Posted 2016-09-02 3:12 AM (#168259) Subject: Weight of older Featherlite 2H?
I'm looking at buying a 1985 two horse Featherlite. 10ft long, 6ft wide, 7ft high, straight load with ramp and one escape door at the nose. The front is flat not V shaped. I believe it is a model 9420 by looking at others. I'd like to know the empty weight but the seller doesn't know and neither does Featherlite. Does anyone have an older one - what does it weigh?
I know the newer ones are in the 2000lb range but I can't imagine they are built the same as they were 31 years ago. I have a smaller truck and I'm trying to downsize weight-wise from my 3250lb steel trailer.
Posted 2016-09-02 11:00 AM (#168262 - in reply to #168259) Subject: RE: Weight of older Featherlite 2H?
I don't know that I'd be as worried about the weight, as the nose. A flat front trailer pulls like a tank. Probably not a good thing with a downsized truck.
Probably why you don't see flat front horse trailers anymore. The race car guys all use a camper shell to break the wind on the flat front car trailers.
Posted 2016-09-02 3:48 PM (#168265 - in reply to #168259) Subject: RE: Weight of older Featherlite 2H?
The seller said he would look into trying to find a weigh station near him but he's in a pretty rural area.
I didn't know that about flat vs pointed, do you mean noise in the trailer itself or heard from the truck? I have a flat front steel one (that my boyfriend pulls with his bigger truck) and didn't notice anything...
I'm debating between this Featherlite and a Brenderup but was kind of leaning toward the Featherlite because it seems like a better made trailer... 85 and not a speck of corrosion and still looks great. Many of the Brendeups I've found for sale need repairs, plus parts are not easy to come by for them now that they no longer sell trailers in the US
Posted 2016-09-02 4:45 PM (#168272 - in reply to #168265) Subject: RE: Weight of older Featherlite 2H?
Expert
Posts: 1989 Location: South Central OK
Noise? Not the problem. Think about areodynamics. The flat front will "push" the air and not "part it" as it moves down the road. This "push" (resistance)will make the weight of the trailer feel heavier as you now are not just pulling the weight of the trailer but also the force of the air pushing against the flat front. Imagine you grab someones hand and as you walk they try pulling you in the other direction instead of just letting you drag them along. These flat front trailers also leaked like a slotted spoon! Every door and window in that flat front would be subjected to the full force of the "air pushing" as you towed it down the road and once they started to leak they never stopped.
Posted 2016-09-03 7:51 AM (#168279 - in reply to #168277) Subject: RE: Weight of older Featherlite 2H?
Guest - 2016-09-03 3:00 AM
No it's a full size GMC Sierra 1500 just mean it's 6 cylinder
For pulling purposes, a 6 cylinder is downsized. I cant speak for your GMC, but I tried to pull a 2H BP with a F-150 about 10 years ago with a 6 cyl, and it didnt have enough torque to stay in gear. It was always shifting up and down trying to make power.
Posted 2016-09-03 8:36 AM (#168280 - in reply to #168259) Subject: RE: Weight of older Featherlite 2H?
That is why I called it a smaller truck but another poster asked if I meant less than a half ton.
I am only pulling one horse and one mini (1100 and 150 lbs) and my current trailer is 3250lbs (all steel) which is still under the maximum towing capacity but I think it'd be better if lower and I think I can get a 2 horse at least 1000lbs lighter. If I were hauling all the time or very far I definitely would've gotten a v8 and maybe a 2500 but for the frequency and distance I'll be hauling I think it'll be fine and I opted to save the insurance and gas money. I use the truck more often to pick up feed and hay.
Posted 2016-09-03 9:04 AM (#168282 - in reply to #168277) Subject: RE: Weight of older Featherlite 2H?
Expert
Posts: 1989 Location: South Central OK
Guest - 2016-09-03 3:00 AM No it's a full size GMC Sierra 1500 just mean it's 6 cylinder
I've done just this with a small engined F150, like the above poster. I white knuckled everytime I had to drag my little 2 horse trailer anywhere. I am telling you that if you are like me you will HATE driving a rig like what you say you are going to have. Yes, you can move it but calling it a horse towing rig is a stretch, however for little stuff and boats it's perfect. I could merge onto a short highway entrance ramp but would be exhausted when I got there and I knew that I had no room for extra items in my load or any room for error. The quality of the drive seemed to not only effect me but the horses too. Changing to my current truck clearly made the horses happier and they loaded much more easily and were better at doing their job once we had arrived.
I know that we all have to start somewhere and everyone has a budget. I would be saving for a bigger truck (engine or model) as the budget allows. Let me warn you, getting a bigger truck somehow leads to bigger trailers and thus more adventures with more horses!
Posted 2016-09-04 10:26 PM (#168302 - in reply to #168259) Subject: RE: Weight of older Featherlite 2H?
Expert
Posts: 3853 Location: Vermont
A half ton with a six...you can do it...you'll just be slower than everone else...and if your transmission is an automatic without its own radiator you may be visiting AAMCO earlier than necessary...
Weight of older Featherlite 2H?
