tsampsel wrote:
Greetings,
I'm considering either a Mallard M27 or a Coleman 2605RL. Both floorplans are pretty much identical, even though I haven't gotten a straight answer on the box lengths. My main concern is towing. I have a 2015 Tahoe w/tow package (3.08:1 vs 3.42:1 axle). With the basic tow package I've read I'm limited to 6600 lbs vs. 8600 lbs with the max trailering package. Wish I would have known that before we bought it...
Anywho, the Mallard weighs in at 5500 lb. dry, the Coleman 5700 lb.
GVWR on the Mallard is 6900, Coleman 7600. Curiously, the hitch weight on the Mallard is 475lbs vs. 764lbs. for the Coleman. Maybe the wide-trax axles have something to do with it?
The question becomes will I be ok towing these beasts as long as I don't pack it to the gills with stuff?
Thanks
A lot of people will jump on this, and some answers will be quite visceral. The long and short of it, however, is that both of those trailers are likely to push you beyond the max capacity of 6,600 that you list.
Even the Mallard, at 5,500 'dry,' is likely to weigh more like 5,600 or 5,700 pounds (maybe even more) when you drive it off the lot. This is due to 'options' that aren't really options, propane in the tanks, the battery, etc... Many of these things are often not part of the dry weight, but are necessary for the trailer. This is a common issue that arises on these boards - dry weights are useless.
Beyond that, you will also have a weight distributing hitch, which will add another 75-100 pounds to the base weight. So, when all is said and done, your empty trailer, when hooked up, will eat up 5,700-5,800 pounds of your 6,600 pound capacity - leaving you 800-900 pounds left.
Now, that 800-900 pounds needs to account for everything (and everyone) else you put in the car AND the trailer. Many vehicles account for a 150 pound driver, but nothing else (check your manual). So, any weight of yours over 150 pounds, your wife, your family, your pets, gear in the SUV - this all comes off of the 800-900 pounds you have to work with - as does all of the fluids, gear, food, pots/pans, chairs, lanterns, etc... you have in the trailer. You can eat up 500 pounds or more just with fresh water and partially full dump tanks.
So, is it POSSIBLE...maybe. But, I'd bet dollars to donuts you'd be overloaded the moment you pull out - and that doesn't even raise the question of payload, which has more to do with how much you are putting in the SUV itself.
If it is just you and the wife for weekend trips with full hookups, you might be able to stay within ratings. If you have a larger family and/or plan to take longer trips (or trips where you need to bring water in the tank), you will be overloaded.
Whether or not being within ratings matters to you...that's another story.