New to RVing, looking for opinions

sse1990 wrote:
... our first TT.
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I haven't been able to get my truck with passengers and full of fuel weighed yet. The local dump is the only place I can go with a scale so I'm waiting for my next trip.
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Our plan is to buy in the spring of 2015
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Looking at a Starcraft Autumn Ridge 289 bhs.... this is the only one we both like due to floor plan, size and interior feel.
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The truck is a 2012 GMC Sierra SLE, crew cab, 4x4, short box, 5.3L 6-speed transmission, 3.42 gears.
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I will be buying a WD hitch, most likely with integrated sway control.
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We plan to visit provincial parks in our area next year and possibly find one we like and park it for the following season. Distance to the furthest park is about 45 miles with no real grades to speak of.
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Here are the truck and trailer specs I have.

Truck specs

Max payload - 1566 lbs
GVWR - 7000 lbs
GAWR RR - 3950 lbs
GCWR - 15,000 lbs
Hitch with WD - 10,500 lbs
Tongue with WD - 1,100 lbs
Tires - LT with max load of 2470 lbs

Trailer specs
Dry weight - 6,245 lbs
Dry hitch weight 675 lbs
Shipped from factory with the installed option, battery and 2 full propane cylinders 6,645 lbs
GVWR - 8,500 lbs

I have a co-worker with the exact trailer that I want to borrow to see how the truck performs with it and get it weighed with the truck for an idea of what the GCVW is with measured numbers.
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I did mention to her that we should either look at a smaller trailer or get a bigger truck. My wife said, bigger truck, lol.
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As I mentioned in my first post, we don't have any big mountains around here, a few little hills.

First of all - welcome to the Forum. I hope you will get something out of the varied responses you are likely to get. ;)

I have a similar truck as yours, but with the 2WD and Extended cab meaning slightly higher towing capacity that yours. The specs that I have seen for your truck (and mine) all suggest that for that engine / transmission / rear-end the towing capacity is around 9500#. The Trailer Life 2012 Towing Guide has a convenient listing and as far as I can tell it is similar to the manufacturers' numbers. It pegs your truck at 9500# and the 6.2L at 10,400#.

My trailer is around 7300# as weighed and the size is similar to the trailer you are considering. I have had long distance experience pulling this one from Atlanta back to Houston and am planning a trip to LA soon, returning via Utah and Colorado. Farthest I ever pulled was with my previous shorter RV to Toronto and back.

Using the 9500# as a basis, some like to limit the trailer mass to 75 - 80% and I have seen others like to have a margin of 1000#. This is not a bad move as it accounts for a little reserve for hills, strong head winds, etc. Using 80% of the rated capacity of the truck and assuming 12% on the tongue, you get 7600# loaded trailer weight, with a corresponding 912# on the tongue.

Not sure where you got your trailer specs from but they appear to be close to the brochure specs on the website. Typical cargo is around say 1000# so using your dry weight you are within the 7600#. The dry tongue weight of 675# is a joke as the as-weighed weight would probably be closer to 900#. With the WDH and this truck you should be okay provided the axle ratings and wheel loads are not exceeded when the payload in the truck are also included in the weights seen by the axles and tires.

The WDH should also be sized just above the as-weighed tongue weight - way bigger is not better.

I am familiar with the Sudbury area and it is not flat but the grades are not very long either. You say (now) that you are not intending to go farther than 45 miles away. Things change once you own and use the RV. Assume you will go anywhere with the thing and hit any reasonable highway grades - trust me - and leave margin on tow capacity. For now you should be fine but a bigger truck should be in the back of your mind.

RV towing is not just a mathematical exercise. Things such as wind, pressure areas in front of and behind tractor trailers passing in either direction, tuning of the right for minimal sway, etc. all come into the picture and are things that only you can learn by doing. Our trucks are approaching the limits for these sizes of RV when all things are considered, but as long as this is recognized and the user acts accordingly all should be fine.

Good luck. :)