# What can I tow?



## Drifting (Oct 26, 2011)

I have a 2010 Dodge Ram 1500, regular cab 4x2 with RWD and a 8 foot bed. It's a very basic truck, my very first truck at that. 

I would like to get a small 2 horse, lightweight horse trailer for short hauls (no more then 40-50 miles tops.) I'm in Maryland so it's a bit hilly in places. 

I know more power would be better, but I don't have it and am not in a position to 'trade up' at the moment. 

I'm not really sure what all this Gross towing weight and tongue weight mean, can someone give me a breakdown?

I would like to look into purchasing a light-weight 2 horse trailer, but I would like a little more knowledge on what to look for when they talk tongue weight. I think I know what 'unloaded weight' means, the weight of the trailer without anything in it, right?

Help please!


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

2010 Dodge Ram Pickup 1500 ST Regular Cab Pickup 3.7L V6 4-speed Automatic 6.4 ft. Bed Features and Specs
here are the specs and it says it will haul 9100 pds when fully equiped. Lets assume yours will haul less.
2 horses weigh 2000 pds plus trailer so you should be safe with any 2 horse with a small dressing room.


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

To give you an idea, our 2 horse steel basic combo/stock trailer weighs around 2200 lbs.


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## Darrin (Jul 11, 2011)

First, take a look at the tag in your door. On it you'll find the ratings for your pickup. GVW is how much weight your pickup is rated to haul with no trailer. GCVW is overall weight of pickup and trailer combined that it is rated for. Also should be how much each axle is rated for.

Second, look at your tires and read the sidewall. You'll find your tires weight rating there and what your air pressure should be to achieve that rating. Multiply that figure by 4 to see what your total tire capacity is. If it is less then what your pickup will weigh with trailer attached then you need heavier tires. Run your pickup across a scale to find out how much it weighs normally, that way you'll know how much more weight can be put on it.

Third, find out if you have a transmission cooler (automatic transmission). Without one you can easily fry your transmission while pulling, one can be added if you don't already have it installed. Trust me it will be cheaper than rebuilding your tranny and putting one on at the same time to keep it from happening again. Generallyl they are either in front or behind your pickups radiator, if you know what to look for it will be easy to see if one is there or not.

Did you buy it new? If so and you still have the original paperwork look at what it came equiped with. You are looking for things like transmission cooler, tow package, heavy duty, etc.

You'll want an equalizer hitch (the hitches you see with bars). This will better help distribute your trailers weight on your pickup and make it easier to tow.

Properly equiped you will be able to haul a two horse trailer. If not properly equiped you can end up costing yourself a lot of money on repairs and heart ache.


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

you need to know what engine and rear axel you have, then look at your owners manual. That will tell you how much it can tow. Stay under that limit you will be fine. I see no reason you shouldnt be able to safely tow a llight two horse bumper pull if you have brake connections.


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

I am all for safety but some people go overboard but for what you're doing you're gonna be fine. your not pulling a lot of weight and a long haul .


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

If you are pulling horses & a trailer for any length of time over a period of time, without a tranny cooler, kiss that baby good bye. You got a newer vehicle that prolly wasn't cheap, make sure it has this feature or it will be broken & cost a lot to fix.


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## gunslinger (Sep 17, 2011)

churumbeque said:


> 2010 Dodge Ram Pickup 1500 ST Regular Cab Pickup 3.7L V6 4-speed Automatic 6.4 ft. Bed Features and Specs
> here are the specs and it says it will haul 9100 pds when fully equiped. Lets assume yours will haul less.
> 2 horses weigh 2000 pds plus trailer so you should be safe with any 2 horse with a small dressing room.



Been there, done that, now have an F-350.


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## VT Trail Trotters (Jul 21, 2011)

Drifting said:


> I have a 2010 Dodge Ram 1500, regular cab 4x2 with RWD and a 8 foot bed. It's a very basic truck, my very first truck at that.
> 
> I would like to get a small 2 horse, lightweight horse trailer for short hauls (no more then 40-50 miles tops.) I'm in Maryland so it's a bit hilly in places.
> 
> ...


What engine you running? I dont think V6 but if its a V8 or a Hemi your on the better, much better side for towing.


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## Drifting (Oct 26, 2011)

First, thank you guys for responding! A lot of good information, and I'm sorry I didn't put my engine (I thought I did! i didn't  ) 

Unfortunatly its a V6, I bought it used to use for small loads of hay and things like that. I wasn't in the position to buy something bigger but needed something better than my little Toyota Carolla. I'm not sure what axle it has, I'm so bad at knowing anything about cars or trucks. That's why my last boyfriend was a mechanic. >.> I do have the paperwork though, and I'll look at the door too for the info.

I will look into the transmission cooler and see if I have one already there. I do have automatic transmission. It sounds expensive, but if it will keep me from wrecking my truck too early then I'm all for it. I mean I would like to trade up eventually, but it'll be at least a year or two before I can get something bigger.


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## Adam (Feb 6, 2012)

Darrin said:


> First, take a look at the tag in your door. On it you'll find the ratings for your pickup. GVW is how much weight your pickup is rated to haul with no trailer. GCVW is overall weight of pickup and trailer combined that it is rated for. Also should be how much each axle is rated for.
> 
> Second, look at your tires and read the sidewall. You'll find your tires weight rating there and what your air pressure should be to achieve that rating. Multiply that figure by 4 to see what your total tire capacity is. If it is less then what your pickup will weigh with trailer attached then you need heavier tires. Run your pickup across a scale to find out how much it weighs normally, that way you'll know how much more weight can be put on it.
> 
> ...


 
Can't stress that transmission cooler enough! Without that guy, on a warm summer day pulling a loaded trailer up a hill can overheat a transmission pretty quickly. 
Another thing I would recommend is an electric trailer break. They are rather easy to install, and WELL worth the couple of hundered bucks it costs to buy them. I use the Tekonsha Prodagy because it's so easy to use, but there are other brands out there. In a 1/2 ton truck, that brake will make a HUGE difference, and significantly decrease your stop distance during a hard / panic stop


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Adam said:


> Can't stress that transmission cooler enough! Without that guy, on a warm summer day pulling a loaded trailer up a hill can overheat a transmission pretty quickly.
> Another thing I would recommend is an electric trailer break. They are rather easy to install, and WELL worth the couple of hundered bucks it costs to buy them. I use the Tekonsha Prodagy because it's so easy to use, but there are other brands out there. In a 1/2 ton truck, that brake will make a HUGE difference, and significantly decrease your stop distance during a hard / panic stop


I know in Canada, or BC at least, if you're hauling horses & a trailer, electric brakes are required by law, it's not an option. Is this not true in the States as well. Can relying on the vehicle to stop the load behind you be safe?


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## Adam (Feb 6, 2012)

I think it differs from state to state. In Indiana, if the trailers gross weight is more then 3000lbs, you need trailer brakes, and a breakaway system that automatically activates the trailer brakes if the trailer becomes disconnected from the tow vehicle. Is it safe to run without them? I would have to say definitely not.


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## Darrin (Jul 11, 2011)

Not sure exactly what the state law says here in Oregon but I have seen horse trailers with surge brakes instead of electrical.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

I thought surge & electric were the same, sorry. I just should have said brakes. Same in this province Adam, need the break aways and safety chains. The DOT does vehicle checks from time to time, they will make you unload horses & test everything.


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## Adam (Feb 6, 2012)

I've used surge brakes before, and they work just fine.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Even with a tranny cooler, a half ton sucks on the hills with just one horse. Not serious but on a busy single lane highway you won't win any popularity contests.


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## Darrin (Jul 11, 2011)

waresbear said:


> I thought surge & electric were the same, sorry. I just should have said brakes. Same in this province Adam, need the break aways and safety chains. The DOT does vehicle checks from time to time, they will make you unload horses & test everything.


Surge brakes are hydraulic and mounted on the tongue of the trailer so no controller is needed. Mainly trailer rental places around here use them like Uhaul. That's where I see them on horse trailers, ones you can rent. Don't know anyone running surge brakes on horse trailers they own.


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

yeh it is unsafe everywhere and illegal in most places to pull anything over 3k without trailer brakes.
I did alot of towing with a F150 and a 4.2 liter V6. an engine bigger than yours. I was pulling about a 3000 lb bass boat with very little wind drag compared to a horse trailer. That thing had serious issues getting out of it's own way. 
Your truck only came with one rear axel,, Your truck can pull a MAX of 3850. And that is the max, I wouldnt expect it to hold up long pulling a loaded horse trailer. It just isnt set up for towing.


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