Trailer

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Findoggy

Well-known member
I believe I already know the answer, but will pose the question anyway. I have a 4cyl Toyota RAV4 with towing capacity rated at 1500lbs. Is there any way it would pull a small utility trailer with a CC garden tractor in it? Of course, by asking if it would pull the trailer, I meant would it both pull and stop the trailer safely. Thanks for the input.
Findoggy
 
I belive it would. my friend has a saturn sedan that he pulls a trailer with and carries lawn tractors
 
Just make sure you have enough tongue weight but not too much and put it at the same place every time. If you can wait till spring you might find a snow mobile trailer which are nice to haul one Cub Cadet.
 
Just balance the load, test park it from ome end to the other and see at what point the weight looks good, and you should be ok! thanks: sonny
 
Hey "Findoggy"...Most small (5 foot X 10 foot), single axel trailers, that are quality-made, are going to weigh in at approx. 1000 pounds. That's only leaving you 500 pounds to reach your GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating). A good sized, wide frame early model Cub Cadet, with a mower on it will easily weigh in at 500 plus pounds. :shock:

BE CAREFUL...YOU'RE SAFETY SHOULD BE YOUR FIRST PRIORITY :!: :wink:
 
If you are buying a trailer, you may want to invest a little in electric brakes for the trailer. My brother did this when he outfitted his Subaru Outback to pull his 12-foot pop-up camper across country for a trip. The weight was right at the maximum the Subaru was rated to pull, so his biggest concern was not taking off, but STOPPING. The electric trailer brakes are cheap insurance and they really do work great.

I just installed a trailer brake controller on my Dodge 2500, and it cost about $60, but all of the wiring was built into the truck. Although my truck is rated to tow 10,000 pounds, you could definitely feel the truck working to stop the 16' trailer with two cubs on it. That total load should have been around 6,000 pounds, and even though the truck is rated for 10K, it was a job stopping. Trailer brakes hooked up, it will stop on a dime.

Also, invest in a GOOD trailer. I have had a bunch of them, from snow mobile trailers, up to this heavy duty 16-foot trailer that I have now. YOU GET EXACTLY WHAT YOU PAY FOR!!!. I had a $1000 16-foot trailer, that would damn near bounce you off of the road when empty, and felt soft and swayed a-lot when loaded. I sold it after my second haul with it. For the last 5-years I have been buying trailers built by PJ trailers http://www.pjtrailers.com/ and LOVE them. They are very heavy built, pull straight down the road, loaded or unloaded. We have had 2 12-foot, and 3 16-foot PJ trailers, and they were all great. Very easy to balance the load out on a good trailer.

Good luck, and be careful.
 
Another thought, if you are planning for highway travel, opt for a set of ramps rather than a lift gate. The lift gates are great for local work, but they are a HUGE drag on the highway. They can easily cut your fuel mileage by 1/3, loaded or empty. I take my lift gate off of my trailer when on the highway, and honestly do not see a difference between pulling the trailer and running the truck empty, as far as mileage. My Ram will get 16 to 17 mpg empty, and while pulling the trailer with out the lift gate. Put the lift gate on and it drops to 12mpg.
 
Anyone have any strong feelings one way or another about aluminum vs. steel trailers? Assuming they are both rated for 2000#, which might be better? I assume the aluminum is lighter? Anyone know anything about Worthington trailers (they're aluminum)? Also, given the fact that I would be hauling only a WF CC with belly mower or tiller, or possibly a trailerful of dirt or stone, how much weight should I look for as far as trailers go? Thanks, Findoggy
 
Here are my experiences with aluminum trailers.

1. Since aluminum is not as strong as steel, the aluminum must be built heavier than steel (i.e. more metal pieces). By the time you build a trailer out of aluminum to the same strength and capacity as a steel trailer, they are nearly equal in weight.

2. Aluminum is not very flexible at all and does not bend. What does this mean when you have a trailer bouncing down the highway, or that one time you decide to haul 2000 pounds of stone on your 1000 pound capacity trailer, CRACKS!. Aluminum welds typically crack at or around the weld.

3. Aluminum looks pretty, and does not need paint, so here is your major benefit.

4. Aluminum is EXPENSIVE, compared to steel, and it is more expensive and harder to repair. Almost anyone can weld steel. Almost no-one can weld Aluminum.
 
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