Is this truck and trailer combo safe??

I have a Grand Cheokee with a V6 and recently tried towing a 1685 from Castaic to Frazier Park. I had it mostly loaded 4100 lbs at the CAT scale. It didn't have any problems. My tongue weight capacity is 620 lbs and that day it was 600 lbs. The 1685 seems to be a nicely balanced trailer and is easier to tow than I had expected. I have more stuff in it at the moment, but it still handled the breezy weather without a problem going across hwy 138 yesterday.

California has a 55 speed limit for vehicles towing trailers, and my V6 JGC seems to go along nicely between 55-60.

Whether your vehicle came with the factory tow package or not might make a big difference- the JGC would be rated to tow 3500 instead of the 6200 with tow package.

I'll probably will know more tomorrow as I'm heading to Death Valley, probably by way of Trona. At the moment I've only driven the Grapevine and the 138.

Thanks, hearing about your personal experience really helped! We are looking at buying the Lance 1685 next month :)

I just bought a Lance 1685 new last fall and have not had a chance to camp in it yet, too much cold and rain. Stated on the inside yellow tag says: Weight from factory with propane tanks full and fresh water tank full but black and grey empty is 4071. That leaves 1429 lbs for added cargo.
I noticed that fresh water tank is just forward of the axle and the waste tanks are behind the axle. But I tow with a 3/4 ton PU with 1000 lbs in the bed.
Also may stop by Death Valley in Feb.

Lula85 wrote:

romore wrote:
It will work, you will be legal, but the truck is not going to like the Grapevine or Donner Pass with that load. For safety's sake no more than 80% of your towing capacity, in your case 4960 lb, is recommended.However, it's your call.

Ah yes, I think I would feel a lot more comfortable at 80%. And we will head through the Grapevine from southern California a couple times a year to go to Kings Canyon, maybe Yosemite. I do figure that on the way there we will have empty water/black tank, which will obviously help with the weight. Fill them up at the closest possible stop before heading down the canyon.

So far, this has been the best trailer under 6200 pounds, that still has a 6 cubic ft fridge and decent water tanks at 45/45/45.

I have a Grand Cheokee with a V6 and recently tried towing a 1685 from Castaic to Frazier Park. I had it mostly loaded 4100 lbs at the CAT scale. It didn't have any problems. My tongue weight capacity is 620 lbs and that day it was 600 lbs. The 1685 seems to be a nicely balanced trailer and is easier to tow than I had expected. I have more stuff in it at the moment, but it still handled the breezy weather without a problem going across hwy 138 yesterday.

California has a 55 speed limit for vehicles towing trailers, and my V6 JGC seems to go along nicely between 55-60.

Whether your vehicle came with the factory tow package or not might make a big difference- the JGC would be rated to tow 3500 instead of the 6200 with tow package.

I'll probably will know more tomorrow as I'm heading to Death Valley, probably by way of Trona. At the moment I've only driven the Grapevine and the 138.

Thanks for all of the great advice and feedback. As someone new to the RV world, I have already learned so much, but it just feels like the tip of the iceberg!!

This is the same old argument, if 3/4 and 1 ton trucks have LTs your pick up needs LTs. Well why not your Chevy or Smart car? You want you family to be safe don't you.

There is no doubt that an LT is more robust tire. But thousands of farmers, construction workers and others will tell you that a half-ton is much more than a grocery hauler.

We all like to think that bigger and stronger means safer but safer is more closely related to the user.

This is all a moot point anyway, if you feel faster, stronger or safer with LTs or any other TT "upgrade" then by all means do it.

Heck, I like to tinker with improvements myself. Like chicken soup, they usually cannot hurt. But please remember, no matter what TV you have, it comes with a set of spec's and ratings written by the folks who built it.

The e rated tires on my tundra made a big ddifference. I run them at 50psi and ride is still just fine. Just my honest opinion.

"if you like a buck board ride, the illusion of safety or you know more than the TV designers than indeed LTs may be for you."

LMAO, if you have a buck board ride you bought the wrong tires or need new shocks. :S

If you believe upgrading to tires designed and built for enhanced towing performance gives you the "illusion of safety" you are delusional. Vehicles that are intended for serious towing come with LT's, name one 3/4 or one ton truck that doesn't.

Yes, some half tons come with P's but most are built to be grocery getters and not serious towing platforms (check their payloads for a clue as to which category they fall into). One of the most common and cost effective upgrades for a marginal tow vehicle equipped with P's is to simply upgrade to LT's.

:R

The dreaded "P" tires have worked just fine for me. They are rated for a specific load and matched by the manufacturer to the suspension and anticipated load of the vehicle they are put on. That is why the manufacturers issue towing guides.

If you are the type that off roads, drives in a severe environment or other abusive conditions that need a stronger tire; that is different. If you like a buck board ride, the illusion of safety or you know more than the TV designers than indeed LTs may be for you.

There is no question that LTs are more robust then P tire. The question is do you need them. That is an individual decision.

Get the E rated LT tires. P's are not designed/built for the additional loads imposed by towing. No downside to getting the LT's as the performance difference when towing is amazing and they ride just fine without the tow. I have had particularly good results with the Michelin M/S 2's both towing my 5,000# TT with an F-150 Scab 5.4L and now on my 11,500# V-10 6.8L Class C.

Few things matter more in terms of safety and performance than tires... why skimp just to save a couple of bucks? :h

As always.... Opinions and YMMV

:C

Lula85 wrote:

Hideout17 wrote:
I see no issue from info posted. May want to get D rated tired or E instead of p series. A good wdh is a must.

Cool! Will tell DH to look in to that, thanks for the tip :)

I disagree with the need for LT tires. Not with that size of trailer anyway. The P rated truck/SUV tires on today's trucks are not the same as the one on your dad's '72 Buick, nor like those that Suburbans came with 20 years ago. They have stiffer sidewalls than car tires, are built for loads, and properly inflated (many take up to 51 psi) will work fine for a trailer this size. I have no trouble with the P rated tires on my Sierra or my previous SUV.