A little uncomfortable with my set up...
Let me explain... I went from a Wildwood travel trailer (22ft, 3600lbs) to a Jayco 273 Toy Hauler (31ft 6500lb, 12ft high). My tonque weight went up significantly from probably a few hundred lbs t...
Forum Discussion
mkirsch wrote:
Calm your roll, Larry.
Where do you get that it is a 12K toy hauler? Jayco Octane Super Lite 273, which is what this appears to be, GVWR is only 9950.
Toy haulers tend to be super-heavy on the tongue from the factory because the back half is nothing but open space. This model is no exception with a dry tongue weight of 1080lbs, 17% tongue weight. Unless you are hauling lead ingots, what toys you've put in there should not bring the tongue weight down THAT much. It has a 3500+lb cargo capacity.
It's a heavy rig and a lot for that truck even with all the suspension upgrades. Probably closer to 9000 after you consider all the options. This is what I try to warn people about... It'll do it but you may not like it, then what?
And this is why I am thinking of downgrading, rather than just throwing more money (ie, better tires, better WD Hitch) at the situation, only to not really solve the problem. It tows good 90% of the time, it is just that 10% with wind and tractors.
It is a really nice trailer, but probably is more than I actually need in retrospect. Wife really wanted a separate bedroom space, which drove the decision on the 273, but she may just have to compromise on that. I really think the sheer length and height of the thing will never make for comfortable towing, no matter what I throw at it. Standing behind this thing is like looking up a tractor trailer box...just massive in height. It is just going to catch the wind and be sucked into every 18 wheeler on the road regardless.
However, I think tongue weight is the real question here and that can be done with a tongue scale. If my tongue weight is 1500lbs and I have a 1000lbs WD system, then that is the first problem that needs to be fixed, or I just need to downgrade.
