Can I tow my new camper safely
I just bought a new camper with a UVW of 8130# towing with a 2008 chevy 1500 4x4 w/5.3L motor and 3.73 gears. Do you think I will be all right towing this?
Forum Discussion
77 Replies
facory wrote:
An expensive education but a lesson learned. Talk with those who have been through it first.
Yes indeed, an expensive lesson. Overall I am out about $27K if you factor in the loss on the HTT and the cost of upgrading the TV. In reality though, I only consider the $6K loss from the HTT as the real damage since my wife loves the Expedition EL and it was a good call for our family anyway. The HTT was a bit hard to swallow at first, but all things considered I am happy with the deal. I can't place a value on the joy my family receives from camping.tbred wrote:
bmaccue wrote:
The camper I just bought was a 30ft TT Palomino. Even the camper place where I bought it said I could tow it fine. Are they pulling me leg?
Unfortunately, yes.
No. With a good weight distribution hitch you will be able to tow it as long as you have a tow package that includes a class IV hitch and a trans cooler. Without a trans cooler you will be ok for short distances. However as others have said, you are technically over your vehicles tow and cargo rating. Your engine is also a little weak for that weight so tow with care!- From page 17
"The type vehicles listed below do not require the operator to pos- 1.8: sess a CDL. However, a non-CDL Class A or B license may still be required:
• •
Vehicles used for personal use such as recreational vehicles."
Leave it up to the book writers for inserting the word "May". So recreational vehicles are exempt from a CDL license, but I MAY need a non commercial class A or B license.
Yep, makes perfect sense... - Terry alien, with due respect, you are giving wrong information on NC law. In NC, you are required to have a class b license to drive a motorhome or any vehicle over 26,001 lbs. and you are required to have a class a license (non-commerical) to tow a trailer over 10,001 lbs. and it is against the law to in NC and any other state to tow over the vehicles placarded weights. When buy a tag for a truck, pickup or larger, you pay by the gross weight of the vehicle. Sky
NC Weight Laws
NC Drivers License
See page 17 tbred wrote:
bmaccue wrote:
The camper I just bought was a 30ft TT Palomino. Even the camper place where I bought it said I could tow it fine. Are they pulling me leg?
Unfortunately, yes.
They aren't pulling your leg...
They ARE lying thru their eye teeth.
Just because your truck may move the trailer, doesn't make it safe.
The old 5.3 was under powered for the job.
Chevy has hopped up the 5.3 this year to make it usable now...
I should know, I was sold a 7500# trailer to tow with a 2007 Chevy 1500.
Didn't work back then...- An expensive education but a lesson learned. Talk with those who have been through it first.
TucsonJim wrote:
Tachdriver wrote:
The first purchase will be the biggest education!!!
Since I'm a very "seasoned" RV towing guy now, I'll have to fess up that I was in this guy's situation one time.
My first truck was a 1500 Silverado 4x4 extended cab short bed. I knew enough to ask the salesman "Does this thing tow?" He said "you can tow almost anything with this big boy". So I buy it.
I pulled my little 4500 pound TT just fine. But a buddy had a nice FW, so I convinced the DW that we "needed" a bigger rig. So off the the RV dealer. I had just enough knowledge to be dangerous. I asked him "what can my truck tow"? He said "since it's 4x4, you can tow anything!!". So I purchased a 30 foot FW. I don't remember what the GVWR was, but it listed the useless dry weigh around 9,800 pounds. Of course, we filled up all the water and propane, added fishing tackle, clothes, dishes, pots, pans, groceries and most important - beer!
When I picked it up, the PDI took about 45 minutes. The rear of the truck sagged about 4-5 inches when I hooked it up. This had me concerned. The salesman and service manager at the RV dealer said, "no problem, that's perfectly normal. Just readjust your headlights if your towing after dark".
On my first trip, we hit about a 5% grade, and the truck went down to about 32 mph! When we encountered a strong head wind, I think we were actually going backwards... But in reality, I did take it on a few trips, and it was very unnerving. Honest to God's truth, At 28,000 miles, the transmission on that poor little 1500 decided it had had enough. Fortunately, they honored the warranty on the truck. As soon as it was fixed, I traded it for a 2500HD. What a difference.
Moral of the Story:
We all have to learn one way or another. I don't want to pick on the OP, because I made the same mistake of listening to "professional" dealers instead of doing my own research. Now, he needs to rectify the situation and either get a smaller trailer, or a more stout TV. We can all help by making sure that any of our friends or acquaintances are fully informed before making a purchase.
In the mean time, we need to make sure TV and towable dealers understand all of the variables that go into a safe tow set up. I purchased a new FW this month, and the dealership actually compared items such as towing capacity, payload, hitch weight, etc. and recorded it. They have a very strict policy of not selling an overweight TV (thanks Lazy Days).
Last April we bought our Aerolite hybrid with a UVW of 3184 pounds. At the time we owned a Volkswagen Routan that had a max towing capacity of 3600 pounds. Boy were we uninformed. On our first tow across town to take the trailer to storage we knew we'd made a mistake. In May we bought the Expedition EL and towing was night and day. I enjoyed it so much we decided to buy a Yamaha AR230 to tow around also. :) Now after a summer of camping in the Aerolite we realized we'd purchased the wrong trailer for our family. At a significant loss, we just traded it for a new TT that fits us better. This time I made sure to run the numbers and even then realized we will likely be upgrading the TV in the future. So here I am less than a year later and I have an entirely different TV and TT than I did when this all began. I've said it before and I'll say it again...I wish I'd listened to those who knew better back then. :)- Re the overloaded towing, I'd bet that with the right attorney (aren't they all) and if they could prove that you knew you were grossly overloaded could = negligence. Something, too, about "I didn't know" doesn't count when there are bright yellow stickers on both the truck and trailer.
- Barring defective equipment, skill will trump lack of skill, regardless of equipment used.
TucsonJim wrote:
These guys, RV dealers all know the reality of what a TV can handle safely and comfortably....most of them just don't give a d#$n what happens to you after the TT or FW rear bumper crosses from their driveway to the road....it's your problem, your grief and your tuff luck. If you think differently there is a bridge in New York for sale.Tachdriver wrote:
The first purchase will be the biggest education!!!
Since I'm a very "seasoned" RV towing guy now, I'll have to fess up that I was in this guy's situation one time.
My first truck was a 1500 Silverado 4x4 extended cab short bed. I knew enough to ask the salesman "Does this thing tow?" He said "you can tow almost anything with this big boy". So I buy it.
I pulled my little 4500 pound TT just fine. But a buddy had a nice FW, so I convinced the DW that we "needed" a bigger rig. So off the the RV dealer. I had just enough knowledge to be dangerous. I asked him "what can my truck tow"? He said "since it's 4x4, you can tow anything!!". So I purchased a 30 foot FW. I don't remember what the GVWR was, but it listed the useless dry weigh around 9,800 pounds. Of course, we filled up all the water and propane, added fishing tackle, clothes, dishes, pots, pans, groceries and most important - beer!
When I picked it up, the PDI took about 45 minutes. The rear of the truck sagged about 4-5 inches when I hooked it up. This had me concerned. The salesman and service manager at the RV dealer said, "no problem, that's perfectly normal. Just readjust your headlights if your towing after dark".
On my first trip, we hit about a 5% grade, and the truck went down to about 32 mph! When we encountered a strong head wind, I think we were actually going backwards... But in reality, I did take it on a few trips, and it was very unnerving. Honest to God's truth, At 28,000 miles, the transmission on that poor little 1500 decided it had had enough. Fortunately, they honored the warranty on the truck. As soon as it was fixed, I traded it for a 2500HD. What a difference.
Moral of the Story:
We all have to learn one way or another. I don't want to pick on the OP, because I made the same mistake of listening to "professional" dealers instead of doing my own research. Now, he needs to rectify the situation and either get a smaller trailer, or a more stout TV. We can all help by making sure that any of our friends or acquaintances are fully informed before making a purchase.
In the mean time, we need to make sure TV and towable dealers understand all of the variables that go into a safe tow set up. I purchased a new FW this month, and the dealership actually compared items such as towing capacity, payload, hitch weight, etc. and recorded it. They have a very strict policy of not selling an overweight TV (thanks Lazy Days).
