Towing 750lb Bandsaw in Trailer? Yes or No?

[psychbiker]

Hey All,

I found a bandsaw that's probably too big for my garage BUT I want it and if the seller agrees to price I need to figure out how to get it.

It's about 750lbs and 83" tall. I have an '87 Ram 50 4 cyl stock. With a low trailer, will it be able to tow this bandsaw? I will be going up a grade coming home. About 168 miles, 2.5 - 3 hours. There's an alternate route that adds about 30min thats flatter. Highway 5 in California as opposed to 101.

My daily is a 2001 GMC yukon xl but we removed and sold the hitch years ago.

[tortron]

Yup it works out on paper. Bed capacity is about 1500lb, towing about double that.
Might be a slower trip than usual.
I have filled my bed to the top with soil and had no issues other than the headlights pointing at the sky....

[psychbiker]

I'm hesitant because I'll need a trailer that has a good ramp to roll the saw up on. That's usually a heavier trailer.

[psychbiker]

EDIT:

I don't have a tow hitch, just a ball in rear bumper. Is that ok to use it that way? This was my grandpas truck year ago.

[Clay]

I wouldn't use a ball on the bumper. A real hitch is considerable stronger. You can buy an s10 receiver hitch (without the bumper installed) that fits with no modifications. if the weight of the trailer and the load is more than the truck itself, it will be very sketchy braking..

Alternatively you can rent a truck from most hardware stores or uhauls that are already setup for large trailers. Would cost less than making your truck work.

[dancinggecko]

I second all of the above. Rated towing capacity for our trucks is 3500 lbs, and an actual hitch receiver will make life so much easier for you

[tortron]

an engine crane and some ply on the tray to slide it in, you will be laughing

[Salteen]

Which 4 cly? One had 93 hp 130 tq the other 105 hp and 165 tq. 4x4 and 4L range would help, and having a second hen 5 speed is best, because of the lower 1st and 2nd gears.

[Salteen]

*gen lol

[Giovanni89]

Tow rating is only 3500 for 6 cylinder trucks. The 3500 pounds stamped into the rear bumper is what the bumper itself is rated for. My 89 2wd 2.6 automatic is rated at 1000lb without trailer brakes, 2000 pounds with, per the owner's manual. That being said, those are very conservative ratings and I've towed about 2500-3000 pounds with my truck with no trailer brakes, and did not feel unsafe. The rear bumper will start to flex down a bit in the middle, but it's all I've ever used. Do not use overdrive. If you have an auto, lock it in 2 until you're up to speed then shift to drive. You wan't light throttle and high revs. Keeps the pressure up on the clutch discs. Coming up to a grade, force shift it into 2 before it downshifts, same thing, it will reduce wear on the clutches. If you have a manual, just keep the revs up and avoid 5th gear.
Towing a ton of coal, some bags thrown in the bed to get the tongue weight down. Towing a camry shell. Towing (2)14' sections of 15" c channel and a 3' piece(that one was dicey. couldn't get the tongue weight up. Had to keep it slow to not get any sway), towing a 1500lb granite surface plate. Trailer is around 5-600 pounds empty. A reinforced 5x8 from tractor supply with a 2x wood deck.
towing coal.jpgtowing camry shell.jpgtowing structural steel.jpgtowing surface plate.jpg

[dancinggecko]

Which 4 cly? One had 93 hp 130 tq the other 105 hp and 165 tq. 4x4 and 4L range would help, and having a second hen 5 speed is best, because of the lower 1st and 2nd gears.

These motors did good for the day, but not that good. Knock off about 30 lb-ft for those torque figures is a little closer. You're right about the tranny though. Later ones had some better gearing that will help a little bit

[psychbiker]

What about putting the saw in the bed on it's back spine? This would require tilting it down ONTO the tailgate and then lifting it up and sliding it in. This would put about half the weight of the saw on the tailgate. It's a 650lb saw. Tailgate wont close as the saw is 84".

I need tires but can get those tomorrow.

I remember hauling my 400lb motobike no problem and another time I hauled about 500lb in wood, might have been more. Tires def were compressed some. Seemed to sag too. It's on the orig leaf springs and probably 20 year old shocks.

For $70 I can rent a full size crew crab from Budget with unlimited miles. THis would allow my wife and dad to come, maybe even my nephew. Might do that.

From my research and talking to Laguna, they recommend truck hauling on the back instead of vertical. Pic of saw below.

[geezer101]

That is a beefy workshop bandsaw - nice Pros and cons either way - standing upright will get it onto any trailer or tray but getting it on and off will be a PITA and it'll need to be strapped down really well so it won't tip on it's side, but transporting it on it's back will most likely make it easier to handle. I think asking your truck to haul this in the tray is equivalent to abusing a family member seeming the rear end is tired. It will destroy the tailgate too with one false move. If you're gonna do it, go with sliding it in with the saw deck end at the cab end of the tray to try and centralise the overall weight distribution. I think the idea of sliding it in on a sheet of plywood is a good call. Your truck should technically be able to haul 500 kg/1100 lbs

[tortron]

just remove the tailgate and load it in. i have done this with a huge workshop bench that overhung a bit

also hauled a v6, box, front subframe and steering, AND an engine crane, which would be about that weight. i didnt have any issues
(but i have good springs and an engine swap, but what im saying is that the chassis will handle it, the rest will if you drive appropriately)

but 70 bucks and you dont have to worry? sounds good

[MrPaco]

You don't even have to remove the tailgate, you could just release the cables so that it folds down lower than the bed.
I would rent the $70 truck though...

[Giovanni89]

I always air my tires up to the max pressure on the sidewall when hauling. Max weight rating on a tire is at max inflation. 70 bucks is pretty cheap to not have to worry. Looking at the base of that saw, I would get it up on some 4x4 or 4x6 lumber that is as wide as the truck/trailer it's in. Then lag the saw to the lumber. When you strap a vertical item, run individual straps in four directions. When you go over the top, the strap can "equalize" and lose it's tension. Pulling in four directions will keep it in place.
Look for tapped holes in the frame where lifting eyes screw in. Screwing in lifting eyes gives you a good anchor point for straps.

[Salteen]

a V6 model could do well no problems

remember to NOT overload your tires and air them up properly. my owners manual calls for P225/75/15 tires with a H speed rating and 102 or 105 load range tires. I have 104 single/101 dually load range and a Q speed rating, which is plenty nuff for my truck. factory tires hold 1631 at 26 psi and 1874 at reccomended 35 psi for towing. and 30 psi is best for high speed driving. and for me I'm pushing the limit with my tires because my max pressure on a 6 play tire is 50 psi and its reccomended that I run 39 for normal driving and 47 for towing. and they hold 1984 at 48 psi and 1889 at 47. don't overload your tires!!! its the most overlooked thing in the universe!!!

[cadguy06]

I've hauled some heavy weight a couple of times in my '84. A fair number of years ago, I hauled a 1000lb table from a milling machine, and a couple years ago was a 1000lb bag of gravel. Power was no problem, but keep an eye on your braking distances. Recommended corner speeds are also a good idea, both for unexpected surprises around the bend and for a potentially unstable load. With the bag of gravel, we had no way to unload it except to chain the pallet under it to a tree and drive the truck out from under it; with a little care, those tailgate cables should be plenty stout to handle loading the saw up.

[charger_john]

.... with a little care, those tailgate cables should be plenty stout to handle loading the saw up.

I snapped one of my tailgate cables under the weight of my motor cycle.
Since then replaced both cables. Lesson, if the cable looks a bit rusty, look out.