New to the rv world

[Kewlkids]

I'll be purchasing my first travel trailer in a few months just in time for camping season but i have i few questions about winter use. My trailer will be parked outside at my home and my father will visit for a few months in the winter to escape the harsh Illinois winters and i would like to offer him my RV (if he so chooses, he likes his privacy). My question is this..if i keep my trailer plugged in at all times will it keep the water from freezing will it stay warm inside do i need to run propane all winter? Black water gray water potable water, my head is starting to spin and I don't want to walk into an RV dealership sounding like rookie and if i make such a big purchase i would like it to come equipped with EVERYTHING i need as adding additional parts and pieces sounds like a hassle and I'd rather not start tearing apart my new investment.

[MitchF150]

I appreciate that Kewikids.. You got great info from everyone and in the end that's what matters.

Safe travels.

Mitch

[Kewlkids]

Thanks mitch, everybody had some great advice. Advice was the exact reason I came here in the first place and I appreciate all the input, it probably saved me a headache or two. As far as being a newbie, I surely am and I wanted to make sure I did things the right way instead of being the poor bastard on the side of the road with a jackknifed trailer. Just remember everybody here was a newb at one time and probably had some sound advice from an experienced veteran. That's all I'm looking for and thanks again...

[MitchF150]

SoundGuy wrote:

MitchF150 wrote:
The OP is not asking what his Tundra can tow... Geez people, give it a break.

Better YOU give it a break. :R This is the time of year when newbies begin popping up everywhere, almost all with same idea -

Yep, I'm in the wrong here... Opinions are free... Common sense is earned...

Enjoy.

Mitch

[Kewlkids]

Thanks. As I'm doing the math and after your advice i would have to agree. 5000 lb trailer weight (give or take a few lbs) with a WD hitch is about the best im going to get. I think the full crew cab chewed up quite a bit or my payload capacity but I believe i can still find a decent trailer at or around that weight and still tow it safely. Or i need to lose 50 lbs...

[travelnutz]

BTW, YES on the WD hitch for towing a TT.

[travelnutz]

A weight distributing hitch/bars will move a couple hundred lbs of hitch weight from the ball to the truck's front suspension. A couple hundred and that's all! Helps but doesn't allow you to go much heavier at all. Don't forget the weight of the hitch as that is also added cargo as is anything carried in the bed of the truck. 1270 lbs capacity even for a 1/2 ton truck is a very low capacity and paltry. Remember that you need roughly 12% of the loaded TT's actual scaled weight on the ball to be safe and pull with very limited TT fish tailing. At 10% you are really pushing the limits and just that 2% makes all the difference in towing a TT. Wind buffeting from a passing truck for instance can make you grease your britches real fast if you don't have enough weight on the ball! White knuckle towing isn't any fun at all!

No way with a 1/2 ton with 1270 lbs capacity would I haul an advertised base dry weight TT with over 5500-6000 lbs max and then having it actually scale weighed on a truck scale (very cheap) for it's true dry weight. Why? as said, passengers, hitch, any other cargo carried in the truck itself, any and all options added to the TT's base advertised dry weight which does not even include batteries or propane either which are also weight on the ball hitch, water in tank and water heater or anything in the holding tanks, anything you load in the TT - all food/canned goods/clothes, tools and camping supplies-items/hookup and leveling needs/you name it, all add weight and it adds up so fast!

Even with this dry weight, you will be at or over your truck's 1270 capacity loaded and ready to travel. Do your own math and it will enlighten you real quick!

Very seldom will a brochure stated base dry weight be even close to an RV's actually scaled dry weight when you purchase it and drive it away and that's still well over a thousand lbs + less than when actually loaded to travel for the RV alone.

[SoundGuy]

Kewlkids wrote:
Ill take all the advice i can get. Im still learning about payload and hitch weight as well. I know i will surely need a weight distribution hitch. Will that help me tow a larger trailer? I don't want to max out but I'd still like to get as much trailer as possible.

Here's what you need to do - forget about so-called tow ratings offered by the manufacturer and confirm yourself by weighing your truck to confirm just how much payload it actually has, regardless of what that door jamb sticker may say. Fill the gas tank, mount your weight distribution head in the receiver, and throw the spring bars in the back of the truck ... if you don't yet have a WD system allow ~ 100 lbs in your calculations. Put your truck on a scale, if you're in it at the time subtract your weight from the scale reading - the result (remembering to factor in WD weight) will be how much your particular truck actually weighs as it sits there ready to be hitched to a trailer. Subtract that from the truck's GVWR which will be shown on the driver side door jamb - the result is your particular truck's real world payload capacity, that which you will use to account for the weight of all people and all cargo added to the truck when you're towing PLUS any tongue weight transferred from the trailer to the truck. Exceed that payload number and you'll for sure also exceed the truck's gross rear axle weight rating. Remembering that trailer gross tongue weight with the trailer loaded & ready to camp should ideally be somewhere in the range of 13% to 14% of it's gross weight you can then determine just how much trailer you can safely tow based on how much tongue weight your remaining payload capacity can accommodate. If in reality your truck's payload capacity really is just 1270 lbs but your family & cargo chew up say 700 lbs then obviously you'd have a mere 570 lbs for trailer tongue weight which is FAR less than a 7000 lb trailer should be running as gross tongue weight.

Weigh your truck, then you'll know. 😉

[bailer6334]

Also when you look at trailers they also have a yellow sticker usually on front side of the trailer which gives the actual GVWR of the trailer as well as what you can load into the unit. Consider this information when selecting also.

If you consider a ultra-light or light trailer understand the materials used (frame/cabinets etc.) have been manufactured to minimize weight, as well as the load capacity may be small.

[Kewlkids]

Ill take all the advice i can get. Im still learning about payload and hitch weight as well. I know i will surely need a weight distribution hitch. Will that help me tow a larger trailer? I don't want to max out but I'd still like to get as much trailer as possible.

[SoundGuy]

MitchF150 wrote:
The OP is not asking what his Tundra can tow... Geez people, give it a break.

Better YOU give it a break. :R This is the time of year when newbies begin popping up everywhere, almost all with same idea - that they can actually safely tow a heavy trailer with their 1/2 ton because, by gosh that's what the truck's so-called "tow rating" says it can! As any of us who have been at this for awhile know that's balderdash ... the OP, or anyone with a 1/2 ton, won't be able to come anywhere near towing a trailer that heavy without exceeding the truck's real world payload capacity - period. Every newbie needs to be reminded of this FACT, regardless of whether they asked or not, the OP included. IF his payload capacity is indeed a mere 1270 lbs and he expects to also carry passengers plus cargo in the truck while towing he'd darn well won't be towing a trailer that weighs 7000 lbs because by definition he would be using up most of that payload rating with trailer tongue weight alone.

As for the OP's original question - water freezes at 32F for everyone, including him, so if he expects to use this new camper "wet" in sub freezing temps the simple answer is he has to provide measures to ensure water anywhere in the system can't freeze. Easy to say, possible to do, but requires specific heating solutions which would include tank heating pads, heated water lines, skirting of the trailer, auxilary heating under the trailer, etc. IMO it's more trouble than it's worth when the simple solution is to simply not use any water during those freezing winter months.

[MitchF150]

..

[westend]

MitchF150 wrote:
The OP is not asking what his Tundra can tow... Geez people, give it a break..

He wants to know how to keep a trailer all watered up in the winter..

As said, just plugging in won't do a darn thing unless you keep some sort of electric heater going. And that would have to be 24/7 or as long as you have water in the lines and it's below freezing temps.

If you must keep it 'wet' during the winter, than you have no choice but to keep it heated, so that's gonna be a chore right there. I know I wouldn't do that.. Even for my Dad! Love you Dad.. But, we have a house too.. 🙂

You will also have to keep the hose going to the trailer from the house from freezing too.. Good luck with that!

I keep my trailer able to live in during freezing weather.. Catch is, there is NO WATER in the trailer... I'll plug it in and it'll have lights and electric heat, but NO WATER. If you want to pee in the toilet, that's fine, but when you flush, there won't be any WATER.

I don't care what goes into the holding tank because it won't fill up and whatever is in there might freeze, but no big deal because it's not full.

Anyway, lets not make this a "what are you towing it with" thread when the OP didn't even ask about that.

Mitch

Well, I think towing weights are relevant and may keep the OP from making a big mistake. Assumed, is his use for this trailer as an RV and not just for a guest room.

Having a 7K lb trailer will involve a tongue weight of approx 800-900 lbs. Add in an 80 lb weight distributing hitch and all passengers and cargo. If that total is less than 1270 lbs, you're fine. If not, a smaller trailer would be the answer.

[MitchF150]

🙂

[Kewlkids]

Thanks mitch that answers quite a few of my questions