Trailer Comparison - Feedback requested
This is a follow up to my post for feedback last week-See my comparison of the 3 trailers in question in the image noted above. About to pull the trigger on ordering either the Skyline ...
Forum Discussion
I trust you have searched around the forums for issues with each one? I've read about a lot of unhappy Heartland owners - I think it's been over poor warranty support from the dealers and factory. Dealer quality and factory support is an important factor. Some dealers are just awful and even simple repairs can take many weeks by the time they get factory authorization, then order the parts, and then schedule the work in after the parts have arrived. Not good in the height of the camping season. Our last dealer was in the awful category and current one is excellent.
Ditto on the frame and CCC. You don't list CCC or GVWR. Sometimes CCC can get eaten up to nearly nothing with just basic stuff loaded. Dry weights are bogus figures to use so don't make a buying decision based on that. I'd allow 1500 lbs as a typical weight that will end up on top of the dry weights they list. Compare that to the GVWR numbers. Sometimes towing with just one full tank of water will put you over the GVWR.
Frames can be a real problem. I'd stay away from a frame if it's the 3-piece welded fabricated I-beam type. Notwithstanding other things, I'd choose the one with the better frame design. Some have better re-enforcement in the axle area. Check axle rating vs. the actual weight that will be on the axles. Sometimes they are too close. You can use GVWR minus 10% of that for tongue wt. to be conservative.
Never trust anything a dealer tells you. Research it for yourself.
On tow-ability, if it were me, I'd take your TV to a scale and subtract the weight from it's GVWR to get the actual available payload. Load it up with DW, kids, dogs and anything else you would take for camping and fill up the gas tank. Allow another 100 lbs for weight of the WDH. Since you won't know the actual tongue wt. in advance, I would take 15% of the TT's GVWR for a max. tongue wt. to be sure you'll be okay. Actual tongue weights can go way up from factory dry numbers. Ours is 14.5% for example - up from the factory 10% amount. You'll find that payload capacity in your TV is the limiting factor.
Ditto on the frame and CCC. You don't list CCC or GVWR. Sometimes CCC can get eaten up to nearly nothing with just basic stuff loaded. Dry weights are bogus figures to use so don't make a buying decision based on that. I'd allow 1500 lbs as a typical weight that will end up on top of the dry weights they list. Compare that to the GVWR numbers. Sometimes towing with just one full tank of water will put you over the GVWR.
Frames can be a real problem. I'd stay away from a frame if it's the 3-piece welded fabricated I-beam type. Notwithstanding other things, I'd choose the one with the better frame design. Some have better re-enforcement in the axle area. Check axle rating vs. the actual weight that will be on the axles. Sometimes they are too close. You can use GVWR minus 10% of that for tongue wt. to be conservative.
Never trust anything a dealer tells you. Research it for yourself.
On tow-ability, if it were me, I'd take your TV to a scale and subtract the weight from it's GVWR to get the actual available payload. Load it up with DW, kids, dogs and anything else you would take for camping and fill up the gas tank. Allow another 100 lbs for weight of the WDH. Since you won't know the actual tongue wt. in advance, I would take 15% of the TT's GVWR for a max. tongue wt. to be sure you'll be okay. Actual tongue weights can go way up from factory dry numbers. Ours is 14.5% for example - up from the factory 10% amount. You'll find that payload capacity in your TV is the limiting factor.
