S10 pulling a one horse trailer

Anonymous-0 · Oct 24, 2009

Sometimes I'd like to pull a little bumper pull 1 horse trailer about 20 miles on smooth, rolling 4 lane with very few stops, with my 4.3 V6 Chevy S10 2x4 pickup. S10 has heavy susp. and an equilizer hitch. Trailer is very light and has surge brakes. Anyone have any personal experience doing this with a compact pickup?

PS: Please don't tell me to get a big truck and trailer. I have those, but thinking about using the S10 for short/local/ one horse trips.

Tom in TN · Oct 24, 2009

Edd,

I have a 1997 Ford Ranger with a 4 cylinder engine, no heavy duty suspension, and no brakes on the trailer. I pull a two horse trailer on normal old Tennessee roads. I am careful. I don't drive fast. I don't accelerate or stop quickly.

I don't think you should have any trouble with your truck/trailer combination.

Tom in TN

Uncle Ernie · Oct 24, 2009

You will do just fine. Pulled a tandem axle car trailer with an Astro for years.

Leland2 · Oct 24, 2009

until a trooper nails you for being over loaded they are cracking down big time now

old · Oct 24, 2009

Yes it can be done but if you do so take it easy and be sure to leave 3 times the space to stop then you would normally. I have pulled a 2 horse trailer behind a Geo Tracker 80 miles one way and 80 miles back with a pony in the trailer. No brakes on the trailer, not a fun trip but I made it but sure wish at the time that I had a heavy thing to pull it with

schmuck · Oct 24, 2009

I had a '92 S-10 and used it to pull a few different trailers while I owned it. I never had any trouble pulling things, but I REALLY wished I had a brake controller. My S-10 only had a 2.8 in it also. If you have surge brakes and have any experience with trailers, I am sure you will be fine.

Anonymous-0 · Oct 25, 2009

Is surge brakes the ones that are activated by the tongue collapsing (lack of better description)? Not a lot of trucks over here (at least not bigger than an S10). I pulled a loaded 2 horse trailer with a VW Passat wagon w/ a 2 liter motor. VW Golfs are rated for the weight you are talking about. Go for it.

Dave

thurlow · Oct 25, 2009

How much more is it gonna cost to use your 'big truck and trailer'? For the few dollars more, why do something you're apparently uncomfortable with..........and asking a group of wanna bee farmers, small time gardeners and yuppies? Is this a 700# horse or a 2000# horse? Is this a single or tandem axle? Personally, wouldn't like to haul 'moving' weight on a single axle trailer under the circumstances described.........

ericlb · Oct 25, 2009

a 1 horse bumper pull trailer should be no problem for the 4.3 and the s10, with a normal size horse in it, by that i mean anything other than the draft breeds, trailer and horse, you should be in the 2500 to 3000 lb range well within that trucks ability, do install a brake controler if you dont have it, and make sure it works, that trailer and horse weighs almost what your truck does and the truck brakes are not enough to stop it by themselves

ericlb · Oct 25, 2009

sorry i didnt remember the trailer has surge brakes, just take it easy and you should be fine

Moline_guy · Oct 25, 2009

I wouldnt think that combination would be any trouble. I seen a guy come through the sale barn one time pulling a 20' gooseneck stock trailer with a dodge dakota, now that was a load. Seen alot of S10's come through pulling small two stall trailers.

F-350 · Oct 25, 2009

I wouldnt even want to tell you all that I have done with a Ford Ranger and had no problems.. By using a little common sense you will do just fine.

TomH in PA · Oct 25, 2009

I assume the truck is rated for a trailer max of 2000# and only a couple of hundred on the bumper. Stay within that and you'll be fine, anything over is illegal and asking for problems. What happens if a minivan full of teenagers pulls out in front of you? You don't want that lawsuit.

Jim from Pa · Oct 25, 2009

Sounds like you feel whatever it is you want to do is more important than the lives of others around you! I have you get nailed the next time you do something that stupid!

TimMiller · Oct 25, 2009

A friend of mine used to pull her horses around with an explorer, I used to pull about 40 bales of hay on a trailer without brakes with an explorer, and I know a guy who pulls a 24' goosneck cargo trailer with a ranger. Best thing to do is when in doubt, see if you vehicle and pull the gross weight of the trailer. It will tell you in the owners manual. The gross trailer weight is usually stamped on the trailer or is done by finding the axle capacity, or the trailer registration.

DickL · Oct 25, 2009

Biggest question I have is how heavy is the horse. My wife weighs more than my horses.

hay · Oct 25, 2009

I think you would be way overloaded on that size truck and a prime target for the police. Stopping distance would have to be greatly increased and acceleration would be greatly diminished. In short, a bigger truck would be much better. Apparently you do not have a bigger truck so either hireing someone to haul for you or renting a truck would be the next best thing. Always have a safe edge out on the roadway as anything can and often does happen.

Walterdavies · Oct 25, 2009

He has surge brakes the controller won't help one bit. I had a 26 ft. Sailboat tandem trailer with surge brakes they work great. Would stop the rig faster than without the trailer attached.
I have a Ranger 4.0 V-6 with over loads low ratio rear ends and I have pulled a trailer with my Cockshutt 35 on it. The only thing bad about the S10 is you can't be over 4' 10" to fit in it or is that 5' 10".
Walt

old · Oct 25, 2009

Sounds like you do not have an idea of what goes on in the real world and what trucker do day in day out. You ever see a truck pulling a mobile home??? Well they are doing pretty much the same thing as I did with that horse trailer. Oh by the way that was 10 plus years ago when I did it and I NEVER got up over 45MPH. I have more then 1.5 million miles on my driving record and do know what it is like to pull the heavy over size and some times unsafe loads and I still carry a class A CLD and in Jan. will have been behind the wheel for 40 years. I have had my liesne since I was 14 years old. Or in other words I'm saying do not pick on some one till you have walked a mile in there shoes

S.Crum · Oct 25, 2009

Sandie the gal down at the gas station pulled her 1 horse hack around to shows for years with an 88' S-10 2X4 and never had any problems. She replaced the S-10 with an F-150. She stated she likes the heavier and stronger F-150 alot better.

Leroy · Oct 25, 2009

He has the same engine as in a lot of full size trucks.

F-350 · Oct 25, 2009

If some kids in a minivan suddenly pull out in front of him they are dead even if hes pulling that horse trailer with a semi. Nothing stops on a dime. Hes going to be pulling it 20 miles on a level 4 lane hiway with few stops.If it was a curvy and hilly 2 lane road I would say dont do it.

Back in the 1970's-80's I pulled a 3 axle bumper hitch 18 ft trailer with no brakes over 50,000 miles with a K-20 Chev 4WD truck.I usually weighed 14-15,000 lbs total and never once had to lock it down.I took my time and drove a long ways ahead. I went real slow thru towns and never tailgated.I live in fairly level and open country which really helps.Some common sense goes a long ways.

schmuck · Oct 26, 2009

HE SAID THE TRAILER HAS SURGE BRAKES AND THE TRUCK HAS A 4.3 V6 IN IT! How much insurance do you think he needs, anyway? Would you have him use a 10-wheeler and a Detroit or what?

Anonymous-0 · Oct 26, 2009

The Ford Ranger has a scrawny chassis and the ends are usually rusted thru.Early F150s were not much better,Ive seen plenty rusted thru just behind the rear axle.

Anonymous-0 · Oct 26, 2009

Trailers over 2000 pounds gross have to have brakes here.Check the rear spring hangers and the ends of the chassis for rustout.

F-350 · Oct 26, 2009

An excellent driver with less than adequate equipment can get away with it because he knows his limitations.

A lousy driver with more than adequate equipment is the one I fear the most because they dont know their limitations! Guess which one causes all the wrecks?

Tim in OR · Oct 26, 2009

My Dad pulled a 21 ft 5th wheel travel trailer all over the country including Alaska, with a 93 Sonoma. He never had a problem. The trailer did have electric brakes on both axles however.
Tim in OR

T_Bone · Oct 27, 2009

Hi Edd,

One time heading down too my fishing hole I passed a 12yo kid in a Ranger pulling a two horse trailer loaded with two saddled horses.

He had crossed a 4 lane road to get too where I was. The nearest town or house was 10miles away.

T_Bone

S10 pulling a one horse trailer

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