What to Know About Towing a Tiny Home
Construction features of a tiny house have to focus on weight. The weight capacity of your towing vehicle, the weight tolerance of your trailer, the actual construction weight of your house and the weight of your belongings can all contribute to the success or failure of your hauling venture. Here are some things to keep in mind while planning to tow your tiny home.
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Understanding Weight Limits
If you buy a tiny house from a builder, the weight information should be included as well as recommendations on the best towing vehicles along with critical details such as tongue weight and height. To save funds, many tiny house owners purchase a shell. Again, these shells come with information on the empty weight. Everything you add to the shell will add weight to the trailer. Your towing vehicle must be able to haul all of the weight of your house and trailer combined.
Towing With a Jeep or SUV
If your Jeep or SUV has a high towing capacity, it may be enough to pull your tiny house trailer. One factor to remember is that you don’t want to push your tow vehicle to the limit of the weight tolerance. While the engine may tolerate the weight of house and trailer, too much weight can impact suspension and handling. However, lighter weight construction styles may give you a great house as well as the extra storage and comfort found in a Jeep or SUV. You can remove the hardtop some days and use it as an extra sitting area. On moving day, put the hardtop back on and use the back of your Jeep to store your outdoor gear.
Towing with a Pickup
There are many trucks that have the towing capacity to haul a tiny house at the heavy end of the spectrum. It’s a good idea to add a bed cover to the back of your truck if you’re hauling a bumper-pull trailer; those with gooseneck trailers will have to give up the bed for storage. Make sure you invest in a vehicle with more weight tolerance than you need.
Gasoline or Diesel
You’ll find bigger towing capacities in diesel trucks. Be aware that diesel fuel is more expensive. However, with a diesel truck you will easily find towing capacities of at least 5 tons and beyond. Carefully review the truck specifications and make all investments in additional braking systems as needed. Your tiny house hauling project won’t succeed if you can’t stop.
The tiny house and minimalism movement has given nomads plenty of options on unique places to live. By planning your trailer and hauling vehicle carefully, you can construct a tiny house that you can easily and safely haul. Follow weight limit guidelines diligently and never buy a vehicle without getting it checked out by a reputable mechanic.
You might also like this article: Explore From the Comfort of Your Home: 5 Tips for Tiny House Travel
