New guy needs help

So you bought a big trailer and have a TV that may or may not be big enough to handle it. Go to a scale and weigh your vehicle with you and a full tank of gas. Subtract that number from your vehicles GVWR. That is your payload. Take the TV hitch weight, hitch assembly weight and everything else you'll put in your vehicle, family, stuff, wood etc and all that goes against your payload. I'm saying you'll be overloaded. Everyone's getting you outfitted with all these things you need, make sure you have enough truck first!

The sticker on the trailer isn't going to give you the tongue weight. A Sherline scale might be a good investment so you know exactly what the tongue weight is or you could use the bathroom scale method. This link gives a good illustration of the bathroom scale method, though you can do it at the jack without the extra wood instead of at the ball and it will work just fine.

Tal/IL wrote:
Try this link for specs on the unit:
***Link Removed***

That was the link I felt best about using for a beginning weight. I was unaware of the sticker on the trailer itself until someone here mentioned it. I'll use that number when I find it but for now that number seems close to what my uncle said. Thanks

Try this link for specs on the unit:
2010 Catalina 29rls specs

Thanks for the responses everybody. We sent a couple texts back and forth after posting this and he said the wd setup and the sway bar kit he has on it is coming with the TT. I'm going to go down there later this week and check it out, so hopefully it'll be the right size.

Oh and the 2 inch ball was a miscommunication. I said I had to get a new hitch and he said he used a 2 inch, the same as on my truck. Turns out he meant a 2 inch receiver.

Your tongue weight will likely reach 1000 lbs or better and this trailer may be a handful for your vehicle if you do not research this carefully and make good choices. As mentioned by another poster you need to find the GVWR and ULVW of the trailer on the attached sticker and plan from there. Your vehicle payload and towing information should be available from Ford's towing guide for that year. The vehicle rating will be impacted by rear axle ratio/motor size/options etc. At the very least (if your vehicle can tow this much) you will need a good WD hitch with integrated sway control. Do your research and come back if you have more questions. Some of us can help you with this.

According to this site the Catalina 29rls (2011 model) is 32 feet long, weighs 7684lbs dry, and has a dry hitch weight of 694lbs. That hitch weight will go up by about 300 lbs or so when you are ready to go camping.

I would certainly use a WD hitch to tow that trailer with my truck (a Ram 2500) and so should you with your Expedition. I would get a hitch with at least 1000lb bars or more as your tongue weight is going to be very close to that amount.

I would strongly advise getting a hitch that combines WD and sway control into one unit such as the Reese "Strait Line", the Equal-i-zer, or Blue Ox. There are others also.
I agree with the statement above that the coupler on that trailer will require a 2-5/16 in ball.
Barney

Look for a tire / loading decal (probably located near the front on drivers side) on the trailer itself. It should show tire sizes and a GVWR for the trailer. It may also give you dry weights for hitch and trailer.

Average trailer load (propane, battery, dishes, pots and pans, camping gear, BBQ supplies, bedding, groceries, water, etc) is 800 to 1000 lbs.

Average tongue / hitch weight is about 12.5 percent of actual trailer weight.

If you find dry weights, add 1000 lbs to trailer weight and calculate 15 percent of the total, for tongue weight. This will only get you in the ball park of your actual weights.

If you only have GVWR, calculate 15 percent of that for tongue weight. This will get you in the ball park of max weight on that trailer.

The ball size is most likely 2 & 5/16".

Your WD hitch should be sized to handle up to the gross trailer and tongue weights.

Example:

If GVWR is 7500 lbs, tongue weight could be as high as 1125 lbs. You would need a hitch rated up to 1200 lbs.

Things to keep in mind:

Tongue weight is not a constant number. It goes up and down during every trip. Different things get loaded for each trip, groceries get used up, holding tank levels go up and down.

Travel trailers can have tongue weights between 10 and 15 percent of loaded weight. Some can be higher. Less than 10 percent is not good. Too lite on the tongue, can cause sway issues.

i will always recommend using a wdh. It wont hurt to get the heavier bars. It will keep the rear end tighter when you have your truck loaded down and hooked up so it doesnt want to bob as much

Also, Id look into what ball the trailer uses as well, 2" doesnt seem right for that trailer size/weight