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Tool Talk Discussion Forum

How Can I Increase Weight Rating On Trailer?

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StuckRusty

10-29-2004 14:28:22




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I have a trailer rated for 5000lb. and the two axles are rated at 3500lb. each(7000lb. total). Is it as simple as welding extra cross supports under the deck for an increase of another 1000lb. or are there other things I must consider?




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Bullwinkle

11-01-2004 09:56:48




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 Re: How Can I Increase Weight Rating On Trailer? in reply to StuckRusty, 10-29-2004 14:28:22  
I agree with the gentleman who said "you can"t".....at least not easily. The 3500# axles are common axle sizes and readily available.....they"re most generally used for single axle utility trailers. Used in tandem, they make a pretty nice 7000# trailer. It sounds to me like you have a trailer that was designed and built as a 5000# trailer and uses the readily available 3500# axles.The main (side)rails are the component that most effects this rating on the trailer itself. You could beef them up by scabbing more material to the side rails and other bracing, etc., but unless your an engineer, you still wouldn"t know what you had in-so-far as actual rating. You"d always be guessing and, to me, that adds an un-neccesary element. In-so-far as the hitch/coupler goes, they are always lighter materials than the frame rails simply because they carry only about 10 - 15% of the dead-weight load on a properly loaded/balanced trailer. The coupler rating reflects not what the coupler itself is capable of carrying, but what the trailer it"s matched to is capable of. I don"t know how much more weight you need out of your trailer, but consider this. A 5,000# rated trailer is capable of carrying more than that. The difference between the rating and the real capacity is the comfort level of the lawyers who are advising underwriters of the manufacturer on liability issues. You can bet it"s a pretty comfortable margin..... BUT....it won"t be worth a hill of beans if you get in an accident and are faced with your own liability issues because as far as anyone is concerned, you had an "overloaded trailer."

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ScottT

10-31-2004 07:15:24




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 Re: How Can I Increase Weight Rating On Trailer? in reply to StuckRusty, 10-29-2004 14:28:22  
Is the rating the load weight you can haul, or the GVWR? My 18' car hauler has 2 3500lb axles, but can only carry about 5000 lbs because the trailer itself weighs nearly 2000 lbs. I'm sure the frame and bulldog coupler could take more, but the axles, springs, and tires could not (not for long anyway). If you need more capacity you would have to replace the axles, springs, and tires (if the coupler & frame were heavy enough), or replace the entire trailer with a heavier unit. It's probably cheaper to buy a new trailer.

Scott

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Leland

10-30-2004 18:17:14




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 Re: How Can I Increase Weight Rating On Trailer? in reply to StuckRusty, 10-29-2004 14:28:22  
Guys answer this I bought a trailer rated for 7000lbs but the coupler is only rated for 5000lbs who should I call to find out about this design screwup the state or builder.



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Justin Case

10-31-2004 06:11:21




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 Re: How Can I Increase Weight Rating On Trailer? in reply to Leland , 10-30-2004 18:17:14  
If my trailer was in fact rated for 7000lbs. And it only had a class-III coupler. As most class-III couplers are bolt-on. Most class-IV couplers are weld-on. All class-III's accept a 2" ball, all class-IV's accept a 2 5/16" ball. I don't know how this would make it past inspction. But, I guess I would take it back to where I bought it and see if this could be corrected. Course, what I don't get. Is the fact that, their is a big difference between a class-III and a class-IV in the way the trailer frame come's up to meet the coupler

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John *.?-!.* cub owner

10-29-2004 18:43:17




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 Re: How Can I Increase Weight Rating On Trailer? in reply to StuckRusty, 10-29-2004 14:28:22  
Don't forget when figuring what you can haul, thet the trailer weight has to also be figured.



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RWK in WI

10-29-2004 17:40:08




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 Re: How Can I Increase Weight Rating On Trailer? in reply to StuckRusty, 10-29-2004 14:28:22  
On some double axle trailers / car haulers the limiting factor is the coupler. They use a 5000# 2" coupler to make it more adaptable for general use because heavier couplers take the bigger 2 5/16" hitch ball.



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old

10-29-2004 17:33:27




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 Re: How Can I Increase Weight Rating On Trailer? in reply to StuckRusty, 10-29-2004 14:28:22  
You can add another axle to up what it can haul. Thats probably the only way you could do it.



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T_Bone

10-29-2004 16:33:43




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 Re: How Can I Increase Weight Rating On Trailer? in reply to StuckRusty, 10-29-2004 14:28:22  
Hi Rusty,

By finding the weakest link then having a truck body builder (not all will) or OEM recertifiy the trailers GVWR after new modifications are made.

The axles are rated 3500lbs, taged?, then brakes, springs, wheels, tires, frame, decking, and the coupler all has to be rated for GVW.

Derated 2000lbs sounds like a frame rating problem to me. Just a SWAG.

T_Bone



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rustyfarmall

10-29-2004 15:27:24




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 Re: How Can I Increase Weight Rating On Trailer? in reply to StuckRusty, 10-29-2004 14:28:22  
The easiest way, and the only legal way, is to sell that trailer and buy one that is rated for what you want to do.



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Davis In SC

10-29-2004 15:06:41




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 Re: How Can I Increase Weight Rating On Trailer? in reply to StuckRusty, 10-29-2004 14:28:22  
The limiting factor on trailer weight ratings is usually tires. I have a gooseneck with two 7K axles, but it is only rated at 12K instead of 14K because of tire ratings.



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