First TT - Of course plenty of questions!

[roook]

I am looking to fire-down on my first TT for the family.

In the running:

• Kodiak Ultimate 29TBHS - ~6000lbs
• Keystone Cougar 29BHS - ~6700lbs

Does anyone own a Kodiak Ultimate 295TBHS? If so, what are some things to look out for? Anything I should do on my walk-through of the unit?

Any general thoughts on what to look for before taking ownership?

Any thoughts on the sales process and how to obtain the best deal? Currently I am at 28.8k For the Kodiak + load-leveling hitch + tax,tags,etc. Looking at rvtrader this seems "fair".

[2DHoop]

roook wrote:
I sold the Denali 🙂

I know have a capable truck for the task... However, I might be jumping to Aerolite now... The journey continues.

Thanks everyone for the feedback!

If you don't mind sharing, what are the details/capabilities of the new tow vehicle?

[Grateful_Camper]

roook wrote:
I sold the Denali 🙂

I know have a capable truck for the task... However, I might be jumping to Aerolite now... The journey continues.

Thanks everyone for the feedback!

The right set up makes a world of difference for your comfort - and especially feeling and being more safe/stable. We shopped for the better part of 2 years for the right floor plan for us. I was really hoping this years crop of bunk houses - with murphy beds would wow me. they didn't we went with unique floorplan of the Vibe 285bhs - I love it! But when buying, I had a feeling I would soon be trading in the tahoe - I did.

[rbpru]

Buying a trailer is like a three legged stool.

The floor plan must be right. The tow vehicle's Max payload or cargo capacity must be able to handle the tongue weight, family and camp gear. The cost must not be an undue burden.

When you talk price, always talk the number that is going on the check. It incudes all hidden dealer prep charges, fees and taxes. Bring one check and explain anything more than what is on the check comes out of their pocket.

It will eliminate a lot of surprises.

In my opinion, if you need to run dry to meet the weight limit of you TV. You have too much trailer.

[roook]

I sold the Denali 🙂

I know have a capable truck for the task... However, I might be jumping to Aerolite now... The journey continues.

Thanks everyone for the feedback!

[Grateful_Camper]

Weight aside - you will be right at your max - and your vehicle should handle that. I bought a similar size camper this summer (Vibe - 285bhs), paired with a tahoe. Every mile towing was an unpleasant experience. With an equalizer 4pt with sway control, it still felt like the rear end was getting pushed around. The length of the trailer as the issue as much as weight. I felt every breeze, and would start gripping the wheel very tight as every semi approached to pass. I was exhausted after a 2 hour tow. We plan on taking this camper everywhere, and I did not feel like it was 100% safe set up for my family. I never got into a sway issue that I couldn't control, but the potential was there, and on one or two occasions on my 2 hour interstate tow, I had to manually hit the trailer brakes to chill out the movement. Traded in my Tahoe LTZ for an f250. It is a world of difference towing -I feel much more stable, and drive relaxed. It can be done with your vehicle - but don't expect an enjoyable ride, and with the weigh maxed you will likely see mpg's between 7 and 8 for most of your trip.

[epeters]

I think my only adds to this are the following:

1. We are upgrading to a similar size trailer (Nash 29s). We currently have a hybrid (Starcraft 235SBS) which has been an awesome trailer. We camp pretty light and we pulled everything out and weighed it and our stuff for a 5 night trip was 760 lbs. We are a family of 4 plus a pug. The kids are teenagers so no toys etc to pack. The remaining cargo weight you mentioned is a concern for me, that weight goes fast.

2. The length of your vehicle vs the length of the trailer can and will have an impact on your towing experience. I believe that is one of the most overlooked aspects as everyone seems to focus on just weights of trailer and tow vehicle. Those are important, but so is vehicle length.

Not saying you can't do it successfully, but just to be aware of these as well. You are doing well by researching and asking questions.

Good luck!

[2DHoop]

You already own the tow vehicle, and I believe that it was expressed that this is your best option for a tow vehicle due to the fact that you already own it and are not in a position to "upgrade", and based upon your responses, you seem open to suggestions.

I would consider seeking advice and performing the research in an effort to determine the approrpriate trailer match for the curent tow vehicle.

For example, the shorter wheel base of the SUV (relative to a standard truck) could present limiting factors over and above the weights.

Better to comromise a bit on the trailer attributes in favor of your current options and look forward to going on trips with the family with the appropriate sized trailer (for the tow vehicle) than fretting about a less-than-desireable tow setup.

[SoundGuy]

afidel wrote:
Not that I disagree with the majority of your statement, but the 1st and 2nd final gear ratios with the 3.42 and the 6 speed are actually about the same for towing compared to the 4.10 with the 4 speed so the need for anything over the 3.73 is basically nill (2.48 vs 4.03 1st gear is huge).

For overall use the newer 6-spd which I have in my current 2012 Silvy is certainly an improvement over the previous wide ratio 4-spd I had in my previous '05 Avalanche and '06 Silverado, ALL with a non-tow friendly 3.42 axle ratio, same 5.3L engine, 'though my current '12 does offer a bit more grunt than previous incarnations. Regardless, I'm not towing in 1st or 2nd - with the 4-spd I always towed in 3rd, Tow/Haul engaged with the engine spinning ~ 2300 rpm at highway speeds, with my current 6-spd I tow in 5th, Tow/Haul engaged with the engine spinning ~ 2000 rpm. That's no so good actually, as it doesn't take much of an upgrade or much head wind to force the transmission to downshift to 4th whereas with the previous 4-spd I merely continued on in 3rd, no downshifting at all. Had I purchased this '12 as a new vehicle I'd have insisted on a 3.73 axle ratio driving 18" tires but since I bought this truck used I'm stuck with it's 3.42 axle ratio driving 20" tires, both of which contribute while towing to excessive downshifting to 4th anytime road conditions are less than ideal. Bottom line - there's more to the story than just saying the newer 6-spd makes up for a less than ideal towing axle ratio, which in the GM world starts with a 3.73. Run a 3.42 or 3.23 or 3.05, even with 18" tires, and a GM 5.3L 1/2 ton WILL suffer the consequences when towing regardless that it may be running the newer 6-spd.

[roook]

SoundGuy wrote:

roook wrote:
Disregard? Did you miss the conversation?

I don't see in any "conversation" where you said you've actually weighed your truck with a full tank of gas and done the calculations so you know what numbers you're dealing with. You've also not provided any specifics about your particular truck that would help indicate, regardless of these weight calculations, just how well (or poorly) your truck may deal with towing a heavy load when road & wind conditions are far from ideal. Believe it - a 4.10 axle ratio will be FAR more capable when towing a heavy load than GM's ubiquitous 3.42, or an even worse 3.23. Just referring to an owner's manual or noting the door jamb ratings is a start but to really understand what your truck can safely tow while also transporting your family you really need to go weigh it, as it would sit ready to be hitched to a trailer. Only then will you actually know what the real story is.

Right, I have the sticker, I have the rough calculations of a full tank of gas, I haven't gone to a scale yet (truck is in the shop).

Trust me, the safety of my family is very important. I think the post on airforums sums up my experience on all forums/threads/emails regarding towing..

When we were looking for a new tow vehicle I posted here and by the time everyone was done responding, I was wondering if a full fledged semi would actually be able to accomplish the task. Enjoy the new Denali. You'll love it!

SoundGuy wrote:

I'm done - good luck with your search. 🙂

No need to be done... I do appreciate the feedback, even though I might seem dismissive of it.

[afidel]

SoundGuy wrote:

roook wrote:
Disregard? Did you miss the conversation?

I don't see in any "conversation" where you said you've actually weighed your truck with a full tank of gas and done the calculations so you know what numbers you're dealing with. You've also not provided any specifics about your particular truck that would help indicate, regardless of these weight calculations, just how well (or poorly) your truck may deal with towing a heavy load when road & wind conditions are far from ideal. Believe it - a 4.10 axle ratio will be FAR more capable when towing a heavy load than GM's ubiquitous 3.42, or an even worse 3.23. Just referring to an owner's manual or noting the door jamb ratings is a start but to really understand what your truck can safely tow while also transporting your family you really need to go weigh it, as it would sit ready to be hitched to a trailer. Only then will you actually know what the real story is.

I'm done - good luck with your search. 🙂

Not that I disagree with the majority of your statement, but the 1st and 2nd final gear ratios with the 3.42 and the 6 speed are actually about the same for towing compared to the 4.10 with the 4 speed so the need for anything over the 3.73 is basically nill (2.48 vs 4.03 1st gear is huge). The 8L90 takes this even farther to a 4.56 first gear which means the 3.42 is the Max Trailering option. The 10R80 as implemented by Ford has a 4.69 1st (not sure if GM will use the same ratios but I'd bet they do or at least it will be close)

[westend]

roook wrote:

westend wrote:

roook wrote:

rbpru wrote:
Before you fork out the big bucks rent a s similar unit for a week or so. You will learn a lot.

Not a bad idea. I will see if there is anything around here.

So, no comments on my original post? 😉

Things have pretty much forked to talk about towing.

Since you wish to disregard doing the math for Payload ratings, I'd suggest to hitch that Kodiak up and take it for a spin before signing all the title and financing details. A good dealer may accommodate that.

Disregard? Did you miss the conversation?

I don't think so. I did read this:

roook wrote:
It is my understanding payload doesn't count against the towing weight. Payload being people and some of the gear.

This statement shows that you are either not cognisant of the reason for a payload/cargo rating or choose to ignore it. It is the most important vehicle rating when pulling a travel trailer with a towing vehicle of 1/2 ton or lower.

Hey, this is not hard at all: Open the driver's door and read the cargo weight rating. You can then either estimate or weigh your Denali's passengers and cargo. After arriving at total cargo weight and determining the payload remaining, estimate or weigh the trailer's tongue weight (with WDH) and it should be under the remainder subtracted from the first exercise.

MO: I've owned and towed a variety of trucks and trailers. Towing weight either over the vehicle's cargo weight rating or right on it, continually, tends to wear parts that are tedious to replace. YMMV.

[SoundGuy]

roook wrote:
Disregard? Did you miss the conversation?

I don't see in any "conversation" where you said you've actually weighed your truck with a full tank of gas and done the calculations so you know what numbers you're dealing with. You've also not provided any specifics about your particular truck that would help indicate, regardless of these weight calculations, just how well (or poorly) your truck may deal with towing a heavy load when road & wind conditions are far from ideal. Believe it - a 4.10 axle ratio will be FAR more capable when towing a heavy load than GM's ubiquitous 3.42, or an even worse 3.23. Just referring to an owner's manual or noting the door jamb ratings is a start but to really understand what your truck can safely tow while also transporting your family you really need to go weigh it, as it would sit ready to be hitched to a trailer. Only then will you actually know what the real story is.

I'm done - good luck with your search. 🙂

[roook]

westend wrote:

roook wrote:

rbpru wrote:
Before you fork out the big bucks rent a s similar unit for a week or so. You will learn a lot.

Not a bad idea. I will see if there is anything around here.

So, no comments on my original post? 😉

Things have pretty much forked to talk about towing.

Since you wish to disregard doing the math for Payload ratings, I'd suggest to hitch that Kodiak up and take it for a spin before signing all the title and financing details. A good dealer may accommodate that.

Disregard? Did you miss the conversation?

[westend]

roook wrote:

rbpru wrote:
Before you fork out the big bucks rent a s similar unit for a week or so. You will learn a lot.

Not a bad idea. I will see if there is anything around here.

So, no comments on my original post? 😉

Things have pretty much forked to talk about towing.

Since you wish to disregard doing the math for Payload ratings, I'd suggest to hitch that Kodiak up and take it for a spin before signing all the title and financing details. A good dealer may accommodate that.

A savvy owner would do some math before wasting time on a trailer that is too heavy for the towing vehicle.

It's not just you. There are dozens of potential owners that visit this site wanting the biggest trailer that they have fallen in love with. Some of them move up to a larger vehicle, some challenge their vehicle's engineering, and some trade for a smaller trailer.