Bumper trailer - Diesel Forum

kcw12 · 12-26-2006, 06:27 PM

Im currently borrowing a trailer. Im gonna be haulin junk on this. The trailer is rated for 10k, my ball is rated for for 7800 and the thing the ball is attached to is also rated for 7800 and the hitch itself is over 10k. Anyways Would 7800 be about the max, or could a feller be safe at 10k? Reason being is the thing the ball is attached to is solid steel and not hollow.

MOUNTAINMAN444 · 12-26-2006, 06:49 PM

I think I would limit it to the 7800 of the ball. If the ball shaft breaks because of overloading the tickets and lawsuits could be endless.
Joe

RatherBNtheWoods · 12-26-2006, 08:05 PM

I think the ball and drawbar/ball mount should be the least of your concern. Until the new class V hitches came out, I think all hitches were rated at 5000/500 or 6000/600 unless you used a weight distributing hitch. The problem with a 10K trailer is that to be loaded correctly so it will track well, you need 10-15% on the hitch. That's 1000-1500 lbs. The only trailers I've pulled over 6000 lbs without a weight distribution hitch used Pintle hooks, not a ball hitches.

Does the ball have the 1" shank? I didn't think the 1" shank balls were 7800. If not, you could at least get a ball and mount with the 1" shank.
I'm assuming 2" or 2 5/16". I hope anyway.

kcw12 · 12-26-2006, 10:46 PM

its a 2 inch ball with a huge nut. Its stamped on the ball 7800 on the ball. I talked to a few people, and the owner of the trailer, we all beleive i should be ok.

NickKent · 12-27-2006, 08:19 AM

First off, a trailer with a 10k GVWR should have a 2 5/16" ball on it. I would make sure that you have the right rated ball.

turbodave · 12-27-2006, 09:35 AM

That would have been my first question. How does a trailer supposidly rated at 10,000 GVW not have a 2 5/16" ball socket??????? [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

newtodieseling · 12-27-2006, 09:53 AM

[ QUOTE ]
That would have been my first question. How does a trailer supposidly rated at 10,000 GVW not have a 2 5/16" ball socket??????? [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

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Completely agree. I changed by 2 5/16" ball trailer to a pintle and hook because I knew I was going over the balls rated weight. Towing items, particularly any distance or speed, with under geared equipment is dangerous at best. Sure, you may get away with it a few times, but the one times things go south there will be heck to pay. Not sure someone's life is worth "figuring I'll be okay."

olddieseldude · 12-27-2006, 10:23 AM

I agree with the other posts here, you may not have a large enough ball. My 10K trailer uses a 2-5/16" ball rated for 10K. If everything is in like-new shape, and with the correct ball you should be OK in the short term. If your equipment has a few years on it and the hitch has corroded much I would not go over the 5K that your hitch is probably rated for (without a weight distribution setup).

I have just recently dealt with this issue myself. I just bought a class 5 hitch for my truck (rated at 1500 tongue weight/15000 tow without weight distribution). My truck's equipment was in like-new condition, so for the past year (towing once a month or so) I have been pulling up to 9K (including the trailer) using the stock class 4 hitch (500 tongue/5000 tow without weight distribution) without worry.

Edited:

I should share a "Hold my beer and watch this" moment that my brother_in_law and I had together a few years ago. I have a '56 Ford tractor, with loader and grader blade, that was my father's. My brother-in-law needed to borrow to do some landscaping at his home. For lack of a better option, we hitched a tow dolly to his chevy 1/2 ton pickup (mid to late '80s) and put the rear tires onto the dolly and towed it to his house with me following in my '91 Ford Ranger. Sounds easier than it was, the combination of tractor's loose steering and short wheelbase turned going at any speed above 20mph life threatening. My brother-in-law didn't start out as cautiously as he should have and successfully hit about 40mph before the previously stable rig began whipping violently side to side. Well, we made it (stained underwear and all) but at a much reduced speed, no blood no foul I suppose. But to the reason for the story, about six months or so later he was driving home from work in his truck and something started dragging the pavement. He walked around behind the truck to find one side of his class 4 hitch dragging the pavement. Years of corrosion had eaten away the brackets where they bolted to the frame on both sides of the truck. One side had severed completely and the other was now just a foil hinge unable to hold the cantilevered weight of the hitch. Moral of the story is to inspect the equipment periodically, even where no moving parts are involved, corrosion is constantly on the move!

boatpuller · 12-27-2006, 10:54 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Im currently borrowing a trailer. Im gonna be haulin junk on this. The trailer is rated for 10k, my ball is rated for for 7800 and the thing the ball is attached to is also rated for 7800 and the hitch itself is over 10k. Anyways Would 7800 be about the max, or could a feller be safe at 10k? Reason being is the thing the ball is attached to is solid steel and not hollow.

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1st: How are you going to know how much your "junk" weighs?
2nd: Do you know the empty weight of the trailer?
3rd: A lighter load is always more pleasant to trailer than a heavy load, all things being equal
4th: Your truck is 17 years old. It's probably very nice, but that's 17 years of corrosion(sp?) and fatigue(sp?) on the frame and hitch and springs and axle and etc.
5th: Why not just lightly load the trailer and enjoy the drive a little more, maybe even enough to justify the extra trip you'll need this way?

96STROKE · 12-27-2006, 06:08 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Im currently borrowing a trailer. Im gonna be haulin junk on this. The trailer is rated for 10k, my ball is rated for for 7800 and the thing the ball is attached to is also rated for 7800 and the hitch itself is over 10k. Anyways Would 7800 be about the max, or could a feller be safe at 10k? Reason being is the thing the ball is attached to is solid steel and not hollow.

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A chain is only as strong as the LEAKEST link.

I agree, if the trailer is rated for 10k it should have a 2 5/16 ball.

Load light and play it safe.

kcw12 · 12-27-2006, 11:50 PM

Im gonna be hauling junk cars on it. I figure ill get maybe a max of 5000 on it and the trailer weighs about 2200. thats 7200. I looked up and down at the trailer. Read the thing on the tongue and it says for 2 inch ball. And is rated at 10k. Its got a new class V hitch on it.