[bfundy]

I'm preparing to move homes in the next few months and will probably rent a small uhaul type trailer (5x8) for moving. My truck is an06 titan 4x4 LE short bed with the off road and big tow packages. I've not doing any towing thus far and so this weekend I pulled out my owners manual and started reading. I'm not an expert on all the terminology but if I understand this correctly, I can't have any more than about 1000 lbs tongue weight and that includes whatever I have in the truck bed. I can easily load up the bed with that much weight, never mind the trailer but that doesn't make sense. Why have a tow package if I can't use it? In poking around the forums it appears some of you are hauling a lot more than a dinky uhaul. So I guess the question is, can I legitimately pull a loaded uhaul trailer or not? If I do, am I voiding my truck warranty?

Thanks,
Dan

 

[Carbeaux]

Yes, you can pull a U-Haul. You're kind of misinterpreting what the "tow" package was. It's gearing which lets you TOW more, as in pulling behind you. It doesn't affect the payload capacity of the truck as if it were a "haul on your back" package. It's the same battle 1/2 ton truck drivers have always faced in that we can often find trailers our trucks will pull, but the tongue weight kills us. Ever notice that you don't see many 5th wheel travel trailers behind a 1/2 ton? There's a reason for that. We lack the payload capacity for the pin weight on those things.

Put the heavy stuff in the trailer, and the light stuff in the bed. Load the Uhaul well so that all of the heavy stuff isn't at the front, the heavy stuff should be over the trailer's axle(s). Ideally, the tongue weight would be about 10% of the trailer weight. I know you won't be able to weigh it, so you'll have to use the LAR (Looks About Right) method. Good luck!

 

[HudsonValleyTitan]

I'm preparing to move homes in the next few months and will probably rent a small uhaul type trailer (5x8) for moving. My truck is an06 titan 4x4 LE short bed with the off road and big tow packages. I've not doing any towing thus far and so this weekend I pulled out my owners manual and started reading. I'm not an expert on all the terminology but if I understand this correctly, I can't have any more than about 1000 lbs tongue weight and that includes whatever I have in the truck bed. I can easily load up the bed with that much weight, never mind the trailer but that doesn't make sense. Why have a tow package if I can't use it? In poking around the forums it appears some of you are hauling a lot more than a dinky uhaul. So I guess the question is, can I legitimately pull a loaded uhaul trailer or not? If I do, am I voiding my truck warranty?

Thanks,
Dan

Don't confuse tongue weight with load capacity. Most Titans claim something around 900LB tongue weight limit...which is a little lower than it'll actually safely handle but that's what a WD hitch (Weight Distributing) is for. It transfers some of that tongue weight to both the trucks front wheels and the trailer wheels. So you can safely go up to about a 1500LB tongue weight and when all set up with the WD hitch, have the recommended weight on the tongue.
But even without a WD hitch and a U-Haul trailer, it's all in how you load it. Try and put the heaviest items over or behind the trailer wheels so the weight can actually counterbalance the tongue weight.
As for pulling a 5th wheel, it's the short bed length and not the pin weight that hampers these trucks. I have over 1 ton load capacity on my 08 LWB Titan and can tow, within reason of course, a 5th wheel. They make lighter models for just that reason. There are also older SWB Titans towing 5ers right here on TT.

 

[jessestylex]

my uncle has some older 80 models chevys and fords, he dosent worry about weight and stuff like that, if the truck rolls he pulls it. those old truck havent died yet and he never checks the rear ends and stuff. just runs in the ground.

 

[BigA]

I rented a 6x12 uhaul last winter, first time I ever towed with the Titan and the truck did well even across the appellations. I was going to do a 5x8 at first, but I'm glad I went with the 6x12 because it was about full, plus two axles keep more weight off the truck.

 

[stryker125]

Dont worry about it, you should be good to go. I'm non BT, and I used the same 5x8 uhaul filled to the top with all my stuff, and had my dirtbike in the bed, and drove it from cen-tex all the way to MA... and got almost 18 mpg btw.

 

[Quartz]

I rented a 6x12 uhaul last winter, first time I ever towed with the Titan and the truck did well even across the appellations. I was going to do a 5x8 at first, but I'm glad I went with the 6x12 because it was about full, plus two axles keep more weight off the truck.

Where the hell is that? :jester:

 

[BigA]

Where the hell is that?

Same place the Appalachian's

 

[HudsonValleyTitan]

Where the hell is that? :jester:

You never been to the Apple-H-ians? lol

 

[qapla]

I have the 07 XE and do NOT have the BT package.

I have several trailers. One that I tow every week is a 21' equipment trailer that I haul cardboard on. I generally have around 2500 pounds on the trailer.

I also have tractor/backhoe that I haul on the same trailer. The tractor is around 5,000 pounds.

I also haul a 16' trailer with loads of scrap metal. These loads need to be 4500 pounds and up to make the trip worth the expense. Most of my loads are between 5000-6000 although I have taken a 7600 pound load.

If you check my Sig you will see that I have 150,00+ miles on the T and have had no problems with the truck. It hauls the trailers just fine.

Keeping in mind what I haul, I do not see where you should have a problem with such a small, light load.

 

[lordmorgul]

I'm preparing to move homes in the next few months and will probably rent a small uhaul type trailer (5x8) for moving. My truck is an06 titan 4x4 LE short bed with the off road and big tow packages.

I have almost the same truck, mine is an SE instead of LE.

I've had over 1900 lbs of concrete in my bed... yes, it was excessive, but there was still about an inch of travel before bump stop and it drove just fine.

I've also pulled a larger trailer with far more weight than that, and it pulls very nicely.

Like other posted, just make sure your trailer is loaded evenly with the weight on the axle to keep your tongue weight down. Don't load the back end of the trailer too much... keep in mind you WANT some tongue weight to make it handle nicely while driving. A trailer should never be trying to lift off your ball the whole time.

 

[timmy_g83]

I'm picking up a 6X12 tommorrow and from the way it looks I'll have the bed of the truck loaded and the trailer loaded to the roof. I'll keep you guys posted on total weight. Tell you what, there is no option B for this move...the T WILL PULL IT!!!

 

[dwoelper]

Ive towed well over 6000 pounds on my car trailer a few times and it wasnt a problem. I have a regular hitch and big tow package. Just remember you have alot of weight pushing behind you with no brakes ( unless you get a brake controller ) so you have to adapt your driving, more room for braking etc.

Good luck!

-Dave

Sent from my DROIDX using AutoGuide App

 

[timmy_g83]

Trailer has brakes and I hit the scales and I believe I am under 6k and pulled like a dream. Next question would be can I use O/D on the flats??