Trailer ball weight ratings, building a new trailer

[JCasper]

We are looking at having a custom Deckover trailer built for my Father-in-laws company. We are planning on it being 18-20' long with tandem 10,000lb axles 17. 5" wheels and he wants it to be a bumper pull so that we still have the full 14' available on the new 5500 we bought.



I may have more questions, but my main one is this: Can we find a 2 5'16" trailer ball and coupler capable of the weight. In all honesty we probably won't put more then 10-12K on the trailer so the weight won't be right up to capacity of the trailer. I just want to find a trailer ball and coupler with the highest capacity possible.



I think the one on my Dodge right now is rated for 12K if I remember correctly.

 

[steved]

We are looking at having a custom Deckover trailer built for my Father-in-laws company. We are planning on it being 18-20' long with tandem 10,000lb axles 17. 5" wheels and he wants it to be a bumper pull so that we still have the full 14' available on the new 5500 we bought.

I may have more questions, but my main one is this: Can we find a 2 5'16" trailer ball and coupler capable of the weight. In all honesty we probably won't put more then 10-12K on the trailer so the weight won't be right up to capacity of the trailer. I just want to find a trailer ball and coupler with the highest capacity possible.

I think the one on my Dodge right now is rated for 12K if I remember correctly.

Tractor Supply Company has forged steel receiver mounts and "goose neck" balls (that fit the forged mount) in those ratings (20k pounds).

I'm going to hazard a guess you will be stepping up the receiver itself to a 2. 5" variety to match it... I doubt a 2" hitch will be found in a 20k rating. Or you'll be custom building one to handle the weight.

 

[JCasper]

The receiver will still be a 2" square, but the hitch on the flatbed will be reinforced more then normal. The bed builder knows are intentions and is building to suit.



I have seen and actually have a drawbar that is solid steel. I think it's rated at 15K. That will be enough for our plans. We are trying to over build the trailer

 

[steved]

If you can find a ball with the weight rating you are looking for, the weakest point would probably be the hitch itself or the pin. I'm pretty sure those 2-5/16" balls at TSC are rated at 25k.



I know I have seen the forged ball mounts at tractor supply... I would not worry about the strength of a forged mount because, again, it probably exceeds the hitch itself.



As for the trailer coupler... some of the hitches at TSC are rated for upwards of 25k.

 

[JCasper]

If you can find a ball with the weight rating you are looking for, the weakest point would probably be the hitch itself or the pin. I'm pretty sure those 2-5/16" balls at TSC are rated at 25k.



I know I have seen the forged ball mounts at tractor supply... I would not worry about the strength of a forged mount because, again, it probably exceeds the hitch itself.



As for the trailer coupler... some of the hitches at TSC are rated for upwards of 25k.

Yup, I found the balls for 25K. I will just have to find a coupler and drawbar that are rated at 15K or so.



I know the one drawbar I have that is rated at 15K I bought from Napa.

 

[HBarlow]

I think you'll probably have to settle for a 2 5/16" coupler on the trailer which will not be rated for the maximum capacity of the trailer you're building. I think the maximum rating of the coupler will be around 12k but I'm not certain. It won't hurt to build the trailer strong like you described but in order to legally carry the weight it will be capable of I think you'll have to go with a pintle hook connector on the trailer.

Why not build it as a gooseneck? A GN will provide more capacity, more stable towing, and significantly improved safety.

 

[boatpuller]

Here's one good for 15K

Trailer Parts Superstore - 2-5/16" H. D. One Piece Cast Steel Coupler



I know I've seen the A-Frame couplers that are good to 25K somewhere.

 

[JCasper]

I think you'll probably have to settle for a 2 5/16" coupler on the trailer which will not be rated for the maximum capacity of the trailer you're building. I think the maximum rating of the coupler will be around 12k but I'm not certain. It won't hurt to build the trailer strong like you described but in order to legally carry the weight it will be capable of I think you'll have to go with a pintle hook connector on the trailer.



Why not build it as a gooseneck? A GN will provide more capacity, more stable towing, and significantly improved safety.

I want to build it as a gooseneck or buy a PJ trailer, but my Father-in-law wants a bumper pull to leave the whole bed on the truck free. We currently have a triple axle gooseneck, but it's getting a bit worn out.

 

[JCasper]

Here's one good for 15K

Trailer Parts Superstore - 2-5/16" H. D. One Piece Cast Steel Coupler



I know I've seen the A-Frame couplers that are good to 25K somewhere.

Thanks for that. When we get ready I will be sure we come back to this thread

 

[JCasper]

Here's another one



Trailer Coupler 2-5/16" Adjustable (15,000 lbs. ) 80281 : Trailer hitch bike rack and trailer hitches - etrailer.com

 

[jelag]

Joe

We have several trucks, pulling up to a 24K lb trailer... all of my stuff are either gooseneck or 5th wheel... I personally think your nothing more than an accident waiting to happen trying to make a pull trailer do what your trying to do...

In addition, your in OR where you'll have to scale this truck and the driver will need a class A combination license to drive it... Remember once you put that logo on the side of the truck you've now entered the commercial world of trucking... . the key here is that if the truck & trailer are licensed over 26K the commercial driver is required, and running it through all those scale houses as well... .

Our large trailers are electric over hydraulic disc brakes... if your not set up right a very heavy trailer like this that is not a 5th wheel or goose neck will push your truck around... even your new 5500... . with a gooseneck or 5th wheel you've moved the weight in front of the axle so when it pushes its more forward. . not side ways...

Lets assume for a minute that you load the trailer with 12K, the base weight of a trailer this big has to be 5500 - 7500 lbs based on how its set up... . that is 17K or so plus the weight of the 5500 and bed... . I can't see where this combo would ever be under 26K even with a light load... .

I have a BIL in Sherwood, hauling a small track hoe behind a F350 with a trailer... I don't think his whole load ever gets close to 20K or so... . its a small track hoe... but he's often talked about how when its really dicy... . wet leaves, cool fall morning and crazies are out... . he just won't go out with it... . as its stopping distance is so bad... .

But than maybe we'll get a chance to chat about this on Friday...

 

[HBarlow]

Here's another one

Trailer Coupler 2-5/16" Adjustable (15,000 lbs. ) 80281 : Trailer hitch bike rack and trailer hitches - etrailer.com

Good info.

I didn't know 15k ball couplers were manufactured but I noticed the ad says it is a new product. It is an Atwood which is a quality namebrand and sold by eTrailer which is a reputable internet vendor. The photo indicates it is built strong. I would buy and use one but still feel your f-i-l should reconsider a gooseneck.

 

[JCasper]

Jim, Harvey, those are all very good points



I do wish He'd buy a gooseneck trailer to do this also. I know currently with the F550 they have they keep the amount of weight on the truck to about 10K. When they hook the gooseneck up I think they keep the total weight that they load up to around 14K on truck and trailer. I am sure they are over 26K at that point, I'm just not sure how much.



My FIL for some reason likes bumper pull trailers. He seems to think that having the whole bed of the truck free for some reason is a good thing. I guess maybe in the summer time it will serve a little better hauling hay, but that's not that often. The only reason that would be advantageous to him is if he is delivering a light load. I guess there are times where the pallets he is hauling are closer to 1,300lbs vs the 2,500lb pallets I was hauling. It just all depends on what he is loading up.



FWIW this truck will never have a logo on the side, none in the past ever have.



I'm curious to run the new 5500 across the scale Saturday. I'm guessing it will come in around 10K or so with the 14' bed on it.

 

[steved]

The one on my trailer is rated at 25k... and I believe it is the same as those sold at Tractor Supply Company.

 

[cojhl2]

I think you'll probably have to settle for a 2 5/16" coupler on the trailer which will not be rated for the maximum capacity of the trailer you're building. I think the maximum rating of the coupler will be around 12k but I'm not certain. It won't hurt to build the trailer strong like you described but in order to legally carry the weight it will be capable of I think you'll have to go with a pintle hook connector on the trailer.



Why not build it as a gooseneck? A GN will provide more capacity, more stable towing, and significantly improved safety.

We have several trailers, all bumper pull. Some have pintle hook and they are trailers of the larger capacity. I always assumed that the pintle hook was because of the larger GVWR.



It is no problem, we just have multiple receivers, one for 2-5/16 and the other for pintle.

 

[LandShark]

I am using this stinger with a 14,000# trailer weight, and 2,000# tongue weight rating on a 2 5/16" ball:
eBay Motors: Aluminum Receiver Hitch Ball KIT 2-5/16 ball 4 Drop 14K (item 350141174315 end time Jan-14-09 13:22:00 PST)

with a Putnum Hitch that has a 15,000# rating (1500# tongue) (without WD). I don't tow over 10,000 pounds, but like to have the security and also to be able to tow heavy without using a weight distributing setup.

 

[RBROOKS]

casper, take hbarlows advice, its not that you cant do it, its what happens when you have a problem, lots of hungry attorneys out there just looking for your $$$, thats the very reason we went to the 5500, we had a little expereince a couple of years ago on an unrelated problem and it still hurts and your insurance co might hang you out to dry, they did us---rich

 

[ENafziger]

I don't know if you have an O. G. Hughes around your area, but I was in there a couple days ago, and they have 2 5/16 balls and equipment rated to 40,000 lbs. Cost was about $50 for the ball.

--Eric