Too many variables to mess with here. Are you talking general light duty stuff with occassional light snow and mud on gravel roads, or real trail use with deep mud and deep snow? How big a trailer are you talking and what kind of ground clearance? I think I first got my 5x10 trailer back in 1990 or around there, so I've had it for almost 20 years now give or take. Don't remember exactly when I got it. I rebuilt it, then modded it a bit here and there along the way so it's foggy on the dates and details. Anyway, I've pulled it with everything from 1/2 ton Suburbans and Blazers, S10 Blazers, 3/4t and 1-ton trucks-both Chev and Ford in 2, 3 door, extended cab and full crew cab models and my (little) '05 Jeep LJ Rubicon. Living in Washington State and having business or family all over the state, the trailer has been all over in all weather conditions every year since I've had it for about every reason imagineable. To say it's seen it's fair share of mud and snow would be an understatement.
That said, I've had the trailer dragging behind a '91 Suburban -trailer buried in mud and dragging at the ranch till the Suburban lost traction in hub-deep mud and could do nothing but spin. Had to unload the 'Cat off the trailer, rig a series of snatch blocks from the winch on the 'Cat, which was tied off to a stump to the Suburban and winch the Sub and trailer out of the muck at the same time. The mud wasn't a deep pit, but was long and enough to give the Suburban hell, dragging the trailer which wasn't tall enough to clear the deeper hole behind. The Sub had made it through the particularly bad spot and was coming out, but dragging the trailer which was lower, couldn't pull it out, even though the muck was not as deep where the sub was at.
In another instance, in another truck-this time an '03 Duramax in deep snow, lost traction pulling the trailer up a main road to try and get into the ranch. Not a chance. Narrow road going up in on a long climb on the side of a clearcut which drops sharply down into a steep valley below. No 'Cat with me this time, no winch on the truck, but did have shovels and come-along. They were all used and I had a tough workout that day. Snow is a PITA when it's deep and your trailer and tow vehicle don't want to cooperate when backing down out of a mess if you can't make it through where you want to go. This wasn't the first time, and it definitely won't be the last. Go prepared! When I go, I know what I'm getting into, I know what rig I'm taking and what it's equipped with or without so I know I need to take should something go wrong. Always plan for the worst, and hope for the best. That way you're covered IF something goes wrong.
With my Jeep towing the same trailer, it's smaller in size overall-as in more compact, shorter wheelbase at 104", but taller and more ground clearance. I run 255/85's which are a true 33" tire and only around 10" wide. It's more nimble, better suspension, equipped with a winch and when dragging the 'Cat, I have two, along with all the other tools in the arsonal should something go wrong. Despite the mud, snow, foul weather, etc., I have NOT yet buried or had a bad experience to speak of in the Jeep that I can recall where I spent a day recovering the trailer and the Jeep both like I have done many times in the past with other full-sized rigs. I will attribute that to the overall more off-road readiness of the Jeep compared to the full-sized rigs and having the "right tool" for the job at the right time. In the mud/snow off-road, the full-sized trucks, be it suburbans, 3/4 or 1 tons, diesels or not, in MY experience, have been the WRONG tool for the job. With THIS particular trailer, it's relatively small 5x10 size, lighter load carrying at around 3500 lbs., my Jeep handles it much better and can maneuver it much easier than the bigger rigs.
I am currently building a new trailer to address some flaws this one has to handle off-road use better. Hopefully the new one will get stuck less frequently than this current 5x10 does and it will make pulling in these situations at the ranch even easier for the full-sized rigs. More ground clearance and taller tires being the key for those trucks. It should roll through and over things easier, allowing the trucks to continue pulling, where with the 5x10, it hangs up and augers in causing the truck to loose traction. With the size of the truck, just not enough room or ability to manuever around where I'm pulling them.
Now, if you're talking strictly highway pulling, that's a different story all together. My Jeep handles the trailer just fine on the highway, but for a long trip across country like that-I might be inclined to have more creature comforts. Pulling 6 hours or more and battling the wind for hours on end in a bad snow storm gets tiring in the Jeep. I'd not hesitate at all to pull mine across the country, but I'll be honest, it would be much more relaxing and a much more enjoyable drive in the old Duramax.
May not be what you had in mind, but that's been my experience to date. Hope it helps.
Best of Luck,
Mike
