Giving up our tent for a trailer -- a few questions? (sorry, long)

[Tallis]

1. GVWR rules still apply but with a 15~~ dry weight, the GVWR is likely 2500 or less

Odyssey is rated for 3500, not 2500.

PPS - I'm going to take my "nice guy Bama Ed" persona hat off and say for those that pull the heavier travel trailer with an Odyssey, all I can say is that if you are involved in an accident with me and my sheister, billboard personal injury attorney (who takes 40% of the claim), the FIRST THING I'm going to do is sue you and your insurance company if you are 1# over the owners manual weight declaration (of course, the insurance company, like all good insurance companies, will turn around and sue the policy holder for violating their policy coverage). And after I win I'm going to take my winnings and buy a new Chevy 2500 truck and a big honking Airstream!

I haven't read a single person on this thread that suggested going over rated weight. In fact, quite the opposite.

 

[bama_ed]

Odyssey is rated for 3500, not 2500

Exactly my point. The towing capacity of the van is one number (3200# with 4 people or 3500# for two people ).

But the GVWR of the pop-up might be less (2500#). Meaning that an Odyssey Mini-van might be an adequate tow vehicle for a small, light, square pop-up (but as I said, I don't know what the GVWR might be, my number is an ESTIMATE). Sarah Rose might have a winner here.

I haven't read a single person on this thread that suggested going over rated weight. In fact, quite the opposite.

Again, exactly.

A travel trailer behind an Odyssey is somebody else' arrangement. That's very clear. There is somebody like this guy "I can pull 5,000# with a garden tractor" on every popup forum I have EVER been on. Even a lightweight travel trailer with a slide out probably has a GVWR over 3200#. And I have heard ALL the exceptions "well I use SPECIAL ceramic brakes" or "my wife and I weigh less than 200# ". My statement was very clear: some people flirt with the upper limit (no details). Some of us try to follow the rules with a margin to stay safe. Newbies can't always differentiate the details.

For folks getting started (who aren't Professional Engineers for a living like I am) in towing with a mini van, you have to be very careful what is said because people might only hear what they want to. I want to make an effort to ensure that people understand the nuance is obvious so they arrive alive.

Bama Ed

 

[bama_ed]

Morning addendum:

What I am concerned about is that the guy towing the travel trailer has probably optimized, tweaked, weighed, and studied every factor to claim he is within specs. But not everyone who sees his set-up is going to be as detail-focused as he apparently is. Even with all the footnotes, asterisks, qualifiers, and limiters, some people will think "minivan = travel trailer".

Also someone above said, to paraphrase, the number is the number. If the book says 3500#, I'm good to 3500#. And that's true - a safety margin is a recommendation from me (and others) but not a requirement. I tend to be a little cautious. But there are times when you are on the road at speed and a situation unfolds in front of you. It is nice to have that extra power available because of the lower weight being towed.

Okay I think I've beat that horse to death now.

Bama Ed

 

[WeLovePluto]

so, to clarify, you don't operate under the 'surely there's a safety factor in the 3500#' theory.

(of course, I didn't either when buying a new truck.)

 

[bama_ed]

so, to clarify, you don't operate under the 'surely there's a safety factor in the 3500#' theory.

(of course, I didn't either when buying a new truck.)

I believe in stacking safety factors on top of safety factors whenever possible. The more the merrier.

 

[jaredjohn4]

You can pull anything with anything but it depends on how. I have pulled 27,000 lbs of corn out of the field to the local elevator with my 2001 Dodge Dakota for my father-in-law. But I only drag it 2 miles at 15 miles per hour and it doesn’t stop on a dime. Watch your weights before heading out on the highway to insure a safe trip.

 

[madjohn]

In addition, all the weight numbers only apply if you are driving the appropriate speed. Many trailer tires are not to be driven over 65 MPH. When I am towing my 28' Airstream, at 60 MPH with a large Chevy truck, (What I feel comfortable doing with all the weight behind me) I get blown off the road by others towing trailers. So, your weight limit goes down if your driving excessive speeds. If you get it up to the weight limit, you best be sure you are not pushing to much on the gas.

 

[Sjm9911]

In addition, all the weight numbers only apply if you are driving the appropriate speed. Many trailer tires are not to be driven over 65 MPH. When I am towing my 28' Airstream, at 60 MPH with a large Chevy truck, (What I feel comfortable doing with all the weight behind me) I get blown off the road by others towing trailers. So, your weight limit goes down if your driving excessive speeds. If you get it up to the weight limit, you best be sure you are not pushing to much on the gas.

I dont think the weight limit goes down, you just have to stay within the limits of your tires/ towing capacity and axels. Most tires go way faster now, like 81/ 87 mph , some change out the axles and stuff to have car/ truck tires put on them. I do agree it's better to tow slower and steady. But that might be for my own peice of mind.

 

[Sarah_Rose]

Thanks for all the debate on this. Honestly, I said in my first post that we weren't trying to break any rules as far as dogs and pet loops, and that can pretty much be applied to every situation out there. You guys steered me pretty hard away from anything hard-sided so thanks for that.

As an update, we did end up going with the 2012 Rockwood pop-up. It was a good deal and in perfect condition and located about 5 minutes away, and we couldn't turn it down. We'd been saying for years that a pop-up would be perfect except for the dog/Fort issue, but this made us really re-think whether that was a deal-breaker for us... and it turns out it isn't. We'll definitely be throwing a few hundred into a portable AC for when we travel down south, and my Golden Retriever is welcome in the pop-up in all provincial/national parks around here. The GVWR on the 10 ft Rockwood is 2274 lbs (1468 lb dry weight) and it has brakes. On further advice, we went with an "upgraded" brake controller.

And you're right, we'll probably end up upgrading our TV in the nearish future. But going from a tent, I just couldn't jump straight into "now I need to find a truck AND a camper" without knowing whether we actually enjoyed it at all. I think a used small pop-up is probably the perfect compromise for right now.

And now the premium loop reservation is cancelled and we have a partial booked for next Christmas. I'm looking forward (very forward...) to it!

 

[Sjm9911]

Congrats on the new to u pop up! Have fun worh it!

 

[4077]

Thanks for all the debate on this. Honestly, I said in my first post that we weren't trying to break any rules as far as dogs and pet loops, and that can pretty much be applied to every situation out there. You guys steered me pretty hard away from anything hard-sided so thanks for that.

As an update, we did end up going with the 2012 Rockwood pop-up. It was a good deal and in perfect condition and located about 5 minutes away, and we couldn't turn it down. We'd been saying for years that a pop-up would be perfect except for the dog/Fort issue, but this made us really re-think whether that was a deal-breaker for us... and it turns out it isn't. We'll definitely be throwing a few hundred into a portable AC for when we travel down south, and my Golden Retriever is welcome in the pop-up in all provincial/national parks around here. The GVWR on the 10 ft Rockwood is 2274 lbs (1468 lb dry weight) and it has brakes. On further advice, we went with an "upgraded" brake controller.

And you're right, we'll probably end up upgrading our TV in the nearish future. But going from a tent, I just couldn't jump straight into "now I need to find a truck AND a camper" without knowing whether we actually enjoyed it at all. I think a used small pop-up is probably the perfect compromise for right now.

And now the premium loop reservation is cancelled and we have a partial booked for next Christmas. I'm looking forward (very forward...) to it!

Sounds perfect! Even though my wife is a “no canvas” person, I can’t help but think how much I would enjoy a pup here in New England....

 

[Sarah_Rose]

Sounds perfect! Even though my wife is a “no canvas” person, I can’t help but think how much I would enjoy a pup here in New England....

We had one when I was a child/teenager and I have many fond memories of lying in the bunk reading in the middle of the afternoon with all the windows wide open around me and feeling like I was in a treehouse. Of course, we also lived in the Rockies, so I ALSO have many not-so-fond memories of snow in the middle of July and huddling around the furnace while we ate ramen for dinner because no one wanted to go outside long enough to grill.... As my brother put it a few days ago, "that tent trailer was a real mixed bag..."

 

[Sjm9911]

Lots of stuff you can do to insulate it. Just ask, i have a pop up. So does tallis and a few others , bama ed had one or still does also.

 

[Sarah_Rose]

Lots of stuff you can do to insulate it. Just ask, i have a pop up. So does tallis and a few others , bama ed had one or still does also.

Ooops! I realized I didn't have my location other than "Canada." I grew up in the Rockies but now live near Toronto. Much more temperate climate here -- only a handful of really miserably hot days (especially once you head north a couple hours or on the Great Lakes), no snow between April and November (usually...) and pretty darn flat. When I was a kid in Western Canada, you didn't see a lot of tents in the mountains but a lot of PUPs. Now it's mostly TTs -- outside of unpredictable weather, you also have to worry about the grizzlies. Here, the worst wildlife we have are the raccoons! Lots of folks tent camp, backpack, canoe camp. We've done all that with the kids, but are now looking forward to doing some more road-trip style trips. I know there is some set-up time for the pop-up, but at least it's less than the tent!

 

[KristinU]

Congratulations!!!

 

[Teamubr]

The PUP sounds like a great fit for what you were wanting. Have a great time camping. After all, that is the point.

j