What Truck Dealerships Won’t Tell You: Horse Trailer Towing Tips

When it comes to towing horse trailers, there’s more to consider than just your vehicle’s towing capacity. In the latest episode of the Double D Trailers Podcast, Brad Heath dives deep into the complexities of towing safety. After speaking with various Chevy, GMC, Ford, and Dodge dealerships, Brad shares invaluable insights into the most common towing mistakes horse owners make and how to avoid them.

Tune in below!

More From the Episode

Three Types of Horse Trailer Buyers:

1. The Planner: This type of buyer specs out their horse trailer first before buying a tow vehicle. Brad emphasizes that this is the best way to ensure your tow vehicle can safely handle the trailer’s weight and dimensions. He advises that choosing the right trailer first ensures you get the appropriate tow vehicle with the correct ratings for safety.
2. The Backward Shopper: Many buyers purchase a tow vehicle first and then look for a trailer that fits. This approach often leads to safety compromises. For example, buyers might focus on lighter trailers to fit their vehicle’s capacity, which can result in under-built trailers that lack the necessary bracing and structural integrity. Brad advises against shopping for trailers solely based on weight, emphasizing that more weight equals better safety.
3. The Round Peg, Square Hole Buyer: This group tries to make their existing tow vehicle work with a trailer, even if it isn’t a good fit. Brad shares a cautionary tale of a customer wanting to haul a fully loaded two-horse trailer with a Chevy Tahoe, a vehicle not rated to handle the tongue weight or payload. This leads to dangerous scenarios, such as squatting vehicles and poor handling.

The Misconception of Lighter Trailers:

Brad debunks one of the most common myths in the horse trailer industry: “Lighter trailers are better.” While a lighter trailer might seem easier to tow, it often lacks the structural support needed in high-stress situations, such as accidents or unruly horses. He explains that heavier trailers with thicker materials and better bracing offer superior protection for both horses and drivers.

Talking to Dealerships:

Brad shares his experience of calling multiple dealerships to inquire about tow vehicles for horse trailers. While some salespeople are well-informed, others can give misleading advice, such as focusing solely on tow capacity without considering payload capacity or tongue weight. He stresses the importance of understanding these numbers when buying a tow vehicle and urges listeners to ask the right questions to ensure a safe and reliable towing experience.

Key Takeaways:

• Weight matters: Heavier trailers provide better protection and stability in accidents.
• Bracing is key: Look for trailers with solid construction and plenty of bracing to ensure safety.
• Know your numbers: Understand tow capacity, tongue weight, and payload to ensure your vehicle can safely handle the trailer and its load.
• Choose the trailer first: Spec out your trailer needs first, then match the tow vehicle to the trailer, not the other way around.

Host (Brad): Welcome to the Double D Trailers Podcast! Today, we’re diving headfirst into towing and towing issues, trying to dissect all the important details. For this episode, I had a bit of fun—I actually called multiple vehicle dealerships, including Chevy, GMC, Ford, and Dodge. I spoke with salespeople, towing specialists, and even checked out used vehicles. I’ll share some of the information I found, as I've been doing this for nearly 30 years now—about 26 years to be exact.

[00:01:00]
Over the years, I've identified three different types of customers that come to us for trailers:

1. Customer Type 1: Trailer First, Tow Vehicle Later
   The first type of customer is the one who specs out their horse trailer needs first. We'll go through the build-out process, price it out, create drawings, and determine all the parameters—whether it's a gooseneck or a bumper pull, the number of horses, living quarters, side ramps, wheelbase, etc. Once they know exactly what they need, they'll go to a dealership to buy a tow vehicle that’s adequately rated for the trailer.If you're that type of customer, congratulations! This is always the best approach. Spec out your trailer first and then get the tow vehicle that can handle it safely.
2. Customer Type 2: Tow Vehicle First, Trailer Second
   The second type of customer already has a tow vehicle. For example, you may have just purchased a new SUV, like a Chevy Tahoe, Yukon, or Wagoneer. Then, six months later, you decide you want a new horse trailer, so you start looking at trailer specs to see what matches your tow vehicle. Unfortunately, this approach is backward because tow vehicles are designed to tow a certain range, and not all vehicles are created equal.A huge misconception I see is customers thinking they should go for the lightest weight trailer possible, as long as it’s below the tow capacity of their vehicle. The lighter, the better, right? Well, actually, that's completely wrong. In the case of horse trailers, you want to look for something with more weight—it’s often a sign of more bracing, thicker materials, and better protection in case of accidents. Lightweight trailers can be flimsy, and in collisions, they may not protect your horses as well. More weight is actually your friend when it comes to trailers.

[00:04:00]
For example, I had a conversation with someone looking at a European-style trailer. They’re built with fiberglass or composite panels, and there’s just not much bracing. You can Google videos of these trailers in accidents—they literally explode. Here in the U.S., trailers are still made of steel, aluminum, or a mix of composite materials. If you’re buying a 15-foot bumper pull, look for the heaviest one that fits your needs. More weight means more bracing, thicker tubing, and stronger dividers. Imagine getting into an accident—if you're in a 5,000-pound SUV versus a 3,000-pound car, which would you rather be in?

3. Customer Type 3: Trying to Make a Bad Fit Work
   The third type of customer already has a tow vehicle but wants us to build a trailer that fits it, even if the specs don’t match up well. We often see customers with SUVs like a Chevy Tahoe that’s rated for 8,500 pounds and a tongue weight rating of 800 pounds, trying to haul a two-horse bumper pull with cabinetry or living quarters in the front. Just the empty trailer with two horses is at the max tongue weight, and when they ask us to move the axles forward to reduce the tongue weight, it’s a huge no-no. The axles are positioned to ensure stability and safety. Moving them could lead to negative tongue weight, which can throw you into a ditch.

[00:08:00]
It’s dangerous when the vehicle isn’t rated for the trailer. Even a small change like adding passengers or luggage to an SUV can dramatically affect handling, especially when towing. If you need to tow, spec out your trailer first and then buy a tow vehicle capable of safely hauling it.

[00:09:00]
Towing Specs and Talking to Dealerships
To get more clarity on towing capacity and specs, I called multiple dealerships. I spoke with Chevy, GMC, Ford, and even Jeep dealerships in Wilmington. I told them I was looking for an SUV, like a Chevy Tahoe, and explained that I had a 7,500-pound two-horse trailer with around 1,200 pounds of tongue weight. Most of the salespeople told me the vehicle could pull it, but when I mentioned the tongue weight, they realized it was an issue. The tongue weight was beyond the 800-pound hitch rating of those vehicles, and all three people ended up steering me in the right direction, which I appreciated.

[00:12:00]
I also called a Ford dealership that had a used Yukon XL. I asked if it could safely pull my trailer. The salesperson said it could, without asking any follow-up questions. That would have been an unsafe combination, with overloaded tongue weight. Similarly, I spoke to a Jeep dealership about the new Wagoneer. They also assured me it could pull the trailer, even though the hitch rating would have been exceeded.

[00:14:00]
The most concerning was when I called a truck dealership. I told them I was interested in a Dodge diesel for hauling a three-horse trailer with living quarters. The towing specialist assured me that a 3/4-ton Dodge would do the job. The problem was, the payload rating on that truck was only 2,690 pounds, and my trailer would have had a tongue weight over 3,000 pounds. That means, even before adding passengers or cargo, I would have been overloaded. It would have been an unsafe setup.

[00:17:00]
This happened repeatedly—dealerships told me what I wanted to hear, focusing on the towing capacity without considering payload or tongue weight, which are critical to safety. The problem is, while a vehicle may be able to pull a certain weight, it’s not necessarily rated to carry it. It’s like moving a piece of furniture—you might be able to push or pull it across the room, but picking it up is another story. The payload capacity is what really matters when towing.

[00:20:00]
Two Key Numbers to Consider When Buying a Tow Vehicle
When buying a tow vehicle, the only two numbers that truly matter are:

1. Total Trailer Weight (the weight you’re towing).
2. Tongue Weight (the weight your vehicle needs to carry).

Manufacturers make it confusing with terms like GAWR, GVWR, and so on. But all you need to know is the total weight and tongue weight. Vehicle manufacturers often don’t make this information easily accessible, but it’s crucial to ensuring a safe tow.

Most horse trailer manufacturers in the U.S. don’t even stamp the actual weight of the trailer on the tag, just the GVWR (which is the capacity of the axles, tires, and wheels). It makes it challenging for customers to know exactly what their trailer weighs or what the tongue weight is. That's why it’s so important to work with a reputable company that can provide accurate information.

[00:25:00]
Wrapping Up
If you’re buying a used or new tow vehicle for your horse trailer, please do your homework. Make sure the vehicle can safely tow and carry the load. Work with knowledgeable professionals who can provide accurate specs. The only numbers that matter are the total trailer weight and the tongue weight. If you have any doubts, feel free to reach out to us.

Thanks for listening, and I hope you found this information helpful! Stay tuned for our next episode, and as always, if you have questions, feel free to send them in.