Moving fresh water tank to the rear

[raydf]

In a travel trailer I'm considering buying (a 2017 Gulf Stream Vista Cruiser 23RSS), the floor plan is as follows:



At the factory, the fresh water tank is installed below the "Queen Size Bed" at the front of the trailer (to the driver's side.) Being a bit concerned about having all that weight forward, I wonder if you guys think that moving that fresh water tank to the exact rear of the trailer, below the driver's side bench in the dinette (it fits) would be a good idea or not? Also, would you think that it is a major piece of work or should it be relatively "simple"?

Thanks!

[CharlesinGA]

Anyone who has ever pulled a trailer of any kind, camper, lawn trailer, car trailer, whatever, probably has, at least once, ended up with it loaded too far aft. Its plain scary. More than one car trailer and its cargo has been lost from loading a vehicle backwards on the trailer, putting a huge heavy engine on the rear. I had it happen with a load of fine crush from the quarry on a 5x10 trailer. My old Ranger and trailer weighed 4080 empty that day and I weighed out of the quarry at 9250 lbs. Not my idea, the guy just dumped too much on it and I had no way of moving it or getting it off. Anything over 25 mph and it was all over the place, just like the treadmill video linked to above.

The trailer MUST be loaded correctly, and the vehicle MUST be capable of towing that correctly loaded trailer. Period.

Charles.

[GaryWT]

Just think, for ever one us us that are on this forum or others, how many hundreds or thousands have never been on a forum and know nothing about weight. You see it all the time on the road.

I find it interesting that the water tank is above the floor, the lost storage is the biggest issue. I never put water in the tank myself but I know many do.

As for moving it, major sway would most likely be your biggest issue.

Good luck.

[raydf]

I apologize for bringing into this thread the "weight police" term, which I actually thought was rather cute (it sounded so to me anyway -- now I know it doesn't to most other people.)

Thanks for all the invaluable advice and yes, the noted SUV / trailer combo will probably not work well at all, no matter what you do with the water tank or anything else.

[profdant139]

Vintage, I absolutely agree that if someone proposes an unsafe setup, folks with greater expertise have a moral duty to say so. As you stated, it is all in how the message is packaged: a civil but carefully reasoned response is much more persuasive than one that is potentially offensive. The target audience (the OP and all of us lurkers) are much more likely to give credence to a well-phrased analysis of the problem.

[Vintage465]

I tend to think it would be irresponsible not to "put it out there" that this is not a safe towing set-up. I do think it would be nicer if the "put it out there" responses seemed like the people weren't yelling and rolling their eyeballs though. Having said that, there are way to many minor sized rigs pulling travel trailers that are way to close to the edge weight rating and safety regardless of the manufacturers weight rating. Just sayin...............

[STBRetired]

Hannibal wrote:
Where's that video of the toy truck and trailer on the treadmill? This is exactly what would happen.

Ask and yee shall receive!
This is what can happen.

[beemerphile1]

RinconVTR wrote:

beemerphile1 wrote:

RinconVTR wrote:
Hey...knock off the "undersize" SUV garbage. I'll school you guys all day long about how to tow with a mid-size SUV and remain within all capacities. This is very doable with this trailer....

I am not commenting on your rig, however I would wager that the empty tongue weight (of this proposed trailer) exceeds the hitch rating of the SUV before a single thing is added to the trailer.

It was 520lbs fully loaded without water. However, with the WDH this weight was not actually fully applied to the tow vehicle. Verified via scale.

I was under RAWR, GVR and GCWR and that's what really matters.

Like I said, I am not commenting on your rig.

[BizmarksMom]

My trailer tows the best when he fresh water tank is full - forward of the axles. When all tanks are empty, it's kind of squirrely. Nose heavy, it tracks straight behind my truck with no issues at all.

You really do want the weight forward of the axles. Get a used truck that will handle the trailer you obviously want and make it easy.

[Hannibal]

Where's that video of the toy truck and trailer on the treadmill? This is exactly what would happen. The lesser of the two evils would definitely be a little heavy on the tongue weight. When we went from a 5th wheel back to a travel trailer this year, I told my DW she could load anything she wanted into it. As long as it's in front of the axles.

[SoundGuy]

Old-Biscuit wrote:
And I'm even agreeing with Soundguy :S

Miracles do happen! :B :B

[Old-Biscuit]

FOur pages on other thread basically stating....SUV not good match for that TT

SO OP..comes at it from another direction. :B

Sure why not....just dry camp. DRY as in no water, dry as in empty trailer dry as in don't take anything along

:S

Want to tow with that SUV.OK fine
Just look at something that is within it's real world tow capacity....like a pop-up

Want that trailer.....OK fine
Buy a bigger more capable tow vehicle

But the two together....sure fine. Justify it, ostrich it but don't kid yourself.
They are NOT a good match up

And I'm even agreeing with Soundguy :S

[RinconVTR]

beemerphile1 wrote:

RinconVTR wrote:
Hey...knock off the "undersize" SUV garbage. I'll school you guys all day long about how to tow with a mid-size SUV and remain within all capacities. This is very doable with this trailer....

I am not commenting on your rig, however I would wager that the empty tongue weight (of this proposed trailer) exceeds the hitch rating of the SUV before a single thing is added to the trailer.

It was 520lbs fully loaded without water. However, with the WDH this weight was not actually fully applied to the tow vehicle. Verified via scale.

I was under RAWR, GVR and GCWR and that's what really matters.

[westend]

Moving the water tank to the rear would be ill advised. If you could easily move it to a location directly on the axles or adjacent in front it may help the overall load carrying aspect with the filled tank.
IMO, it's a lot of work for a fairly nebulous goal. All of the exterior fittings will have to be relocated and the supply line changed along with some supply plumbing (maybe). The drains may have to be moved, also. The end result may effect the handling of the trailer since I don't know the engineering of the original.

[downtheroad]

I'm with SoundGuy on this discussion...
I guess I'm on the weight police squad. So be it.
Anytime anyone comments on a rig combination with experienced opinion they get labeled as "weight police" so be it.

[beemerphile1]

RinconVTR wrote:
Hey...knock off the "undersize" SUV garbage. I'll school you guys all day long about how to tow with a mid-size SUV and remain within all capacities. This is very doable with this trailer....

I am not commenting on your rig, however I would wager that the empty tongue weight (of this proposed trailer) exceeds the hitch rating of the SUV before a single thing is added to the trailer.