What is the risk of exceeding payload?
Depending on what vehicle we buy, our Airstream will be a 27' twin, or 30' bunk. If we buy the Ford F-250 diesel, will get 30'. But if we are able to safely tow the 27' twin with Tundra, we are going ...
Forum Discussion
Danattherock wrote:
Main usage will be 1-2 weekend trips a month to the nearby Smoky Mountains of NC and Tenn. For us that's 3-4 hours of hwy and 1-2 hours of twisty and steep grades in the mountains.
Having just come back from near that area this past weekend, I think the 1-2 hours of twisty and steep grades would guarantee that I would want more margin and that you should go for the 3/4 ton.
Don't push it. If you were traveling "flat" across Florida or something, and only a couple pounds over the cargo capacity, then maybe I'd consider it. But I saw a 6 mile 10% grade that Im not sure my truck and trailer would have handled. I didn't have to climb it, but our friends did (they missed the turn into our campground), and their 250 diesel, pulling about 7500 lbs huffed and puffed up that grade. They had to go 4-5 miles before they could turn around. I don't think it would have been fun in a half ton, and certainly not for 1-2 hours.
If you have scales nearby, weigh your Tundra, full tank of gas, loaded with kids and wife. See where that puts you. Do that BEFORE you buy the trailer. That's what I did, and then calculated 12% tongue weight, plus about 100 lbs for the WD hitch to make sure I was within my cargo capacity. Then, I weighed my trailer, dry (coming home from the dealer I bought it from). Weighed each item I was putting in the storage area. I've got a good idea of what Im pulling now, but I am going to weigh it one more time, fully loaded.
Make an informed decision, not an emotional one.
Mike
