Light weight/big toy hauler for half ton

[cchristanis]

Im looking for something comparable to living lite's axxess or quicksilver packages. I just dont like the insides of those (colors, layouts, etc). The longer the better. Would like sleeping area for me and my girl (queen would be nice) plus beds for some kids(at least 1 other sleeping area). What other manufacturers have this? i have a half ton ram with 3.92 gearing so its rated for 10k pounds but only a 1500 payload. Im currently pulling a 05 roadmaster that is 7k dry with no problem but it does squat . i have a wd system and replaced the bump stops with timbrens. Dont want to deal with airbags. Thanx

[irishtom29]

64thunderbolt wrote:
Take it to a scale The stickers lie. And loading everything in the rear to compensate ? the tail will wag the dog.

Not it tongue weight stays at least in the 12-15% range. The notion is to find a proper balance. Are toy haulers not designed to carry significant weight in the rear? Is that not why many have a forward weight bias when unloaded, to compensate for the expected weight in the rear?

[64thunderbolt]

Take it to a scale The stickers lie. And loading everything in the rear to compensate ? the tail will wag the dog.

[rolloff]

Went down this same road 10 yrs ago had 94 f 150 e cab 4x4 5.8 with edelbrock heads smog headers and cat back exhaust. baught a 21 ft baja fully loaded toyhauler . trailer salesman truck will pull it no problem. first trip 2 sport quads and full water .big hills over mountains to desert 31 mph on steepest part.did oil change after and found carbon in oil .few more trips and baught 04 ford f 350 crew cab diesel. pulls better stops better much more stable . Watch out for trailer salesmen.

[irishtom29]

I just bought a 22' KZ Sportster which will be used as a pure travel trailer, not as a toy hauler. My F-150 Ecoboost has a payload of 1317 pounds and the receiver is rated for 1050 pounds when using a WD hitch.

The trailer from the factory weighs 4320 pounds with a tongue weight of 870 pounds. With 3/4 tank of water, full propane and the battery the tongue weight is 950 pounds (I have a tongue scale). With 250 pounds ballast (me) at the rear of the trailer tongue weight is 875 pounds. Add 100 for the hitch.

I'm removing the heavy, wall mounted couch-bed and replacing it with pair of lounge chairs weighing 80 pounds each, they will be moved to the rear the trailer when on the road. In addition I'm installing cabinets weighing a total of 200 pounds empty along the walls behind the rear axle and most heavy storage will be there. And my tools, jacks, folding bicycles, etc will be stored in the rear when on the road. So I'm confident I'll reduce the tongue weight even more.

In short, with two passengers and little other payload in the truck itself the trailer will be within the truck's limits. And this is before the helpful effects of my WD hitch.

Seat of the pants: the truck pulls the trailer nicely.

[thebudman]

cchristanis wrote:
Im looking for something comparable to living lite's axxess or quicksilver packages. I just dont like the insides of those (colors, layouts, etc). The longer the better. Would like sleeping area for me and my girl (queen would be nice) plus beds for some kids(at least 1 other sleeping area). What other manufacturers have this? i have a half ton ram with 3.92 gearing so its rated for 10k pounds but only a 1500 payload. Im currently pulling a 05 roadmaster that is 7k dry with no problem but it does squat . i have a wd system and replaced the bump stops with timbrens. Dont want to deal with airbags. Thanx

How many horses do you plan on hauling? With a 1/2-ton, you will most likely be limited to one (full size adult) or maybe two small ones.

[N-Trouble]

21-23ft aluminum sided lightweight hauler is about the limit of what you can safely tow with a 1/2 ton. Even then your limited on cargo and water.

[JIMNLIN]

http://changingears.com/rv-sec-manufacturers-type-fw.shtml

Use this for searching manufacturers websites as previous year models can change.

[atwowheelguy]

GCSuper wrote:
We're pretty much in the same boat, trying to find something we like but can be pulled by our half tone Ford EB. Here's our favorites so far:

Hyper-Lite 27 HFS
Keystone Carbon 27
Cruiser RV Funfinder EXTRA 276
MXT 303

Good luck with those. I tow a Funfinder Xtra XT-245 with an Ecoboost with a 1607# payload. The GVW on the truck is 180# under the GVWR. The rear axle load is 50# under the GAWR. Two dirt bikes in the camper, no water, two people and some riding gear in the truck. This is as much trailer as my truck can handle, with no water loaded. The engine has no trouble towing it, but I am at 97.5% of the truck's GVWR and 98.7% of the rear GAWR.

Camper "published" weights: trailer 4650#, tongue 765
Camper yellow sticker weight "as built": 5025#
Camper loaded with two dirt bikes, but without water or generators: trailer 6740#, tongue 780#

[Stevepro172]

Big toyhauler & half ton do NOT go together

Couldn't say it better. I have a 22x8.5 LL VRV and pulled it with a 12 Ram 1500 crew cab. I had to put in air bags to keep it level and that was using a WD hitch. As the OP said, not much payload. I ended up moving up to a Ram 2500 as the trailer empty had a tongue weight of 875lbs. Add the battery and propane to the front and it went up from there. Good luck but I see a bigger truck in your future!

[64thunderbolt]

Big toyhauler & half ton do NOT go together.

[cchristanis]

I have not had it weighed yet for 2 reasons. Convenience and fright 🙂 I would like to know though. I don't dare add anything in the bed. The thing has a monster battery on the a frame too which is not good. I'm assuming it's close. People weight= probably 350-400+ battery I'm assuming weighs around 100 and tanks of propane+ towing goods. I guess if the tongue weight is 900 or less I will b ok. If anybody knows what it is please let new know.It's an 05 roadmaster camp master 28ft. Bought it this summer cause I got a crazy good price on it. I'm getting rid of it anyway.Well probably only use it 10x total.Thanks

[otrfun]

cchristanis wrote:
Im looking for something comparable to living lite's axxess or quicksilver packages. I just dont like the insides of those (colors, layouts, etc). The longer the better. Would like sleeping area for me and my girl (queen would be nice) plus beds for some kids(at least 1 other sleeping area). What other manufacturers have this? i have a half ton ram with 3.92 gearing so its rated for 10k pounds but only a 1500 payload. Im currently pulling a 05 roadmaster that is 7k dry with no problem but it does squat . i have a wd system and replaced the bump stops with timbrens. Dont want to deal with airbags. Thanx

You say your Ram "squats" with the 05 Roadmaster. Have you weighed your rig to verify tongue weight? I towed a friend's toy hauler across town with my 1/2 ton and it had a "mild squat". Out of curiousity, had it weighed along the way---1550 lbs. of tongue weight!!

IMO, for those trying to use the manufacturer's "empty" tongue weight specs to make some kind of educated "loaded" tongue weight guess-estimation are taking a big chance---especially with a toy hauler. Weight of your toys and *where* you place that weight can have your tongue weight go from one extreme to another.

I have a Work & Play toy hauler that has a manufacturers empty tongue weight rating of 750 lbs. In the realworld, loaded, it can vary from 950 lbs. to 1200 lbs. depending on what toys I have loaded in it. With a few gallons in the forward black/grey tanks, it can quickly soar to 1400-1500 lbs! And this, believe it or not, is a Forest River Work & Play toy hauler with a manufacturer's UVW rating of 5000 lbs!

[GCSuper]

Yea, that's the knock on toy haulers ,although using a WD hitch, then adding 1,000 lbs to the garage will reduce it somewhat, but all the ones I listed are at our limit.

[cchristanis]

Nice. I didnt know about some of those. But, i just started looking. i dont know if i will be getting one before winter or if im getting used. i like the keystones interior. All those hitch weights scare me, especially the 303 being about 1000pounds. I wouldnt touch that. With a payload of 1500 on my truck that leaves 500 pounds. Nevermind throwing anything in the bed of the truck. I might just get a different rig and not worry about it 🙂

GCSuper wrote:
We're pretty much in the same boat, trying to find something we like but can be pulled by our half tone Ford EB. Here's our favorites so far:

Hyper-Lite 27 HFS
Keystone Carbon 27
Cruiser RV Funfinder EXTRA 276
MXT 303