Towing Capabilities
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Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 20
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From: Sacrament CA
Towing Capabilities
What is the weight/frontal area some of you tow on a regular basis? I'm flat towing an early bronco right now and it works ok, but am planning on getting a trailer soon. My Bronco weighs a bit over 5500 lbs. and have concerns about the additional weight of a trailer causing problems with the GO part of towing. My main reason for a trailer is to have brakes out back. I would like to go enclosed also but will the frontal area kill my ability to to 65 - 70 mph on the flats? The enclosed model would be about 8' tall so there would be a considerable amount of drag.
Thanks,
Brian Smith
'01 Crew
5.4, 4x4 (bla bla bla, Loaded)
'73 Bronco
off road terror
'91 SHO
tire smoker
Thanks,
Brian Smith
'01 Crew
5.4, 4x4 (bla bla bla, Loaded)
'73 Bronco
off road terror
'91 SHO
tire smoker
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,506
Likes: 6
From: Puyallup, WA
It's all about the total weght of the trailer. And yes, the frontal area will make a difference. A bed cap could help with that.
Basically, I think our rigs have a GCVW of around 13,000 pounds. That's the full weight of the truck, loaded and gassed (usually around 5200# plus the full weight of the trailer, so that leaves you with around 7800# for the trailer.) Since your Bronco weighs in at 5500, that only leaves you with 2300 for the trailer itself. Not much room to play with there.
I personally would not want to tow a trailer that weighed that much with just an F150. Even with trailer brakes. If anything were to happen to the brakes, there would be no way you could stop that combo. Others tow more and say it's just fine, but with that combo, I'd use a Super Duty!
Basically, I think our rigs have a GCVW of around 13,000 pounds. That's the full weight of the truck, loaded and gassed (usually around 5200# plus the full weight of the trailer, so that leaves you with around 7800# for the trailer.) Since your Bronco weighs in at 5500, that only leaves you with 2300 for the trailer itself. Not much room to play with there.
I personally would not want to tow a trailer that weighed that much with just an F150. Even with trailer brakes. If anything were to happen to the brakes, there would be no way you could stop that combo. Others tow more and say it's just fine, but with that combo, I'd use a Super Duty!
Member
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 85
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From: Cypress (Houston), tx
i tow a 10,000 lb fifth wheel with a F250 PSD and let me tell you it gets real interesting when the brakes don't work. I had my plug come out on me one day
it was a damn good thing i did not have to do and emergency stop
the thing about pulling an enclosed trailer is that you are pulling a big brick down the road. there is little to no aerodynamics involved in them. that is why you see 18-wheelers with the big dome on the roof so the wind will get pushed up over the trailer
it was a damn good thing i did not have to do and emergency stop
the thing about pulling an enclosed trailer is that you are pulling a big brick down the road. there is little to no aerodynamics involved in them. that is why you see 18-wheelers with the big dome on the roof so the wind will get pushed up over the trailer
Member
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 75
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From: Brockville,Ontario,Canada
Just got back from Buffalo pulling a 20' enclosed car trailer. Probably on the edge of 7500#. No problem with power, in fact cruised in overdrive for 90% of the trip. Averaged 15 mpg for the trip. Cross winds are the big killer with the "big box" behind you compounded by the push from transports can make for an unpleasent trip. Reset the ball height for the return trip and handling improved considerably.