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Old 02-24-2020, 12:19 PM   #1
Lccraig
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Newbie towing question Passport 3100QB

So my husband and I are looking at getting a travel trailer. This would be our first travel trailer and we have been doing as much research as we can. We really like the Passport 292BH because of the bunkhouse area for our kids. We went today to look at one and while we were at the dealer we also looked at the Passport 3100QB. It is a slightly bigger trailer and we really liked the layout a lot more.

My question is would we be able to tow it comfortably.

We have 2017 GMC Sierra, 5.3, V8, 6 speed trans, 3:42 gear with a max trailer weight of 9,100 lbs.

The 292BH SL series is:

5,840 dry weight, 1,457 carrying capacity and is 32' 4" long

The 3100QB GT series is:

6,300 dry weight, 2,600 carrying capacity and is 35' 11" long

The 3100 has a lot more carrying capacity which I think partly is due to the water tanks. What else would be the difference in carrying capacity and would we really have 2,600 lbs of stuff??

I appreciate any thoughts/opinions.

Thanks!
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Old 02-24-2020, 01:05 PM   #2
SummitPond
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lccraig View Post
So my husband and I are looking at getting a travel trailer. This would be our first travel trailer and we have been doing as much research as we can. We really like the Passport 292BH because of the bunkhouse area for our kids. We went today to look at one and while we were at the dealer we also looked at the Passport 3100QB. It is a slightly bigger trailer and we really liked the layout a lot more.

My question is would we be able to tow it comfortably.

We have 2017 GMC Sierra, 5.3, V8, 6 speed trans, 3:42 gear with a max trailer weight of 9,100 lbs.

The 292BH SL series is:

5,840 dry weight, 1,457 carrying capacity and is 32' 4" long

The 3100QB GT series is:

6,300 dry weight, 2,600 carrying capacity and is 35' 11" long

The 3100 has a lot more carrying capacity which I think partly is due to the water tanks. What else would be the difference in carrying capacity and would we really have 2,600 lbs of stuff??

I appreciate any thoughts/opinions.

Thanks!
Dry weights are useless, so don't bother with them. Use the GVWR instead, and then figure roughly 13% for the tongue weight. As for the trailer's payload capacity, check the yellow & white sticker on the entrance door (could be on the screen door or the frame) or the white sticker on the street side of the trailer - advertising numbers are ideal but not true.

Look at the yellow sticker on the driver's side (may be on the door or post) of your Sierra to see what your real payload capacity is; towing capacity is just one part of the equation. Remember to subtract hitch weight, tongue weight, passengers and any other stuff you have in your Sierra from its GVWR.

Then you have to consider GCWR - the sum of the weights of the trailer and truck. Again, using GVWR for each is conservative.

There's also a guideline for trailer length: 110" minimum wheelbase is good up to 20' length, every additional 4" of wheelbase yields 1' additional of trailer length.

As far as would you really carry that much stuff ... it depends. With kids and their stuff, it adds up.

We have a trailer with 1860 # payload capacity. We've pushed it to within 380 pounds of the limit (determined by CAT scale weighing), but that was for a one-month trip; normally we are less. And there are just two of us, and a cat.

Best wishes in your search and decision.

And welcome to the forum!

===
Edit: Fixed a GVWR typo above (was GCWR).
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Old 02-24-2020, 02:24 PM   #3
Ken / Claudia
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Post #2 gave really great advice.
I will say, be careful, actually very careful believing any RV sales person who says your truck can pull it without them 1st reading that payload (yellow) sticker near your driver door on the body. Every truck has it's own ratings those are listed on that sticker and the VIN sticker (White one)
Pulling a RV is not like a flat bed, utility bed, boat, small horse trailers. With the right truck and RV combo travel is enjoyable. The wrong truck= too small and wrong RV= too large, wrong hitch is dangerous to your family and the motoring public. The ones that "kind of" work together, many use the term "White Kuckle" driving experience. Meaning they barely maintain control of the combo.
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Old 02-24-2020, 03:52 PM   #4
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While you're considering your options, I just want to point out that it's more than having the power to pull the trailer, but also the frame/suspension to handle the load, the brakes to handle stopping that load, etc.

Don't just think about the perfect towing experience - one in which nothing goes wrong - but what happens when they go south. For example:

1. What happens when you're at freeway speed and blow a truck/trailer tire?
2. What happens when someone/something jumps out in front of you and you have to take evasive action to avoid?

With regard to sales people, you need to ignore both the RV sales folks as well as the truck sales folks - they really only have one priority, regardless of what they say. There are some good sales folks out there, but the odds of finding one are not that great (in my experience).

We happen to be in that "been there, done that" club. We had a 2018 GMC Yukon Denali as our tow vehicle. When we purchased our current trailer, the dealer just looked at the max tow value published for the Yukon and said "it's close, but it will work". He never considered anything (and I mean anything) else.

During the tow of the trailer to our first camp site (about 5 hours), the mrs and I came to the realization that we needed to either sell the trailer or upgrade the tow vehicle. We ended up trading in our nearly new Yukon (at great loss, I might add) and purchased our current truck.

We are much happier now (now that the shock has worn off ).
My suggestion is to definitely do your research first, and listen to those that know about what they speak. There are lots of them here, and they are all willing to help.

In the end, it will be your decision. Good luck.
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Old 02-24-2020, 03:55 PM   #5
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You've been given good advice. Get those numbers inside the driver door of the truck; payload and axle rates (front/rear) and post those. You have the numbers from the trailers and then a very basic "guesstimation" " can be made. I will say that from experience a 36' trailer behind a 1/2 ton? is more than it wants to handle without extensive mods to the truck...and then it would have to be seen if it can handle the load. Let us know.
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Old 02-24-2020, 06:52 PM   #6
Lccraig
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Thanks for the info.

So as for more information on our truck here are the specs.

GVWR - 7,200 lbs
GAWR front/rear - 3,950 lbs
Payload capacity - 1,630 lbs
Max tongue weight - 1,250 lbs

The 3100QB has a much higher GVWR because it has a better axle system and much larger tanks. The dry weight difference between the 2 trailers is 460 lbs and about 2-3 feet (one has a bumper and one doesn’t). The hitch weight is almost the same for both trailers (735).

We are a family of four with a 12 and 8 year old and live in southeast Michigan and would be camping within a few hours of here. We plan to camp at campgrounds with full hookups so we wouldn’t be towing the trailer with any of the tanks full.
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Old 02-24-2020, 07:05 PM   #7
Lccraig
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Oh also we plan on getting a weight distributing hitch. Any recommendations?
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Old 02-24-2020, 07:09 PM   #8
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The tongue weight you're quoting is again from the sales literature and not really worth anything. You should plan on the tongue weight being 12%-15% of the GVWR of the trailer.

You really should not do any of these calculations based on less than the GVWR of the trailer - to assume you won't ever have to tow with the tanks full is not realistic. It happens.

Also, the distance you need to pull is not relevant - unless you're just moving it from one parking spot in a park to another. Once you get out on the road, you're towing. The truck and trailer don't know you're only planning a short drive.
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Old 02-24-2020, 08:24 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lccraig View Post
Thanks for the info.

So as for more information on our truck here are the specs.

GVWR - 7,200 lbs
GAWR front/rear - 3,950 lbs
Payload capacity - 1,630 lbs
Max tongue weight - 1,250 lbs

The 3100QB has a much higher GVWR because it has a better axle system and much larger tanks. The dry weight difference between the 2 trailers is 460 lbs and about 2-3 feet (one has a bumper and one doesn’t). The hitch weight is almost the same for both trailers (735).

We are a family of four with a 12 and 8 year old and live in southeast Michigan and would be camping within a few hours of here. We plan to camp at campgrounds with full hookups so we wouldn’t be towing the trailer with any of the tanks full.
Using your data, here's a few things you MUST consider.

The advertised tongue weight is with EMPTY propane tanks, no battery and no hitch. When you pick up the trailer, it will have at least 1 GP24 battery (absolute bare minimum battery size) and 40 pounds of propane (two 5 gallon propane tanks filled with LPG). That will increase the tongue weight approximately 100 pounds.

To that, you have to add the weight of the WD hitch you install. Typically a "moderate performance hitch" weighs around 125 pounds.

Now, we're up to 735+225=955 pounds. That's before you put the first sheet, blanket, toy, pot, pan, utensil, tool, jack, spare tire (also not included in the empty weight or tongue weight in the brochure), food, pillows, cleaning supplies, toiletries, clothing, lawn chairs, grill, flash light or anything that's "mandatory" for any camping trip. We haven't accounted for sewer hoses, water hoses, extension cords, jacks, chocks, jack pads... Hopefully you get the idea: With a family of 4, you can expect at least 1000 pounds of "stuff" to do "bare minimum camping trips in the local area"....

Now, if your 8 and 12 year old are like any other typical youngster, do you really believe they're going to go away for a weekend without their bike, their scooter, their "favorite doll" or the other things that keep their life from becoming a "boring crisis" ??? Additionally, you can expect the infamous, "Dad, can Joey come with us this weekend? PLEASE, Dad, can he?"

So, now, in addition to the 1000 pounds of cargo in the trailer, and the 975 pounds of tongue weight, you've got 200 pounds of "bikes, firewood and stuff" in the bed of your truck. Plus, 4 people in the family (400 pounds) and if Joey is coming, then "dear daughter" wants her best friend to come too.....

Let's see, we've got 1630 pounds of payload, subtract 975 in trailer tongue weight, 400 pounds of family, 200 pounds of "bikes and firewood" and suddenly, you're at 1575 pounds and you're going to have to make a decision whether to take the grill in the truck or leave it at home because the truck is loaded to maximum already.....

Now, if you've ever considered Holly Lake Recreation Area as a "weekend campsite, you may have heard that the dump station has been closed. So, if you go there to enjoy that "super nice lake playground equipment", you'll be towing home (or to the closest dump station) with full tanks... It happens, much more often than you might think. Even at Groveland, the full hookup sites are only in one section (about 50 sites) and all the others are water/electric only. Their dump station has been "closed" several times this past summer. Hopefully it will be open "all the time" this coming season.

Honestly, your truck would "be a good match" for a 25' trailer weighing in with a GVW of around 6000 pounds and a tongue weight in the 750 pound range. That would put you "very near the top limits" for towing with your family in the truck... Anything approaching a 35' trailer is well beyond realistic for any half ton truck with the precious cargo you've got strapped in the seat belts.

Added: Be aware that the above figures do not include the first pound of your camping equipment, food, clothing or other items that will be "in the trailer" or that will "add to the 975 pounds of tongue weight". Essentially, it is the figures you'll see when you tow the empty trailer home from the dealership. Once you pack it for that first trip, you can expect to very likely see a tongue weight closer to 1100 - 1300 pounds.
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