Can I safely tow this loaded cargo trailer PLUS keep our camper in place?

LosAngeles

Active member
Can I safely tow this loaded cargo trailer PLUS keep our camper in place?

Pardon my ignorance but I want to do this safely and figure this out. I’m sure the wise people here can guide us.

Yes, I’m aware that the door stickers “cargo” is referring to what is IN the truck, not including towing….. (correct?)

I am driving a 2020 F350.
*Always* on the back is a truck camper.

I want to do a long road trip and on the way back, I’ll have a uHaul 6x12 Cargo Trailer Rental behind.

Inside it will be 250 cubic feet of household goods, that weighs about 1,800 lbs….. so a smaller uHaul wont fit the goods and also wont be rated for 1,800 lbs cargo (the next size smaller i could jam in 250 cubic feet, but would be overweight. I can’t be overweight for reasons I wont go into)

(Must not exceed maximum allowable hitch ball height 25”) from the Uhaul website.

With all of my camping gear, food, clothing, water, gas, propane, etc. I do know the F350 + our camping trailer is 11,300 lbs.
I know this # as I went onto a truck scale nearby and had it weighed, wet and loaded up.

So the *empty* weight of the Uhaul 6 x 12 cargo trailer is: 1,920 lbs..

so the total weight of the whole rig would be
11,300 (truck and camper, wet)
1,800 (my household goods I am picking up)
1,920 (the empty cargo uHaul)

total = 15,020 lbs.

Yes, I want to camp as I go on this trip. (I’ll have to figure out long pull thru sites, of course, to camp at, as I’ll be long.)


So firstly - is this safe? doable?

and… in the picture attached just ignore the hitch steps I currently have (in the blue oval) - those obviously wont be there during the whole trip.

Secondly - the truck camper hangs off the back about 20” approx….
would I hitch right at the stock hitch?

I suspect it would be best to not use a hitch extension…. (because of leverage) and just hitch right at the usual place.

Does this look workable? Would I have enough safety capacity to tow my cargo?

I have a 6.2 gasser with the new 10 speed transmission, 4.3 back end, and i’m 100% confident that I’ll have enough grunt to tow…..

My concern is just total weight, and safety. (and how safest to hook up the cargo trailer - with or without the hitch estension?)

and… I’ll need to buy a 2.5” shank, 2” ball mount to fit into my F350 - any suggestions?

thanks!!

Here is the Uhaul 6x12 enclosed cargo trailer.

 

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RedRoostre

New member
I had a '17 F-350. I don't think you will have any issues as long as you drive at reasonable speeds for that setup. Mine grossed out a little over 20k lbs and the truck did fine other than the built in Ford bump steer when you hit bridge seams at speed. Those will wake you up!!
 

LosAngeles

Active member
I had a '17 F-350. I don't think you will have any issues as long as you drive at reasonable speeds for that setup. Mine grossed out a little over 20k lbs and the truck did fine other than the built in Ford bump steer when you hit bridge seams at speed. Those will wake you up!!
We are so lucky - zero bump steer on our 2020.... dont know why. Basically the same truck I believe.
 

MTVR

Well-known member
No.

You'll be over your 11,500 pound GVWR, for starters.

You said you're already at 11,300 for your truck and camper, wet. I'm hoping that includes the driver and any other occupants in the cab.

If so, that leaves you 200 pounds of capacity.

You'll need 10% of your trailer's loaded weight on the tongue. The combined weight of your trailer and cargo is 3,720 pounds, so you'd need 370 pounds of that weight on the hitch, and you don't have 370 pounds of capacity to spare...
 

LosAngeles

Active member
No.

You'll be over your 11,500 pound GVWR, for starters.

You said you're already at 11,300 for your truck and camper, wet. I'm hoping that includes the driver and any other occupants in the cab.

If so, that leaves you 200 pounds of capacity.

You'll need 10% of your trailer's loaded weight on the tongue. The combined weight of your trailer and cargo is 3,720 pounds, so you'd need 370 pounds of that weight on the hitch, and you don't have 370 pounds of capacity to spare...
Thanks. I think the solution is for me to remove every non-essential piece of camping gear, plus remove the 2nd propane bottle, the MaxTrax, the water from the 2nd tank, the exterior stove, etc.... (will be easy, as I'll be alone) and hopefully gain 400+ lbs . I'd re-weigh to double check. :)
 

NatersXJ6

Explorer
The more important question is:

Will U-Haul allow me to tow their equipment with this setup? They have some pretty strict guidelines for towing, the contract specified that you can’t / won’t switch tow vehicles, and then an awful lot seems to depend on the opinion or decision of the local counter guy. Know your weights, then go try to rent the trailer and see what they say.

Also consider: U-Haul trailers are really heavy compared to the market. If you’re doing a long one-way sometimes buying a trailer and selling at the other end nets out higher (I’ve done this twice) and there are trailers on the market much lighter than U-Haul.
 

LosAngeles

Active member
The more important question is:

Will U-Haul allow me to tow their equipment with this setup? They have some pretty strict guidelines for towing, the contract specified that you can’t / won’t switch tow vehicles, and then an awful lot seems to depend on the opinion or decision of the local counter guy. Know your weights, then go try to rent the trailer and see what they say.

Also consider: U-Haul trailers are really heavy compared to the market. If you’re doing a long one-way sometimes buying a trailer and selling at the other end nets out higher (I’ve done this twice) and there are trailers on the market much lighter than U-Haul.

Thanks. Really good info. Yeah the cargo trailer uHaul rents is a bit bigger and heavier than I need for my 250 cu feet / 1800 lbs cargo, plus as it is 1 way, if I get in a jam at pickup from uHaul I'm stuffed.

if i take the empty trailer with me, then i'll be far more set.

much to ponder.

thanks again.
 

NatersXJ6

Explorer
Another creative solution is to move most of the weight from the camper into the trailer for the one-way. You can alleviate MTVR’s point about exceeding your GVWR without exceeding your CGVWR by transferring weight to the trailer. Think: moving stuff from bag to bag at the airport luggage counter!
 

LosAngeles

Active member
Another creative solution is to move most of the weight from the camper into the trailer for the one-way. You can alleviate MTVR’s point about exceeding your GVWR without exceeding your CGVWR by transferring weight to the trailer. Think: moving stuff from bag to bag at the airport luggage counter!
great idea indeed. and not a huge hassle.

however probably stripping 400+ (?) lbs out of the truck camper before departing would be better in some ways overall. To Be determined. :)
 

IdaSHO

IDACAMPER
100% correct

Move weight to the trailer is you want to do this 100% legit.

Otherwise, just hitch up and go.
People tow absolutely ridiculous trailers with an already maxed out pickup all the time.

Truth be told, the GVWR of todays pickups has more to do with class, licensing & money than saety.
The trucks themselves can handle the load.

This is why so many of todays tucks (mine included) has a 10,000GVWR, even though they are safely capable of considerably more.
In many areas, a tuck with a 10,001 and greater GVWR costs considerably more to license, fall under additional regulations, and can even be troublesome to insure.

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NatersXJ6

Explorer
When I’ve gotten into weight / balance problems on long trips I’ve been known to move stuff around on the truck or trailer or, in one case, I bought a 10 bags of concrete at Home Depot for ballast and returned it at the other end of the trip. Thanks Home Depot!
 

MTVR

Well-known member
So does the 11,300 pounds include the driver and any passengers?

If not, how much does the driver and passenger(s) weigh?
 

MTVR

Well-known member
Does the truck have the stock tires and wheels?

Does it have any suspension modifications?
 

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