Towable versus Motorized RV?
Hi everybody! I have posted here in the past, but it was when we were renting RVs. Now, after renting RVs over the years, we have decided to buy. I always thought we would buy a motorized RV. Howev...
Forum Discussion
Yes to most people the Tundra is a big truck, but here in the world of RV'S,it's really the smallest truck there is, that anyone considers for towing. It's what we call a half ton. There are half tons, 3/4 tons, and 1 tons. These are the most common you hear of. Aditionally they're called 1500, 2500, and 3500 respectively. There are bigger trucks, but in the RV world you don't see quite as many, as they start getting into commercial vehicle territory. There are also a few smaller trucks like the Toyota Tacoma and Nissan frontier, but they are limited for towing, and not really talked of much around this forum.
Since you have a half ton truck, you'll be limited by 2 factors, payload and max towing weight.
Payload is the maximum weight you can out into the truck itself. Passengers and cargo both. When towing, the tongue weight is also added to this weight. The tongue weight is the weight the hitch of the trailer has pushing down on to the rear of the truck. Your payload is listed inside the driver's door on the frame, with a yellow sticker. It will say "combined weight of cargo and passengers should never exceed xxxx lbs". This is your payload.
Example: you have 1500 lbs of available payload. You have 2 people they weight 350 lbs total. 2 dogs that weigh 100 lbs total, and 50 lbs of supplies in the truck. You now have 500 lbs in the truck, and 1000 lbs left over that is available for the weight of the trailer hitch pushing down.
A TT has 10-15% of its total weight resting on the hitch. So a 10,000 lbs trailer would have 1000 to 1500 pounds of weight on the hitch. This means you'd be over your payload.
Your truck also has a maximum tow rating. This is the weight trailer it can pull. Trails have a dry weight listed, you should estimate another 1000lbs of gear to be added once you're packed and ready to camp. Add more weight if you pack heavy.
With this in mind, find out your max tow rating and your payload, this will give you an idea of what you can tow.
Truthfully, most half tons are not euipped to tow very big trailers. Your idea of big may be different though. My trailer is huge compared to the tent I grew up camping with! If you're looking for a huge home on wheel, you may have to lower expectations. If you're looking for a comfortable place to relax, you'll prob find a few trailers that fit your needs. It's unlikely you'll find a 5er that's light enough, although there are a few out there for a properly equipped half ton truck.
Since you have a half ton truck, you'll be limited by 2 factors, payload and max towing weight.
Payload is the maximum weight you can out into the truck itself. Passengers and cargo both. When towing, the tongue weight is also added to this weight. The tongue weight is the weight the hitch of the trailer has pushing down on to the rear of the truck. Your payload is listed inside the driver's door on the frame, with a yellow sticker. It will say "combined weight of cargo and passengers should never exceed xxxx lbs". This is your payload.
Example: you have 1500 lbs of available payload. You have 2 people they weight 350 lbs total. 2 dogs that weigh 100 lbs total, and 50 lbs of supplies in the truck. You now have 500 lbs in the truck, and 1000 lbs left over that is available for the weight of the trailer hitch pushing down.
A TT has 10-15% of its total weight resting on the hitch. So a 10,000 lbs trailer would have 1000 to 1500 pounds of weight on the hitch. This means you'd be over your payload.
Your truck also has a maximum tow rating. This is the weight trailer it can pull. Trails have a dry weight listed, you should estimate another 1000lbs of gear to be added once you're packed and ready to camp. Add more weight if you pack heavy.
With this in mind, find out your max tow rating and your payload, this will give you an idea of what you can tow.
Truthfully, most half tons are not euipped to tow very big trailers. Your idea of big may be different though. My trailer is huge compared to the tent I grew up camping with! If you're looking for a huge home on wheel, you may have to lower expectations. If you're looking for a comfortable place to relax, you'll prob find a few trailers that fit your needs. It's unlikely you'll find a 5er that's light enough, although there are a few out there for a properly equipped half ton truck.
