7,000 Pound Utility Trailer vs 7000 Pound Enclosed Trailer

[Left Coast Geek]

I would go for an enclosed trailer but get one that narrows down in the front to have less wind resistance. Either open or closed trailer will take some getting used to especially in tight spots if your wife has never towed before. Like the other folks have mentioned get a weight distributing hitch with sway control which will greatly improve the driver & towing experience and give your wife more confidence behind the wheel. https://www.reeseprod.com/products/weight-distribution/strait-line/xDqAUvNOHeKtsUlhKkqrPpp1KSMoYS1U

a square flat back is just as bad as a flat front, that creates an enormous drag which goes up with like the cube of the speed. you ideally want a trailer with rounded corners all around.

 

[bb37]

you ideally want a trailer with rounded corners all around.

Does Airstream make toy haulers?

 

[zeecarr]

I just towed my 7x16 v-nose cargo trailer 1300 miles and averaged 8.7 mpg at 74 mph on I-95. The whole trip was fairly flat (no mountains). This one is dual axle and has a 7 foot interior height so it is really a high drag in the wind. It might get one mpg more when it is empty compared to when it had a few thousand pounds in it. Wind resistance and speed are the main determiners of mileage. Also seems like it got a little better mileage when running 93 octane instead of 87. Probably not enough better to pay the difference in price though.
This was the first time towing this trailer since trading in my 2022 F150 hybrid on the 2023 Expo. The Expo has all of the trailer options. It really pulled the big trailer great! The added maneuverability and shorter turing radius made it a lot better experience than using the F150 and got better mileage too! I was kind of surprised. The F150 has a higher capacity of 12,700 lbs instead of 9,500 for the Expo, but for pulling within its range I will take the Expo any day over the F150. The hands free reverse is also great and once again the shorter vehicle and turning radius seemed to make reversing in a tight spot easier in the Expo than the F150.

 

[Calidad]

I just towed my 7x16 v-nose cargo trailer 1300 miles and averaged 8.7 mpg at 74 mph on I-95. The whole trip was fairly flat (no mountains). This one is dual axle and has a 7 foot interior height so it is really a high drag in the wind. It might get one mpg more when it is empty compared to when it had a few thousand pounds in it. Wind resistance and speed are the main determiners of mileage. Also seems like it got a little better mileage when running 93 octane instead of 87. Probably not enough better to pay the difference in price though.
This was the first time towing this trailer since trading in my 2022 F150 hybrid on the 2023 Expo. The Expo has all of the trailer options. It really pulled the big trailer great! The added maneuverability and shorter turing radius made it a lot better experience than using the F150 and got better mileage too! I was kind of surprised. The F150 has a higher capacity of 12,700 lbs instead of 9,500 for the Expo, but for pulling within its range I will take the Expo any day over the F150. The hands free reverse is also great and once again the shorter vehicle and turning radius seemed to make reversing in a tight spot easier in the Expo than the F150.

I’m curious how the F15O would do with my boat. Weight and cooling. Just ran a F250 6.8L 190 miles with the boat. Surprisingly the 6.8 needs flogging 3500-4500 rpm where the 3.5 just pulled hard at 2000-3000rpm.

 

[LanceExp2025]

I just towed my 7x16 v-nose cargo trailer 1300 miles and averaged 8.7 mpg at 74 mph on I-95. The whole trip was fairly flat (no mountains). This one is dual axle and has a 7 foot interior height so it is really a high drag in the wind. It might get one mpg more when it is empty compared to when it had a few thousand pounds in it. Wind resistance and speed are the main determiners of mileage. Also seems like it got a little better mileage when running 93 octane instead of 87. Probably not enough better to pay the difference in price though.
This was the first time towing this trailer since trading in my 2022 F150 hybrid on the 2023 Expo. The Expo has all of the trailer options. It really pulled the big trailer great! The added maneuverability and shorter turing radius made it a lot better experience than using the F150 and got better mileage too! I was kind of surprised. The F150 has a higher capacity of 12,700 lbs instead of 9,500 for the Expo, but for pulling within its range I will take the Expo any day over the F150. The hands free reverse is also great and once again the shorter vehicle and turning radius seemed to make reversing in a tight spot easier in the Expo than the F150.

Hi Zeecarr:

Sounds like a nice trailer you have there and an easy tow w/ your Expy. What would you estimate the weight of your trailer when empty and total trailer weight when loaded? What was the MPG when towing your trailer loaded? We have NOT towed anything w/ our new 2024 Expy (w/ HD Towing) yet, but plan on a short 400 mile round trip in June with our 3-horse, slant-load Horse Trailer (but w/ only 2 horses), in tow. It's a tandem axle trailer w/ 4-wheel electric brakes and rated at 7000# gross w/ 3 horses & tack but, even w/ our previous V8 2012 Expy, we never hauled 3 horses at once so never exceeded 5500-6000# total weight. It is also a rounded V-Nose trailer on the front but flat doors on the back so, I guess that nose doesn't do much good for aerodynamics per, Left Coast Geeks knowledgeable explanations above.

Do you use a Weight Distribution Hitch or not, w/ your trailer? Thanks for your experience and knowledge, Lance.

 

[Calidad]

Hi Zeecarr:

Sounds like a nice trailer you have there and an easy tow w/ your Expy. What would you estimate the weight of your trailer when empty and total trailer weight when loaded? What was the MPG when towing your trailer loaded? We have NOT towed anything w/ our new 2024 Expy (w/ HD Towing) yet, but plan on a short 400 mile round trip in June with our 3-horse, slant-load Horse Trailer (but w/ only 2 horses), in tow. It's a tandem axle trailer w/ 4-wheel electric brakes and rated at 7000# gross w/ 3 horses & tack but, even w/ our previous V8 2012 Expy, we never hauled 3 horses at once so never exceeded 5500-6000# total weight. It is also a rounded V-Nose trailer on the front but flat doors on the back so, I guess that nose doesn't do much good for aerodynamics per, Left Coast Geeks knowledgeable explanations above.

Do you use a Weight Distribution Hitch or not, w/ your trailer? Thanks for your experience and knowledge, Lance.

Horse trailers carry their weight differently than utility and rv style trailers. The horse trailer axles are pushed back farther like a boat trailer.

It all depends on how the trailer balances the weight. Also depends on the horses! My quarter horses I grew up with were huge horses. 15-17 hand cattle ranch horses they were beefy boys heavy! Plus the tack we loaded in the nose of the old trailer. That thing was no joke regarding weight.

I’m not sure how the tongue weight plays on those trailers I quit horsing around with horses in college many yrs ago.

I can tell you my 8700lb boat with the trailer axels set way back were probably 60% of the weight is makes it really important to watch how you load the front 1/2 of the trailer regarding tongue weight. Having said that!!!
Trailers with the axles pushed back to the rear of the trailer are massively more stable than trailers like the RVs and utility trailers where you have considerable trailer behind the axles.


So my suggestion would be get a tongue weight on the horse trailer. Too much definitely lifts the front tires off the ground making turning and stopping impossible!! Don’t ask my boat wasn’t fit correctly when I picked it up. Shoved all the way forward on the trailer. Front tires literally were off the ground ‍. I had to work on getting the boat bunks and bow bracket moved back to get the boat correctly fit to the trailer and sensible tongue weight. The Expedition will squat 2-2.5 inches empty with 800lbs on the hitch. If your pushing 3+ inches of squat you need to check tongue weight and get weight distribution bars .



Thats where weight distribution bars come in to cheat the game some by levering pressure onto to front end.

If you get that sorted? I wouldn’t go more than 960lbs and if your getting that high? Definitely don’t be loading the back of the Expedition with gear and people. This is where the 2600-3000lb cargo in the bed capacity matters in the F250 type trucks.

Its not the trailer weight its your load weight on the tow rig. Gets you long before you max the tow rating.


Once towing lock out gears 8-10 so your only using 1-7. You will most definitely need to max your trailer brake gain to 10. In addition stopping will take you 4x the distance!!!! Not joking…. Plus you have horses drive like a 100yr old grandma with cataracts. Slow, gentle and smooth.

 

[zeecarr]

Hi Zeecarr:

Sounds like a nice trailer you have there and an easy tow w/ your Expy. What would you estimate the weight of your trailer when empty and total trailer weight when loaded? What was the MPG when towing your trailer loaded? We have NOT towed anything w/ our new 2024 Expy (w/ HD Towing) yet, but plan on a short 400 mile round trip in June with our 3-horse, slant-load Horse Trailer (but w/ only 2 horses), in tow. It's a tandem axle trailer w/ 4-wheel electric brakes and rated at 7000# gross w/ 3 horses & tack but, even w/ our previous V8 2012 Expy, we never hauled 3 horses at once so never exceeded 5500-6000# total weight. It is also a rounded V-Nose trailer on the front but flat doors on the back so, I guess that nose doesn't do much good for aerodynamics per, Left Coast Geeks knowledgeable explanations above.

Do you use a Weight Distribution Hitch or not, w/ your trailer? Thanks for your experience and knowledge, Lance.

Its a big trailer trailer but not too big for half ton or SUV. I would guess it weighs 2600 pounds empty. So you add a golf cart, two motorcycles and a bunch of tubs of equipment or whatever and it would be about 5000-6000 pounds with a pretty full load. With it empty it gets over 10mpg around town with the 23 Expo pulling it. On the highway I like to got faster than I probably should so 74 is what I set the cruise to. I might get 9.5-10.5 with it empty and 8.5-9 when loaded. The wind resistance is key and I like to drive a little fast. At 65 is would get better mileage I'm sure... Likewise when going into a headwind the mileage drops noticeably!

 

[LanceExp2025]

Its a big trailer trailer but not too big for half ton or SUV. I would guess it weighs 2600 pounds empty. So you add a golf cart, two motorcycles and a bunch of tubs of equipment or whatever and it would be about 5000-6000 pounds with a pretty full load. With it empty it gets over 10mpg around town with the 23 Expo pulling it. On the highway I like to got faster than I probably should so 74 is what I set the cruise to. I might get 9.5-10.5 with it empty and 8.5-9 when loaded. The wind resistance is key and I like to drive a little fast. At 65 is would get better mileage I'm sure... Likewise when going into a headwind the mileage drops noticeably!

Thanks again zeecarr:

I very much appreciate the GREAT information here! Since we seldom tow w/ our Expy, I was asking more in reference to my 2023 T350 Ford Transit Cargo Van, which is also a V6 EcoBoost. When I bought it new and drove it home (empty) from Las Vegas to Ventura (4.5 hrs. at 70 MPH), it got 19 MPG and I was 'thrilled' since my previous Econoline E350 got 9-11 MPG loaded and 6-8 MPG towing. Now that I have my T350 Transit loaded with racks, tools and parts, it weighs in the 8500-8800# range and gets 10-12 MPG and 7-8 MPG towing. Only slightly better than the Econoline E350 w/ a V10 & 5 speed auto trans & 4.10 rear LS gears. A little disappointing Transit MPG but the V6 EcoBoost seems to handle the loads just fine. (I had very much doubted the EcoBoost V6 would even come close to the V10 power but, was wrong!) So, it's so great to hear your honest assessment of how your Expy handles the loads and its gas consumption, for my Transit comparison. Just FYI the trailer I tow most w/ my Transit is a 7' X 12' - 2' high, low sided, tandem axle, 4-wheel electric brake, construction box trailer that weighs in the 2800# empty range and max is 7000# gross but, usually is towed at 4000-6000# gross/loaded. Therefore, I don't have the wind resistance that you have with your nice, enclosed trailer. All of this helps a bunch though, to wrangle over in my mind!

Thanks again much, Lance

 

[JohnnyG]

I ended up with the flat utility trailer and I love it. The Xpedition XP5 is super easy to tie down and you barely know the trailer is back there. Love it! The picture is from the day we picked up the XP5 and trailer.

 

[LanceExp2025]

WOW!! JG. That's just a beautiful and classy looking open trailer. You should be proud to be towing that behind your sharp Expy. Never had any trailer with an open-mesh tilt-up ramp but it makes sense to be open-mesh to reduce air drag. Does this new trailer have 4-wheel brakes? I also like your trailer wheels! Good job there and congratulations! Lance

 

[JohnnyG]

WOW!! JG. That's just a beautiful and classy looking open trailer. You should be proud to be towing that behind your sharp Expy. Never had any trailer with an open-mesh tilt-up ramp but it makes sense to be open-mesh to reduce air drag. Does this new trailer have 4-wheel brakes? I also like your trailer wheels! Good job there and congratulations! Lance

Thanks!

This is a heavily modified Echo trailer. The base model is the EA-16-15T-MD Echo Advantage — a 16' tandem axle trailer with 15" wheels and a metal deck.

The main reason for choosing this trailer and making the modifications was to ensure compatibility with a Weight Distribution (WD) hitch. With our Expedition, any trailer over 6,000 lbs requires a WD hitch, so most of the upgrades focused on supporting that.

All modifications were performed by Echo, including:

• Aluminum wheels
• 4" frame tube on the front A-frame/tongue (standard is 3") for added strength to handle the WD hitch
• RAM 7,000# coupler (stock coupler is rated for 6,000# — this upgrade increased the GVWR to 7,000 lbs)
• Spring-assisted ramp
• Reinforced ramp
• Front and rear axle brakes
• Emergency brake tucked under the deck (required to provide 32" of unobstructed frame for the WD hitch)
• Center post jack (replaces the stock folding jack mounted on the outside of the A-frame — again, for the needed 32")

Note: WD hitches put significant torque on the trailer tongue. I originally considered an aluminum trailer, but the manufacturer advised against it — the aluminum tongue can’t handle the torque from a WD hitch.

I didn’t choose the exact components. I simply gave Echo the performance specs I needed (like the 7,000 lb GVWR), and they selected the right parts to make it happen — for example, adding the 7K RAM coupler.

Overall, I thought the price was very reasonable given all the upgrades.

Needless to say, with all that they did and for the price that they did it, I am an Echo Super Fan.

JG

 

[LanceExp2025]

Yep, JG. It looks like you did your research and, with Echo's performance spec assistance, you ended up with a real nice and super sturdy trailer that you can depend on. I am also glad to see they included 4 wheel trailer brakes and the 4" tube HD tongue. Both of those are important and maybe someday will save you from an accident, which none of us needs nor wants. I also like to see the spring assisted and reinforced ramp. I am sure that it makes it so much easier to fold down and back up. Good job all around, on your part!

If you don't mind me asking, I have a couple of questions? Are those great looking aluminum wheels 15" dia? Is the ball hitch a 2-5/16" ball? Is the hitch (coupler) itself welded to the trailer tongue or is it bolted on? Our 7000#, 3 horse 2-5/16" hitch is bolted on and on my 7000# construction, box trailer, the 2-5/16" hitch is welded on w/ an adjustable height coupler double-Grade 8 bolted to a multi-hole, HD, vertical channel. Last, do you mind me asking how much your trailer cost, out the door from Echo? (not necessary & not being nosey, just curious with the higher costs of everything these days). Thanks, Lance

 

[mr_dave]

Funny this thread should pop up again. I just used my handy open trailer again this weekend to pick up another project!

 

[LanceExp2025]

Yep mr_dave. That's a very sturdy looking trailer, as well. Very cool looking tractor. Is it a grading tractor (can't see the back) or just a universal tractor? What year and brand is that? It appears to have some fairly nice tires on it and isn't too rusty nor filthy. Should be a fun project, Lance.

 

[mr_dave]

Yep mr_dave. That's a very sturdy looking trailer, as well. Very cool looking tractor. Is it a grading tractor (can't see the back) or just a universal tractor? What year and brand is that? It appears to have some fairly nice tires on it and isn't too rusty nor filthy. Should be a fun project, Lance.

It's a 1979 Ford 3600 48hp 3cyl 8sp diesel, general Ag tractor. Made in Highland Park, MI. It's pretty dirty but it was taken care of and runs surprisingly well. I don't really have any use for it so the plan is to clean it up, replace a few parts, and sell it to a new home. If I had any excuses to keep it I would, it's a neat old machine.

 

[LanceExp2025]

That's very cool! Thanks for the speedy reply and info on the tractor. And, yes, it does sound like a "neat old machine". Lance

 

[wingrider]

Anyone towed a stacker trailer at about 7000 (empty) short distances ? I would normally use my RV, but want to be able to move the stacker around or short distances around town. It would not be highway driving in this case and would be under the HDtow stats for my 2012.
I wouldn't haul cross country or something or loaded, just looking for feedback.