Brand New Buyer Looking for Sound Advice

Check Out Open Range.. we are new also.. researched for a year.... settled on Open Range.... the first time we walked into one..it just felt better.... we bought the 323RLS and love it... it is 38 foot and I never pulled a trailer before... I have towed over 3000 miles in 5 months.... love it.. no problems pulling at all.... They also have a two year warranty... mine has residential appliances, king bed. and W/D hookups... If you are near Texas I highly recommend Tyler RV... Good Luck




https://www.highlandridgerv.com/products/2017/light/travel-trailers/LT308BHS

I looked up my total payload and my truck's limit 7350 lbs. So we're probably going to have to compromise a little on space in order to keep the weight down. What kind of general challenges/problems can I expect if I'm towing close to my weight limit?

One other consideration is budget. There can be a big difference in quality between a 28 foot $15K trailer and a similar size and floorplan in a different model or from a different mfg for $35K. I know it seems intuitive, but the trailers can look so much alike cosmetically, especially interior wise, that the structure (frame, axles, etc) gets overlooked. Also, with all the models out there, the differences start to run together.

We had an Outdoors Creekside 23 bhs that we towed with our Yukon and a WD hitch. It was a great trailer with "4 season" package. They are great to call as well with questions about true weights, towability, etc. Trailers are made in Oregon. We just bought a trailer from a Boise dealer and the process was painless, but I would not trust any of the dealers we visited there to have your complete best interest in mind. They are selling you something. Good advice in the previous post. Only thing I would add is to rent a trailer and see how you feel towing it and how it works for you.

Welcome!

With a family of 5, guessing 3 growing kids (1 still on the way) and a F150 the biggest challenge you will be facing is the available payload of your truck, regardless of what the inflated tow rating is. There is a yellow sticker in the drivers door jamb stating "All passengers and cargo not to exceed XXXXlbs". This number is the max the weight of all the passengers (including the driver), any cargo (coolers, bikes, firewood, etc), the wdh, AND the tt tw (travel trailer tongue weight) can weigh.

Keep in mind the trailer manufacture "brochure" weights do not include options, even those options which may be "mandatory". The "dry" tongue/hitch weight does not include the weight of the propane tanks or a battery either. That can add ~120lbs for 2-20lb tanks and a battery, or ~160lbs for 2-30lb tanks and a battery. Your trucks receiver hitch also has a max tw rating.

Brand wise, pretty much all the manufactures make great trailers, and they all can make the worst.... The best thing to do is to go through the trailer before signing any papers to make sure all is correct.

One thing I came across when we were shopping last year is some manufactures do not use as high of a rated axle as other manufactures do for comparable models. One brand we looked at that was the same floorplan as our Jayco had 2-4400lb axles, but a 95XXlb GVWR. They added the tw that is "carried" by the tv to the axle rating for a higher GVWR. Yes, the tv does carry the tw, but my crazy thinking is the more reserve capacity (within reason) the better. As a comparison, our Jayco 32 BHDS has 2-5000lb axle, with a 99XXlb GVWR.

Gear wise, there are the basis you will need, and then there is the like to have. Lol I would bet you already have some stuff from the tent days.

Should have:

2x8 (or 10) boards or Lego blocks for leveling the trailer side to side. Boards/blocks for under the tongue jack and stabilizer jacks.
Wheel chocks.
30amp extension cord.
Fresh water hose.
Sewer hose, one that is better than what a dealer may include.
Pots/pans for cooking.
Awning mat (?).
Camp chairs.
Grill.

Optional:
Ez Up.
X-Chocks.
Folding table. We have 2 of the Aluminum roll top tables. Store just like a bag chair.
Gravity chairs.
And the list could go on. The biggest thing is storage space, and available payload of the trailer.

When shopping, as hard as it may be try to take the whole family once you have an idea of a few different models, and spend some time inside each one. See how it is to move around inside while "cooking" on a rainy day with everyone.

Once you get a tt home, try Camp Driveway the first few nights. That way anything you think of you can run inside and grab from the house. Also have a pad of paper and a pen/pencil to write things you need down as you think of them.

Hopefully this gets you started.

Good luck!