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OttoB's avatar
OttoB
Explorer
Jul 01, 2014

Ready to pull the trigger

The wife and I are ready to "go for it", I think.

We've found a Skyline Koala 23LS that we are in love with. Dry weight 4850#. Add batteries/propane/hitch and a little water, we should be pulling at around 5200#.

Will be pulling with a 2009 Tahoe, 5.3L, HD towing package, Equal-i-zer 4 point hitch, Prodigy P2 brake controller.

Thoughts anyone?
  • Hey Sandia...not sure where the first trek will be, except for Yuma, to the in-laws. 20+ years of RVing, and they are "insisting" on helping us outfit properly...can't ask for much more. We've been considering the Snowflake area for our first excursion...but we'll see...

    Very excited and looking forward to fun and relaxing away from the city.
  • It'l will be just me and the wife...long weekends about a half dozen times a year.
  • OttoB wrote:
    Dry weight 4850#. Add batteries/propane/hitch and a little water, we should be pulling at around 5200#.


    Ummm....not quite. That 5200# is before you add clothes, dishes, food, pots/pans, towels, beverages, etc., etc., etc.

    You will likely be closer to 5800 lbs when you are packed and ready to camp. How much of that is on the tongue depends on if storage and/or FW tank is ahead of or behind the axles. At an average 13% tongue weight that adds 750 lbs to the Tahoe. You're probably OK with 2 adults and 2 kids, overloaded with much more than that.
  • You should be within towing specs although the climb up to Flagstaff won't be a walk in the park, I'm sure most towing combos would find that trek difficult as well. Enjoy your Skyline, are you going to up to the mountains for your maiden voyage?
  • Well I am happy for you two. I have been very close to a new TT purchase but did not. I was scared away by poor workmanship. I spotted problems before the transaction. Good luck. Enjoy
  • We pull a rig that has a dry weight of 4850 also with a 2005 Expedition with 5.3 engine 4 speed auto and 373 rear end.Loaded we are always about 5,350 on the trailer axles but it adds about 800 lbs. on the TV. It pulls like a dream over Mt. Hood even with only a 4 speed. We have a Reece straightline dual cam and no sway. The only thing that bothers me is not being able to take full advantage of the SUV because of weight restrictions of the axles. Even though we are 2,000 lbs. under our GCWR the individual axle weights are all but maxed out and the GVW of the TV is within 200 lbs.