First timer needs advice

Towing with a crew cab Dakota? Look for a smaller tent trailer. Had a Dak for a work truck. Fast, but could not pass a gas station. Dump 500 pounds in the bed and it became a tail dragger. Andmthat was just me in the truck and 50 pounds of tools. You have yourself, and two boys your very likely at or near your limits without a trailer.
BTW, dry weights are meaningless. No one has ever towed a dry trailer.

Here is a link to the Jayco site where they have trailers under 4,000 lbs.

Jayco Light Trailers

You can find similar types of other lightweight trailers made by other manufacturers with similar features.

Get the manufacturer's exact specs for your exact configuration of the vehicle. There can be huge variability in towing capacity and cargo capacity, even within the same model and year.

The trailer should have 10-15% of the gross loaded trailer weight on the tongue, or you will get horrible sway. For a 4000 lb GROSS weight trailer, that is 400-600 lb, and that is part of the cargo of your truck. With a single axle you will likely load it to the max, so be careful not to go over the max.

ROUGH CUT wrote:
I like the idea of bunk bed for the boys. The primary use will be for me and the boys go to competition coon hunts. But also family trips. Any thoughts?

I had a Viking 17BH that I really liked. Coachman Clipper 17BH is the same trailer.
When I was shopping for a small trailer, that was the only one with a cargo door for the bunk area. It drastically improved the usability because it allowed large items to be stored under the lower bunk. The lower bunk also folded up, creating a huge storage bay.

“I'm looking for a smaller single axle trailer.”

Smaller TT, no problem. Single axel, less weight carrying ability, less braking...problem.

I checked towing capacity on my specific truck at 6800 pounds. I've never been the kind to push things. I drive truck for a living, and am pretty comfortable with towing. But i don't like pushing things.

I recommend that you ignore your truck's stated towing capacity. It's rarely the determining factor when matching a trailer to a truck. Instead look at the sticker on your trucks driver side door frame and note the cargo capacity for your particular truck as configured by the manufacturer.

Then calculate 15% of the trailer's gross weight rating. To that number add the weights of all the passengers and any equipment you plan to load into the truck. Now compare the result to the truck's cargo capacity. As long as the load you calculated is less than the cargo capacity you are OK. I like to have 100 - 200 pounds left over because it's very likely you will end up carrying more stuff then you think.

ROUGH CUT wrote:
I checked towing capacity on my specific truck at 6800 pounds. I've never been the kind to push things. I drive truck for a living, and am pretty comfortable with towing. But i don't like pushing things.

Towing capacity is only one number you need to know. What's the payload capacity? That will likely be your most limiting factor. Remember, the tongue weight of the camper (AFTER loaded with your stuff), the weight of you and your passengers, and all your stuff inside the truck when towing is part of the payload capacity.

look at the axle rating of the single axle TT. Usually a 3500#. All the weight over that in the GTWR is assumed carried as tongue weight by the TV, eating up payload weight of the TV. Consider that in your choices.
Loaded for camping (before a weight reduction program in both the TV & TT) my TT axle was almost 200# over its weight rating with the Weight Distributing Hitch. Without the WDH, my TV rear axle was over its weight rating. A WDH pushes some tongue weight to the steering wheels AND some to the TT axle(s). I removed about 50# from the rear of the TV & near 200# from the TT. I always tow with water tanks empty.
My TT is a small bunkhouse model with the bunk storage door.

Sounds like i have a lot to think about. When hunting we'd have the dog box in the bed with at least 2 70 pound hounds. Plust yhe family in the truck. Idk . Lol