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Car Trailer Weight: All You Need to Know

Car Trailer Weight: All You Need to Know

When you’re looking for a car trailer, there are numerous options to choose from. You do your research and spare no expense to find the one that can transport your car securely.

However, you find that almost every trailer has a different capacity, structure, dimensions, and weight.

While capacity, structure, and dimensions can help you narrow down your options, there are many other factors that go into a trailer’s weight than just a few numbers assigned to a vehicle.

In this post, we take an in-depth look into what car trailer weight is. We also discuss why, when choosing a car trailer, you should consider its weight, so let’s dive into it!

What Is Car Trailer Weight?

A car trailer weighs an average of 1,900 pounds, but it can weigh as little as 1,500 pounds or as much as 2,800 pounds.

These figures, however, only represent an unloaded and unfueled car trailer’s weight, which is called empty weight range.

Empty weight range, also known as dry weight, curb weight, and unloaded weight, is a trailer’s weight minus any cargo or fluids.

In reality, though, when we ask about a car trailer weight, we usually mean the trailer’s Gross Vehicle Weight Rating.

Gross Vehicle Weight Rating

Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) is the maximum weight of a trailer after accounting for the trailer’s empty weight, passengers’ weight, fuel, accessories, cargo, and tongue weight.

Most car trailers have a GVWR ranging from 6,000 to 15,000 pounds.

For instance, if you have a car trailer that has a 2,800-pound empty weight and a 13,000-pound GVWR, the load the trailer carries would have to be under 10,000 pounds. This weight takes into consideration the weight of fuel and passengers.

That’s why you shouldn’t load the car trailer over its gross weight. You should also know the towing vehicle’s towing capacity because, even if you properly load the trailer, it may be too heavy for the vehicle to pull.

Steel vs. Aluminum Car Trailer Weight

The decision between a steel and an aluminum car trailer is usually based on cost.

Steel car trailers tend to be cheaper and more durable, but they’re susceptible to rusting. As a result, steel car trailers have a shorter lifespan.

Aluminum car trailers, on the other hand, are much more expensive, but they’re worth the extra investment due to their corrosion resistance and sturdiness, which gives them a longer lifespan.

Aside from influencing your financial decision, the material of a car trailer plays a significant role in its weight.

Benefits of Aluminum Car Trailers

In general, aluminum is about 2.5x lighter than steel. For car trailers, aluminum trailers tend to weigh 10 to 15% less than steel trailers.

This fact is a paramount consideration because the lighter your trailer is, the more weight you can haul on it.

In addition, you can save up on gas when you’re towing a light trailer.

That said, an unloaded aluminum car trailer is light enough that it can be blown around in windy or slippery conditions.

Benefits of Steel Car Trailers

If you live or are moving in harsh conditions, you should consider steel car trailers. Just make sure they’re galvanized to reduce the likelihood of rusting.

The heavyweight of the steel can keep the trailer from being blown around, increasing the safety of the towing process.

Accessories and Upgrades

To fulfill your requirements, you may need to add accessories or upgrade your car trailer.

Some people, for example, modify car trailers to give them a higher ceiling. Others install air conditioning units in enclosed car trailers.

Whatever you add to the trailer, the extra pounds add to the trailer’s weight, which decreases the trailer’s payload capacity.

Reasons Knowing Car Trailer Weight Is Essential

You simply can’t use any car trailer because each towing car can only handle a certain amount of weight. Anything above that capacity may result in some vehicle damages.

As a general rule, if the GVWR of the car trailer exceeds 85% of the towing vehicle’s curb weight, the vehicle may sustain substantial damage.

Engine Damage

Most efficient towing vehicles are built with high coolant capacity radiators and heavy water pumps.

When your vehicle isn’t designed to tow fully laden trailers, or the trailer is heavier than the vehicle’s towing capacity, the radiator won’t be able to cool down the engine as it tries to pull the full weight of the vehicle and the trailer.

That’s not to say that you can’t use your car to tow a car trailer. Just find out the car’s towing capacity and don’t let the car trailer exceed 85% of that capacity.

What’s more, if you frequently tow heavy car trailers, you may benefit from an auxiliary engine oil cooler. This cooler keeps the engine oil from degrading due to the extreme heat.

Suspension System Damage

A car’s suspension system is intended to support the vehicle’s weight as well as its maximum towing capacity.

If the car tows more than its suspension system can handle, the weight may break or prematurely wear out the suspension system’s components, such as the torsion bars and U-bolts.

Braking System Damage

Because car trailers lack their own braking system, the towing vehicle’s brakes must bear the entire weight of the vehicle and trailer.

An overladen towing vehicle can generate enough heat to crystallize the brakes. When this happens, the brakes become ineffective.

In addition, the high heat may cause the rubber seal on the brakes to melt, causing the car’s braking system to fail.

In Conclusion

In the end, each car trailer has its own capacity, dimensions, construction, and accessories. You must also consider the number of cars a trailer is built to carry.

That’s why car trailer weight will vary from trailer to trailer and brand to brand. It’s also why you should request all weight information on the car trailers you’re interested in.

Once you’ve armed yourself with all the details you need, you can reach a more educated decision when choosing a car trailer.