coss1600

I am in the process of acquiring a track car and trailer. Problem is that the enclosed trailer will put me at the limit of both the tongue weight and carrying weight. (500/5000). I am looking at 500/4800 here. Should I ditch the enclosed for my open or try it or buy a beater car.

Kein_Ersatz

Or rent the tow vehicle (pick-up) from Enterprise, but for everyone's sake, don't push the tow limits. Highway speeds and downhill grades are the limit breakers, eliminating them reduces the risk near the limit, but we all know as we get comfortable - pace follows. In Europe, the same vehicles can tow more load, but the laws restrict there speeds to pedestrian pace (60-90kmh). U-Haul tries to get renters to go slower with "stickers" and governors. No getting around physics.

That 200lbs difference can easily disappear with a passenger or luggage or tires. The real limit is both towing capacity & GVW of the tow vehicle which can be easily be overload by 200 lbs.



As seen at the ring.

ExMB

https://www.curtmfg.com/towing-capacity

Better read the owners manual as well because on some vehicles a WDH is required for the listed max tongue weight.

Verboden

Also watch that the frontal area of the trailer can have a limit too. So if you are already close on weight an enclosed might push you over the limit vs an open.

ohenryinatlanta

depends on your risk tolerance / assets

if you had posted that my insurance company was denying coverage because of ...... i wouldn't be surprised

coss1600

Did you not read? I said close to the limit (80-90%) not exceeding it. This is not a Mini Cooper with a snow plow. Every weight is within limit. It’s just a matter if it is a good idea or not.

jscott82

Without specifics, I would say no.

Towing exactly 5000 lbs behind motorhome rated for 5k I probably would not worry too much. It may be a little slow, but probably safe.

ohenryinatlanta

guess not.

leaves no room for error

gmuller

Don't forget that it is not just the weight rating. Towing 5000lbs of bricks stacked 12" high on an open trailer is much easier than a 5000lbs enclosed trailer standing 6' tall and 24' long. A small sailboat has less sail area than the average enclosed car trailer. The open will not be buffeted by cross-winds, has a lower center of gravity, weight is more easily balanced over the axles, etc. I suspect that vehicle tow ratings were developed assuming an open trailer with a flat load, and not a bulky box trailer.

rnh204

When I picked up my enclosed trailex EMPTY, I towed it back with an Acura MDX rated for 5k max towing. You will feel the cross winds even when empty for the enclosed. I did tow a open trailex previously to WGI and that was fine. However after towing the empty enclosed trailex back, I promptly traded in the MDX for a full size SUV - QX80. I then towed with a cayenne diesel, which does an really good job btw. Better than the QX80 despite being a much smaller SUV.

I know have a 1500 Sierra duramax and I wish I had that in the beginning.

coss1600

yeah I will have to tow both empty to see how it goes as a test and then kind of go from there you know

Frank 993 C4S

As somebody who has towed close to 40k miles over the past couple of years I'd say don't do it because you'll have no margin for error. Of course you will be fine if the conditions are perfect. But what about rain and wind gusts in a sudden thunderstorm, a tire blowout, a paniic stop on the freeway from high speed, tractor trailers passing you on the freeway at high speed in marginal weather, multiple hours of stop n go traffic in 100 deg heat? What you will find when you tow an enclosed trailer is that everybody around you will turn into an idiot so you need that safety margin.