How to tow this trailer

[trailernoob]

Originally Posted by dbledan

I would also ask what the grades are on the roads your planning to go down beyond just the truck/trailer specs. What percent and how long are they? This is not something you want to do on your first attempt pulling a travel trailer at or near capacity for the truck on and untested WDH setup you installed yourself. I have a heavy trailer (about your weight) and went down steep paved grades several miles long and would not choose to do it again.

Should you try it make sure your insurance is paid up for the truck, trailer, and you...after you had some road time and understood how it behaved sure but now it may be best to get help.

If you are planning to sell the trailer then have who even plans to buy it pay for the haul down the mountain or do it themselves after they pay you for it. If you plan to keep it pay someone until you know what you are getting into. This is a worst case scenario with loaded truck, heavy trailer, new WDH, new driver.

To tow this yourself based on what I read so far seems like a $200-$500 WDH, a $40-160 brake controller, wiring harness installed TBD until we know the truck, insurance etc could be cheaper to have it done depending on how far you need it driven.

Maybe tow insurance would be able to help cover it?

Best of luck.

Wait so do you mean I'm going to have to have some kind of insurance? Do you mean on the trailer? What is towing insurance?

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by trailernoob

Wait so do you mean I'm going to have to have some kind of insurance? Do you mean on the trailer? What is towing insurance?

You should have insurance on the trailer, just like your truck.
It needs to be insured for its replacement value.
It can be added to your truck's insurance policy.

[Beachbourbon]

Originally Posted by Joe_GA

Regardless of the actual weight of the trailer, you are going to be driving down dirt mountain road. Depending on the condition and steepness of this road, this could be somewhere between dangerous and suicidal. 5 or 6 thousand pounds pushing an F-150 could get hairy. Like someone said, you will have to have a working brake controller and you need to know that it is operating the trailer brakes and adjusted properly. This is usually done on level roads, not mountain roads.
My truck weighs 8000 pounds and I was towing a farm tractor on a tandem axle flatbed trailer down a dirt road. It was a fairly mild mountain road, but that tractor was pushing me. As I was braking, my tires were slipping. It was not a very comfortable feeling.
Please think this through carefully and don't risk your truck and trailer and, possibly, your life.
I wish you the best.

X2

The reason you are here is that you lack knowledge and experience. Please take the knowledge and experience gained from these kind, understanding, knowledgeable and experienced folks and make the safe choice you won’t regret.

[trailernoob]

Originally Posted by Beachbourbon

X2

The reason you are here is that you lack knowledge and experience. Please take the knowledge and experience gained from these kind, understanding, knowledgeable and experienced folks and make the safe choice you won’t regret.

Got it. Will do [emoji106]

[rsdata]

before towing make sure that each tire is pumped up to 65PSI per the sticker that you posted earlier...

very important that you check and get them pumped up after sitting there for some time... big cause of accidents is tires blowing because of under-inflation

[Teetime]

Originally Posted by trailernoob

Got it. Will do [emoji106]

Wise choice. Without towing experience, knowledge of how to use a brake controller, coming down grades...hire someone to get it out.

[youroo]

I really feel this is a Troll! If not advising someone with No knowledge, No Job,No Safety experience on "Rigging, Towing on a Mountain dirt road,hitch and brake setup, Insurance Responsibility Requirement, and NO idea where to take the Trailer after its off the mountains '! Youroo! !

[emoney]

It’s probably not going to cost as much as you think to move it. Being a 2019 model, I’m assuming it hasn’t been that long since it was towed out there so reach out (or have her father) to the CW he bought it at and ask for a phone number of a transporter, preferably the one that brought it out. Whatever the cost, it will be MUCH less than potential damage, especially if you’re not carrying insurance on the TT. Which, btw, it would be wise to add before anything else. I get that Dad paid for it, but it’s a gift that needs to be cared for and the replacement cost is far more than what you want to spend now.

[Oaklevel]

Not knowing any more than you have given us and not knowing the roads.......
(two lane gravel, logging roads.............)

Minimum to get it off the mountain................. Take all easily removable dead weight from the trailer... (generator, extra gear that is not attached) Living off the grid I would think that you have a lot of extra stuff that can overload the trailer and brakes.

Have a trailer brake controller on the truck, needed for towing anyway. Have a hitch with a 2 5/16" ball. Go very slow. ( Weight distribution hitch needed for regular roads but may or may not for getting it off of the mountain). The trailer can easily get away from you and push you over the side.......... Learn how to use a trailer brake controller...........

Good Luck realize everyone here is just trying to help.

But I would also consider paying someone to get it off of the mountain.

[Reverse_snowbird]

Originally Posted by Oaklevel

But I would also consider paying someone to get it off of the mountain.

X2

Lots of people have no way to tow their trailers (usually full time 5th wheelers) and hire a professional to tow their rig to a new location.

[Stank Bait]

"Guess ill have to go get a job."


Probably so.

[rockfordroo]

Maybe you could sell it to someone "cheap" with the provision that they come and get it.

[spydunks]

At the very least, I would consider hiring a towing company to move the trailer down to the highway. Once on the highway, the ride is not going to be as life threatening.
The F150 is still going to need a trailer brake controller at a minimum.
If you are towing on a dirt mountain road you can use low-range 4 wheel drive. But, once you get to pavement, it should not be in 4 wheel drive.
Last, your life and that of anyone else in your vehicle is not worth the trailer. Don’t let your first experience towing this thing, be yours or anyone else’s last experience, safety first.

[trailernoob]

Originally Posted by spydunks

At the very least, I would consider hiring a towing company to move the trailer down to the highway. Once on the highway, the ride is not going to be as life threatening.
The F150 is still going to need a trailer brake controller at a minimum.
If you are towing on a dirt mountain road you can use low-range 4 wheel drive. But, once you get to pavement, it should not be in 4 wheel drive.
Last, your life and that of anyone else in your vehicle is not worth the trailer. Don’t let your first experience towing this thing, be yours or anyone else’s last experience, safety first.

You mean I should use four wheel drive even if i'm going downhill?

[spydunks]

Absolutely use 4 wheel drive when going down hill. The extra engine braking from the lower gear range means you won’t have to be on the brakes so much.

[trailernoob]

Originally Posted by spydunks

Absolutely use 4 wheel drive when going down hill. The extra engine braking from the lower gear range means you won’t have to be on the brakes so much.

Cool thanks

[spydunks]

I grew up in Humboldt county and drove tow truck for several years up in the mountains. Gears are your friend, use them.

[JohnD10]

Originally Posted by trailernoob

You mean I should use four wheel drive even if i'm going downhill?

No no no...!!!

ONLY on the rough downhill dirt road part of the drive...

Not every downhill slope.

[trailernoob]

Originally Posted by JohnD10

No no no...!!!

ONLY on the rough downhill dirt road part of the drive...

Not every downhill slope.

Yeah I know I meant on the dirt road

[JohnD10]

Originally Posted by trailernoob

Yeah I know I meant on the dirt road

Just wanted to make sure...