Things You Should Know Before Towing A Tiny House

Towing your tiny home on wheels is not as simple as buying a truck and pulling the trailer along. Here are what you should know regarding the whole process of doing so.

One small mistake with towing your tiny house or tiny prefab homes could lead to a disaster. At the very least, you may spend money you could have saved, but your small custom home may be put at risk in the worst-case scenario. Therefore, before moving the structure, you need to know how to proceed with it in the first place.

Note that when making decisions for towing your tiny home, you have to be objective. As much as possible, be strict with the calculations and measurements. Do not select options that are impractical just to save on expenses. If your house gets damaged because of these choices, you may instead end up with more to pay for. Here are other points about towing tiny trailer homes that you should note.

Table of Contents

What Should Tow Trucks Have
Determining Truck Towing Capacity
Renting vs. Buying vs. Hiring a Tow Truck
Best Trucks for Towing a Tiny House
Guide to Towing Your Tiny Home

WHAT SHOULD TOW TRUCKS HAVE

When it comes to towing small house trailers, the first aspect you should be looking at is the truck’s specs. Specifically, consider its suspension and its towing capacity, which should, at the very least, be around 15,000 pounds. Also, a large engine, such as V8 or V10, is ideal for this purpose. Naturally, you should also check the truck’s condition and the availability of fuel near the route or destination.

Besides these, there are towing accessories and additional components you should bring along with your tow truck. Here are some of them

extra brakes and brake controllers
trailer hitch
space tires
RV GPS
backup camera and sensors for easier parking
legal documents for the truck’s title, license, and insurance

DETERMINING TRUCK TOWING CAPACITY

it was mentioned previously that one of your very first considerations should be the truck’s towing capacity. What exactly is this, and how much is enough? To put it simply, it refers to the weight the vehicle can pull in this case, the weight of your tiny home. Many factors affect this, such as the engine, gears, and axles, among many other features.

There are two methods commonly used to make a close estimation of a truck’s towing capacity. Note that these are not exact values, so having some wiggle room would be ideal so the vehicle will not have to tow more weight than it can pull.

One of which is the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating or the GVWR, the maximum weight the truck can pull if it is loaded and full of fuel. It includes the tiny house, passengers, cargo, and the trailer tongue. The other one is the Gross Combination Weight Rating or the GCWR. It is determined by getting the truck’s maximum weight, plus that of the trailer, tiny house, passenger, cargo, and fuel

RENTING VS. BUYING VS. HIRING A TOW TRUCK

Whether you should rent or buy a tow truck or hire professionals to do the job depends on your situation. For example, if you move frequently, it would be ideal that you buy or rent a truck to tow a trailer. You could look for rental trucks for towing travel trailers online or ask for referrals. However, hiring professionals would be more practical if it is only for a one-time purpose. It is more cost-efficient and safer, as experts are more trustworthy for towing tiny homes.

BEST TRUCKS FOR TOWING A TINY HOUSE

With a towing capacity of 9,740 to 13,200 pounds, large trucks are among the most cost-effective options for moving your tiny homes. Some examples are the Ford F-150, Nissan Titan, and Toyota Tundra. The only downside with these is their limited towing capacity. Therefore, before going for a large truck, make sure that it can pull the load, considering the different trailer sizes for tiny homes.

Meanwhile, heavy-duty trucks are ideal if your tiny home comes with more weight than the previous one. Typically, these have a towing capacity with more weight than the previous one. Typically, these have a towing capacity of 12,760 to 18,500 pounds. Some examples are the Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD, Ford Super Duty F-250, and Tam 2500. However, compared to large trucks, these are generally more expensive.

If you are not concerned about the price but want a vehicle with even more towing capacity, you may be looking for ultra-duty trucks. If your tiny house is on the bigger side and comes filled with furniture and appliances, these are perfect for you. The Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD, Ford SuperDuty F-450, GMC Sierra 3500HD, and Ford Super Duty F-450 are among these. Ultra-duty trucks offer more power, ideal for mountainous and rough terrains. However, this also means that they require more expenses for the fuel.

GUIDE TO TOWING YOUR TINY HOME

The first step to take when towing your tiny homes is to plan your route. Decide when to go and which roads to take. Note that the distance is the least of your issues. you should prioritize not towing your tiny house through low-hanging branches and phone lines, traffic jams, and bridges. You should also consider the terrain to provide a smoother traveling experience. Having a backup route is also a smart move in cases where things do not go as initially planned.

Once the route is noted, it is time to execute the abovementioned processes. That includes measuring the towing capacity needed, looking for an appropriate truck, and bringing all the necessary components and documents. DO not forget to conduct a final inspection of the tiny trailer house and the truck’s condition before moving out.

In conclusion, before you tow your tiny homes, you must be through with the preceding steps. This means you should have already planned your route and prepared a truck that can safely bring your home to the destination. All required truck components, legal documents, and belongings should also be in place. Finally, do another inspection to ensure that everything is good to go. Only then should you begin towing your tiny homes.

For all your tiny home needs, go to Small House Solutions. Its goal is to ensure that your house does not only match your expectations but is also safe to tow, reside in, and travel with. For your specific inquiries, you can either contact the team through the website or set an appointment for a free consultation any time you want.

Accessory Dwelling Units / ADU’s