Tips on buying a newTT
Seen some of the posts from before and found them very helpful. Hoping to get some suggestions for our new venture. Have a 2015 suburban max trailer package, and GVWR of 7500. For our needs, looks ...
Forum Discussion
handye9 wrote:
1. Every pound of people, aftermarket accessories, cargo, weight distribution hitch, etc, that you put in, or on the tow vehicle, takes a pound away from payload and tow capacity.
What handye9 said. Also, check the height/weight charts for boys and girls. Project out what you think your children will weigh for as long as you think you'll keep that trailer/vehicle combination:
Boys
Girls
For my trailer, I projected out seven years, and assumed they were in the 95 percentile for weight. (Three little porkers.) That gave me a worst-case passenger weight to help me know if I'd be bottoming out after two years.
In our situation, we weren't close to the tow vehicle's GCWR (combined weight of vehicle+trailer) but are close to its GVWR due to the tongue pressing down on the tow vehicle, adding to the weight of the passengers, some of which are, shall we say, "fluffy." So when it's time for a trip, and especially when the kids get older, I'm getting Nazi on weight in the tow vehicle. I'm tossing out the floor mats and newspapers, and moving anything not needed while driving (e.g. cell phone chargers and drinks would be needed but tools and coolers would not be) into the trailer. Even the vehicle's spare and jack. The trick becomes remembering to put that junk back in the vehicle if I have to separate the two and go somewhere like the grocery store. Just need to develop and stick to a good checklist, and we should be alright.
We also chose a relatively lightweight hitch, which goes a long way. Each pound of hitch saved is for me worth several pounds towed.
From what you describe you could be butting up against these limits. Check and see. Also keep an eye on the GAWR.
