fine with a 20' enclosed trailer. It isn't going to break.
If you're worried about the semi-floating rear axle you can swap it out for the full floater.

The brochure-bible guys say there is nothing you can ever do to increase your gross weight rating... so even if you do install the same stuff the HD truck has, you're still limited by.... uh... a sticker and other imaginary things no one can name.
Or just take the 1500 badges off. They were nothing but a marketing trick anyway.

[Bedlam]

Typically 10-15 percent of the overall weight goes to the tongue. Plan for the worst and use the reserve as your safety margin.

I was able to tow a heavy trailer while carrying a heavy camper on the OEM wheels by watching my weight closely. I quickly tired of this and upgraded my wheels to what my axle could handle - You don't have that latitude with your semi-floating axle.

[trail-explorer]

svytlana wrote:
Would a 7000lb gwr trailer be heavy enough to put me over gross combined? The atvs are roughly 1200lbs total.

Depends on the tongue weight.

THe question asked is one only YOU can answer, after loading up that trailer and getting the actual tongue weight.

[burningman]

Oh, it's a crewcab... which means shortbed on a 1500.
OK you guys are right, that's simply the wrong truck for a guy who wants to carry a camper and haul a good size trailer.
It WILL do it but you'll be a lot happier in a 2500 long bed.
Definitely use a WDH if you get a big trailer.

[Bedlam]

That 1500 crew cab is most likely a short bed.

[burningman]

Why do you need a hitch extension with an 8.5 foot camper?

[Grit_dog]

svytlana wrote:
Would a 7000lb gwr trailer be heavy enough to put me over gross combined? The atvs are roughly 1200lbs total.

Depends what you put in it.
Right now you have a little open trailer that weighs less than 1000lb presumably.
Empty weight of a standard steel frame 20' cargo trailer is like 2500-3000lbs like bedlam said. At this point the trailer gvw doesn't matter, you're adding 1500-2000lbs trailer weight to your setup. Not a huge difference and the camper is already the bigger sail for head winds.
You could likely keep tongue weight in check by how you load the atvs, but thinking ahead, the 125 China bike gets bigger as the kid does, then dad is done getting whipped by junior and gets a 450. Mom now wants a cush ride because her machine is old so in goes a 400-500cc util quad.....AND since you have all this cargo space you bring the big lawn chairs, BBQ, a generator, corn hole game, extra water and fuel jugs because hey you got the room and big trailer now. Pretty soon that trailer is 3tons and your truck is screaming for mercy!

6klb axle rating I would try to stay close to being a semi floater (seems ridiculous now those that think a full floater is really only good for 6-6.5k .....another story).

Obviously I may have exaggerated a bit, but just putting it out there how stuff "grows" over time for various reasons. Coming from a guy who tent camped and had a 2place open trailer or sled deck.....to a 4000lb pig in the truck bed and 6000lb boat or 32' enclosed trailer to haul everyone's toys!

[Bedlam]

You're looking at 2500+ lbs empty on a 7k lb rated enclosed trailer unless you choose a more expensive aluminum chassis model.

[svytlana]

Would a 7000lb gwr trailer be heavy enough to put me over gross combined? The atvs are roughly 1200lbs total.

[d3500ram]

Interesting... never heard of or was familiar with 1500 series trucks that are trying to be something larger.

[Bedlam]

The URL was truncated and should have been longer:

http://www.thecarconnection.com/specifications/chevrolet_silverado-1500hd_2002_crew-cab-156-0-wb-4wd...

As posted, this truck uses a semi-floating 6000 lb rear axle and 4410 lb front axle. Get real world actual weights to see how much you have to spare. Keep under your wheel and axle ratings while using a WDH and you will be okay as long as you are comfortable being over your GVWR and GCWR.

[d3500ram]

Bad url:h