TT n00b

[drbenzo]

I love camping and I have been a tent camper my whole life. But, the kids are 8 and 12, and it's time for an upgrade. I have been shopping trailers for about a month now, and I have narrowed it down to a few dealers and models. We have a Tundra 5.6 V8 and can tow 10K. I am looking at 30 footers essentially. As of shopping yesterday, I have narrowed it down to two main units. Our biggest requirement is bunks. We wan't the kids to be on the other side of the unit and comfortable. Here are the two units we are currently considering.

https://www.jayco.com/products/travel-trailers/2017-jay-flight/27bhs/

My wife really likes the Jayflight series, and this one met all our needs.

The equivalent Forest River brand would be the Grew Wolf series. We also like this one, but the Jayco felt like a better construction for some reason.

http://www.forestriverinc.com/product-details.aspx?LineID=248&ShowParent=1&ModelID=1629#Main

We want to be somewhat frugal, but I really liked the Sonoma series. It is about 3K more, and has a different outer layer and insulation.

http://www.forestriverinc.com/product-details.aspx?LineID=429&Image=18425&ModelID=3008#Main

If money wasn't an issue, I would be buying a Airstream but we don't need to be spending that much... well, at least till it's just me and the wife and we can buy a smaller one 😉

Does anyone have experience with these brands?

[drbenzo]

Let's use ***Link Removed*** example of a Sonoma for calculating safe weights.

Let's also use the Equalizer WD.

My family seems to like this trailer a lot. It looks like it has about 6000lb's of dry weight. If my vehicle's tow capacity is 9,900lbs, it would seem to me that I have about 3900lbs of leeway of payload capacity. Am I simplifying this too much?

EDIT: looks like my link was removed for the samoma 240 BHS

[drbenzo]

OKAY

Here is my Tundra info:
2016
Crew Max Short bed
5.6L V8
It looks like the "combined weight o occupants and cargo should never exceed" is 1,212lbs. It says 1270 and a small yellow stickers says mods have reduced the load carrying capacity by 58lbs.

[theoldwizard1]

Don't skip over the hybrids ! Lot's of space when opened. There is one Jayco hybrid that actually has 3 beds !

PS - I am not a fan of "outdoor kitchens". They consume too much inside space. If you want to occasionally cook outside, get a Coleman LP stove and a 12V 'fridge.

[Ugly04]

I think that the Jayco looks like it could be a good fit depending on how your Tundra is equipped. We had a KZ for 9 years that weight and length wise was very similar to the 27BHS Jayflight. No issues pulling it with our extended cab 08 F150 or Excursion. I don't think you would have any problems with the Tundra. Just invest in a good wd hitch. I have had the equalizer and now the Blue Ox and I would say the Blue Ox is just a little better than the equalizer.

I have had a Forest River,(rockwood), KZ, (Frontier), and now a Jayflight and I can say the fit and finish on the Jayco has been superior to the others, not even close.

[braindead0]

I'd suggest considering smaller..vs...larger. Kids can sleep in tents, even when we had a trailer my brother/sister and I slept in tents and really preferred it that way. Maybe we're odd like that..

And as mentioned by others, you need to start with payload. Towing capacity is just that, the amount of load you can tow. A travel trailer is towed AND you have to carry the tongue weight so both need to be considered.

[rexlion]

They are fairly equivalent, but Jayco seems to have a slightly better quality reputation (whether deserved or not, I can't say). I think the Tundra can have about 2000 lbs payload, "when properly equipped," but you do need to check this. On hitch weight, keep in mind that advertised dry hitch weight is usually without LP tanks, battery, etc. And then you add water... where is the fresh water tank, up front? 38 gallons is 300 lbs. Even without water in the tanks, once you load up your gear and stuff you can figure the hitch weight will probably be somewhere between 800 and 1100 lbs. As mentioned already, you have to add in the weight of your weight-distributing hitch (I suggest the Equal-i-zer brand with 4-point sway control built in). Do the math for your truck.

Personally, I started with a 23' TT and then downsized to the 16'-17' range (kids are grown and moved out). It is just more pleasant IMO to tow a smaller trailer, and I can get into the small campsites in national forest CGs.

[rbpru]

Yes, payload is the magic number and it depends on the exact vehicle. Therefore it is usually posted on the door jamb.

The number is based on the specific weight, axle rating, suspension, brake type etc. installed on that vehicle.

For a half ton think of a TT advertised as 5000 lbs dry weight. This will be about 750 lbs of tongue in the loaded for the road TT.

[drbenzo]

mbopp wrote:
Before we get into the trailers, let's re-visit your Tundra......
I'm afraid you're falling into a common trap with new RV trailer owners. You're looking at tow capacity when in reality you need to be looking at payload first. What model Tundra - crew cab? What's the payload? It should be on a yellow sticker on the drivers door pillar.
Now add the weights of your passengers and "stuff" you'll be carrying. And 600# seems light for a hitch weight, it'll probably be closer to 800# and more for the Gray Wolf. And now add the weight of your hitch. Remember - the hitch weight is cantilevered over the rear axle. You'll be unloading the front axle and adding that weight to the rear axle. A WD (weight distribution) hitch will get you some, but not all, of that weight back.

As far as trailers, take your pick. Having a good dealer is more important than brand.

Thanks for the responses!
I will get back to you all later today when I get a chance.

[hohenwald48]

Like others have said, payload is your limiting factor. You can look on the door pillar for that info but a trip to a scale with the truck loaded like going camping will give a more accurate number. Once you have the payload capacity you can back into the max numbers for a TT.

[mbopp]

Before we get into the trailers, let's re-visit your Tundra......
I'm afraid you're falling into a common trap with new RV trailer owners. You're looking at tow capacity when in reality you need to be looking at payload first. What model Tundra - crew cab? What's the payload? It should be on a yellow sticker on the drivers door pillar.
Now add the weights of your passengers and "stuff" you'll be carrying. And 600# seems light for a hitch weight, it'll probably be closer to 800# and more for the Gray Wolf. And now add the weight of your hitch. Remember - the hitch weight is cantilevered over the rear axle. You'll be unloading the front axle and adding that weight to the rear axle. A WD (weight distribution) hitch will get you some, but not all, of that weight back.

As far as trailers, take your pick. Having a good dealer is more important than brand.

[beemerphile1]

Think smaller.

What is the Toyota payload capacity? Everything in the truck plus the trailer tongue weight must be within the payload capacity and axle capacities. A 10,000# trailer will have somewhere between 1,200# and 1,500# of tongue weight.