Tow / Haul

[DirtDonk]

Does anyone have the printed version from Ford that says 2,000 lbs? I thought I saw 1500 lbs once, but don't remember the higher number. But I know we've posted up the specs over the years. Just don't have a copy.

The heaviest GVWR package on EB's was 4900 if I remember(?) and that, coupled with the 3800-3900 curb weight leaves 1000 lbs of load (including trailer tongue weight, correct?). But when towing a trailer you use a GCWR (gross combined weight rating) also correct? Did they have that spec back then, or is that a more modern rating?

Don't know those answers, so was curious.

Paul

 

[Nothing Special]

Below is the heaviest trailer I've towed with my Bronco. Probably between 2000 - 2500 lbs with a tongue weight a little over 250 lbs and surge brakes. This trailer tows great behind my F-250. With the Bronco i limit the speed to about 50 - 55 mph and it's OK, but far from great.

To answer some of your specific questions:

Max trailer weight: I'd say don't go over 2000 lbs. Not that it's a hard limit, but things get a lot more "real" as the weight goes up. The 1700 lb trailer you're looking at gives you almost no payload. You might want to look at lighter weight trailers (either smaller, or aluminum)

Tongue weight: At least 10% of the trailer weight. With a 2000 lb trailer I'd prefer 400 lbs on the tongue rather than getting under 200 lbs. But 250 - 300 lbs would be where I'd want to aim for a 2000 lb trailer.

Brakes: Surge brakes are easy no-brainer to set up (just buy a trailer with them) and use (just drive). But when the trailer loads are approaching the trucks limit I really prefer electric brakes. You need to adjust them for the load you have at the time (which means you need to have the patience to do it!), but they allow you to hit the trailer brakes if things start getting at all sketchy (hitting the truck brakes usually makes it worse, but you want to be able to slow down). And don't get the cheap timer-based brake controller for the truck. Get one with proportional braking.

Weight distributing hitch: Like blubuckaroo said, they help if you can't handle the tongue weight, but like Broncobowsher said, if you need one you're trying to tow too much.

Axles: I'm not a fan of the torsion axles on a tandem axle trailer. I think Broncobowsher said the same thing, but they can make tongue weight vary a lot as you go over bumps and things. But in a single axle trailer they can be fine. With a 2000 lb trailer I don't see much need for a tandem axle, but they probably will track a little better if you are getting too heavy.

 

[blubuckaroo]

I have surge brakes on my little camper, and they work great.
However, they don't do a darned thing when backing downhill, since there won't be a surge.
This became painfully obvious when backing down my driveway last month.
https://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=295254

 

[tatersalad]

While growing up my dad pulled travel trailers between 18 and 23 ft. with his broncos. He lived on jobsites all over the state in them and also pulled them into the mountains every deer seasons. They all had load leveling hitches and most had electric brakes but a couple of the early ones didn't. I do remember him telling me that the e-z lift hitches went all the way over the rear axle some how . He also had to use mirrors that were triangular and mounted at the center of the wheel wells.

 

[chrlsful]

"...heaviest GVWR package on EB's was 4900 if I remember(?) and..."
thinkin that is what my '77 (a 1 yr named heavy duty) rear end is 'rated' at Paul.
Called the trapezoidal, I think 'torino' is one step better but not sure what that is (a '69 428 motor w/391 or 430 gear) & did not come ona bronk

 

[sprdv1]

Good stuff...

Below is the heaviest trailer I've towed with my Bronco. Probably between 2000 - 2500 lbs with a tongue weight a little over 250 lbs and surge brakes. This trailer tows great behind my F-250. With the Bronco i limit the speed to about 50 - 55 mph and it's OK, but far from great.

To answer some of your specific questions:

Max trailer weight: I'd say don't go over 2000 lbs. Not that it's a hard limit, but things get a lot more "real" as the weight goes up. The 1700 lb trailer you're looking at gives you almost no payload. You might want to look at lighter weight trailers (either smaller, or aluminum)

Tongue weight: At least 10% of the trailer weight. With a 2000 lb trailer I'd prefer 400 lbs on the tongue rather than getting under 200 lbs. But 250 - 300 lbs would be where I'd want to aim for a 2000 lb trailer.

Brakes: Surge brakes are easy no-brainer to set up (just buy a trailer with them) and use (just drive). But when the trailer loads are approaching the trucks limit I really prefer electric brakes. You need to adjust them for the load you have at the time (which means you need to have the patience to do it!), but they allow you to hit the trailer brakes if things start getting at all sketchy (hitting the truck brakes usually makes it worse, but you want to be able to slow down). And don't get the cheap timer-based brake controller for the truck. Get one with proportional braking.

Weight distributing hitch: Like blubuckaroo said, they help if you can't handle the tongue weight, but like Broncobowsher said, if you need one you're trying to tow too much.

Axles: I'm not a fan of the torsion axles on a tandem axle trailer. I think Broncobowsher said the same thing, but they can make tongue weight vary a lot as you go over bumps and things. But in a single axle trailer they can be fine. With a 2000 lb trailer I don't see much need for a tandem axle, but they probably will track a little better if you are getting too heavy.

 

[blubuckaroo]

Does anyone have the printed version from Ford that says 2,000 lbs? I thought I saw 1500 lbs once, but don't remember the higher number. But I know we've posted up the specs over the years. Just don't have a copy.

The heaviest GVWR package on EB's was 4900 if I remember(?) and that, coupled with the 3800-3900 curb weight leaves 1000 lbs of load (including trailer tongue weight, correct?). But when towing a trailer you use a GCWR (gross combined weight rating) also correct? Did they have that spec back then, or is that a more modern rating?

Don't know those answers, so was curious.

Paul

My '77 owner's manual (page 50) says 7000 pounds gross combined weight rating. That's with the 4900 pound, extra cooling, auto tranny, and power steering packages.
That would translate to about 3000 pounds of load and trailer. However, the maximum 200 pounds tongue weight, and maximum 25 square feet frontal area, would limit that figure quite a bit.

 

[chrlsful]

WoW, 3000# tow ona less than 8 ft wheel base.
I'll wanna stay way below that, BUT it allows me to select a lill bigger (cargo) trailer
than the min. May B skip up to a 10 footer.
Still thinkin 1 axel & some break (ele now). Can go for the leaf sprung, 15 inch wheel.
Wonder which co have all alu trailer...probably outta my $ range. May B used...

 

[Nothing Special]

My '77 owner's manual (page 50) says 7000 pounds gross combined weight rating. That's with the 4900 pound, extra cooling, auto tranny, and power steering packages.
That would translate to about 3000 pounds of load and trailer. However, the maximum 200 pounds tongue weight, and maximum 25 square feet frontal area, would limit that figure quite a bit.

WoW, 3000# tow ona less than 8 ft wheel base.
I'll wanna stay way below that, BUT it allows me to select a lill bigger (cargo) trailer
than the min. May B skip up to a 10 footer.
Still thinkin 1 axel & some break (ele now). Can go for the leaf sprung, 15 inch wheel.
Wonder which co have all alu trailer...probably outta my $ range. May B used...

Careful reading that! The page from the owners manual he posted lists a max GCWR of 7000 lbs, but it also lists a max trailer weight of 2000 lbs. So yes, if the Bronco isn't loaded too much you might be able to stay under the 7000 lb GCWR with a 3000 lb trailer. But there's no way a 3000 lb trailer will stay under the 2000 lb max trailer weight limit.

 

[Broncobowsher]

And 25 square feet of frontal area isn't much. That is about the same frontal footprint as the Bronco itself. and remember that the '77 had the improved front end, better steering ratio, better track bar geometery, front sway bar, disk brakes, big banjo rear axle, etc. All the good stuff. As optimal of a Bronco as it could be for towing. And that was a one year only combination of parts, '77

 

[blubuckaroo]

And 25 square feet of frontal area isn't much. That is about the same frontal footprint as the Bronco itself. and remember that the '77 had the improved front end, better steering ratio, better track bar geometery, front sway bar, disk brakes, big banjo rear axle, etc. All the good stuff. As optimal of a Bronco as it could be for towing. And that was a one year only combination of parts, '77

My little 15' camper comes close to 50 square feet.

 

[chrlsful]

6 wide by 7 hi = 42sq but some R "V" nose....

 

[greatguy57078]

I bought a V nose 7x12 foot enclosed trailer with electronic brakes. I’m using this to tow a RZR PRO behind my 68 for about 3 hour trip. Seems to pull alright.... Is it unsafe?

 

[Broncobowsher]

I bought a V nose 7x12 foot enclosed trailer with electronic brakes. I’m using this to tow a RZR PRO behind my 68 for about 3 hour trip. Seems to pull alright.... Is it unsafe?

Looking at your profile, your '69 isn't a normal Bronco. It isn't stock, nor modified for better off-road use. As you describe it as "street rod". That probably puts you in better shape than just about any other Bronco.

Unsafe is a grey area. Nothing is ever completely safe, and not everything will kill you. I wouldn't choose it as a regular tow vehicle, but worse has been done.

 

[DirtDonk]

X2
Make sure the brakes are up to snuff, and don't plan any long hauls when the wind is coming up.

Paul

 

[1970 Palmer]

6x10 enclosed trailer, lightweight, still 1500# empty. Not much you could put in it. People really underestimate the weight of cargo. A dirt bike, small tool box and a cooler and you are overloaded. May not be for the trailer but for the tow vehicle. Camp gear, while each piece is light as a whole it isn't.

Worst place for mass in a trailer is behind the axle. Yes, there is the 10-15% tongue weight rule and that works pretty good. But if you take a trailer that is tongue heavy and balance the weight by putting heavy stuff at the very back of the trailer it will pull like crap. On paper it is perfect, in the real world it sucks. Center the mass slightly forward of the trailer axle, put the light stuff in the back. Ever hear of SAE J2807? It is the SAE standard for tow ratings. Has to do with chassis stability, engine cooling, all kinds of fun stuff. A friend/coworker is on the committee. I know way too much about this stuff. I've worked on too much of this stuff on a daily basis. I can generally look at a trailer and tell if it will tow good or not regardless of weights.

As for the trailer itself. Torsion axles are better for ground clearance, really touchy about hitch height and axle loading in tandem configurations, usually less travel and more sensitive to correct weight to get a good ride. Leaf springs tend to be cheaper to buy parts for, they are more repairable, but for manufacturing they cost more in labor hanging all the parts. For building a trailer torsion costs more to buy but is cheaper to build due to less labor.
Taller/larger tires tend to be more forgiving. If you can fit an LT tire instead of a trailer tire you are better off. Generally you will run what comes on the trailer until upgrade time, that is when you hope you have a trailer that will accept the LT tire. My boat trailer can only take little trailer tires, I wish it could take LT tires as it would be a better choice. But that would take a complete rebuild of the suspension, widen the trailer to get the tires outside the boat (let the boat fit between the tires and not above them).
Weight distributing hitches are great if towing a heavy trailer. If you need one on a Bronco, you are towing too much trailer. Care must be taken as it is a device that unloads weight off the rear axle, at times when you shouldn't be unloading weight. They can (and have) made things worse on a light trailer.

X2, Lots of good real world advice here. I build and tow lots of small (vintage camper) trailers and agree with your LT tire advice. I built a small flat bed race car trailer with a 3500# rated axle and used Lt tires for 20 years without one road failure. Have you spent any time working for U haul Mfg?

 

[1970 Palmer]

6 wide by 7 hi = 42sq but some R "V" nose....

I'm not convinced that a "V" nosed trailer is actually better than a flat nosed. It might tow with better gas mileage, but in my mind it has a greater frontal area exposed to the side wind. You would need to add the square footage of the exposed side, "plus" the square footage of the "V" nose for cross wind handling.

Whatever you do, make sure you have a friction adjustable sway bar. The Reese bars are good, even the cheap HF sway bar works OK. I'm talking about a sway bar, not weight distribution bars. which are not needed on a small utility trailer.

John

 

[chrlsful]

yes - suspension, or 'handling' "Sway Bars" - frnt & rear, on the vehicle itself.
no - bronks do not need 'weight distribution' trailer hitches (aux to the hitch).

 

[56f100bbw]

Tongue weight

Too much tongue weight

 

[chrlsful]

nahw, he's just haulin frm one sales lot 2 another. he'll make it fine - it's flat rd