New to TT, Bit timid to tow ...?
Hi all, I am new to this forum and new to travel trailer camping. We have "the bug" and are looking at small Jayco or Rockwood. We haven't bought the trailer, nor do we yet have a tow vehicle. Howe...
Forum Discussion
As others have said above, *disregard* the 'tow rating' and look at the payload rating. It's on the driver's side door sticker and will say something like "weight of occupants and cargo not to exceed...." A chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and the payload is the first think you'll max out when towing.
If you want a very rough rule of thumb, a 5K pound 'tow rating' isn't very much for a travel trailer unless you're going to tow something that's less than 3K pounds fully loaded up. That also assumes you don't load the tow vehicle down with a bunch of weight also.
Before you buy, I strongly suggest you stop by the nearest state park that has RV hookups and look around. You'll get a feel for what people tow and the size of RV they tow. Forget the outliers, like someone towing a huge RV with a RAV4, and look at the trends.
I'm not trying to discourage you from buying the SUV's you're considering, but you are in the fortunate situation of not being stuck with a vehicle you already have. I suggest you figure out a realistic size of TT you can tow with the SUV because if you hate the TT, you should strongly reconsider your choice of SUV. If that's the case, you don't necessary have to go bigger with the SUV - just find one that's more suitable for towing.
If you want a very rough rule of thumb, a 5K pound 'tow rating' isn't very much for a travel trailer unless you're going to tow something that's less than 3K pounds fully loaded up. That also assumes you don't load the tow vehicle down with a bunch of weight also.
Before you buy, I strongly suggest you stop by the nearest state park that has RV hookups and look around. You'll get a feel for what people tow and the size of RV they tow. Forget the outliers, like someone towing a huge RV with a RAV4, and look at the trends.
I'm not trying to discourage you from buying the SUV's you're considering, but you are in the fortunate situation of not being stuck with a vehicle you already have. I suggest you figure out a realistic size of TT you can tow with the SUV because if you hate the TT, you should strongly reconsider your choice of SUV. If that's the case, you don't necessary have to go bigger with the SUV - just find one that's more suitable for towing.
