Towing question.

[Ideeho]

Hey fellers, just checking on expectations when towing with my 2002 GMC Sierra, with the 5.3. I am helping a cousin out and heading across Washington to pick up a 22 foot car hauler to drag his new racecar back to Eastern Washington on Thursday, and I think the tongue weight is only 300-350 lbs on a dual axle trailer. Any speed limitations or other stuff to watch out for while trailering his car hauler? Just want to make sure I am careful about trailering, as I never trailer much more than my ATV or ski boat.

 

Thanks much.

[ToeJam]

I picked up a old Chevy C10 last month in Montana and brought it back over to Seattle. The Uhaul trailers are ugly, but mine worked fine. I'm not sure of the tongue weight, but the trailer weighed about 1,500 lbs. My truck has the 6.0 liter, but I'm guessing the car you're hauling won't weight 3,500 lbs or be the shape of a giant brick. You shouldn't have any problem with your rig.

 

As for limitations, the trailer says don't exceed 45mph...but I cruised at about 65mph the entire trip. The weight and size make for fun stops and turns, so just give youself lots of room to move and brake.

[Ideeho]

This is an enclosed car trailer, not a uHaul, sorry for not clarifying that. Just a 22 foot trailer with a car inside, not too heavy a racecar, it's a Formula car. Thanks for the advice though.

 

How'd ya like taking those curves up through the Missoula to Coeur d'Alene area? Nice tight turns, I bet that DID make for some eye opening experiences. Not to mention the opening of Elk season here, you probably had a flock of trailers heading out to the woods, on the roads.

[ToeJam]

My bad...you said "car carrier" and I started having flashbacks.

 

The trip was fine. We were there the second week of September, so no hunters yet...just lots of forest fires and fire bases. The turns were fine with the quadrasteer, no problems....but they sure to help kill your speed.

[Shaners]

An enclosed 22' trailer will put some "wind drag" on your truck. The trailer itself shouldn't be too heavy of a load.

 

You'll quickly find the "sweetspot" when towing. Usually it is dictated by the wind drag and sway. Usually 65 MPH is safe on the Interstate with a properly loaded trailer.

[redchev]

You never said if you had a brake controler for trailer brakes. It could be a wild ride, trailer brakes can help control sway and make stopping easier.

[Ideeho]

I don't have any brake controllers...just driving naked I guess. I won't rip it up, just careful driving, most of it is straight line, once I get over Snoqualmie Pass.

 

The trailer with the car in it weighs about 4500 pounds, tops. My truck, according to the manual can handle like 7800-8500, and the tongue weight is slight on a tandem axle. Should be an experience.

[k1500chevy97]

Whats your route gonna be ?

[Ideeho]

I90 all the way into Coeur d'Alene

[k1500chevy97]

going up and off snoqualime wont be that hard .

The biggest challenge will be going up and coming down Ryegrass (between ellensburg and vantage) Especially with no trailer brake controler

 

And when going eastbound on 90 watch that curve just when you pass over the columbia its a bitch and the hill after it is a bitch as well

[robsawatsky]

I sure wouldn't want to tow a trailer through those mountains without trailer brakes, especially since they are required for over 3000 lbs in Washington.

[gator2511]

What robsawatsky said!!!

[ToeJam]

I sure wouldn't want to tow a trailer through those mountains without trailer brakes, especially since they are required for over 3000 lbs in Washington.

I'm guessing the trailer has surge brakes, which are a legal substitute. My boat (4,000+lbs) and the Uhaul trailer I rented both had surge brakes.

[Ideeho]

It's a brand new trailer, so I assume it may have surge brakes on it. However on the steeps I plan to just go slower, use gearing and take her easy. No doubt about that bridge crossing after Vantage, that hill's a biggie...

[robsawatsky]

If it has surge brakes there will be an hydraulic actuator and cylinder mounted on the trailer tongue. That said, surge brakes are commonly found on boat trailers due to the electrics not liking gettting dunked in the water but most other trailers have electric brakes.