What could I be missing?
Hi all - new member - have been researching a LOT lately and just looking for some verification.. We are looking into TT fulltime (for a year or so) to give the kids a different view of NA starting...
Forum Discussion
PA12DRVR wrote:
- 700#'s for 5 people and gear and fuel? Unrealistic.
- Don't forget that 15 - 20% of the TT load will be on your hitch
- Use the GVWR of the trailer when calculating loads, not the estimated or stickered weight.
- All the upgrades may or may not make the 'burb into the equivalent of a higher-rated burb...but they won't change the door sticker.
700 lbs for driver (200) a wife (120) and 3 kids (125 each, 375 lbs total) is realistic. My math has us at 695 lbs. He knows his family better than you do...
15-20% is more along the lines of a 5er. A travel trailer is more like 12-14% tongue weight.
I do agree that the OP needs to realize that the loaded weight of the trailer, and loaded tongue weight, will be much higher than dry weights.
My suggestion is to load the family up and fuel the truck up and take it across a scale. Pay the couple of bucks to get it weighed and know your axle weights. Then you will know if you have enough truck left over to handle the trailer you want.
Adding a trans cooler and upgrading brake lines are great and will make the experience better, but you don't want to overload your vehicle and have mechanical issues 2000 miles from home.
I went across country with my family for 6 weeks when I was a kid. Our van's transmission went out on the trip. Got it rebuilt. Went out a second time. Got it rebuilt under warranty. We got home and finished our trip, but a simple trans cooler (and perhaps a lighter trailer) would have saved a lot of aggravation.
Enjoy the trip, take plenty of time. One complaint that I had on our trip was the relatively brisk pace over a 6 week period. There were days where we drove from morning through to evening to stay on schedule. Driving across north Texas was unbearable...
