> I will be using a trailer behind a 3/4 ton 4*4 ...

OK, but please - ONLY for a small trailer and a small
number of hives.  We'd rather not read about you in the papers.

The basic problem is net "payload weight" limits imposed
by the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of trucks.

For example, a Ford "Crew Cab" long bed looks like a
fairly beefy truck parked in your driveway, but it
really can't pull any serious loads, like a trailer
with 2 horses or a dozen hives.  Anyone can do the math,
and the numbers are on the inside of the driver's door:

  The truck weighs about 6800 lbs.
  Add two beekeepers...   300 lbs.
  Add a hive tool and snacks, say 100 lbs.

  The total for the above, 7200 lbs.

A typical Ford 2500 has a GVWR of 86-8800 lbs, so it
might seem that you have at least 1000 lbs for the "tongue
weight" of the trailer and load, but trailer makers will
tell you that you never want to exceed 85% of the GVWR.

But 85% of 8600 is 7310, so you are really limited
to a tongue load of no more than... 110 pounds.  :)

That's right - most "light trucks" can barely support their
OWN mass plus a few passengers, and comparing the vehicle
weight with the GVWR exposes just how wimpy they really are.

Why do you THINK they call them "light trucks"?

Its like "light armored vehicles" where mere sheet metal
is provided to "protect" the passengers from RPGs and
50-caliber rounds. As a matter of general principle, stay
away from anything where "light" or "lite" is part of the
name.  Sour cream, salad dressing, beer... just say no.
Life is too short.  Enjoy the real thing.

The hegemony of automatic transmissions (the tyranny of the
tranny?) forces further de-rating of GVWR, unless you are
very good at pulling a burnt-out gearbox and swapping in a
rebuilt every year.

In fact, my Volvo wagons have better vehicle weight to
GVWR ratios than most of the "light trucks" out there,
and the one I use for hauling bees has a manual 5-speed
transmission, so I can pull a load up the steep mountain
roads found here in the southwestern corner of Virginia
without problems.

As another hint, wheelbase determines the length of trailer
you can tow. The general rule of thumb is that 110 inches
of wheelbase permits you to tow a 20 foot long trailer.
Add a foot of trailer for each addition 4 inches of wheel base.

Yet another hint.  WELD the trailer hitch to the frame.
Stay away  from "bolt on" hitches, and the ones with the
quick-release detachable ball.  You wanna change the ball
on your hitch?  Get out a big wrench.  Don't be lazy.

Too many fine horses have died painful deaths from bad
choices made by guys suffering from testosterone poisoning
who failed to do their math.

I like horses.


        jim

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