Overwhelmed and worried about safety
Hi all. I know threads of "can I tow XYZ with my ABC" probably get annoying and I've been reading and reading and reading. But I'm overwhelmed and my partner and I have never towed anything before. Th...
Forum Discussion
Welcome to RV.net. I've been gone for about a decade, and am now setting up a Tahoe to pull a 5000 pound trailer.
What you are looking at is not out of bounds on the face of it, but may be approaching the limits.
There is no way to know the weights without getting weighed. CAT scales at truck stops near major highway interchanges are the gold standard for this.
The sticker in your door frame likely has much lower limits than what is in the brochures. And do not listen to either vehicle or RV sales folks; hearing some of them talk, a Kia could pull the moon out of orbit.
So practical matters. Is the GVWR of the trailer added to the weight of your loaded within the GCVWR of your Jeep?
If yes, can your Jeep handle 15% of the GVWR of the trailer?
If yes, you likely have a workable combination.
As I said, I am setting up a Tahoe. New tires, New shocks. New brakes. Some other parts including a good brake controller. All maintenance done.
All weight numbers good, but I am looking at WD (Weight Distribution) and sway control. Neither of these will compensate for being overloaded (I'm not, and don't think you are), but either or both can make the towing experience less stressful. And you are feeling some stress.
So some other hints...
Given a choice of carrying gear in the TV (Tow Vehicle) or TT (Travel Trailer), put the weight in the TT. As long as you are not over the TT or TV GVWRs, or the GCVWR, only about 15% of that weight is on the tongue.
If you feel sway, pull off and move some weight from the back of the TT to the front. This increases tongue weight. 10% is a minimum tongue weight for a TT, 15% is my goal. It just drives better.
Lots of sway all of a sudden? Use the trailer brakes to pull the rig straight, not the TV brakes. This is a very useful tip when headed down a steep grade... Or a semi blows past you at 75 and you are doing a "safe" 55.
This post will probably bring up several more questions for you, but there is no magic here. It is all understandable. Also keep in mind that the weight limits may have as much to do with reliability as they do with safety.
My big joint reliability and safety tip: Don't forget to air up all your tires before taking off.
What you are looking at is not out of bounds on the face of it, but may be approaching the limits.
There is no way to know the weights without getting weighed. CAT scales at truck stops near major highway interchanges are the gold standard for this.
The sticker in your door frame likely has much lower limits than what is in the brochures. And do not listen to either vehicle or RV sales folks; hearing some of them talk, a Kia could pull the moon out of orbit.
So practical matters. Is the GVWR of the trailer added to the weight of your loaded within the GCVWR of your Jeep?
If yes, can your Jeep handle 15% of the GVWR of the trailer?
If yes, you likely have a workable combination.
As I said, I am setting up a Tahoe. New tires, New shocks. New brakes. Some other parts including a good brake controller. All maintenance done.
All weight numbers good, but I am looking at WD (Weight Distribution) and sway control. Neither of these will compensate for being overloaded (I'm not, and don't think you are), but either or both can make the towing experience less stressful. And you are feeling some stress.
So some other hints...
Given a choice of carrying gear in the TV (Tow Vehicle) or TT (Travel Trailer), put the weight in the TT. As long as you are not over the TT or TV GVWRs, or the GCVWR, only about 15% of that weight is on the tongue.
If you feel sway, pull off and move some weight from the back of the TT to the front. This increases tongue weight. 10% is a minimum tongue weight for a TT, 15% is my goal. It just drives better.
Lots of sway all of a sudden? Use the trailer brakes to pull the rig straight, not the TV brakes. This is a very useful tip when headed down a steep grade... Or a semi blows past you at 75 and you are doing a "safe" 55.
This post will probably bring up several more questions for you, but there is no magic here. It is all understandable. Also keep in mind that the weight limits may have as much to do with reliability as they do with safety.
My big joint reliability and safety tip: Don't forget to air up all your tires before taking off.
