# Can my SUV haul? Help!



## ioconner (Apr 2, 2011)

It depends on the overall weight of your trailer and horse combined. I would look up your specific vehicle towing capacity to be on the safe side. You should be able to find it in the owner's manual or google your vehicle's exact year and make. Hope this helps!


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

depends on which suv also. a sturdier suv can pull a small trailer and 1 horse but I would limit it to shorter trips. Just because it can pull a certain amount of weight does not mean it is safe to pull something that is larger and has something inside that moves.


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## maura (Nov 21, 2009)

I would not haul anything with horses in it with a 6 cylinder anything. 

Towing capacity is highly misleading; boat trailers and other types of trailers haul very differently then horse trailers, horse trailers has a much higher tongue weight than other types of trailers. 

More than engine size or rated towing capacity, key metrics are beefed up towing suspension, heavy duty radiator, heavy duty transmission and transmission oil cooler, box mount hitch receptor welded to the frame and trailer brake connector.


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## livestoride (Mar 30, 2011)

I pull my 2 horse straightload trailer with my 6 cylinder 4x4 dodge nitro all the time with no issues whatsoever. It has a 5,000 lb towing capacity. We have a near verticle driveway out of the barn and it never has had an issue getting up it with 2 horses and tack. I probably wouldn't pull with it more than 2 hours to get somewhere. The trailer tracks great and is a lightweight aluminum eclipse, but still we have never had an issue and I love pulling it with my SUV. 

My friend has a 6 cylinder dodge dakota 4x4 truck and pulls his trailer with it with more difficulty than my Nitro does. I adore my SUV!!! Look up the towing capacity of your SUV as well as the class of the hitch you have mounted. You can have a 5,000 lb towing capacity but not enough strength in the hitch to pull that much.


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## Skipsfirstspike (Mar 22, 2010)

I would be very careful about towing a horse trailer with anything less than a v8 150/1500 series truck. Anything less was not designed to pull a horse trailer. Like previously mentioned, the tongue weight is much higher than, say, a boat trailer, and factor in as well the fact that you are hauling a live load. 
SUVs are generally more narrow than a truck, and don't have the stability. For example, when I was looking into a dakota, I found that in many models (re: 6 cyl) the rear axle ratio is Not great (wide) enough to safely pull a loaded horse trailer.
Also, when considering your vehicles tow weight capacity, keep in mind that you are actually not supposed to consistently pull greater than 75% of that reccomended weight.
I am not a mechanic. This info is what I found when I was trying to convince myself that I could finally get that dakota I have always wanted. No good. I went with the 1500 chev silverado.
Can an SUV or small pick up pull a horse trailer? Sure, probably.
Should it? In my opinion, no. But the blown tranny and fried brakes will testify to that eventually.


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

livestoride said:


> I pull my 2 horse straightload trailer with my 6 cylinder 4x4 dodge nitro all the time with no issues whatsoever. It has a 5,000 lb towing capacity. We have a near verticle driveway out of the barn and it never has had an issue getting up it with 2 horses and tack. I probably wouldn't pull with it more than 2 hours to get somewhere. The trailer tracks great and is a lightweight aluminum eclipse, but still we have never had an issue and I love pulling it with my SUV.
> 
> My friend has a 6 cylinder dodge dakota 4x4 truck and pulls his trailer with it with more difficulty than my Nitro does. I adore my SUV!!! Look up the towing capacity of your SUV as well as the class of the hitch you have mounted. You can have a 5,000 lb towing capacity but not enough strength in the hitch to pull that much.


pulling 2 horses with a small suv would make me nervous.


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## maura (Nov 21, 2009)

Great post, Skipsfirst. 

This sums it up nicely:



> Can an SUV or small pick up pull a horse trailer? Sure, probably.
> Should it? In my opinion, no. But the blown tranny and fried brakes will testify to that eventually


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Hauling with an SUV is like playing russian roulette. It is the wheel base ratio, not the power I am concerned with, burn out your tranny, fine. Just means your broken down, but if you are hauling with a light weight vehicle that has a wheel base ratio not meant to haul a long tow along trailer, eventually the tail will wag the dog. That means in certain situations, crosswinds from semis, severe loadshift, minor contact with another vehicle, etc, the tow vehicle or trailer or both can flip very easily. But, and this is the most common reason why your towing vehicle MUST have a greater wheel base ratio, you turn sharply to avoid a road hazard, you are at great risk of flipping yourself. I believe there are regulations prohibiting this in my province, I do not know about the states or the rest of Canada. Please check with your motor vehicle branch as to the standards & laws of tow vehicles & trailers. Again, I do not know how your jurisdiction regulates such matters, but here, they DOT (Dept of transportation) check vehicles pulling trailers all the time, and do a thorough check on brakes, suspension, breakaways, lights, tires. I have seen a Ford 1500 pulled off the road for having a camper on & pulling a stock trailer.


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## MHFoundation Quarters (Feb 23, 2011)

I pulled a 2 horse bp for a friend with my expedition once when my diesel was being serviced. It did fine but I'd never do it on a regular basis. As others have said, too risky for a rollover, hard on transmissions and no power trailer brakes.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

MHFoundation Quarters said:


> I pulled a 2 horse bp for a friend with my expedition once when my diesel was being serviced. It did fine but I'd never do it on a regular basis. As others have said, too risky for a rollover, hard on transmissions and no power trailer brakes.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


 an expedition is a very large suv not like the smaller ones that most are referring to


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## livestoride (Mar 30, 2011)

I have yet to have a problem and the well trained mechanic who installed the towing package for me said that it wouldn't be an issue. It has a rating for a reason. Do what you feel comfortable with. We live in a hilly area and it does great. You don't have to own a truck to pull.


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

My trailer only weighs 2500 lbs, I only haul my horse, and I'm extremely glad I went with a 3/4 ton truck to do it. I've already had several times where breaking was paramount. Had I had less truck, I think the trailer would have pushed me right into the intersection. I personally would not haul with an SUV. The wheel base more than anything concerns me. Too short and you're asking for a swaying trailer.


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