Hello All! My name is Ernie, and I'm fairly new to the travel trailer world.I have a 2013 Chevrolet 2WD 1500 extended Cab pickup with the 5.3L engine, equipped with the heavy duty cooling package, and a 3.23 rear end ratio.The maximum tow capacity of the Chevy is around 9,700lbs.Our first travel trailer was a 2013 Keystone Bullet Premier 19fbpr, with an approx 400lb tongue weight, and a 4200lb curb weight. We have sold that trailer, and are looking into purchasing a new 2014 Bullet Premier 26rbpr. The trailer dry weight is 5,755lbs, but the tongue weight is a jaw dropping 835 pounds!!! I cannot find any info on the maximum tongue weight for my TV. I know the truck can tow the weight of the trailer, but am very concerned about the extremely heavy tongue weight. I'm looking into a WDH, probably the Reese dual cam setup, but I'm not sure if that will be enough to distribute the tongue weight of this trailer???I know one of the towing Guru's on the site will be able to give me an idea if I'm looking at the wrong trailer, considering my current tow vehicle. Upgrading to a 3/4 ton truck is not an option at this point, since I just purchased my current truck 3 months ago!!Thanks in advance for any help I can get with this issue.

835 lbs is 14.5% of 5,755 lbs, on the heavy side but within the normal 10-15% range you want it to be. Once you load up the trailer, perhaps you will be up to 7,000 lbs total and if the % tongue weight stays the same, your tongue weight will be 1,015 lbs.Look at the yellow sticker near the drivers door and see how much payload you have. Your vehicle needs enough payload to handle this tongue weight plus any cargo you put in the truck as well as passengers, the W/D hitch, bed cover if you have one, etc. A W/D hitch is a necessity for this, the Reese dual cam is a good system and when used properly it will distribute some of that weight back to the trailer axles (in addition to the front axle of the truck) so that will reduce the load on the vehicle as well. I would think that your truck would have 1,500 lbs or more of payload so this is not necessarily too much for your truck. The most accurate way to get your payload is to take it to the scales with yourself and other passengers if possible in the truck and see how much payload you have left and how much extra axle capacity you have left. GVWR minus the weight of the truck is your extra payload for gear, tongue weight, etc. Getting an accurate weight is especially important if you've added any accessories such as a bed liner, bed cover, bed cap etc. which the yellow sticker won't have accounted for since it only knows the payload at the time it was built. You will also find out at the scales (if you get individual axle weights) how much rear axle capacity you have. The biggest potential issue you will have is going over your GVWR or rear axle weight rating.Seems fairly doable, especially if there is just two of you. I don't see bunks in that trailer model so if you don't have extra kids or other passengers then you won't have extra people and all their stuff adding to the vehicle weight or their gear in the trailer which will only help. Good luck.

Pezzman wrote:Hello All! My name is Ernie, and I'm fairly new to the travel trailer world.I have a 2013 Chevrolet 2WD 1500 extended Cab pickup with the 5.3L engine, equipped with the heavy duty cooling package, and a 3.23 rear end ratio.The maximum tow capacity of the Chevy is around 9,700lbs.Our first travel trailer was a 2013 Keystone Bullet Premier 19fbpr, with an approx 400lb tongue weight, and a 4200lb curb weight. We have sold that trailer, and are looking into purchasing a new 2014 Bullet Premier 26rbpr. The trailer dry weight is 5,755lbs, but the tongue weight is a jaw dropping 835 pounds!!! I cannot find any info on the maximum tongue weight for my TV. I know the truck can tow the weight of the trailer, but am very concerned about the extremely heavy tongue weight. I'm looking into a WDH, probably the Reese dual cam setup, but I'm not sure if that will be enough to distribute the tongue weight of this trailer???I know one of the towing Guru's on the site will be able to give me an idea if I'm looking at the wrong trailer, considering my current tow vehicle. Upgrading to a 3/4 ton truck is not an option at this point, since I just purchased my current truck 3 months ago!!Thanks in advance for any help I can get with this issue. 1st. Look on the bottom of the reciever mounted on your truck. It will list the weight capacity of the hitch. on my 2012 it is 600 w/c and 1100 w/d. That trailer is listed at 7500 max gross wt. 5755(trailer) plus 1745(cargo) Tongue wt should be 10 to 15% of trailer wt, so its probally within limits, depending on how heavy you load it and where you put the wt. It will be close. 2nd. Are you sure you have the 3.23 gears? In 2012 they only offered the 5.3/HD cooling with 3.08 and 3.42 and the 9700 lb tow rating is for the 3.42's.

Taz 23 wrote:Pezzman wrote:Hello All! My name is Ernie, and I'm fairly new to the travel trailer world.I have a 2013 Chevrolet 2WD 1500 extended Cab pickup with the 5.3L engine, equipped with the heavy duty cooling package, and a 3.23 rear end ratio.The maximum tow capacity of the Chevy is around 9,700lbs.Our first travel trailer was a 2013 Keystone Bullet Premier 19fbpr, with an approx 400lb tongue weight, and a 4200lb curb weight. We have sold that trailer, and are looking into purchasing a new 2014 Bullet Premier 26rbpr. The trailer dry weight is 5,755lbs, but the tongue weight is a jaw dropping 835 pounds!!! I cannot find any info on the maximum tongue weight for my TV. I know the truck can tow the weight of the trailer, but am very concerned about the extremely heavy tongue weight. I'm looking into a WDH, probably the Reese dual cam setup, but I'm not sure if that will be enough to distribute the tongue weight of this trailer???I know one of the towing Guru's on the site will be able to give me an idea if I'm looking at the wrong trailer, considering my current tow vehicle. Upgrading to a 3/4 ton truck is not an option at this point, since I just purchased my current truck 3 months ago!!Thanks in advance for any help I can get with this issue. 1st. Look on the bottom of the reciever mounted on your truck. It will list the weight capacity of the hitch. on my 2012 it is 600 w/c and 1100 w/d. That trailer is listed at 7500 max gross wt. 5755(trailer) plus 1745(cargo) Tongue wt should be 10 to 15% of trailer wt, so its probally within limits, depending on how heavy you load it and where you put the wt. It will be close.do not look at receiver ratings to buy a TT.PAYLOAD PAYLOAD PAYLOAD...only thing that matters to trucks.

Taz 23 is correct on both counts....sticker on the reciever has very specific info....and its most likely 3.42, not 3.23. My tounge weight is 725...most likely more with the front storage on ours loaded. Sorry, I've not done a weigh yet. I've not had any problems and my setup is simiar to yours except 4wd.Key is that I am safely towing within the capabilities of the truck....and looks like you should be too.

The max tongue weight will be on the receiver itself. Figure your actual tongue weight will be 13% of actual loaded trailer weight

Trailer tongue weight concerns!!!!! | Good Sam Community

eluwak
Explorer
Sep 26, 2013
This photo gets posted around and it may help. The tongue weight will count against the payload capacity on the truck. Since you've got 1750 lbs to work with you'll probably be good to go, just don't go too overboard loading stuff in the bed :C
Pezzman
Explorer
Sep 26, 2013
Ok, I have tried to gather as much info as I can about the TV and the RV! Here it goes....

Tow Vehicle: 2013 Chevrolet 1500 2WD EXT Cab
Max tow capacity: 9,700 lbs
GVW: 6,800 lbs
Max tongue weight: 6,000 lbs (weight carrying hitch)
Max tongue weight: 1,100 lbs (weight distributing hitch)
Max payload : 1,755 lbs
Gross combined weight rating: 15,000 lbs

Travel trailer: 2014 Keystone Bullet Premier 26rbpr
Trailer weight: 5,755 lbs
Tongue weight: 835 lbs
Hitch approx weight: 80-100 lbs

Miscellaneous other weights:
My fat butt! 250 lbs/ Wife 140 lbs
Total weight carried in bed of the truck 150 lbs
Total weight of misc supplies in the trailer 150 lbs
Full tank of fuel: 162.5 lbs 26 gallons @ 6.25 lbs per gallon

Next question: Is there a formula to figure all of this BLEEP out?
I consider myself to be semi intelligent, but when it comes to GVW, GCW, Payload, occupants, etc, etc, it all gets a little confusing!!
I've racked my brain trying to calculate all of this, and it comes out goofy every time!!

Hoping the Professor of trailering comes to the rescue! LOL
Please let me know if I have left something out!

Thanks again for all of the responses!! Ernie
eluwak
Explorer
Sep 25, 2013
Look for your payload rating on a sticker near the last one you posted. I would guess you'll be 1400-1500 lbs, which if so you'll be close. Remember that the WDH will transfer some (not a lot) of the tongue weight back onto the trailer.
Pezzman
Explorer
Sep 25, 2013
Taz 23 wrote:
1st. Look on the bottom of the reciever mounted on your truck. It will list the weight capacity of the hitch. on my 2012 it is 600 w/c and 1100 w/d. That trailer is listed at 7500 max gross wt. 5755(trailer) plus 1745(cargo) Tongue wt should be 10 to 15% of trailer wt, so its probally within limits, depending on how heavy you load it and where you put the wt. It will be close.
2nd. Are you sure you have the 3.23 gears? In 2012 they only offered the 5.3/HD cooling with 3.08 and 3.42 and the 9700 lb tow rating is for the 3.42's.

Taz, I did check my window sticker and you are correct... The rear end ratio is 3.42. I took pics of the receiver sticker, and the sticker on the inside of the door. I also didn't think of the weight of the WDH! That alone will add another +- 100lbs!!! Making the tongue weight approx 935lbs!! The storage area on this particular trailer is a front pass through, so most of the weight will be in the front of the trailer. We only carry a 10X10 EZ Up and a few misc tools, and a couple of hoses up front, so that's not too bad, but I feel like I will be seriously pushing it with this trailer. Mostly just 2 of us going on trips, but there is a possibility we will take 1 or 2 children on occasion. I only usually load a cooler and a few chairs, etc in the bed of the truck, so not too much. I'm 250lbs and the wife is 140lbs.

I'm not at all educated on how to figure any of this stuff out, so hopefully I've given enough info for some help from those who know!
Thanks again to all who have chimed in!! Ernie
Passin_Thru
Explorer
Sep 25, 2013
GEE Pezman, I don't know if anyone will give you advice on this here forum. LOL
Yes a Reese Dual Cam will do the job on your trlr and they ahve them up to 1200 lb tongue and 14000 lb trlr wt. Talk to your dealer or any dealer about Reese or to Reese even. We just add 1000 lb to our ety wt and have come out just about right having a scale here to weigh it on. You could, if its close enough, ask the owner of the trailer to go with you and weigh everything at a truckstop or grain elevator scale. Drop the trailer with the tongue only on the scale.
BarneyS
Explorer III
Sep 25, 2013
You will definitely need a weight distributing hitch with that trailer and your truck should tow it without problems, in my opinion. The Reese Dual Cam system is a good choice but there are also a lot of others that you can choose from such as Equal-i-zer, Blue Ox, Husky.
Barney
fla-gypsy
Explorer
Sep 25, 2013
The max tongue weight will be on the receiver itself. Figure your actual tongue weight will be 13% of actual loaded trailer weight
mleekamp
Explorer
Sep 25, 2013
Taz 23 is correct on both counts....sticker on the reciever has very specific info....and its most likely 3.42, not 3.23.

My tounge weight is 725...most likely more with the front storage on ours loaded. Sorry, I've not done a weigh yet. I've not had any problems and my setup is simiar to yours except 4wd.

Key is that I am safely towing within the capabilities of the truck....and looks like you should be too.
popupcamping
Explorer
Sep 25, 2013
Taz 23 wrote:
Pezzman wrote:
Hello All! My name is Ernie, and I'm fairly new to the travel trailer world.

I have a 2013 Chevrolet 2WD 1500 extended Cab pickup with the 5.3L engine, equipped with the heavy duty cooling package, and a 3.23 rear end ratio.
The maximum tow capacity of the Chevy is around 9,700lbs.

Our first travel trailer was a 2013 Keystone Bullet Premier 19fbpr, with an approx 400lb tongue weight, and a 4200lb curb weight. We have sold that trailer, and are looking into purchasing a new 2014 Bullet Premier 26rbpr. The trailer dry weight is 5,755lbs, but the tongue weight is a jaw dropping 835 pounds!!!

I cannot find any info on the maximum tongue weight for my TV. I know the truck can tow the weight of the trailer, but am very concerned about the extremely heavy tongue weight. I'm looking into a WDH, probably the Reese dual cam setup, but I'm not sure if that will be enough to distribute the tongue weight of this trailer???

I know one of the towing Guru's on the site will be able to give me an idea if I'm looking at the wrong trailer, considering my current tow vehicle. Upgrading to a 3/4 ton truck is not an option at this point, since I just purchased my current truck 3 months ago!!

Thanks in advance for any help I can get with this issue.

1st. Look on the bottom of the reciever mounted on your truck. It will list the weight capacity of the hitch. on my 2012 it is 600 w/c and 1100 w/d. That trailer is listed at 7500 max gross wt. 5755(trailer) plus 1745(cargo) Tongue wt should be 10 to 15% of trailer wt, so its probally within limits, depending on how heavy you load it and where you put the wt. It will be close.

do not look at receiver ratings to buy a TT.

PAYLOAD PAYLOAD PAYLOAD...only thing that matters to trucks.
Taz_23
Explorer
Sep 25, 2013
Pezzman wrote:
Hello All! My name is Ernie, and I'm fairly new to the travel trailer world.

I have a 2013 Chevrolet 2WD 1500 extended Cab pickup with the 5.3L engine, equipped with the heavy duty cooling package, and a 3.23 rear end ratio.
The maximum tow capacity of the Chevy is around 9,700lbs.

Our first travel trailer was a 2013 Keystone Bullet Premier 19fbpr, with an approx 400lb tongue weight, and a 4200lb curb weight. We have sold that trailer, and are looking into purchasing a new 2014 Bullet Premier 26rbpr. The trailer dry weight is 5,755lbs, but the tongue weight is a jaw dropping 835 pounds!!!

I cannot find any info on the maximum tongue weight for my TV. I know the truck can tow the weight of the trailer, but am very concerned about the extremely heavy tongue weight. I'm looking into a WDH, probably the Reese dual cam setup, but I'm not sure if that will be enough to distribute the tongue weight of this trailer???

I know one of the towing Guru's on the site will be able to give me an idea if I'm looking at the wrong trailer, considering my current tow vehicle. Upgrading to a 3/4 ton truck is not an option at this point, since I just purchased my current truck 3 months ago!!

Thanks in advance for any help I can get with this issue.

1st. Look on the bottom of the reciever mounted on your truck. It will list the weight capacity of the hitch. on my 2012 it is 600 w/c and 1100 w/d. That trailer is listed at 7500 max gross wt. 5755(trailer) plus 1745(cargo) Tongue wt should be 10 to 15% of trailer wt, so its probally within limits, depending on how heavy you load it and where you put the wt. It will be close.
2nd. Are you sure you have the 3.23 gears? In 2012 they only offered the 5.3/HD cooling with 3.08 and 3.42 and the 9700 lb tow rating is for the 3.42's.

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