OldShu
Center of the Good Old USA
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Thanks! Renting a similar weight TT would be my recommendation as well. See how truck does towing.
'17 Lance 1475 w/160 w solar, Grp 31 Deep Cycl Trojan, Tire Traker TPMS, Prog. Ind. EMS-PT30C
'17 Ridgeline RTL AWD Equalizer 600/6000
Living the dream Thanks! How about you?
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Bammer4
Michigan
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OldShu wrote:Thanks! Renting a similar weight TT would be my recommendation as well. See how truck does towing.
Thanks. Glad to hear another confirmation from an outside source.
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Mortimer Brewster
Northern Illinois
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I don’t know where in Michigan you are located, but if it’s in the SW, you might consider going to the Chicago RV Show. It runs from February 15 - 18 and is outside the city near O’Hare Airport.
FYI, the prices at RV shows aren’t necessarily great.
I would suggest using the GVWR of the trailer rather than the UVW. In my opinion the UVW is a useless number, as any trailer is guaranteed to weigh more than the UVW. The UVW doesn’t include the weight of propane, batteries or anything the dealer has added onto the trailer. They aren’t terribly accurate. For example, I’m looking at a fifth wheel which has 4 different options for a refrigerator. The smallest of these is over 6 cubic feet less than the largest refrigerator. Yet the trailers all have the same UVW.
You will get various opinions on what percentage of the GVWR is safe to tow. Some people will try to keep it around 80% of the GVWR, others 90%, and some will say that it’s okay to tow at the maximum GVWR. It comes down to how hard you want to push (some would say abuse) your truck and how much of a safety margin you are comfortable with. Bigger trailers equate to longer stopping distances. Where you tow matters as well - think mountains.
Salesmen tend to be very quick to give you the UVW (dry weight) and to say that a trailer is half-ton towable. Most will not have your best interests in mind. It’s very easy, especially at an RV show, to buy too much trailer for your truck.
As others have suggested, read, read, read. Decide what the max GVWR of a trailer would work for your truck and comfort level. Also it would be a good idea to go back and check the GVWRs of the trailers you are considering. One of them is 9600#.
though salesmen will be very quick to provide it to you.
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toedtoes
California
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Bammer4 wrote:KerrlakeRoo never camped like this. The first year will most likely be short trips at campsites with hookups. I'm a firefighter so good scheduled for trips. We have three kids that are older,21,18,14. Renting is a good idea.
OldShu I don't have max towing and payload. It's a 2.7 EB. GVWR is 6500.
With kids at those ages, you might skip the bunks. Bring a tent for the kids. Those bunks can be small and claustrophobic. And how long sill they be joining you for every trip.
At 6000lbs and under, you really have to watch the CCC for the trailer - some of those bunkhouse models are very limited once you add fresh water, etc. While it may not be a problem at full hookup sites, if you start branching out to dry camping and/or boondocking, you could be overweight. Don't want to have to buy another in a year or two.
1975 American Clipper RV with Dodge 360 (photo in profile)
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Both born in Morgan Hill, CA to Irv Perch (Daddy of the Aristocrat trailers)
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theoldwizard1
SE MI
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Best thing for newbies is to start small and start with a used, 3-5 year old RV.
Even better, rent an RV close to what you are thinking of buying.
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Bammer4
Michigan
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M. Brewster, from my understanding (and I may be wrong) that the UVA is marked on the TT itself once off the line and the GVWR for the trailer is how much weight our can hold. I understand batteries are not included, but I have heard to give yourself about a 500-1000 lb buffer from the UVA and your towing capacity.
KerrlakeRoo, that's what I've been telling my wife. Unfortunately she likes the bunks and is more of a wants it new and now type.
Oldwizard1, see above.
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owenssailor
Ontario
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7500 towing capacity is fairly low. If you start with a trailer at 6000 you will be very close to the 7500 very easily.
The area not discussed is what is the payload rating of your truck. This may have even more impact on what you can tow.
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Mortimer Brewster
Northern Illinois
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Bammer4 wrote:M. Brewster, from my understanding (and I may be wrong) that the UVA is marked on the TT itself once off the line and the GVWR for the trailer is how much weight our can hold. I understand batteries are not included, but I have heard to give yourself about a 500-1000 lb buffer from the UVA and your towing capacity.
Weight tends to add up very quickly. Even with the tanks just partially full, you can easily have over 500 lbs of liquids, quite possibly more. There’s a lot of gear that goes with a trailer, including the hitch. Then you have tools, chairs, food, drink (milk, pop and beer are heavy), clothes, bikes for kids... Others can chime in, but I would guess 1000 lbs would be a minimum for gear.
More than a few people here have bought a trailer and then realized that it’s too big for their tow vehicle. They then have to either sell the trailer or upgrade to a bigger truck. Either way it’s expensive.
Add my name to the “Try Renting” crowd.
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Grit dog
Black Diamond, WA
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Don't get too balled up about the weight.
Trailers 7500 gross weight and under will tow easily.
People get too concerned with the marketing of the Max payload and Max tow.
Max tow is about power and gearing, which even if you have highway gears, you have plenty of with the baby Eco boost. Don't forget, the 2.7 has more power than the big blocks from the 70s and 80s....and almost the 90s, lol.
Max payload is just heavier springs. They're essentially the same truck as a " regular" F150.
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Grit dog
Black Diamond, WA
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Agree, you'll add 1000lbs minimum to the empty trailer weight loaded up to enjoy the great outfdoors!
Seems strange but trust us, it will.
Good luck camper shopping!
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