Newbies
Hello Everyone!! My hubster and I are complete newbies to the RV world. We are looking to purchase a travel trailer in the next couple of months and start out a little slow so we can get acclimated ...
Forum Discussion
Welcome to the site. You have years of experience here to steer you in the right direction. Just because the book says your truck can tow XXX weight trailer doesn't mean you want to. When you push the limits of a tow vehicle it reduces the handling qualities. I towed many years with a 1/2 ton and a 6500lb trailer and that was all I cared to tow with it. Every semi truck that passed me it would wiggle my truck and trailer and I was always correcting for that 'push pull' effect. It was not very relaxing.
We up graded to a new trailer, a 10,000 gvwr, so I had to get a new tow vehicle too, a 3/4 ton GMC. You must also pay attention to your choice of hitch. Don't be cheap on it. I went with the Equal-Izer brand and it works very well with our set up. Make sure it's hefty enough to carry the tongue weight. Exceed the tongue weight by a couple hundred pounds. Ex. If the trailer is 6500 lbs then the tongue will be 10% to 15% of that, so 650 to 700 or so lbs on the tongue weight. A 1000/10,000 hitch should be adequate, BUT if it is close to the top end of those nunbers then go with a 1200/12,000lb hitch. Your towing experience is dependent upon getting this correct.
We up graded to a new trailer, a 10,000 gvwr, so I had to get a new tow vehicle too, a 3/4 ton GMC. You must also pay attention to your choice of hitch. Don't be cheap on it. I went with the Equal-Izer brand and it works very well with our set up. Make sure it's hefty enough to carry the tongue weight. Exceed the tongue weight by a couple hundred pounds. Ex. If the trailer is 6500 lbs then the tongue will be 10% to 15% of that, so 650 to 700 or so lbs on the tongue weight. A 1000/10,000 hitch should be adequate, BUT if it is close to the top end of those nunbers then go with a 1200/12,000lb hitch. Your towing experience is dependent upon getting this correct.
