New to RV’s Seeking Advice

[TRK_GANG74]

Me and the wife are considering a Travel Trailer. This is a first for both of us. Been watching a ton of YT videos, talking with current owners and poking around on RV lots. I currently drive a 2019 Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn with air suspension. I am attaching some info on the kind of rig we are interested in. It’s going to be a while before we purchase. The attached pics is from a rig we like. Can the truck handle it?? I think she can based off what I know already but what do you experienced folks think. Good or bad.
I have the towing info from Rams site using my VIN attached and also the info from the dealers site and travel trailer itself. It would be me, wife, kid and 2 border collies. The family comes in at 520 lbs. Gear would come in at 500 lbs.

 

[SniperDroid]

As long as you don't load up too much in the trailer you'll probably be OK. I have a Coachman Catalina 263RLS. Dry Weight is 6100 lbs. and the first truck we used to tow it was an old Ford F150. My wife was scared to death on every trip. Truck was not heavy duty enough for the total load. The 2500 we have now pulls it with ease, and except for the gas mileage, you don't even know it's there. Be sure about the weight of the trailer, and your total cargo in the vehicle. Try to leave a little for a cushion. Trailer tongue weight is added to the tow vehicle payload, so you might have a little problem there. You don't want to scare the wife...

 

[TRK_GANG74]

Thanks.

 

[Jim BB]

isn't spooking (scaring) the wife part of the fun !?

 

[SniperDroid]

isn't spooking (scaring) the wife part of the fun !?

Not if you like to sleep safely...

 

[tron67j]

Looking at your numbers in pounds, the trailer has a dry weight of about 3400 pounds and a loaded weight of about 7500. At the upper end your hitch weight will be approximately 1100 pounds when properly distributed and estimating 15% of total weight on the hitch.

Your truck has a payload capacity of 1376 pounds, subtracting the 500 pounds of people you are at 876 payload remaining. The hitch and bars are about 100 pounds, so payload now down to 776. Not sure what the gear weight of 500 pounds is, but assume that is for the camper. So the remaining 776 payload capacity means your trailer and gear needs to come in at 5200 pounds.

You should be able to tow the trailer but you need to remember dry wright does not include propane tanks or the LPG, the house battery, or any options added on by the dealer (check the sales sticker). So adding tanks, battery and water is about 500 pounds. Your gear is another 500 pounds (should weigh it as it adds up faster than you think) so dry weight of 3400 plus 1000 pound gear and listed items gets you to 4400 gets you to about 660 pounds tongue weight, leaving you about 116 pounds of payload capacity to work with (776-660=116). You'll read about people who stay below weight religiously and people who go over and never had a problem. In the end, you and your family are the only ones in the rig and keeping within specs just helps mitigate risk.

Good luck.

 

[SniperDroid]

Looking at your numbers in pounds, the trailer has a dry weight of about 3400 pounds and a loaded weight of about 7500. At the upper end your hitch weight will be approximately 1100 pounds when properly distributed and estimating 15% of total weight on the hitch.

Your truck has a payload capacity of 1376 pounds, subtracting the 500 pounds of people you are at 876 payload remaining. The hitch and bars are about 100 pounds, so payload now down to 776. Not sure what the gear weight of 500 pounds is, but assume that is for the camper. So the remaining 776 payload capacity means your trailer and gear needs to come in at 5200 pounds.

You should be able to tow the trailer but you need to remember dry wright does not include propane tanks or the LPG, the house battery, or any options added on by the dealer (check the sales sticker). So adding tanks, battery and water is about 500 pounds. Your gear is another 500 pounds (should weigh it as it adds up faster than you think) so dry weight of 3400 plus 1000 pound gear and listed items gets you to 4400 gets you to about 660 pounds tongue weight, leaving you about 116 pounds of payload capacity to work with (776-660=116). You'll read about people who stay below weight religiously and people who go over and never had a problem. In the end, you and your family are the only ones in the rig and keeping within specs just helps mitigate risk.

Good luck.

Ditto!

 

[TRK_GANG74]

Thank you for the detailed look. The answer to your gear question is thing like chairs, table, dog food, 1/2 case of bottled water, clothing, paper eating utensils, toiletries(minimum to get going). That number would probably be less. Tanks would all be dry until at the site.

 

[MADDOG]

You should be able to figure out if you'll be over your truck's towing capacity & GCVWR using the spreadsheet on the linked page below.

Road Notes - Tow Weight Calculator

 

[SniperDroid]

Thank you for the detailed look. The answer to your gear question is thing like chairs, table, dog food, 1/2 case of bottled water, clothing, paper eating utensils, toiletries(minimum to get going). That number would probably be less. Tanks would all be dry until at the site.

One change. Put three gallons of water in the black tank before you head out, and search t he web for the GEO METHOD, you won't regret it.

 

[TRK_GANG74]

Thanks

 

[TRK_GANG74]

You should be able to figure out if you'll be over your truck's towing capacity & GCVWR using the spreadsheet on the linked page below.

Road Notes - Tow Weight Calculator

I’ve been playing with this calculator for over an hour now and used 2 different trailer numbers and each one says I’m over. Maybe I’m doing something wrong or it’s right. Getting frustrated with this calculator. Screw it I’m gonna get my truck weighed on Monday with a full tank of gas and try again. Truck has a 26 gal tank. Brain is hurting from looking at numbers all day and I gotta operate this dang crane tonight.

 

[SniperDroid]

Welcome To newbe towing...

 

[TRK_GANG74]

It’s been one heck of a learning curve so far. I’m sticking with this and will conquer it.

 

[SniperDroid]

It’s been one heck of a learning curve so far. I’m sticking with this and will conquer it.

Camping is camping... been at it for 45 years or so. Last 6 with a trailer. Every trip, 6 to 10 a season, is an adventure. Find the fun in it, not the worry. Take precautions to mitigate risk, and enjoy. Make friends, learn from others, LIVE LIFE! ENJOY!

 

[TRK_GANG74]

Your right. Been camping many times in a tent but now the wife wants a TT and so do I. Just want to get the numbers right to help with selecting the correct size TT matched to my truck.

 

[tron67j]

Assuming you have no aftermarket truck addition, your vehicle weight full of all fluids including fuel is your GVWR - payload capacity. The math for you in pounds is 7100 - 1376 = 5724 pounds truck weight. So if you do fill up and go weigh it, put everyone including pets, hitch and bars, and all gear that you would have in truck and weigh it that way. You then take that total and subtract it from the 7100, this will give you your max payload remaining. Take that number and multiply it by .15 (15%) and the result is the maximum trailer weight you should tow. This assumes you have gear properly distributed in trailer.

For the trailer, my last post already stated some weights above dry you should already expect such as propane/tanks, battery, and any dealer accessories. You could get a weigh-safe hitch that has a scale built right into it. This would measure tongue weight every time and, again, if you properly distribute weight that should give you a fair estimation of trailer weight (that 15%).

 

[TRK_GANG74]

Assuming you have no aftermarket truck addition, your vehicle weight full of all fluids including fuel is your GVWR - payload capacity. The math for you in pounds is 7100 - 1376 = 5724 pounds truck weight. So if you do fill up and go weigh it, put everyone including pets, hitch and bars, and all gear that you would have in truck and weigh it that way. You then take that total and subtract it from the 7100, this will give you your max payload remaining. Take that number and multiply it by .15 (15%) and the result is the maximum trailer weight you should tow. This assumes you have gear properly distributed in trailer.

For the trailer, my last post already stated some weights above dry you should already expect such as propane/tanks, battery, and any dealer accessories. You could get a weigh-safe hitch that has a scale built right into it. This would measure tongue weight every time and, again, if you properly distribute weight that should give you a fair estimation of trailer weight (that 15%).

Everyone here has been great with the help. Thank you.

 

[dhay13]

Should be ok but will be close. Best bet is to get it weighed. Something to keep in mind as we see it here often...folks buy their camper and max out their truck then a year later decide they need a bigger camper...lol.
Myself, I'd be more concerned the GCVWR and GRAWR. Payload is on my mind but as long as I'm under on those other 2 them I'm comfortable with towing it.
Another tip...don't ever listen to the RV salesman or the truck salesman. Most are clueless and/or only care about making a sale.

 

[regal81455]

The truck will handle it. We pull a 29' tip to tail TT, dry weight = 5000#, with our similarly optioned 16' Laramie. Fully loaded out the trailer weighs around 6500#. Our total payload is right around 1100# The truck handles it fine. With the above in mind, IMO the 19-22' TTs are probably the sweet spot for 1500s in terms of size to weight.