New to travel trailers. Seeking guidance
Hi everyone. While I am not new to camping I am new to the whole RV style of camping. My name is Jason. My wife and I are in the market looking to purchase a new (not used) tow behind travel trailer...
Forum Discussion
Your Tundra payload capacity is around 1350 lbs. There is a sticker on the driver's side door jamb that lists the weight ratings.
Here is the way payload rating affects what trailer you pull: You want to stay under the payload rating of the truck with what you're towing and with what you put in the truck at the same time. This means the passenger weight, cargo you carry in the truck, the tongue weight of the trailer, and the weight of a weight distributing hitch should total less than 1350 lbs. All half ton rucks will run out of this payload weight long before they approach towing weight rating.
If we assume three passengers, average weight of 100 lbs. = 300 lbs. Camping cargo of 200 lbs. Weight of weight distributing hitch = 80 lbs., the remaining payload for tongue weight of the trailer should be 770 lbs. Most RV trailers have a tongue weight of around 13% of their loaded weight (10%-15% is normal). Using the 770 lb. remainder, your trailer should have a gross weight of nothing greater than 6000 lbs. Usual trailer cargo weight will be anywhere from 500-1200 lbs. Don't trust a dealer to give you any weight configurations beyond the placarded weight that comes with the trailer delivered from the factory. The weight sticker is included inside every trailer by DOT mandate. The trailer will not come to the dealer with propane tanks or a battery. If the dealer installs anything optional, he is supposed to alter the weight sticker showing the increase in weight.
Hope this all helps. There are many posts on this Forum about a new owner either trying to pull too much weight or discovering his truck isn't up to the task, post sale.
Here is the way payload rating affects what trailer you pull: You want to stay under the payload rating of the truck with what you're towing and with what you put in the truck at the same time. This means the passenger weight, cargo you carry in the truck, the tongue weight of the trailer, and the weight of a weight distributing hitch should total less than 1350 lbs. All half ton rucks will run out of this payload weight long before they approach towing weight rating.
If we assume three passengers, average weight of 100 lbs. = 300 lbs. Camping cargo of 200 lbs. Weight of weight distributing hitch = 80 lbs., the remaining payload for tongue weight of the trailer should be 770 lbs. Most RV trailers have a tongue weight of around 13% of their loaded weight (10%-15% is normal). Using the 770 lb. remainder, your trailer should have a gross weight of nothing greater than 6000 lbs. Usual trailer cargo weight will be anywhere from 500-1200 lbs. Don't trust a dealer to give you any weight configurations beyond the placarded weight that comes with the trailer delivered from the factory. The weight sticker is included inside every trailer by DOT mandate. The trailer will not come to the dealer with propane tanks or a battery. If the dealer installs anything optional, he is supposed to alter the weight sticker showing the increase in weight.
Hope this all helps. There are many posts on this Forum about a new owner either trying to pull too much weight or discovering his truck isn't up to the task, post sale.
