Newby needs advice

mapdog wrote:
I'm not trying to tow anybodies trailer from this forum. What about the trailer I put the link for?

EMPTY, that trailer all by it's self will use HALF of your 1100 lb cargo capacity.

You stated that you are planning to "full time" out of it..

I would have to say it could haul it empty BUT, with full timing you WILL be taking a lot of "stuff" with you..

I suspect that you will find yourself in a bind looking for a more capable tow vehicle in a hurry once you load up all of your possessions you wish to take with you..

I would recommend taking a look at some USED trucks which have a higher cargo rating.. You could most likely get into a used 2011 SD with a 6.2 gas engine for less than the cost of a new Ram Eco Diesel..

2011 and up F250 SDs have a pretty high cargo rating, I have a 2013 F250 4x2 super cab short bed with 3.73 gears and a cargo rating of 3415 lbs..

In spite of what some folks like to think about it being OK to go overweight, it isn't them that has to deal with break downs, repairs, premature wear and tear that will happen once you go over the ratings.. YOU will have to deal with it.

It isn't them that will have to deal with the feeling that the combination is questionable, it is YOU that has to deal with it.

That trailer is over 28 ft, starts out using up half of your vehicles cargo and when loaded will most certainly exceed your vehicles cargo and possibly one of the axle ratings.

Move on to a different smaller and lighter trailer or ditch the vehicle and buy a older used vehicle with more cargo..

You WILL thank yourself in the end and not hate a bad decision..

Basic Truck / Towing Edumatcation

Forget so-called "trailer tow ratings" and forget about your truck's stated payload capacity, both are nebulous, even if based on the newer J2807 tow standard that many manufacturers are now adopting. :R Instead, go weigh your truck with a full tank of gas and weight distribution mounted, even throw the spring bars in the back. If you yet don't have a weight distribution system allow 100 lbs for it in your calculations. Once weighed subtract your weight from the scaled weight, assuming you were in the truck at the time it was weighed ... the result is what your particular truck actually weighs as it sits there with a full tank of gas, ready to be hitched to a trailer. Subtract that number from the truck's stated GVWR and the result will be your particular truck's actual payload capacity, not some fanciful number the mfg has assigned to it. Payload capacity is what you'll use to account for the weight of everyone and everything added to the truck, including any tongue weight transferred from the trailer to the truck. Exceed this real world payload capacity and you're sure to exceed it's Gross Rear Axle Rating and despite what the pundits may say this is a situation you want to avoid. Sure, your truck will tow a larger trailer but so too can a lawn tractor ... but can it do it safely within all the various manufacturer ratings? :p

The TT you posted has a hitch weight of nearly 600# and that's based on unloaded weight of the trailer. If you and your wife and all of your gear weigh 500# or less AND you don't put anything in the trailer (no water, no dishes, no clothes, nothing), probably empty propane tanks and no battery either. Should be okay.

However the reality is that you will want to have a fair bit of stuff in that trailer. The trailer has a carrying capacity of over 2000#. Figure 12% of that should be on the tongue for safe handling and you are now over 800# of tongue weight. If you and the wife and gear combined weigh less than 313# you are good to go.

I understand a lot of the replies you're getting are snarky, people come here all the time asking pretty much the same questions.. almost every day.

You need to educated yourself on towing, all of the weights involved for both your TV (tow vehicle) and any TT (travel trailer) you might be interested in. In the end you have to decide what you are comfortable with, and the only way you can make that decision is to first understand the issues.

bpounds wrote:
You are going to need a weight distributing hitch, and the dealer you buy the trailer from will help you get all that setup. You can do it yourself and save money, but you have no experience, so lean on the dealership to help.

A good point to consider. Don't cheap out on an inferior hitch. You will have a lot of money tied up in your truck, trailer, and personal belongings. Don't rely on a $500 hitch. Study different brands. Consider the Hensley, ProPride, or Equalizer.

mapdog wrote:
Are you saying I can't tow this? http://www.eastcoastrvs.com/product/new-2016-forest-river-rv-wildwood-heritage-glen-hyper-lyte-24rk-469427-29

You can tow that trailer just fine. No problem. However, there is virtually no closet space for your clothes! Think about how your live today and how you will live in that trailer. Looks like no drawers to put underwear, socks, jeans, etc. and really no closet for two people's clothes.

mapdog wrote:
Are you saying I can't tow this? http://www.eastcoastrvs.com/product/new-2016-forest-river-rv-wildwood-heritage-glen-hyper-lyte-24rk-469427-29

Some of the "advisers" around here are rather ridiculous.

You can tow that trailer. You will need to be careful with loading and keep it to the essentials. Isn't that what camping should be?

FYI, the GVWR on that trailer is 7,585, which is Dry-Weight + Cargo-Weight.

You asked about next step. Suggest you start shopping for the trailer. You are going to need a weight distributing hitch, and the dealer you buy the trailer from will help you get all that setup. You can do it yourself and save money, but you have no experience, so lean on the dealership to help.

Only you can say whether you will be happy living full time in a 28' trailer. We could be. Some can't.

The above trailer might be doable. Here is a recent post from this forum about your tow vehicle. It will help give insight on what to expect towing wise from your eco-diesel. Hope you find a great rig and that the RVing lifestyle is all you expect it to be. Happy Camping!!!

mapdog wrote:
I'm not trying to tow anybodies trailer from this forum. What about the trailer I put the link for?

That trailer is bound to weigh somewhere around 6500 lbs loaded and ready to camp so even if you were running ~ 13% gross tongue weight that would be ~ 850 lbs ... not much left from that 1100 lbs of payload left for everything else. :E

Good luck ... with so little payload capacity to work with you're going to need it. ;)

Don't let all of the downers get to you about your truck. Another forum member, Perrysburg Dodgeboy just did a review towing with a truck like yours and seemed quite happy with it. You can search for it.

Any trailer you buy, of course, must match your tow vehicle. If your tow vehicle has a tow rating of 7600 lbs. only look at trailers with a GVWR of no more than 7600 lbs. Pay no attention to "dry weight" as that figure is meaningless. Actual weight from a scale (some manufacturers actually have that) are also deceiving, as the weight of your personal supplies, kitchen stuff, batteries, water, etc. add up surprisingly fast.

While payload numbers are very important, you will find that a lot, if not most, vehicles towing a RV are overloaded according to payload. A few hundred pounds is not a killer. You will hear posters say that your warranty will be voided or if in an accident, your insurance won't pay because you are overloaded. As an attorney, I can tell you I have never read of this except for Harley Davidson who denied a warranty claim when they discovered the motorcycle was towing a sizable trailer and displaying several large flags that created significant drag.

Reputation of the manufacturer and dealer along with a floor plan that is workable coupled with a trailer that your vehicle will tow are your concerns. That is a tall order. Don't let the excitement of the RV show, the pressure of "show prices" and fast talking salespeople cloud your judgement. Finding the right combination outlined above may take a year or more.

I'm not trying to tow anybodies trailer from this forum. What about the trailer I put the link for?