Buying 1st Travel Trailer Go Large or Not?

[MarkRBD2019]

Hi, I am new to this forum and I would appreciate the views of all you Travel Trailer experienced hands on this question.
I am looking to buy a custom built 36' Travel Trailer made by Recreation by Design that will weigh approx. 8000 LBS. I intend to use a Reese or similar hitch and sway/weight distribution set up on a Ram 1500 with a 3.92 differential, 5.7 Hemi 8 cylinder and a factory rated towing capacity of 10440 LBS. I intend to keep my total vehicle weight below 10440 LBS including passengers and cargo. I will be installing a back up camera with wide angle on the trailer.
I have been told by an experienced RV guy that the trailer is too much for my truck and that the length will cause me all kinds of problems, regardless of what Ram says the tow rating is and what kind of sway/distribution hitch system I put on it.

Any Thoughts from your RV Trailer Trailer pros on this or anything else I am thinking about and trying to do here?
Mark

[bob213]

This may give you some help. Remember..this is on paper. Real world, first time towing could easily be a constant white knuckle experience with that size trailer.
What can I tow?

[CaLBaR]

Ride S40T wrote:
You're going to hear varying degrees of good advice on RV forums and A LOT of solid recommendations based on years of experience.

After considering any or everything read here, please please go out to one of the reputable sites like Shereline and run all the TV and TT specs. Find a worksheet that uses all the specs all the way down to the wheelbase, do not use a simple "pulling capacity" worksheet produced by TV manufacturers.

"Can" you haul something that big behind a 1500 (any make)? Sure. Will it be unsafe or kill the truck? Possibly. Run the numbers, even those wheelbase specs are important. Let the science behind towing be your first guide. Then decide on a TT within those parameters.

Lastly, please know dry weight & tongue weight issued by TT mfgrs can be a little optimistic on the low side. We used a tongue scale to find out our hitch weight is about 100lbs more than advertised.

Can you supply the links or the websites that you are referencing that take wheelbase and other information into account. I did a search and could not find one and it would be great if people on the forum could look that up for some additional information when trying to decide on TV/trailer combinations.

Thanks,

[drsteve]

The question is not, will it pull it. Today's trucks have gobs of horsepower compared to past pickups, they'll pull most anything. The question is, will it carry the load that the trailer's tongue weight will place on the truck's suspension, axles, and tires?

With a half ton truck you will reach the payload limit long before tow rating or combined weight limit will be reached.

[wanderingaimles]

MarkRBD2019 wrote:
More Info, the payload capacity of the truck is 1750 LBS and the towing 10460 LBS

You will likely "on paper" be well within the limits.
On the road and in action within traffic will be the unknowns.
How much effect will passing trucks/buses have on that size trailer? Will the truck maintain stability through that?
Staying in your flatlands area will be one thing also, hills, mountains will be different.

I still think as a newbie to towing, a little experience with a rental may help clear some things for you. Rent a couple of times, a 25' box once and a bigger one next, Back them both into a few spots, practice with both in a parking lot. If you have never towed at all, rent a u-haul trailer and just go to a school parking lot on a Sunday to practice backing and turning. It will be a much shorter trailer, but you will get an idea of what manuevering a trailer is like and can do it for about $50.

A new custom trailer is not a cheap impulse purchase, know as much as possible first.

[Ride_S40T]

You're going to hear varying degrees of good advice on RV forums and A LOT of solid recommendations based on years of experience.

After considering any or everything read here, please please go out to one of the reputable sites like Shereline and run all the TV and TT specs. Find a worksheet that uses all the specs all the way down to the wheelbase, do not use a simple "pulling capacity" worksheet produced by TV manufacturers.

"Can" you haul something that big behind a 1500 (any make)? Sure. Will it be unsafe or kill the truck? Possibly. Run the numbers, even those wheelbase specs are important. Let the science behind towing be your first guide. Then decide on a TT within those parameters.

Lastly, please know dry weight & tongue weight issued by TT mfgrs can be a little optimistic on the low side. We used a tongue scale to find out our hitch weight is about 100lbs more than advertised.

[CaLBaR]

MarkRBD2019 wrote:
More Info, the payload capacity of the truck is 1750 LBS and the towing 10460 LBS

You have 400 lbs more payload than I have but again first time not sure I would have wanted to tow that length but can be done.

Check your hitch rating as well to make sure it will be able to handle the tongue weight. Use 10 - 15% of the trailer Gross Weight rating for Weight Distribution to make sure the hitch has a high enough rating.

If you think you will be within all of your ratings then just up to you to decide you comfort level.

[MarkRBD2019]

More Info, the payload capacity of the truck is 1750 LBS and the towing 10460 LBS

[gbopp]

MarkRBD2019 wrote:
I need to check the payload of my Ram but it sounds like this idea is going down like the Titanic. Sounds like I need a lot less TT or a lot more truck.

You can't have too much truck.

[CaLBaR]

Just to give you a bit of a different viewpoint. I am currently towing a 34' 8100 lb dry trailer with a Toyota Tundra with the 5.7. Loaded I am at 9400 lbs. I am using the Reese Straightline WDH with sway control.

Tow rating on the Tundra is 10,100 lbs with 1,320 lbs payload and 16,000 lbs Combined Weight Rating. I am about 250 lbs over payload and 250 lbs under GCWR loaded and ready to camp. Just DW, Dog (12 lbs) and I.

Pulling, stopping and sway are not an issue so it can be done safely and comfortably if setup properly.

The one thing that I will say is that this is my 3rd trailer, 1st was 19', 2nd was 32'. Not sure if I would have wanted to start with this 34' trailer though as I had never towed anything before we started with the 19'.

If you do decide to get it practice your turning, backing and stopping. even though the trucks brakes stop the truck and trailer brakes stop the trailer it does take more distance to stop the combo.

You might want to take some of the other suggestions and rent a 24 - 30' trailer first and see how you find towing that before you jump in so big.

Rob

[prichardson]

Since you are new to the game I suggest that you buy something used and smaller so you can get some experience. Once you have used the TT for a while you will find there is a difference between what you think you need and what you actually need.

[scbwr]

If you want to stick with your truck, go smaller and buy a good used 28-30' trailer that is well within the towing capacity of your truck. Use it for a couple of years to find out what you like and dislike. Then you may decide that you want a different trailer or switch to a fifth wheel trailer or other type of RV.

Or, upgrade to a 3/4 or 1 ton truck now, and you have a lot of options. I've towed a 28' trailer, and I don't think I would want to tow any trailer longer than 32' or so, but that's just my preference. It all depends on where you want to go.

[donn0128]

Good luck attempting to tow that monster. Even with a 3500 36 feet behind it would not be a good fit.

[wanderingaimles]

As others have said, thats a lot of trailer for a half ton.
For just the two of you its also a lot of space, at least for travel.

For starters I would suggest you consider renting a trailer and taking a 300 mile trip to try the experience. Both the towing, and the living part. If recliners are a must, many trailers in the 25 foot range are set up for them and have one or more slides for additional space.
Check locally for some that are available as rentals, they may not be easy to find, rental tt's tend to be bunkhouse units for families but you may find one.
Not recommending any particular one but this article list multiple agencies that handle rentals, you may find one close to you.


https://rvshare.com/rv/rv-rental-companies

One example in texas from that site this is a 26' box.


https://rvshare.com/rvs/details/1009564

three day rental may give you an idea.


Good luck

[trailer_newbe]

Just got rid of my Tundra which was rated at 10,400 with 1,387 cargo capicity. It towed ok, but just not enough truck. Went with a 2018 RAM with the 6.7 Cummins diesel. Much better experance.

[valhalla360]

Check the GVW of the trailer...I'm betting in real life, you will be up around 10,000lb...assuming 15% tongue weight, that's 1500lb on the hitch. Another 100lb for the hitch plus anything in the truck including passengers.

You might be within weight limits but good chance you aren't. Tow rating is the amount you can pull not the amount you can carry.

Even in limits, a 3/4 or 1 to will pull nicer and the bigger brakes will be more forgiving.