[ebarker]

I agree with Chris. You start throwing stuff in the trailer and next thing you know you have a gross weight over 5K.

A Ridgeline really limits your options. A Ranger max's out at no more than 6K.

You also need to think about your trip length. Are you driving coast to coast or just scooting around town ? What is your top extended speed, what is your terrain.

In addition of weight, weight you have to start and then stop, you are also dragging a giant parachute behind you. Weight and the giant parachute adds up to stress on the drivetrain.

I've seen people take their minivan and put a hitch on it, drag a big trailer a thousand miles and cook their transmission to the tune of $ 5,000. Money that could have been used to get a better vehicle and / or trailer.

In a few weeks when we go to St. Louis I've got to pull the rig over the Appalachians. We have an max ascent / decent of a couple of thousand feet and a max grade of 4%. After that it is downhill and flat all the way to the Mississippi.

We do about 2 dozen events a year. A 7x14 would be nice but a 6x12 is nimble and navigates the urban jungle and rural jungle well also. We do not carry a machine shop in the trailer.

Ed