How Do I go About Piecing Together a Towing Rig for Frequent House Moving  

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Expert Reply:

The weight of the furniture will add up very quickly, so I would look at the 6,000 or 7,500 pound towing capacity trucks. 3,000 would definitely be too small. Trailer sizes and weight capacities vary quite a bit. When looking at a trailer, it will have a capacity listed on the trailer to tell you how much weight the trailer axles can carry.

Anything over a couple thousand pounds can greatly benefit from a brake system. At 6,000 or 7,000 pounds I would suggest having brakes on at least 2 of the trailer axles. With brakes on the trailer, you will also need a brake controller in the truck, like Tekonsha Prodigy part # 90885.

When purchasing a truck, you definitely will want a full size truck with a V8. It would not have to be the largest V8 the manufacturer offers, but with an entire household you will want the power when going up hill.

When selecting a truck, choose a full size like a Ford F-150 or Chevy Silverado 1500 with a V8 and a tow package. For a trailer with trailer brakes, you will want to have a 7-Way trailer connector at the rear of the truck.

Heavier trucks like the Ford F-250 Super Duty or a Chevy Silverado 2500HD will have larger transmission coolers in them from the factory, but if you go with an F-150 or Silverado 1500 a transmission cooler, like part # D13504 or # D13502 would be needed.

I would take the process of building a towing rig one step at a time. First select a full size truck with a towing package that includes a 2 inch or larger hitch and a 7-Way trailer connector. After you get your truck, I would then pick out a trailer that is big enough and hearty enough to hold your cargo load. Then I would pick whatever parts you need to make it work with your truck like a brake controller, transmission cooler, draw bar and hitch ball.

expert reply by: Patrick B

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