do i really have to go 45mph

with a 5x8 uhaul trailer? and why??
we have this one: http://www.uhaul.com/guide/index.aspx?equipment=trailer-5x8
also how can i be positive it's loaded 60/40 wt wise... I mean we literally have it packed to the brim ALL over. I tried focusing books/etc toward the front but it's probably going to be pretty even.......



Also....
We have an 03 durango and it has the option to turn overdrive off. When do we want to do this, specifically? We'll be driving mostly interstate, GA to IN.


Thanks!

If you drive over 45 mph you will start to feel the trailer sway. It could possibly cause the car to flip. Sway bars will help.

We moved from Texas to Colorado a year ago and pulled the 6'X12' trailor behind a Silverado. We put most of the heavy stuff in the front of the trailor for stability.

I want to say I we went around 65 MPH and had no problems. Of course, the 6'X12' has an extra set of wheels so that may have helped it stay stable.

I watched very carefully for any swaying and when we were in a high wind area I would slow down. I also slowed down some if the road was very curvy.

I have no idea what to tell you about overdrive though. I have a tow/haul feature on my truck and I turned that on a few times when we were very hilly areas if I felt the truck struggling. It seemed to help. Good luck

First off, you need to read your Durango's manual. It will tell you when/if overdrive needs to be turned off. Additionally, it will give you your towing limits and maximum tongue weight. Then you take the trailer to a way scale, and weigh the entire trailer, then unhook and weight just the tongue to make sure you're within your limits. Since this is a hauling trailer, the tongue weight should likely be between 10% and 15% of the total trailer weight. If it is, then the weight in the trailer is distributed properly and will have the least possibility for sway.

What is the GVWR and the curb weight of your durango?

the 45mph speed limit is pretty conservative, i would *personally* feel safe doing more like 60-65mph, but i'm not suggesting you do .

there are at least reasons that i can think of for this requirement:

1) added weight-- the trailer has no brakes and relies on the vehicle's brakes. stopping distances WILL be much longer, so in a panic stop, your vehicle will NOT react as well as without the trailer.

2) increased propensity to catch cross winds (as noted by a previous poster). this can affect how well you can keep the vehicle from drifting in high winds.

as for weight distribution, it doesn't have to be 60/40 exactly, but what you do want is to have a slight bit more weight toward the front, such that when the trailer is full, it tilts forward such that the hitch wants to rest on the ground (as opposed to swing up into the air). it should rest on the ground with the equivalent of about 40-80 lbs of weight (or anything under your vehicle's stated limit). this will allow it to rest comfortably on the hitch ball but without weighing down the rear of your vehicle.

make sure the trailer lights all work and that your vehicle is properly wired for the trailer! and make sure you use the safety chains!

try to accelerate gently and anticipate stops much earlier. apply the brakes earlier than you normally would, and try not to stop as hard as you normally would (unless you have to).

good luck!

Thanks We are finally getting out tomorrow (or tonight) at 2am. I've been super paranoid about this because it's a 5x8 with 1 axle and no brakes. And it's filled to the BRIM. But it does fall forward when we take it off the ball. (yay!).

Curb weight online says 4630lbs, and trailer fully loaded online says 2700lbs. I know the manual covers the overdrive stuff and I'll re-read it (it was kind of confusing...) but it gave me so many different weights for towing, etc... like 5,000lbs and more! I'm def. not towing that much.

I'm letting DH drive--he used to pull long full trailers with F550s all the time, so he SHOULD have it down. The lights all work (surprisingly... ). We pulled it half full the other day and it swayed a little more at 50 but he thinks it'll balance out at 65 or so, so we'll try it carefully... and if we need to go 50 the whole way, well we'll go 50 the whole way.

Thanks!

Thanks We are finally getting out tomorrow (or tonight) at 2am. I've been super paranoid about this because it's a 5x8 with 1 axle and no brakes. And it's filled to the BRIM. But it does fall forward when we take it off the ball. (yay!).

Curb weight online says 4630lbs, and trailer fully loaded online says 2700lbs. I know the manual covers the overdrive stuff and I'll re-read it (it was kind of confusing...) but it gave me so many different weights for towing, etc... like 5,000lbs and more! I'm def. not towing that much.

I'm letting DH drive--he used to pull long full trailers with F550s all the time, so he SHOULD have it down. The lights all work (surprisingly... ). We pulled it half full the other day and it swayed a little more at 50 but he thinks it'll balance out at 65 or so, so we'll try it carefully... and if we need to go 50 the whole way, well we'll go 50 the whole way.

Thanks!

sunnymw said:

Curb weight online says 4630lbs, and trailer fully loaded online says 2700lbs.

Click to expand...

In some vehicles, the tow rating only considers a 150 pound driver. Everything else in/on the vehicle (i.e. all other passengers, cargo, floor mats, other vehicle accessories) need to be subtracted off of what you can tow. I don't know what a Durango can tow, but read your manual and find out. For example, a class II vehicle rated for 3500lbs would be basically at or over the limit with a 2700 pound trailer.

As for the trailer weight of 2700lbs online, that doesn't mean much. You need to weigh it with YOUR load in it. Make sure you're not over the limit. Carrying too much can make the trailer unstable, you could blow a tire, etc.

You should also check the requirements for trailer brakes in your state. Some places, trailer brakes can be required at 1500lbs, 2000lbs, etc. There are some places that say that brakes are required when the total trailer weight is over 50% of the gross vehicle weight (if that was a requirement in your state, you would need breaks if the trailer was fully loaded since 2700lbs is more than half of your tow vehicle's weight).

So, please read your manual and please weigh the trailer with a full load and weight the trailer tongue. The info you gain will keep your family and others on the road safe! :thumbsup:

Your GVWR will be listed on your door sticker with your vin number. The ratings in your manual are based on the powertrain capacity, rather than the capacity of the chassis. Your trailer weight should be under 50% of GVWR, therefore you won't need to turn the overdrive off, unless you notice the engine working hard. It would be wise to turn overdrive off if you are climbing a hill or pushing a strong head wind. Make sure the tires are rated for higher speeds, and if they are, have fun. Personally there is no way I would go under 100km/h (62mph) on the interstate :twocents: .