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Towing a 7x16 cargo trailer

33K views 53 replies 16 participants last post by  maintainin  
#1 ·
I might be moving soon and contemplating purchasing a 7 x 16 enclosed trailer to haul household goods. Trailer weight empty is about 2400 lbs. Not sure how much loaded. Whatever a small 2 bedroom apartment is I guess. I'm guessing my ecodiesel should have no issues pulling this size trailer? What are the details I need to be aware of? Thanks
 
#2 ·
i pull a 7x16 3 days a week from Mid October thru April for hunting. Granted mine is just filled with a bunch of decoys and other hunting gear, but I don't think you will have any problems unless a large percentage of your household goods are made of solid metal. I drag a JD 4044R and a bush hog around a lot in the fall on a tandem axle flatbed with no problems.

I like having a brake controller for pulling, i you don't have one, look into it - it isn't an expensive add on.
 
#3 ·
That sounds like a ideal size trailer for your truck ,you should have no issues towing it.

It is big enough that I would recommend a brake control , and I would assume the trailer would be set up with brakes.. ?

A weight distribution hitch might be helpful , but careful how you load , and you may not need one. Make sure your brake control is setup properly , and you understand how to adjust it for different weight loads. Don't tailgate , and swing wide for your turns.
 
#4 ·
My ecodiesel did come with a brake controller so I'm good on that. Would it be worth getting the timber grove air bags for something like this? It's about a 1100 miles trip. I see they are pretty reasonably priced and looks like something that can be installed fairly easy in the driveway?

I have towed some sparingly in my past but I'm still a novice. I towed a long ass milvan behind a 5 ton truck once in downtown Seoul, South Korea back when I was in the Army. An experience I'll never forget. I'm not sure how myself or my passenger survived.....And much, smaller hauls here and there.
 
#5 ·
With the truck in stock configuration for rake you shouldn't need the bags, but they for sure won't hurt anything.

I have a topper with a bunch of dog training gear or hunting gear in the back most of the time. When I hook up my 7x16 I sit dead level.

I'm going to level it with Bilsteins shortly and will add bags when I do so to avoid that Carolina Lean look...
 
#6 ·
Weight no issue but enclosed trailers are a big parachute and have a lot of surface area for side winds to influence - meaning trailer sway is probably your only concern. I know towing my 6x12 enclosed trailer I could sometimes feel it a bit. A single sway bar tightened things up, but primarily better tires did the trick all around with other trailers too. But 2400lbs is nothing really just load it properly so that it's not all on the tongue otherwise it will be a problem

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#10 ·
Attached is a pic of my truck 4x4...leveled...with an 8x24, Forrest River, triple extended tongue, V-nose, 2 x 5,200 Dexter Axel, loaded with 5 4-wheelers and 2 dirt bike. Trailer weight 7,500lbs loaded.

My set up is 2 passive 8,600lbs Timbren over load springs with a square 4 inch long square piece of PT 2'x4' lumber sitting on the steel plate. Unloaded I remove the wood and the open gap between rubber springs and steel plate is approx 1.75 inch open.

Typically pull with my 7.3 X loaded with 4-5 kids which also has Timbren set up and no WDH. At times I need to use the ED for this trailer and once underway...no sway...and no issues at 60-65 and no WDH.

If my ED were the primary locomotive, I would absolutely add WTD to same set up and never pull that sail faster than 70mph on the Interstate. Power is NEVER an issue at higher speeds...only thing is the 1/2 ton truck starts to feel light above 65mph. Probably because my 8k X is typically what I pull this trailer with

View attachment 8x24 7K.pdf
 
#16 ·
It can be used with or without a WDH. Many WDH already come with the small ball mount on the hitch, you would have to add it to a non-WDH. It will help reduce sway with either type of hitch.
 
#15 ·
Good redirect...men are wired with ADHD...My personal recommendation is 'Continental Cargo' a division of Forest River, Inc. Realize now I have been incorrectly referring to my current cargo trailer as Forest River.

Use the below link as a 'reference' only from my local dealer; honest man who carries solid brands.

Home | FB Trailer Dealer | Custom Race Car Trailers in FL | Enclosed Cargo, Utility and Dump Trailers in Jacksonville FL

Purchased two separate CC cargo trailers from him in last 12 years. First being a 7x16 dual 3,500lbs axle flat nose cargo trailer in 2006.....then upgraded to 8x24 V-nose 5,200llbs dual axle in 2012 when the kids out grew the 90cc and needed 250cc ATVs.

Both excellently built, stored outside and weathered the Florida sun/rain great...and never any water or dry rot issues.

In 2016 I hauled 20,000lbs of flood relief supplies inside the 8x24 from Jacksonville, FL to Baton Rouge, LA with my 7.3 X. Trailer was very overloaded....80psi trailer tires....and was rock solid at 65mph on I-10.

Continental Cargo / Forest River Trailers are my preference given my 2016 Cajun Adventure...
 
#17 · (Edited)
I could probably do fine with a 7 x 14 as well with the amount of stuff I have. But I don't see a huge difference in cost between the two sizes. Let me tell you all what I'm thinking and tell me if this is a good strategy.

Rather than renting some awful tiny 6x12 uhual trailer that's like 5 foot tall and having to throw away half of my crap I'm thinking about buying a trailer. The no frills ones I've seen around my surrounding area(around 200 miles within Sturgis, SD) are going for about $5700-6500 for a 7x16. 14 foot seems to be around $500 cheaper. The hope is to get where I might be moving and put it up for sale. That would be Marion, Indiana. The problem is I don't know what similar trailers are going for down there and I'm not sure if I want to lose a couple grand on a trailer. But I guess it's that versus the replacement cost of things I'd have to get rid of if I went the uhual route. Everyone I've talked to seems to think I'd have no problem selling it at a small loss but I don't know.

Edit: Also wanted to ask are trailers something you can haggle with price? Never bought one and not sure what the profit margins are on these things.
 
#18 · (Edited)
Agree...you will have no issues with that size trailer. One question is...do you intend to keep the trailer for other use once you move? If not, then either just rent a u-haul or buy a used trailer and resell it after the move. If you do want to keep it, depending on your budget and personal preferences a used one can save you lots of money. If a new one is inevitable then there are lots of choices...You can get an ALL-Aluminum, or SteelFrame/aluminum body, or even wood frame/aluminum body, etc. What you buy will depend on your budget, how/where you will store it, and what you're going to haul in it.

I've got a lot of experience towing cargo trailers, here are some thoughts...

-A 7x16 will have dual axle...this is good and recommended highly.
-Typically will also have electric brakes, but some may not...make sure your does.
-Ramp door vs Barn doors - I find the ramp door to be very useful and well worth the cost.
-V-Nose versus Flat Front...this seems to bear some controversy, however I would argue that you can't calculate the effective difference between the two as far as fuel mileage, outside of perfect towing conditions. The trailer salespeople will tell you otherwise so you spend more...I say get which one you like better based on your use case.


I JUST SAW your last post and see your thinking on this. I would SERIOUSLY consider shopping for a used one. You would then be much less likely to take a financial hit. I would not expect to take a small loss on a used one...most people would simply opt for a new one if it were within a few hundred bucks. This size trailer is very popular with motorcycle riders/racers....search some racing forums, etc to see what you can find. I'd bet its much easier than you think and has less financial risk.
 
#19 · (Edited)
Yeah, I just looked at trailers sales at my destination and I see a lot of 7x16 for around $4500. So I've already lost a grand. I'm not having much luck on finding a used on craigslist. Most of the ones I see are either too small or they this extravagant trailer that is as much or more than a basic new one is. I'll keep looking.

Edit: The more I think about it, unless I could find a great deal on a used one I may just go the uhaul route. I can get rid of the couch, the bed in the second bedroom(its still quite comfy but on the old side), and probably a few other pieces of large furniture and just buy when I get there.
 
#20 ·
I just pulled a 7x14 extra height tandem about 2000 miles at about 7900lbs GVH, no issues at all if you load the trailer properly. I use a WeighSafe ball to ensure that is done properly. At all speed ranges I never experience any trailer sway. I ordered the weight distributing hitch from Amazon and ended up returning it. I do have the Load Lifter 1000 air bags that do help A LOT. Otherwise, I wouldn't sweat any additional equipment. Weight distribution hitches are a pain in the ass and frankly unnecessary unless you have a massive travel trailer or drive like an asshole.
 
#23 ·
Well this is the trailer I ended up buying. 7x16 made by Sharp. $5700. Seems like good quality compared to the other I looked at around here. Torsion axles. It’s a bit taller than I wanted but maybe it will help when I go to sell it. Which I’ll probably lose my ass on. Just couldn’t find anyone with a good used one around here in the size I wanted. Added some e track to the walls. Moving at the end of December which is an absolutely terrible time to move but I have no control over that. Going 1300 miles from South Dakota to Ohio. A bit nervous as I’ve never towed anything this big that far. But I’m going to give myself plenty of time to get there. Planning 3 days so we’re talking 500 miles a day for my inexperience and any adverse weather I may encounter. Added the airlift 1000 bags to the shocks and just installed the curt sway control bar that we discussed in this thread. And I have shortened up those safety chains. lol rookie mistake.

 
#24 ·
Nice looking trailer, with that expanse in front of the axle center line I'd recommend the weight distributing hitch.
Your talking 500 mile days pulling a trailer, that's close to or a bit over 10 hours a day seat time. the WD hitch will take a lot of twitching and nervousness out of your driving.
 
#26 ·
You'll want a WDH with sway control, you never know what kind of weather you'll be traveling through, high winds could make it interesting.
That a good point about covering 500 miles a day towing, especially in December. You'll have a limited amount of daylight (about 7am-5pm), towing in the dark can sometimes be more taxing. Better to get there late, than to make an unscheduled stop you don't want to.
 
#28 ·
Couple of questions on WDH with my setup.

Due to the V nose I don't have a lot of tongue. I'm guessing they make WDH with shorter arms to allow for this?

What size WDH would I need with this trailer? How is this determined? It's a 7000 pound trailer. It's 2180 pounds empty. With that said, I don't expect to have it anywhere close to 7000 pounds when I have everything loaded. Doing a constant inventory of everything in my head lately I would really be surprised if I had more than 3000 pounds of stuff to load into it. I probably bought a lot more trailer than I needed. I don't plan to put a lot of stuff into the bed of the truck, mainly due to the security factor. It's easy to cut a tonneau cover. I'll probably have the spare trailer tire, a jack and jack stands and a small toolbox. Basically stuff if I have to do any maintenance.

The good thing is I have plenty of time before I move to get this all figured out. I've already started to load stuff into the the trailer. I'll probably have at least 75% of everything loaded in the next two weeks. I plan on taking it out for a test drive with that and see where I stand. Maybe there's a chance I really wouldn't need a wdh? There are a few scales at truck stops nearby I might go down and get weighed as well.
 
#34 · (Edited)
So I think I'm going to go ahead and buy a WDH. I'm looking at this one from Curt:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0058TF774/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

I like it because its fairly cheap and it has the short trunnion bars that will fit my tongue due to the v-nose. I already have the curt sway bar. It's rated for 600-800 tongue weight and 6000-8000 gross trailer weight. So if I'm say only like around 5000 on the trailer I assume this can be adjusted down still to compensate? I've read having too much tension can be just as bad as not having enough. Bouncing and too much front end lift(edit: meant rear end lift...loss of traction on rear wheels). Thoughts?
 
#35 ·
So I think I'm going to go ahead and buy a WDH. I'm looking at this one from Curt:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0058TF774/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

I like it because its fairly cheap and it has the short trunnion bars that will fit my tongue due to the v-nose. I already have the curt sway bar. It's rated for 600-800 tongue weight and 6000-8000 gross trailer weight. So if I'm say only like around 5000 on the trailer I assume this can be adjusted down still to compensate? I've read having too much tension can be just as bad as not having enough. Bouncing and too much front end lift. Thoughts?
I’m not sold you would need a WDH but would just recommend you measure your setup before ordering and suggest possibly calling CURT and getting more feedback from them on your dimensions etc
 
#38 ·
If you have read some of the WDH threads you know about the tongue weight factor. Weighing the truck FRONT and REAR axles then the trailer axle weight (at the same time if the scale you are on has three scales in line). I also weighed my trailer solo with the tongue jack on the middle scale and the trailer axle on the rear scale to get the trailer loaded correctly. Hope that helps if you weren’t that far on the research or knowledge
 
#41 ·
Don't bother with a tongue weight scale. Find a truck scale and weigh the truck by itself. Then weigh with the trailer attached. You can then calculate the tongue weight to see if you're within 10-15% total trailer weight.

The type of trailer you bought is pretty forgiving when towing, lower center of gravity than a similarly sized travel trailer. You'll do well.
 
#45 ·
So I loaded up a bunch more stuff last Sunday. I'm guessing I have about 60% of everything loaded into the trailer. All of it is loaded towards the front half of the trailer right now right up to about the point of the front axle. So definitely front heavy and unbalanced right now. I hooked it up and took it for about a 20 mile drive at 60-70 mph and drove around town for a bit as well. I didn't have anything in the airlift bags(other than the minimum 5psi which isn't doing anything) and it squatted the truck about 3.5 inches. I measured 17 inches to the bottom of the hitch unloaded and 13.5 with the trailer loaded. You can see a bit of squat in the pic but I didn't think it was that bad and honestly even with the trailer front heavy and unbalanced at the moment I thought it drove pretty well. No sway. I was very comfortable pulling it.



So my hope is as I start loading the other 40%, which will be over the axles and the rear of the trailer it will get even better. Should take some of that tongue weight off and reduce the squat and I always have the bags to add some air in to get things close to level. Biggest heaviest items left are a couch, washer and dryer, queen mattress set and maybe 8 boxes that shouldn't weigh too much individually. So I'm thinking I won't need a WDH at this point but as always I welcome any thoughts.
 
#46 · (Edited)
Well I made it to Ohio. Trip went extremely well(a big thanks to mother nature cooperating) and the truck did really well. I did go ahead and buy that WDH I mentioned earlier:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0058TF774?tag=ram1500dieselconvert-20

I fooled with it for an afternoon and got it setup where there was only about an inch of squat in the back and the front was still dead on and the trailer was pretty level. Didn't even bother with the air bags. With it and the curt sway bar it made for an extremely comfortable towing experience. MPG was a little lower than I expected at 12.8 with an average of 64 MPH for the 1300 mile trip.

I made a trip about 40 miles away to another town today and got 28 miles per gallon(do have GDE tune). Something I never came close to achieving in South Dakota.