Purchasing our first TT - is this set up safe?

[onelv]

Hi Everybody,

This will be our first TT. I've only towed tent trailers in the past. I was hoping for your advice if towing a 31BHPR (Premier by Ultra LIte by Bullet) will be too big of a jump? It weighs just under 6500lbs.

Also, is our set up safe? - My two vehicle is a 2014 Mercedes GL350 (diesel) with max tow of 7500lbs.

I appreciate any advice.

Thank-you

[hbillsmith]

The Mercedes GL350 & 450 are 3 row SUV's and the same length as the Expedition and Yukon XL. The lower model Merceds ML series is the shorter 2 row version. That said, my trailer is a 24' model (29' bumper to tongue)

[trail-explorer]

camp-n-family wrote:
I'd have to say way too much tt for the short wheelbase Benz.

x100
Length is a concern. I'd say anything over 25' is too long to be pulling with a crossover or SUV, unless the tow rig was an Excursion, Expedition, Tahoe or Suburban (or Yukon, Yukon XL)

[hbillsmith]

All 3 weights with driver + 1 passenger (300# total in front seat). Rear of trailer has mounted carrier with generator, total rear box and insides weights 225#

[hbillsmith]

Here you go 2010 Mercedes GL450, 2013 Kodiac 242RESL, Anderson WDH

Axles Front Rear Trailer TOTAL

CarOnly 2980 2820 n/a 5800

CarNoWD 2700 3680 5580 11960
Tongue Calc +2700+3680-5800=580 Tongue Weight

Car+WDH 2880 3460 5700 12040
Tongue Calc +2880+3460-5800=540 Tongue Weight
(really hitch impact, WDH does not change tongue)

WDH
Impact +180 -220 +120 =300 moved

[AH64ID]

hbillsmith wrote:
Ah64id the Anderson is the perfect WDH for the Mercedes GL. I should know because that is my setupand I tow a TT about the same specs as the OP. My experience has been about 350# distributed to the front and back to the TT. Verified several times with triple CAT weights (car only, attached with WD, attached no WDH)

That's the most weight transfered with an Anderson, most only report about 200lbs.

What are your 3 front axle weights?

[hbillsmith]

Ah64id the Anderson is the perfect WDH for the Mercedes GL. I should know because that is my setupand I tow a TT about the same specs as the OP. My experience has been about 350# distributed to the front and back to the TT. Verified several times with triple CAT weights (car only, attached with WD, attached no WDH)

[Arizona_Kid]

The Lance 2185 ticks all his boxes, GVWR 6,000 lbs and tongue weight 500 lbs. With a WD hitch he should be OK on the tongue weight.
Lance 2185

Floor Length 21' 2"
Overall Length 25'8"
Exterior Width 96?"
Exterior Height 119"
Interior Height 78"
Gross Dry Weight 3930
Hitch Dry Weight 500
Axle Weight 3430
Cargo Carrying Capacity 2070
GVWR 6000
Tire size ST205/75R14
Fresh Tank 45 gallons
Grey Tank 45 gallons
Black Tank 45 gallons
Refrigerator 6 cubic feet
Propane 2-5 gallon tanks
Furnace 25,000 BTU's
Sleeping Capacity 7

[Community Alumni]

dadmomh wrote:
Oh, dear....another TT/weight/tow vehicle issue. Folks also seem to be forgetting that once they get all their #s together, they still need a healthy wiggle room...for those "just in case" times. OP, that is a huge trailer to think about pulling with your MB. Yep, size matters.

Seems like either a change in tow vehicles or trailers is in order. BTW, never, never assume that the salesman either knows what he's talking about or possibly is bending the truth. Whenever the sentence includes, "the salesman told me...", it's usually wrong. Sorry for the bad news.

Salesmen lie/exaggerate?! Say it isn't so!

[dadmomh]

Oh, dear....another TT/weight/tow vehicle issue. Folks also seem to be forgetting that once they get all their #s together, they still need a healthy wiggle room...for those "just in case" times. OP, that is a huge trailer to think about pulling with your MB. Yep, size matters.

Seems like either a change in tow vehicles or trailers is in order. BTW, never, never assume that the salesman either knows what he's talking about or possibly is bending the truth. Whenever the sentence includes, "the salesman told me...", it's usually wrong. Sorry for the bad news.

[APT]

Focus on tongue weight, payload, and receiver limit. You can tow a 7500 pound boat with only you driving. But add the family and an RV tongue weight, you'll likely exceed both the receiver and GVWR well under 7500 pound loaded RV. Tow ratings are for all types of trailers and typically only work out for the easiest type - flat beds and boats. RVs are the most difficult type to tow.

First locate this sticker for as equipped payload on your driver's door or B-pillar when the driver's door is open.



Subtract the weight of your family, multiply by 7 for a reasonable dry weight. This should keep under GVWR of the SUV. Next find a sticker on the receiver or possibly owners manual listing the max receiver limit. This is often 10% of the tow ratings on mid sized SUVs. Something like this:



Multiply that number by 6.5 for a reasonable dry weight due to receiver limit.

[camp-n-family]

I'd have to say way too much tt for the short wheelbase Benz. I have a 2013 31BHPR and tow it with a Tundra. It's a great trailer and the truck tows it fine, but I am slightly over capacity with the truck. I wouldn't imagine towing it with anything less. For reference, our 6400lbs trailer (delivered weight)weighs 7600lbs once loaded up, with 1k of tongue weight.

[hbillsmith]

Another option in the Kodiak line is the Kodiak Express 255BHSL. Dry 4783#, Tongue 526#. Square footage is even slightly more. The Express line isn't the Ultimate deluxe so the materials are lighter weight. It's still a nice trailer though and for 2014 they added a lot of the spiffiness' that was in 2013 Ultimate's. A third option is the Aero Lite line that is also made by Dutchmen and shares a lot of the same floor plans.

[hbillsmith]

The Kodiak you picked can work but it'll depend on a couple of things. First, you'll need to be mindful of how you load the trailer. The car's actual payload can handle a lot in the back and still not take away from the 600# tongue weight. The MB has built-in auto-leveling and the Gross weights are sufficient. It's just the hitch's tongue weight factor that restricts you. So load your clothes and groceries in back the car and then put them in the trailer when you get there.

If you are to stay at 600# tongue weight and have that be 10% of the total trailer weight, that means you can't have the whole unit including tongue weigh more than 6,000#. Since the dry weight is 5,049 (Kodiak's are usually pretty accurate, but as the saying goes, a CAT scale is better). You should be ok.

One thing I would do (and it's what I did) is have a machine shop welder fabricate a rear receiver hitch on the trailer (Do Not just add something to the flimsy bumper). On that hitch you can load a bicycle rack, ice chests, or such to the tune of 150# to 300#. That weight on the back will reduce your tongue weight to get you down under 600#.

The caveat is you can't have the total trailer go over 6,000# and you want the tongue to be right at 600# so you have at least 10% or better to avoid sway (As before, the Anderson WDH is light and it's anti-sway is perfect for your car).

[Arizona_Kid]

You might take a look at the Lance 2185, got a bunk, queen bed, and the slide out dinette makes into a nice bed. My opinion, this is as much trailer, both length, and weight, that I would tow with your TV.
On edit, 2185.
Lance 2185

I have been considering the Lance 1685 for quite awhile, but waiting to see the Jay Smart in June. I think Lance makes a very good trailer, and I will probably end up with one.
My TV is a 2011 Nissan Pathfinder V8, with 7,000 lb. tow capacity.

[onelv]

opnspaces wrote:
Hi OneLV and welcome to the forum. There are many light weight trailers out there that should fit your bill. You've told us about your tow vehicle, but I don't recall seeing any requirements or wishes for the RV. If we know kind of what you are thinking about we can probably come up with more than a few good trailers for you. On a total guess I looked at the Jayco Jay Feather line as I have a Jayco and it has treated me well. Jayco is also one of the few manufacturers that give you a 2 year bumper to bumper warranty. Here's a link to the Jay Feather Ultra Lite X23B. Link It weighs 4,000 lbs with a 400lb tongue weight. On the down side it has only some 22 gallon waste tanks so it you think you'll be camping out in the boonies all the time you'll want some bigger tanks.

What do you envision for your trailer and are there kids or grandkids to be considered?

Sleeps xx amount minimum.
needs a slide out.
no slide out.
needs dinette seating.
needs a bathtub/shower, not just a shower.
needs to fit in a 30 foot storage spot.
needs bunk beds.
want a walk around island queen bed.
needs a couch.
needs a recliner or individual barrel chairs.
needs a large picture type window out the rear.
Needs two doors.

These are just some of the ideas and specs I could come up with quickly.

Good luck on your search

Thank-you. It will be, my wife, we have a 1 year old, and myself. We would like to have the option to bring guest. In a perfect world, here is the options I was hoping to get:

- queen size bed
- seperate bunk area so our guest would have a bit of privacy
- slide out dinette - I really like how it opens up the space
- shower with tub (to bath the little one)
- walk around island would be nice (but not a must)
- couch would be nice

The Jay Feather Ultra lights you recommended are really nice. I just wish they had slide out for more space.

Please let me know if there is any other recommendations out there.