Another "new to toyhauler" topic.

Have you considered look at a smaller/lighter toy hauler or a travel trailer toy hauler that your truck would easily tow.

RoyB wrote:
Know the feeling haha... The trailer the dealers sold me that would be pulled just fine with my 2004 F150 truck still sits in the driveway up next to the woods... Got about 250 road miles on and it did just fine until I went down the the other side of the mountain road on I81 here in VA. It was Katie bar the door white knuckles time then... That's not even a very long drop for roads...

Then I just decided the trailer will make a great second bedroom for the kids when they came over for short stays...

Got me my 2008 Starcraft 14RT OFF-ROAD camper then and my 4WD truck will pull it anywhere I want to go. My trailer weighs in around 4000lbs... I also get 20-22MPG going down the road and the only maintenance I have done on the trailer since 2008 is buy two tires and packed the wheel bearings once. When I traded for a new truck in 2010 I didn't even put the fifth wheel hitch in the bed - its laying under the trailer now. We have all the modern things inside our OFF-ROAD POPUP the big boys have just not much moving around room... makes us live more outside around the patio when parked.

Roy's image

We pull up behind the big boys at the next Red light every time... Then they usually pull off for fuel and catch back up with me in a hour or so. I'm still on my original 25 gallons I started out with haha... Then I am back in the catching up to them at the next Red light down the road. Then usually I see them pulling off again for more fuel. I'm still on my original 25 gallons I started out with...

I don't miss the big boys with hard sides at all...

Roy Ken

Wish I could keep it simple like that- that thing looks awesome and practical... But I wouldn't be able to haul my side by side with something like that and want something a little bigger for my dogs and guests.
Does your trailer feel solid in high winds when set up?

Know the feeling haha... The trailer the dealers sold me that would be pulled just fine with my 2004 F150 truck still sits in the driveway up next to the woods... Got about 250 road miles on and it did just fine until I went down the the other side of the mountain road on I81 here in VA. It was Katie bar the door white knuckles time then... That's not even a very long drop for roads...

Then I just decided the trailer will make a great second bedroom for the kids when they came over for short stays...

Got me my 2008 Starcraft 14RT OFF-ROAD camper then and my 4WD truck will pull it anywhere I want to go. My trailer weighs in around 4000lbs... I also get 20-22MPG going down the road and the only maintenance I have done on the trailer since 2008 is buy two tires and packed the wheel bearings once. When I traded for a new truck in 2010 I didn't even put the fifth wheel hitch in the bed - its laying under the trailer now. We have all the modern things inside our OFF-ROAD POPUP the big boys have just not much moving around room... makes us live more outside around the patio when parked.

Roy's image

We pull up behind the big boys at the next Red light every time... Then they usually pull off for fuel and catch back up with me in a hour or so. I'm still on my original 25 gallons I started out with haha... Then I am back in the catching up to them at the next Red light down the road. Then usually I see them pulling off again for more fuel. I'm still on my original 25 gallons I started out with...

I don't miss the big boys with hard sides at all...

Roy Ken

yup, passengers/hitch/firewood/whatever else is in the truck.

azdryheat wrote:
I've got 3,500 pounds on the pin. Your TH may be similar in weight. Can your 2500 handle 3,500 pounds on the hitch? 3,000 pounds? Nobody's going to stop you but I wouldn't do it.

Truck is rated for 3760 (payload). But you have to consider the weight of your passengers and hitch, right?

Well- good job guys, you broke my heart??... Haha.
And dually is out of the question due my narrow driveway and not really ideal for Los Angeles and I barely bought the truck I have now (7,000 miles).

joebedford wrote:
Your payload is irrelevant - GVWR (or even better, actual gross vehicle weight) is what matters.

Big tires and jacking the suspension will not help your towing.

Trade the truck on a bigger one, or buy a smaller toyhauler.

The payload is the one thing I was worried about... The trailer would never be fully loaded and my truck is rated for 17,900. As far as water, I would put enough to use the bathroom a few times for the road. But yeah- payload for my truck is 3760. Trailer is 3030.

Also by installing taller tires on your truck your gear ratio is knocked down some also making it pull a little harder. Weigh your truck full of fuel and then see what the difference is from that to your max loaded weight for your truck, that figure minus weight of how many people on board will tell aprox how much pin weight you can have.

I've got 3,500 pounds on the pin. Your TH may be similar in weight. Can your 2500 handle 3,500 pounds on the hitch? 3,000 pounds? Nobody's going to stop you but I wouldn't do it.

Your payload is irrelevant - GVWR (or even better, actual gross vehicle weight) is what matters.

Big tires and jacking the suspension will not help your towing.

Trade the truck on a bigger one, or buy a smaller toyhauler.