New Camper!

[sourdough]

Shea, look inside the driver door and look at the stickers that will give you payload capacity and your gawr front and rear. Those are the numbers you really need to get an idea of where you can be towing a trailer.

I doubt seriously your cousin is trying to give you bad advice. I personally think he is just not knowledgeable about towing and relies on the "max tow rating" as so many do. In reality that number is literally fiction because it is based on a stripped down 2 door model with nothing in it that no one would ever buy and max towing capabilities built in. You will exceed your payload, and probably gawrs before you get close to that number unless you bought "that" specific truck.

RV towing and balancing weights can be complicated if you aren't familiar with it. "Sales" folks have no idea and are not trained in that - they spout what they are told and the information they are provided - don't understand it and don't question it. Same goes for the "service manager" or "techs" in a truck dealership OR RV dealership. Unless they have been through the typical RV ownership loop; bought it, fought it, broke it, sold it, (then 1st upgrade) bought it, fought it, it broke me, sold it....finally learned...upgrade truck, get trailer that fits...bought it, WOW that's fun and here we GO!! That after many thousands of dollars down the drain as we "learned".

You have taken the proper route IMO and are asking folks that do this. That is commendable, thoughtful and I hope beneficial for you and yours in the long run. Get those numbers and post back. There are lots of really good folks here that only want you to get off on the right foot and have a ton of "safe" fun with the family. Let us know.

[Shea]

Ok here is what I found. Hopefully this makes sense to you guys lol! Thanks again for all the help!!!!!

GVWR-7200 LB
GAWR FRT- 3950 LB
GAWR RR- 3950 LB
CARGO WEIGHT RATING =925 LB
The combined weight of occupants and cargo should never exceed 1675 LBS
Max tow rating 9,100 LBS

[sourdough]

How big is your family? Ages - approx. weights? What kind of camping do you think you will do - primitive (need generator), always in improved RV campgrounds etc.? What do you want to take with you; bbq pit, extra camp table, folding camp chairs, bicycles, etc.? Remember that you will need to take a fair amount of tools, jacks and levelers with you in the event something breaks.

These are not prying questions; they are literally what you will want to use to ascertain what it is that you will take and what it will weigh. I know if you've never done it before but weight, weight, weight when towing long distances, and with "big" weights, is extremely important. A failure when overloaded with a vehicle incapable of controlling it can be disastrous. Let us know - and thanks.

[Shea]

There's 3 of us ages 30, 36, and 11 with a combined weight of about 565 LBS. We always camp with electrical hook up at a minimum and never take a generator. I fill my fresh water tank at the campground. I take a cooler, small weber grill, 3 camp chairs, and occasionally a mountain bike. I have leveling blocks and chocks as well as a cordless drill. Other than that it's just basic kitchen and bedding equipment.

[sourdough]

Shea, I apologize. I spent the last 30 minutes composing a post that addressed where you are and where you might go but the site has again dropped me when I tried to post and there is no way to recover it - I'm sorry. I did not copy it before posting as I've learned I must do here. I don't have the time to make those observations or recommendations again at the moment. My analysis was, and will be, in depth but requires too much time to do again tonite. I will try again tomorrow.

[OMW2SKI]

New member here. Second year camping.

After setting up the WD hitch and loading my new trailer, I went for a couple hours test tow over the weekend.

I've got a well equipped half ton. My trailer is a 24 foot bunkhouse, GVWR 7000 lbs.

The tow was comfortable. I wouldn't recommend much more for any half ton. Even with "only" 7000 pounds GVWR (tow capacity 10,200), I can see why others recommend stepping up to a HD truck for similarly sized trailers...

I think you should look at a 26 foot model that weighs 8000 lbs GVWR max. Idk, maybe that's you much. I wanted the 26 foot model and decided it was too much for me.

Good luck!

[JRTJH]

The GVW of the trailer is 9700 pounds. Typically, tongue weight is 10-15% of GVW. Let's "assume" you can tow at the extreme lightest tongue weight (970 pounds). It's possible, but unlikely that your rig will tow satisfactorily with such a light tongue, but possible. You'll probably be closer to 12% (1164 pounds).

Now, let's do some simple math using your truck payload of 1675 pounds.

Your family (it will weigh more as your child grows) 565 pounds
Trailer tongue weight 970 pounds
Equalizer hitch 100 pounds
TOTAL 565+970+100 = 1635 pounds. That's 40 pounds under your MAXIMUM payload and you haven't put in a cooler, jackets, firewood, a tool kit, the kid's bicycle, or ??????

Maybe this will give you some idea of just where you stand with such a large trailer and such a small payload capacity?????

The numbers simply don't add up to being able to toss a couple of folding chairs, a tonneau cover, a kayak, the dog, well, hopefully you get the idea that there's just not any capacity to "tow the rig" and stay under your payload.....

Remember: The above numbers are based on "hoping" that you can tow that trailer at the "very lowest percentage of tongue weight" (970) chances are you'll be closer to the middle (around 1200+)

[Shea]

Originally Posted by sourdough

Shea, I apologize. I spent the last 30 minutes composing a post that addressed where you are and where you might go but the site has again dropped me when I tried to post and there is no way to recover it - I'm sorry. I did not copy it before posting as I've learned I must do here. I don't have the time to make those observations or recommendations again at the moment. My analysis was, and will be, in depth but requires too much time to do again.

No worries. I appreciate the help. There is just so much information, much of which is very contradictory from one another. I will continue to do my research and the dealership has allowed me to take it for a "test pull" before signing on Saturday. They said that they don't normally allow it due to insurance but as long as I am ok with the sales person going, they will give the ok. They do want me to look at a lighter back up TT just in case i'm not comfortable with how the 318LHS tows. But they are confident that it will pull just fine after they properly install the hitch/weight distribution/sway bar. Thanks again for your help Sourdough and to everyone else that took the time share you knowledge. In the meantime, I'm all ears to suggestions and advise. I'll update everyone when I decide what I end up doing.

[MarkEHansen]

Perhaps I missed it, but I think the only information contrary to what folks are telling you here is what you're being told by the RV dealer (and to some extend, the truck dealer). It's unfortunate, but in my experience the RV dealer really doesn't have your best interest in mind - only his sale - and more than likely, a simple ignorance of the real weight limits involved in matching a trailer to a tow vehicle.

I commend you for taking the time to learn this stuff. I didn't do it until it cost me a lot of money. Perhaps you can safe yourself that problem.

Best of luck.

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by Shea

No worries. I appreciate the help. There is just so much information, much of which is very contradictory from one another. I will continue to do my research and the dealership has allowed me to take it for a "test pull" before signing on Saturday. They said that they don't normally allow it due to insurance but as long as I am ok with the sales person going, they will give the ok. They do want me to look at a lighter back up TT just in case i'm not comfortable with how the 318LHS tows. But they are confident that it will pull just fine after they properly install the hitch/weight distribution/sway bar. Thanks again for your help Sourdough and to everyone else that took the time share you knowledge. In the meantime, I'm all ears to suggestions and advise. I'll update everyone when I decide what I end up doing.

Shea, whoooa! How many trailers have you pulled? What will your "test pull" be compared against? Will you have any idea that you are overloaded? Will they let you take the trailer on backroads and interstates with semis beating you up? Are they going to take you to a scale? And more than anything else.....what would it mean? Towing an empty trailer with an empty truck? What does that prove? Nothing.

You are letting the "salesmen" and your desire for a "big" trailer, far more than you should tow with a family, let you drag you into the rabbit hole.

You seem to want to know, to keep you and yours safe; you are about to bite on the biggest fools tale out there....don't, for you and yours IMO. Your numbers DO NOT work for that trailer.

[Local150]

For me, I don't do winter camping so if you don't either a smaller trailer would probably work,, as for me anyway I don't spend a lot of time in the trailer, unless it storms then no trailer is big enough. I have a 1500 Silverado and pull a 29 ft. Fifth wheel,, it pulls good get behind a semi and gets a little turbulent but really not bad,, and mine is a 5.3

[Local150]

Before I bought my 5ver I told the dealer I wa ted to hook up and drive it 30 miles or so, I already had the 5th wheel mounted from last trailer. He said ok, and if he would have said no,, I would have told him to stick,,, well I wont go on but am sure you get the drift

[Shea]

Here is another one that I found that will work for us. It's a 2018 Keystone Laredo 250BH.
Shipping Weight
6193 LBS
Carrying Capacity
2207 LBS
GVWR
8400 LBS
Hitch
760 LBS
Length
29' 11"
Height
11' 1"
Thoughts?

[ctbruce]

This is an excellent video that will help you match your truck with trailer.
https://rvsafety.com/rv-education/ma...ks-to-trailers

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by Shea

Here is another one that I found that will work for us. It's a 2018 Keystone Laredo 250BH.
Shipping Weight
6193 LBS
Carrying Capacity
2207 LBS
GVWR
8400 LBS
Hitch
760 LBS
Length
29' 11"
Height
11' 1"
Thoughts?

Take gvw of the trailer, multiply it by .12 - in this case =1008lbs. Deduct that plus 100lbs for hitch and then all the things you have to load from the payload. I believe my previous post left you with about 755 lbs. of payload after deducting family (a bit of expansion for growth), toys, bbq (whatever you listed), then the tools you really need to carry etc. (minimal estimates). I think I came up with a trailer with a gvw of 6500 or so. IF you managed weights (not running at gvw of the trailer) I think I came to a trailer of 7000-7500. Those numbers were to keep it manageable for you (driving) and safe (for the family). The final numbers were the max I would ever tow with a 1/2 ton and feel safe...hopefully. I've towed much more for a short time...and won't again.

Edit: I may have figured a break on gvw of the trailer in my original computations.

[travelin texans]

In your case with NO experience towing taking the salesman, probably with even less experience towing, along will only add to the confusion. You don't know what to expect towing while he/she is sitting along side telling what a good job your truck is doing, don't see this being much help to you.
Maybe your cousin could make you a helluva deal on a 3500 Duramax then you can go buy the rv of your choice. Or at least let him read all the info on how to determine real tow weights you've gotten here so he won't steer the next person, family or someone else, down the wrong path.

[MarkEHansen]

I think if the salesman starts being honest about what people can really tow, he won't be working there much longer

[spade117]

Originally Posted by Shea

Here is another one that I found that will work for us. It's a 2018 Keystone Laredo 250BH.
Shipping Weight
6193 LBS
Carrying Capacity
2207 LBS
GVWR
8400 LBS
Hitch
760 LBS
Length
29' 11"
Height
11' 1"
Thoughts?

I think that would be the maximum trailer your truck could match up with and still be below all the limits.

[busterbrown]

I can't add too much to the conversation as most of the comments delivered have spelled it out nicely for the OP.

What I can tell the OP is that I purchased the 7600# GVWR trailer in my signature 3 years ago. At the time, I owned a 1/2 ton with a Blue OX sway pro hitch. Payload was about 1550 lbs. On on 4th trip out in early July, we experienced some severe cross 40 MPH crosswinds on the return leg. Boy, that was a "tow" altering, white-knuckle experience. The very next week, I purchased a very expensive Hensley to eliminate the dreaded sway. It worked but it also put me over on payload. By the start of season #2, we had sold our 1/2 ton and bought ourselves the 2500 Megacab Ram in my signature.

Now, my towing experience is completely relaxed, my wife can be in the driver's seat as much as me, and we can bring all the toys our 3 little boys want on our camping adventures. We're 4 days into our 5,000 mile trip across the southwest and the rig has pulled like a dream.

The best part about having a very capable TV is the stress-free conditions it provides. Our RAM (with Hensley) is the perfect tow package that I assumed my 1/2 ton would have provided. Boy, was I wrong 3 years ago. As we say around here frequently, "Been there, done that".

[Super55]

Plug your truck and passenger weights into this calculater. It will give you an estimated trailer weight for your tow vehicle. http://www.towingplanner.com/Calcula...ayloadEstimate