Truck or Trailer?

[Tonyray]

ok Pellet loading experts...
looking for a truck to pickup 1 ton pallets as my small 92 toyota pickup won't cut it.
loaded half ton of pellets last year and that was max or it would have prob bottomed out with anymore than that.
someone mentioned getting a trailer would be cheaper but not sure about it..
Although I can't load 1 ton of pellets in my truck [4 cyl/auto/ could I pull a ton of the same weight
with a trailer hooked up to it? safely?
If your familiar with small 4 cyl / rear wheel pickups like that they are pretty much a car with a truck bed attached...Ford Ranger/chevy S10 come to mind..

 

[jackman]

It depends on the rating of your hitch.

 

[DMKNLD]

The issue seems to be less the ability to safely pull the weight as it is the ability to safely brake, especially in a 'panic' / emergency braking situation. Look at your particular Toyo's trailer hauling and hitch specs, but for an automatic tranny '92 Toyo pick-up I believe the total combined weight of the trailer and load can't exceed 2000 lbs. Most utility trailers weigh 300 - 500 lbs empty, so that leaves 1600 lbs + / - in pellet weight to stay within the specs. I believe the Toyo has a 3500 lb combined trailer and load capacity if it's a manual trans due to the better cooling capacity and better downshift / engine breaking ability.

My Toyo manual says any trailer weight over 1000 lbs requires a supplemental trailer braking system, and combined trailer and load weights over 2000 lbs require sway bars. Individual states also have their own trailer regs as well, which are certainly worth following, both for your own safety and the other motoring public, especially in the event of a tire blow out or a jack-knife during an emergency maneuver, as those are the standards you would be held to by 'the boys in the big hats'.

I'm sure someone will chime in here saying "I've hauled X amount of weight over the listed specs and didn't have a problem", and I know that people hauling over-weight pick-ups and trailers do that regularly and get away with it, until they wreck and don't get away with it..... IMO it's not worth the risk of jack-knifing and trashing your truck and trailer, dumping all your pellets on the highway at best, and killing or injuring yourself or an innocent motorist at worst.

That's why it's worth it for me to pay my pellet supplier the nominal delivery drop fee, which for me is cheaper than the gas I would put in to do multiple trips with my trailer at safe capacity loads, besides his ability to unload them into my garage exactly where I want them with his pallet jack in about 15 mins. As always, 'YMMV'.

Now if you've got a heavy duty truck like a dually, that's already set up to safely haul heavy loads like horses or car hauling, and your preferred pellet supplier charges high delivery fees, then it certainly could be a savings to haul your own pellets. For me, the price and cost of vehicle safety on the road has to be figured in.

 

[johneh]

The GMC S15 and Chevy S10 have a full truck frame under them can't speak to the ranger or other
I use a GMC 2500 HD with extra leaf in the rear and over size breaks It is now rated at 1.5 tons
and carries a pallet with ease . 75 Bags

 

[digitys]

Get a real truck

 

[digitys]

I do have a truck and trailer and still utilize the delivery services most places offer. For the short term cost of 50-65 per delivery, totally not worth the risk to your vehicle with that much weight in the bed or trailer. Plus a new truck is pricey!

 

[OhioBurner©]

I do both, 2 on the truck, 1 on the trailer (need to get bigger trailer!)

If I didn't have a full size truck I'd probably take the easy route and be looking for delivery and not messing with the logistics of trying to do it myself.

 

[CleanFire]

I just went through this exercise over a 2 day period w/ a 2008 Ford Taurus sedan all wheel drive, has a V6 motor and larger wheels/brakes - 1/2 ton was the safe limit for this vehicle.. Needed 2 trips.

We also own a 2000 Kia Sportage (4 cyl.) 4x4 w/ travel utility trailer rated @ 1,500 lbs. - I wouldn't even try to haul a 1/2 ton load w/ that vehicle split between the passenger cabin & trailer: it would be too much stress on the motor & brakes / it would be an unsafe trip.

Agree w/ everyone above, not worth taking the risk w/ the 92 Toyota - you need more trips, a bigger truck, or delivery..

 

[alternativeheat]

The Ford Rangers have full frames, you can put a class III hitch on them. I don't know about the 4 bangers but the 4.0L 6 cylinder with auto trans was rated at 3500 lb tow capacity, more than that you needed a class IV or V hitch, trailer brakes etc. I'm going by memory here from the owners manual of my Ranger I once owned so don't quote the numbers please.

The Toyota isn't built a whole lot different but their frames rot out in certain years. You can go by most any Toyota dealer and find a stack of either brand new frames out back or old rotted ones they changed out. Or at least of a year ago you could. They had a campaign going to change out rotted frames. However that doesn't say what the specs are LOL ! Personally I'd put the class 3 hitch on if the frame is good, if its an auto trans make sure it has an auxiliary tranny cooler, if not add one.. Most vehicles stop pretty good at country road speeds with a load behind them. Get up to hiway speed and that's another whole matter. I tow a trailer with my X-Terra and tow my boat to main. It's rated to tow the boat fine but that boat and trailer combo is right on the limit for required brakes and stopping fast is a silly concept as the brakes age a little on the vehicle. The little trailer with pellets is fine or with my garden tractor etc.. But, always a but right !. Compare the cost of all that with years of delivery charges if all you use the trailer for is pellets. I don't its my Utility Trailer, Garden trailer, Landscape trailer, I use it as such.

 

[Bridgeman]

I have a F150 and a trailer capable of hauling 2000 pounds. I always have my pellets delivered. $65 is pretty cheap considering the Moffett forklift will put the pallets where you want them.
I think there are two strategies that make sense. One is the bulk purchase of a seasons supply with delivery. The other is picking up pellets on a weekly or other periodic schedule that coincides with grocery shopping or other supply runs to town. Both have advantages and disadvantages.
The worse deal is a major investment in a trailer or truck to "save" money hauling pellets. It would be cheaper to burn oil or propane. Every situation differs and there could be situations where the investment is logical. I just have a problem investing tens of thousands of dollars to save hundreds.

 

[Old Spartan]

I will have my pellets delivered as long as the added cost is less than 20 per ton. If more I will use the Suburban and a trailer to haul them 3.25 ton per clip. Storage is in a shed about 20 feet from the drop zone so any fork lift use is at the convenience of the delivery people.

The Suburban and trailer are equipped with an air brake system.

 

[moey]

Unless you do something construction wise or have unlimited money I would suggest a trailer. To buy something to accommodate something you do a couple times a year seems like a silly way to make a decision. I use a trailer to haul pellets a crappy one cant even handle a full ton but its all my car can handle. Its done the job over the years.

I remember my S-10 being rated for 6500# towing it would look ridiculous pulling my 25ft boat. I remember having to brake very early. The dock was only a couple miles and it only went in and out a few times a year. Not sure how they can rate some of these vehicles for so much capacity.

I use my trailer for a lot. Plywood appliances furniture drywall etc. It was only $600 and has paid for itself. Check insurance where I live registration is only $8 a year no insurance it goes with the vehicle.

 

[moey]

Heres some specs Im sure you know them. Looks like its rated for 3500# not much for a "truck". Definitely not a Ford Ranger or S-10 they are pretty much crotch rockets on a truck frame.

http://www.cargurus.com/Cars/1992-Toyota-Pickup-Specs-c3641


Heres a trailer

http://www.lowes.com/pd_52352-15476-6X10GWHS_4294641556__?productId=3034543&Ns=p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&pl=1&currentURL=?Ns=p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&facetInfo=

Not recommending it but about $1600. You would probably be around 2500-2800lbs with trailer weight and pellets. No way you could do two tons. Hitches usually are $150-$300 depending upon how much metal there is to hook it up.

 

[Jason845845]

Is there a Uhaul in your area? I rent their pickup trucks whenever I need one. $30 3 or 4 times a year certainly beats anywhere from the $3000-$60000 I could spend on a truck.

 

[legrandice]

I realized I am in the minority due to all of the trucks out there but I LOVE trailers! I have several different ones depending on what I am doing. They can stay at home when not needed. I need a SUV for work, so it's perfect. The one that gets the most use is a worthington aluminum 5x10. It weighs around 500lbs so I can carry 2500 per the sticker and 3000 per the axle rating (no brakes).

 

[Tonyray]

OP:
good replies from everyone here....thanks..

was never intending to get a New Truck JUST for pellet hauling..
was concidering older used heavy duty around same price I would sell my 92 Toyota Pickup/extra seats in back./Lear cab for...... 5K..
The Toyota has only 81,000 original miles, ownd by an older guy who bought it new and only put 3-4 K miles a year on it and it was Garaged all that time. So clean and no rust.
I bought it 6 yrs ago and it's not used daily so still in great shape.. I check used trucks every day..prob will skip the trailer idea...Sounds to risky and unsafe.

 

[jp0469]

Get both! Actually, I have a truck for lots of reasons but I won't put a ton in my 1500 (payload rating is about 1700 lbs.). My trailer is rated up to about 2500 lbs (GVWR of 3000 minus trailer weight of 500). In Massachusetts, trailer brakes are not required until you exceed 3000 combined.

 

[Snowy Rivers]

We have had trucks and Suburbans for years.
Currently we have a 2500 4x4 Burb to tow the trailer.

In the past, I have stacked a full ton of pellets in a 2500 Burb.

Gotta stack by hand, but the Burb will do it.

The best part of the Burb is that it will haul lotsa people too.

 

[3650]

I've got a Dodge Cummins 4x4 dually and a triple axle trailer. I get my pellets delivered.

 

[Ranger72]

I'd like a small trailer too, but it would just take up space in front of the garage. So I go this route:

 

[batchman]

If your truck is sound you'd be bucks ahead to work with it instead of replacing it. Taking 1 ton at a time by putting 1/3 of it in the bed and the rest on a small utility trailer is probably what I'd do. You will find many uses for the trailer and they are very cheap to buy/register/insure - as long as you can store it and are willing to learn how to manipulate it. Backing up will be an adventure at first, but worth knowing how to do!

Even though I have a 1-ton diesel dually and an enclosed car trailer (4000lb payload), I need my pellets delivered with the off-road forklift.

Cheers,
- Jeff

 

[Tonyray]

View attachment 156124

Get both! Actually, I have a truck for lots of reasons but I won't put a ton in my 1500 (payload rating is about 1700 lbs.). My trailer is rated up to about 2500 lbs (GVWR of 3000 minus trailer weight of 500). In Massachusetts, trailer brakes are not required until you exceed 3000 combined.

really? your truck won't hold ton in the back?

 

[Ranger72]

really? your truck won't hold ton in the back?

His truck will, but it is slightly over payload.

 

[titanracer]

Right now TSC is running a sale on this trailer for $999.99. Payload rated for 2040 lb. & 3500 lb. axle rating. Should be efficient for a ton of pellets. I thinks that's a hell of a deal. Put it on your TSC credit card, you have 12 months of interest free.

http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/carry-on-trailer-utility-trailer-wood-floor-66-in-x-120-in

 

[GeHmTS]

I just normally rent a truck from home depot. It's affordable and cheap.