Buying first travel trailer...need advice

[swhite005]

We are looking into getting our first travel trailer to upgrade from our popup trailer. I have two young kids and want to make sure I am being cautious. The trailer we are considering is a 2007 Fleetwood Mallard 26RLS. The GVWR of the trailer is 7,900 (5,523 Dry) with a hitch weight of 802.
My truck is a 2004 F150 Lariat Supercrew 2WD 5.4L 3.55 rated at towing 8,500 maximum loaded trailer weight and a GCWR of 14,000. My truck has the tow package and an electronic brake. I also have a weight distribution hitch.
Given the above information, would it be reasonable to tow the Fleetwood Mallard or should I look for something lighter?

[dadmomh]

Our Rockwood Ultra Lite 2604 was dry 5585# and GVWR 6629#. Since we're trailerless now, can't recall the other #s. We towed with an '03 F150 CC with the factory tow and 5.4 - believe it was the next higher rear end. We triple checked all our weights and were good. The trailer towed well and the truck never strained. Our max tow was 8000#. You're looking a bit heavier...suggest you take a look at the Rockwood Ultra Lites or the higher end Classic Lites. Flagstaff is virtually the same, just different trim and some slightly different floorplans. With 2 little ones, you're going to be hauling more than an old retired couple, so lighter, IMHO, would be better. We always felt that the 26' - 27' size is easy to manage, you can fit most anywhere and has most of the amenities you'd want. Good luck and happy camping.

[Lance72]

GCWR is the combination of vehicle curb lbs + max trailer lbs + payload. GCWR is always higher than vehicle dry weight + max trailer. Once you know GCWR, GVWR, Max Hitch lbs and Max trailer lbs you are ready to load it up.

[RavensFan24]

Definitely.

[RoyBell]

Isn't there more than just GCWR, like hitch weight and tow rating?

[RavensFan24]

My 2015 Keystone trailer is 6600 dry and my 2010 Tahoe pulls it well. I had a 2008 Keystone that was 6500 dry and my old 2002 Tahoe towed it all over the country with no issue. If you loaded my trailer to capacity with 1350lb worth of stuff, which we never do, plus add 2 people and 3 dogs totaling about 600lbs, we're close to our GCWR of 14,000. I've never had an issue with getting to where I need to go and we run around 65mph and an avg 8.5mpg.

We're going to MD from FL at the end of this month with the trailer and once I get it loaded up for our 3 week trip, I'm going to get it weighed. We haven't had it that long and only gone on a couple short trips with little gear in the trailer, so I want to weigh it now because this is one of the longest trips we'll be on and I can't imagine ever packing more stuff on another trip than this one, so it'll be a good gauge of an actual travel weight. I really don't think we'll touch the max of 1350 in cargo.

I would think you have absolutely no issue with a 5600lb dry trailer. There are times when I think may be I should have more truck just for the sake of having more padding on the specs, but my only SUV option would be the 2500 series Suburban or Yukons and that only gets me an extra 1000lb towing capacity. I can't justify upgrading when I have absolutely no issues with my current set up.

[Lance72]

you are ok. 14000 gcwr-7900 trailer= 6100 - 5300 curb weight of truck = 800 lbs. you will only have capacity for 800 anything else you put in the equation. 7050 gvwr- 5300 curb of truck= 1750 - 800 tongue weight = 950. you have more payload remaining than you do combined capacity. Unless you pack the trailer to the max capacity and throw an atv in the bed of the truck you are fine. people will try to convince you that you can't tow at the max but they would be wrong. you will eat some gas and go slower but you will be fine. one thing to make sure you keep an eye on is elevation. your truck produces less power as you gain elevation. all this means is you will have to slow down. the truck will let you know if you are asking for more power than it can produce by slowing you down. if you have mountain passes in your route you may want to dump some weight i.e. water tanks on the trailer. i use a honda ridgeline to tow my TT. GCWR of 10,080 and I hit the scales at 9,600#. i run a max of 65 mph and don't pass up a gas station.

[APT]

I towed my TT (6500-7000 pounds loaded) with the prior generation F150 5.4L/3.73 Supercrew for two seasons. It handled the trailer great and power was okay. Two gears to accelerate and one to cruise the flats. Your truck has a little more power, a little less gear. That dry TW is a little high, but with a RLS floorplan I assume you aren't taking a family. I say go for it. Get a WDH with integrated sway control and proportional brake controller.

[Anmacc2]

Also keystone passport series... There's lots of great choices in the lite and ultra lite category. I just shopped that market and had so many choices it was hard to narrow it down to what suited us best. Good luck!

[AntandJoeF]

Look at the lite series TT's - Forest River Flagstaff has lites, Coachman Liberty Series and Open Range have lites - I'm sure there are many others. We have a Flagstaff Classic Super Lite - our truck could handle heavier, but we chose this type for no specific reason when we first started looking prior to upgrading our truck. Good luck!

[swhite005]

Just wanted to say thank you for all your advice. I think I will look for something lighter to be safe.

[handye9]

Depending on how the truck and trailer are loaded, you could be pushing the limits on the truck.

Your 8500 lb "advertised" tow capacity, allows for weight of the driver only. It does not allow for weight from aftermarket accessories (bed liners, bed caps, undercoating, etc), passengers, pets, or cargo. As these things are added, your available payload and max tow capacity are going down, pound for pound. If for example, you have a fiberglass bed cap, bed liner, and family that have a combined weight of 800 lbs, your max tow capacity would be 7700 lbs., and your available payload would be reduced by 800 lbs. Your weight distributing hitch would take another 100 lbs.

You're probably not going to load that trailer to its max weight, but, it would not be unusual to load it with about 1000 lbs. That would put the trailer at about 6600 lbs loaded, with tongue weight in the area of 850 lbs. Add 100 lbs for the WD hitch and this is about what your truck will need to carry.

Load your truck with family and cargo as if you were going camping, then go to a scale and weigh it. Subtract that weight, from your trucks GVWR, and see if you have enough capacity left to carry another 950 lbs. Leave your self some cushion.

[NanciL]

swhite005 wrote:
We are looking into getting our first travel trailer to upgrade from our popup trailer. I have two young kids and want to make sure I am being cautious. The trailer we are considering is a 2007 Fleetwood Mallard 26RLS. The GVWR of the trailer is 7,900 (5,523 Dry) with a hitch weight of 802.
My truck is a 2004 F150 Lariat Supercrew 2WD 5.4L 3.55 rated at towing 8,500 maximum loaded trailer weight and a GCWR of 14,000. My truck has the tow package and an electronic brake. I also have a weight distribution hitch.
Given the above information, would it be reasonable to tow the Fleetwood Mallard or should I look for something lighter?

No, you won't be a happy camper !

From experience

Jack L

[RoyBell]

swhite005 wrote:
We are looking into getting our first travel trailer to upgrade from our popup trailer. I have two young kids and want to make sure I am being cautious. The trailer we are considering is a 2007 Fleetwood Mallard 26RLS. The GVWR of the trailer is 7,900 (5,523 Dry) with a hitch weight of 802.
My truck is a 2004 F150 Lariat Supercrew 2WD 5.4L 3.55 rated at towing 8,500 maximum loaded trailer weight and a GCWR of 14,000. My truck has the tow package and an electronic brake. I also have a weight distribution hitch.
Given the above information, would it be reasonable to tow the Fleetwood Mallard or should I look for something lighter?

IMO that is too much trailer for the truck. Usually your max hitch weight is 10% your towing capacity. In your case, 850 lbs. The trailer seems light, but must balance a lot of the weight over the front of the axles. If you start loading up front storage, you will exceed your hitch capacity in a hurry.

Whats max payload for your truck? I would imagine in the 1500lb range since it's a half ton. With a 800lb dry hitch weight, that leaves 700 lbs for passengers/gear in the truck. I decided to get a slightly lighter trailer because I usually camp with 4 people and a 50lb dog and didn't want to overdo my payload. My My trailer is 6000lbs on the sticker and 745lb hitch weight for comparison. I would had thought a 5500lb trailer would have a hitch weight closer to 600lbs, not 800 for a 26' model. The quad bunk (what I have) usually has an extra 100lb hitch weight from what I have researched. is 5500 listed weight or actual weight (sticker on the trailer)? Mine is 300-400 lbs more than the brochure "due to options".

[Anmacc2]

We had a Fleetwood from 1999 - 2014 and enjoyed every minute of it. In all that time, with regular maintenance, we did not do a single repair. We sold it with original everything, except the five sets of tires, two awnings, 4 bbqs, two picnic tables, and countless bottles of propane. We replaced it this year because our kids are all launched and we got ourselves a perfect for two luxery TT that we will be towing cross country starting June 14. ??

All that having been said... I think you are all set and ready to go if you decide on the mallard. But considering your request for advice.... Depending on your climate and destinations, have you considered an ultra-lite? Not a suggestion, just something to consider. Also, if you don't have one I would suggest a friction anti sway arm. Lastly, with the Fleetwood, make sure you have enough ground clearance for driveways and such. Mine was tight but I do believe they took care of that by 2007.

Good luck, be careful, and have fun!!!