Baygirl wrote:
My Honda Ridgeline has a maximum towing capacity of $5000. I'm looking at buying a trailer that weighs 3735 pounds, dry weight. Is that too heavy? How much weight, on average, would goods and supplies sufficient for 2 people for 2 weeks usually add?
Thanks
Average load of camping supplies (chairs, BBQ, water, groceries, bedding, pots and pans, dishes, tools, spare parts, etc) is 800 to 1000 lbs. Depending on how much stuff you take with, it could be more.
Advertised dry weights are rarely accurate. That trailer will be heavier, before it leaves the dealer lot. By the time it is loaded for camping, it will be close, if not over 5000 lbs.
Your max towing capacity was calculated with a 150 lb driver and no passengers or cargo in the Ridgeline. The vehicle also has a max weight rating for Cargo Carrying Capacity (payload), and a max weight rating on the hitch itself. Actual max tow capacity is limited to the weakest link (normally payload) in the vehicle's ratings.
As you load passengers and cargo, the max tow capacity and available payload go down pound for pound. IE: If you put 500 lbs of passengers and cargo inside, you no longer have 5000 lbs tow capacity and your available payload is 500 lbs less.
Payload is available weight capacity for carrying passengers, cargo, trailer hitch, and trailer tongue weight, combined. For a 5000 lb trailer, with weight distributing hitch, you'll need about 750 lbs of available payload.
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