setting up RS230 toy hauler with Chevy Avalanche

ZanMan · 05-06-2013, 08:03 AM

I am looking for a little bit of advice and hopefully not finding out I've made a dreadful mistake. My TV is a 2007 4x4 Chevy Avalanche, 5.3L, 3.73 gears, rated for 7200lbs or 7800 lbs depending on which site I'm on.

The trailer is a 230RS with the front garage (5345lbs dry). When I load my 765lb bike in the garage the tongue weight seems excessive. I tried the fulcrum-scale method and had to stop at 1250lbs for fear of breaking my setup. I have a 10,000lb Equal-i-zer hitch and if I load that sucker up I can come close to leveling the trailer and the truck height at the front tires is the same as unloaded and the rear fender height is down but not excessively. The hitch seems very loaded and complains a lot when turning.
I then filled my fresh water tank (behind rear axle - 350lbs) and now my tongue weight is 1050 lbs. With the equalizer hitch bars set to the same level as before, the truck and trailer are still level, maybe slightly better but the hitch does not complain nearly as much.
I took it for a test run out the highway and although it feels pretty heavy it seems doable if I go easy and don't expect it to maintain speed up the hills.
This is with an empty truck and some camping gear in the trailer, including a 50lb generator at the back. Propane and batteries are installed. I hope to only add a couple hundred pounds more for clothes and food so I should be close to my travel weight.
So, bottom line is that I suspect my loaded trailer, with the bike and the fresh water is around 7000lbs. 15% of that is exactly 1050lbs which is approximately my tongue weight. Additional weight inside truck would be only two people, total weight 330lbs.
Q: am I better off hauling the extra water weight to balance the tongue weight? My truck has factory air assist rear shocks but I could add bags as well so that I could put less load on the equalizer hitch, is that better?
Also, I really like the Avalanche for the rest of the year so I would like to keep it and make this work, if possible. Our camping will consist of 3 or 4 trips per year, typically under 500 miles to destination.
Any comments or advice are welcomed...
Steve

chuck&gail · 05-07-2013, 08:10 PM

Most manufacturers rate their VEHICLE (not the hitch, the VEHICLE) maximum tongue weight at 10% of the tow weight. If they did that on your Chevy, you are WAY WAY over the max spec. Better ask Chevy.

Note for good towing with no sway you want 13% to 15% of the ACTUALLY FULLY LOADED TT weight on the tongue.

SAD · 05-08-2013, 02:06 AM

I'm sorry that my post will not be helpful....

But, I'm personally not even sure why they make bumper pull toy haulers. Loaded vs unloaded, the balance is generally wrong.... And it's almost guaranteed that you will get uncomfortable sway.

I hope i'm wrong and your experience is better.

ZanMan · 05-08-2013, 07:22 AM

I think what I am learning is that with the water tank full, the trailer is fairly balanced with 1050lbs at the tongue so it should pull properly and safely, and a test trip seemed to confirm that. The real issue appears to be my TV is at its limits (or beyond)

SteveC7010 · 05-08-2013, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZanMan

I think what I am learning is that with the water tank full, the trailer is fairly balanced with 1050lbs at the tongue so it should pull properly and safely, and a test trip seemed to confirm that. The real issue appears to be my TV is at its limits (or beyond)

Do you have the payload rating for the Avalanche? Please look it up and post it here. You may find it on the driver's door sticker.

My suspicion is that the SUV's payload rating is around 1,000# and no more. The typical half ton pickup will have a payload of 1,400-1,900#. If my thinking is correct, you're overloaded with an empty trailer and just the driver, let alone adding "stuff", liquids, passengers, and the toy.

We've repeatedly said that the manufacturer's pull ratings really are not the tow ratings because they do not include payload in the calculation. Generally, a big pull rating only works for things like a boat with fairly low tongue weight compared to a travel trailer or fifth wheeler.

ZanMan · 05-09-2013, 07:53 PM

The specs say
Curb weight 5664
GVWR 7200
GAWR FRT 3800
GAWR RR 4100
Max trailer 7100
GCWR 13,000

If my trailer is fully loaded at 7,000 and I am carrying only the two of us in the truck my gross weight would be 12,994 Enough extra to pack a lunch!

Festus2 · 05-09-2013, 08:02 PM

ZanMan -

I went online and found that the manufacturer's payload is 1355 pounds but the actual payload, according to Motor Trend who did a review/test on this vehicle, is 1282 pounds. Not surprising since manufacturers nearly always tend to be on the high side with their payload figures.

This actual figure is somewhat less than the usual 1/2T payload.

Are you sure that you will be able to pack a lunch?? Hope you're a light eater!! LOL

chuck&gail · 05-10-2013, 03:50 PM

PLEASE ask Chevy DEALER what the TONGUE WEIGHT rating is on the CHEVY. Not the hitch rating, the VEHICLE rating. I think it is 710#. If so, putting over 1000# on the tongue is WAY over spec, like about 30% over.

ZanMan · 05-10-2013, 04:52 PM

the owners manual states 1000 lbs for my model

**JRTJH** · 05-10-2013, 05:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZanMan

the owners manual states 1000 lbs for my model

You'll also need to calculate in about 100 lbs for the weight distribution hitch. We all tend to compile numbers on the truck, on the trailer, and when we get those added up and they're really close (as in your 16 pounds) we often think, "whew" and stop thinking further. However, you have also got the hitch which isn't added in trailer weight or tongue weight, and isn't a part of the tow vehicle either, but that 100 lbs goes directly on the hitch weight of the tow vehicle and/or must be added to the tongue weight of the trailer.

I'm thinking you're overloaded. If you read the 2008 Avalanche owners manual, there is a really good example of how tongue weight figures into the GCWR and the axle ratings on the truck. The example on pages 4-50-4-53 in that GM manual should help considerably in your understanding of how you're overloading your vehicle.

Sorry to convey "bad news" but if your Avalanche is still operational and your family is safe, then the good news is you haven't hurt anything "yet"

ZanMan · 05-19-2013, 08:31 AM

well, I guess I have to face the facts. Maiden voyage we loaded up, minus the motorcycle, and ran it over a scale. We were at 12,5000#. The trailer pulled fine and if this was our normal configuration I would keep the Avalanche, but, obviously I am missing my bike. If the TV was not limited I would probably like to add an additional 1500# by the time I add the bike, water to balance the trailer and all the accessories so I guess I am off to buy a new truck!
My fully loaded trailer can maxed out at 7550# and maybe another 1000# on the vehicle and if I am going to buy something I don't want to "just barely" make it work. I am thinking F250 or Dodge 2500 kind of size. I love my Avalanche but I have no brand loyalty to Chevy so all options are open. I don't want to start a debate on best vehicle but I am open to general suggestions for size and capacity. My wife also drives the truck in the winter so 4x4 is a must. 4 door is a must also.

SteveC7010 · 05-19-2013, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZanMan

well, I guess I have to face the facts. Maiden voyage we loaded up, minus the motorcycle, and ran it over a scale. We were at 12,5000#. The trailer pulled fine and if this was our normal configuration I would keep the Avalanche, but, obviously I am missing my bike. If the TV was not limited I would probably like to add an additional 1500# by the time I add the bike, water to balance the trailer and all the accessories so I guess I am off to buy a new truck!
My fully loaded trailer can maxed out at 7550# and maybe another 1000# on the vehicle and if I am going to buy something I don't want to "just barely" make it work. I am thinking F250 or Dodge 2500 kind of size. I love my Avalanche but I have no brand loyalty to Chevy so all options are open. I don't want to start a debate on best vehicle but I am open to general suggestions for size and capacity. My wife also drives the truck in the winter so 4x4 is a must. 4 door is a must also.

We're having some serious discussions about 1/2 ton vs 3/4 ton in a couple of other threads right now. A lot of hard information is included concerning payloads and pull loads. It's some of the best info I've seen in one place.

On the F250 Fords, here is a link to the 2013 specs: http://media.ford.com/images/10031/2...Duty_Specs.pdf On page 4, notice how much the payload varies based on just two things: type of cab and 4x2 vs. 4x4. Page 3 for the pull ratings, and pretty much the same story.

You'll want to go to taller gears to achieve pull ratings in the 14K# range.

But all of the F250's have payloads north of 3,000# which will be great for your rig. I have a SuperCab 4x4 7.6 diesel 142" wheelbase. The payload rating of 3,460# is plenty for our Cougar. I love the SuperCab for us, but others may need the CrewCab.

I highly recommend the 10K# GVWR option as it ups your payload regardless of engine, body, or drive train.

ZanMan · 04-12-2015, 08:30 AM

I thought I would post a final message to close this thread just in case anyone stumbles across it. I ended up buying a 2012 Ram 2500 diesel and as much as I liked the Avalanche, pulling with 850 ft-lbs of torque is so wonderful it is crazy.

I realize that trailer salesman can say whatever they want and it is up to the consumer to do their homework but there really should be better guidelines to selling a trailer based on the TV capacity. Bottom line, do your homework and do ALL the calculations, as some of the others have mentioned in this forum and don't go with a "barely" solution or even a grossly overweight solution (in my case).

The irony is, now I could pull a much bigger trailer, haha!

happy camping...

Hamops · 05-20-2015, 05:58 PM

One of things that I noticed thru out the thread, is that there was no mention of tires. Generally the Avalanche comes with P type tires which have a great deal to with the load rating of the truck. If possible, it would be advisable to replace the tires with a higher load range tire, like Load Range D or E. These tires run at a higher pressure, significantly cooler and will help with any sway problems, because they are more rigid than P Range tires. The only caveat is that the Avalanche would ride a little harsher.

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