Dangerous ?

KyRob · November 18, 2010

I have an 04 Sierra extended cab 4x4 with a 5.3 and 373 gears. I need to get a small backhoe to my farm that is about 25 miles away with several hills on country roads. The trailer has electric brakes but my truck is not set up for them The backhoe and trailer together weigh about 5500 lbs. Should I try and borrow a truck or will mine do it safely with just the truck brakes. Top speed will be maybe 45 for a very short time.

Thanks for any info,

Rob

8.1HD/ALLISON · November 18, 2010

IMO you would be frickin insane to haul that much weight without brake on the trailer. Im sure it will pull fine but you won't be able to stop well.

[email protected] · November 18, 2010

If all it weighs is 5500, I'd pull it without brakes on the trailer. Just don't be a fool and drive very cautiously.

jtramsey · November 18, 2010

I haul that much with no trailer brakes and have no trouble at all.Of course if you have never hauled loads like that I would take it slow and easy as you said.

pwall · November 18, 2010

Yep, you'll be fine.....but the idiot in the small car who cuts you off won't be as you can't stop.

savage99ss · November 18, 2010

If all it weighs is 5500, I'd pull it without brakes on the trailer. Just don't be a fool and drive very cautiously.

You should be ok. Slow is the keyword.

BlackSilver · November 18, 2010

You can't stop, and you're illegal. Lots of stuff can happen in 25 miles. Don't do it.

savage99ss · November 18, 2010

You can't stop, and you're illegal. Lots of stuff can happen in 25 miles. Don't do it.

How is it illegal?

cerbomark · November 18, 2010

KyRob · November 18, 2010

I was just wondering cause the farmers around here pull wagons which don't have brakes with 1 ton duallys and the wagons have 8 roll bales each. Bales weigh 1000 lbs or a bit more each. That's 16,000 lbs with no brakes and wiggly wagons as very few track right. Anyway, I don't want to tear nothing up so I'll look for another truck to use.

Rob

DTyrrell · November 18, 2010

I really don't think you would have any problems. I hauled three horses and a horse trailer for close to 500km with no brakes on the trailer. While it's obviously nowhere near 16,000 lbs like the guys you mentioned, it's fairly close to 5000lbs and I had no problems. Was my first time hauling anything too. Did a little through the city, but most of the distance was highway. Just need to keep a lot more distance between you and the guys infront of you.

Then again I also live in the praries, so I don't have hills to worry about.

edit: I just noticed my truck sounds almost identical to yours, only 6 years newer, and the 3.42 gears. But I've got the 5.3 and it pulled just fine.

herkdriver007 · November 18, 2010

Might be referring to GVWR, or on max trailer weight without brakes...

If it were me, I'd do it...take your time and if someone gets in front of you, allow plenty of room to stop. If your country roads are like ours, they are small 2 lanes w/o any shoulder...so try to travel during "non peak" times if you plan on going slow...last thing you want is a pissed off Prius behind you

old-chevy-dude · November 18, 2010

I once pulled a 27' Searay Sundancer with my 2000 Silverado with no trailer brakes., that's 7000 lbs with the trailer.. I had offered to move it from the launch ramp to the owners slip parking spot about 1 mile away, as the owners truck went poof while trying to pull it out of the water.. (blew his motor bad)...

I drove that mile @ 20mph tops and it scared the living hell out of me.. every time I applied the brakes to slow I thought that trailer was going to come right thru the cab.. That Trailer and boat pushed the truck around every which way possible..

IMO the minimal cost of adding the electric brake wiring and such far out-weighs the risk of losing control of the truck.. just my humble opinion though..