How much can or should a person haul something on a dual axle trailer without trailer brakes, is 4,000 pounds too much? I don't know the trailer length however 4k pounds is well within the limits of the trailer and the tow vehicle.

You should check your stater regulations. That'll will give you the correct answer.

Add the trailer weight plus what you are hauling.

I have never seen "over 3,000 lbs".

Often see "1,500 lbs", too.

Did a quick search and it looks like over 3000lbs for Pennsylvania.

Also keep in mind any other states you may travel in as well.

I used this web site for a quick look. http://www.brakebuddy.com/Towing-Laws

Thanks MarkS.

How much "can or should" a person haul---Many years ago on a trip to Flaming Gorge with the Reinell- which was weighed once at just over 7200 lbs.- I found the brake line had split just as we were leaving. I tried to repair it but that didn't work. And I made the bad decision to go into Vernal. What I didn't know was there were several steep hills, going DOWN on that trip, and many switchbacks. Some of the hills were 13%. I was towing it with my '75 Ford F-250 supercab with a C6 automatic. The truck was 2-1/2 tons itself. What I wouldn't have given for a 4-speed with granny gear that day! On about the 3rd bad hill, as I was coming to the next switchback, I was standing on the brakes, hoping I could get us stopped off the side of the switchback. Just barely. I let the brakes cool almost an hour before we took off again. Fortunately that was the last big hill. I'll never forget the logger trucks just flying down the hills in a cloud of stinky smoke!

I towed the boat home the rest of the way with no trailer brakes.

As long as I've owned the Party Cruiser, I've only towed it twice, and the brakes on it weren't working. It's supposed to be close to 8000 lbs. I can stop ok in 'normal' driving, but it would be tough if I had to stop QUICK.

I towed 4 ATV's with no brakes for years. Bayliner has no brakes...

On Holiday - you're welcome.

FR - just for fun I looked at Utah

I would say it depends heavily on the tow vehicle. My GMC 2500 HD stops my boat with no problem when I forget to engage the trailer brakes on the boat (around 7000 pounds), I hardly even notice I haven't done it, they have amazing brakes. On my wifes 1/2 ton Yukon XL however, you notice right away even on a normal stop, it would be downright scary to try to stop it in a panic situation.

Of course we all do exactly what the law says, thats a given!

I'd go by both the state law and what your tow vehicle manufacturer says. In NY anything over 3000 has to have brakes, but with a smaller SUV like my Grand Cherokee I'd use trailer brakes even with lighter loads. I know many people will tow without brakes around here because we are in a salt water area, but having not had them when I first got this boat, and then having added them, it made a big difference. Worth the cost and reduction of stress.

Truck is 2003 F150 Super Crew with a 5.4L. I am planning on hauling 2 tons of wood pellets for this winter's heating needs. Turns out the original trailer that I was borrowing is not road worthy from a pre-inspection check so I am using another borrowed trailer that is road worthy. My journeys tomorrow will be on all back roads going no more than 40 MPH. I should be getting some muscles off loading (80) 50# bags of wood pellets.

Just curious, what do you pay per bag? Before buying my wood stove, I thought about a pellet stove...

the beginning of last year corn was $190/ ton then it went up to $200 later in the winter. this year wood pellets is $220. i did not price corn as I want to burn wood this year. last year wood was a little more but wood also puts out more heat than corn. Later in the winter I will have to get another ton but I dont really have the storage for 3 tons of pellets in my garage.

OH, that's nothing I pick up 6 tons of pellets at a time. I payed around $165 for pellets three years ago when I first bought my stove. Now I am paying around the $220 mark also. I do find that if I can order and pay for my pellets in say July, like I did this year, that I get a slightly better price. I have priced corn before and find the price to be about the same. Corn will burn hotter but makes more of a mess(dust) and leaves a lot of klinkers in the bottom of the pot.

Thanks deckedout, i burned corn last year and had some klinker issues if I didn't have the settings correct. I burned a bag of wood and thought the heat was hotter. Next year I will be buying in May/ June.

Update, went to get pellets on Saturday which entailed driving to borrow the trailer which was 5 min from store. Go to pay for pellets and they are all out. Had a lengthly conversation with the owner and he refused to let me pay ahead to secure pellets for the next delivery later this week.

OH, where do you buy your pellets? I used to get them at Sam's club, which if you watch can have some darn good prices on them. Now I get them right outside of Delta Pa. You might know the place, it's in Whiteford MD, just a little feed store on the corner of Rt. 74 and 136. Decent prices and will let you pay over the phone and pick up later.

I sent you a pm.