Possible TT Modifications??

[BackerBunch]

Hi all, I’m new to the forum here but been lurking for 2-3 weeks now. You guys are a wealth of info but I still have some questions. I apologize in advance for the long post.

DH and I haven’t bought a TT yet. We were deciding between a MH and a TT until my 14 yr old Mountaineer developed an AC problem. I told DH we weren’t going to start putting serious $$ into such an old vehicle so we traded it in for a 2012 Expedition EL with a HD tow package. I really didn’t want the extended version but DH said we would get better stability so we have to settle for the 8700 lb towing ability.

I’ve been doing a lot of research on TT’s and had narrowed our pick to maybe a handful until DH threw a monkey wrench into the equation. He informed me he didn’t want to use CG laundromats. He wants a TT with a WD. I know they don’t come equipped with WD’s nor do they even come equipped already plumbed for them so is it even possible to get one installed? I think I might have narrowed down our search for a TT to a Surveyor Sport SP275RBS. I was wondering since there is a wardrobe and a closet in the bathroom maybe removing one of them would make room for the WD (Splendide 7100XC)? (If no one knows the answer I’ll track one down and go measure.) Would placing it near a “water source” make plumbing it in easier?

Also, is it possible to remove the dinette booth? I know there is storage on one side but not sure if there is anything under the other seat(s). The reason I ask is because we will need a place to put a couple of wire dog crates. The table is freestanding. We have a couple of (light) kitchen chairs so if there is room for the table after placing the crates we’ll have a little dinette suit but if not, we’ve got a couple of tv trays we can eat off of so that’s no big deal but being able to place the crates is important to us.

I hope you guys don’t think we’re crazy. DH & I have never owned a TT before. FWIW, we won’t be buying one until next year (still have to finish getting the house in move-in condition, sell what we can and pack up/store the rest) and then we will need to take a few weekend trips to until we’re used to it before making our move from NC to WA state so any info and/or suggestions will be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[dadmomh]

Assume you're thinking a stacking unit or an all-in-one. Either way, they're not exactly lightweight, so before you get your mindset on anything, get the exact weight + what it's going to require to install it and go from there. Consider the grey tank and how quickly it'll fill up if you don't have FHU. Good luck....sounds like a mod to me.

[SprinklerMan]

you can pack a lot of extra clean clothes and save the weight of the washer and dryer .

[BackerBunch]

Thank, intheburbs. I'm trying. I admit all this confuses me so instead of trying to explain everything to DH I'm just going to show him this thread. 🙂

[intheburbs]

Sounds like you've done your homework. That trailer should be a good match to your Expy.

[BackerBunch]

Thanks you guys.

Handye9, DH is at work right now so I can't ask him but I "think" we might be legal. Please check my numbers.

Our GVWR is 7720. Our curb weight is around 6160 subtracting DH & my weight. (We cleaned out the crawl space and took some stuff to the scrape yard. They weighed us while loaded and then unloaded.) So wouldn't that put us at the 1500 lbs neighborhood? If the driver, passengers, pets, WD hitch and cargo total weight is 600 lbs that would leave us 900 lbs for the trailer tongue weight. Right? According to the stats, the TT I'm looking at has a 505 lbs dry hitch weight so that part sounds good.

The TT is also listed as weighing 4973 lbs unloaded vehicle weight. Estimated loaded weight would be 5973 lbs but lets round it up to 6000. If I add the 505 lbs for the tongue weight that will put us at 6505 lbs but I'm lost after that. Would that put us at 1215 under whatever it is we're supposed to be under? The vehicle's GVWR?

Thanks ScottG, I had a feeling it would be a lot of work but at least it's doable.

[ScottG]

The washer/dryer mod you speak of is doable but will be a lot of work. You'll have to open both the wall and the undercarriage.

[handye9]

Don't get tunnel vision on that 8700 lb tow capacity. Your Expedition has a tow rating (what a stripped down model with only a driver could possibly pull), a payload rating (what that same stripped down model could possibly carry), gross vehicle (GVWR) weight rating (maximum amount of weight on the vehicle's frame, suspension, tires, etc, and a hitch receiver rating (what the hitch receiver itself, can carry, with or without weight distribution). The various ratings don't always coincide with each other. Everything and everybody, you put in or on the vehicle (passengers, pets, cargo, WD hitch, and trailer tongue weight) takes away from those ratings. In many cases, the vehicle runs out of payload, before it gets close to the mythical tow capacity number.

Due to weight limitations, the size of TT candidates will also, limit the possibilities of adding a laundry.

It is possible to remove a booth dinette, depending on what is underneath. Many units have only storage underneath. Some, may have a water tank or some other systems built into them.

Here are some average numbers to keep in mind:

Average tongue weight is about 13% of loaded trailer weight.
Average camping load (bedding, dishes, camp chairs, pots and pans, groceries, water, etc) is about 1000 lbs.
Average payload in a large SUV is 12 - 1500 lbs. Some have more, some have less.

Example:

Let's say a vehicle has 8700 lb tow capacity and 1300 lbs payload. The driver, passengers, pets, WD hitch, and cargo total weight is 600 lbs. This vehicle would have 700 lbs payload available for trailer tongue weight.

Now lets say the trailer weighs 7000 lbs empty. Loaded for camping, it weighs 8000 lbs. At 8000 lbs, the tongue weight would be right around 1000 lbs. The tow vehicle would be 300 lbs over on payload and GVWR, even though it is 700 lbs under on tow capacity.

[westend]

You won't be towing 8700 lb, you'll be limited by the payload capacity.