TT and weight limits

[ash901]

Our TT search continued this weekend. We went to a local RV/boat show and got to see plenty different TT layouts. I hoping y'all can help us with weight limits as this is DH and my's first camper purchase. He has a 2007 Nissan Titan 5.7 330HP V8. I want to know what the Max dry weight of the trailer we purchase should be. The owners manual says we can tow 9500lbs. I would like a trailer around 5,000 dry weight. DH thinks we could go 6,000-6,200 dry weight. I don't want to be stuck with a trailer that the truck struggles to pull. And I don't trust the salesmen to tell us the truth. Any insight on this that I can relay to DH is ver appreciated.

 

[SoccerDad]

Hi ash901,

I found this guide from Nissan on the web, which looks pretty informative:
http://www.nissanusa.com/pdf/techpubs/2007/2007NissanTowingGuide.pdf

Hopefully it helps you both work through finding a weight limit that you are comfortable with.

Working out the towing numbers can be very confusing/worrying. I know you want to consider at least each of the following: (1) max towing capacity, (2) max tongue weight and (3) max cargo carrying capacity (should be on the sticker around the driver's side door).

 

[super_camper]

Our TT search continued this weekend. We went to a local RV/boat show and got to see plenty different TT layouts. I hoping y'all can help us with weight limits as this is DH and my's first camper purchase. He has a 2007 Nissan Titan 5.7 330HP V8. I want to know what the Max dry weight of the trailer we purchase should be. The owners manual says we can tow 9500lbs. I would like a trailer around 5,000 dry weight. DH thinks we could go 6,000-6,200 dry weight. I don't want to be stuck with a trailer that the truck struggles to pull. And I don't trust the salesmen to tell us the truth. Any insight on this that I can relay to DH is ver appreciated.

Towing seems to be more art than science so you may get differing opinions, from my point of view:

First off, the GVW should not exceed your tow capabilities.
Secondly the GCVW should not exceed your tow capabilities.

Dry Weight often refers to the weight of the RV excluding fuel, fluids, cargo, passengers, or optional equipment (and batteries, propane, etc). You need to research to see how any given manufacturer defines Dry Weight as some define it differently than others.

The next step is estimating the weight of everything you want to bring, Google this and you will find some estimators to help you out.

Lastly, I recommend you factor in your driving habits to the overall weight equation. If you have to drive 75+ like I see regularly I would take the lightest setup possible.

 

[Jeepin Dad]

You really should be looking more at the gross trailer weight than the dry weight. A lot of times the axles are the limiting factor so you will see a trailer with a smaller dry weight have more more cargo capacity, so a heavier trailer may limit what you can bring with you.

In my opinion the gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of you truck is more important than the tow rating. Usually when the manufacturers advertise a tow rating it is based on an empty vehicle with only a 150-200 lb driver. If you want to be sure your truck won't struggle try and limit your combined weight to 75-80% of your GCWR.

As an example I have a 3/4 ton Avalanche that weighs 6900 lb, has a 11,900 lb tow rating and a GCWR of 19,000 lbs.

So if I max out my tow rating, 19000-11900-6900 = 200 lbs, it only leaves 200 lbs for people and cargo. I weigh more than 200 lbs so just myself reduces what I can tow.

Our TT has a GWR of 6995 so, 6900+6995 = 13895 lbs of truck and trailer, add another 1000 to 1500 lbs for a family of 4, bikes, canoe and other misc cargo in the truck puts us at 15395 lbs combined weight. That puts us at 81% of our GCWR, this is a worst case scenario because we normally don't max out our trailer weight.

The other number you don't want to exceed is your gross vehicle weight. That is the weight of the truck itself, the weight of all the people and cargo, and the tongue weight of the trailer.

Have fun shopping

 

[jbrostek]

I use Gross weight rather then dry weight. Its easy to say oh this is XXXX dry weight, but once your done with propane, water, gear and "stuff" your near or at the Gross weight and your well over your trucks ratings.

So when looking at the trailers specs, what are the gross weights? I think if you stay under 10k and be aware the trailer can carry more then the truck is rated you could do just fine. But with any "1/2 ton" truck anything over 5k should have load leverler bars due to tounge weights.

And I would go a step beyond super camper, if your regular habits are 75+ without a trailer, DO NOT attempt that same habits with a trailer. Beyond the tire ratings for trailer tires, the issue at those speeds is a random wind gust or blow out can be disaterous.

When I had my Class A and now with the 5th wheel, if I am running down the interstate I do not go beyond 65-70mph. And even then that speed is traffic and weather dependant, but both the class A and my F350 hit a sweet spot just around 65MPH where they drive well and roll down the highway at a great RPM. Slowing down to 55-60 and the truck drops a gear and runs around 2000-2200 RPM vs the 1700-1900 it runs at the higher speed.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

The PP have given some really good advice.

My dad bought a TT that on paper our pickup truck could handle, but in reality it was a struggle. We had to weigh EVERYTHING we put in the truck and trailer. We couldn't go over 55 on the interstate and still had to stop every hour to let the truck cool down. And this truck was my dad's baby and was well maintained and had mods to increase it's towing capacity. Let's just say every trip was miserable and after 2 years a new, bigger truck with a Diesel engine was bought.

 

[bigdisneydaddy]

Supposedly next year all the major light truck manufacturers will agree to a specific set of tests in order to establish tow ratings. The standards will include real world tests such as a trucks ability to pull trailers up a grade while maintaining adequate cooling of engine and trans. Hopefully it will stop some of the oneupmanship that has been going on for years.

 

[Teamubr]

All great replies above. Jeepin Dad has some great examples. The best advice I got when looking at trailers was weigh everything for yourself. Find some scales close and weigh your truck as you would be going on a trip (people, stuff, fuel). Then ask the dealer to hook up the trailer for a test drive and go weigh the combo. This will give you a real " dry" weight.

One other thing to consider is the frontal surface area of the camper. My old V8 Explorer had a tow rating of 7200, but had a note stating the frontal area of the trailer could not exceed 49 sq ft. Lower profile trailers are fine, but the mid and high profile trailers really cause a lot of drag.

I tow 2 really big trailers for the race team. One is a 2 car enclosed hauler. 48 ft long, about 22,000 lbs with the cars and all the spares in it. It is only about 12 ft tall. The other trailer is a 42 ft tow hauler 5er. It only weights about 13,500 lbs with a Miata in the back, but it is 13.5 ft tall. Pulling the toy hauler, I get worse mpg and it is more effected by wind than the car hauler that is almost 9000 lbs heavier.

Lastly, others have mentioned it, but with the relatively short wheelbase on the Titan, I would strongly recommend a good weight distribution hitch and sway controls. I towed a 30 ft TT with that V8 Explorer. It needed dual sway controls and big snap up bars for the WD hitch to make it tow well. Your Titan is a much more worthy TV than the Explorer, but my old TT only weighed 6500 lbs wet and loaded.

All that said, it sounds like you could go with a 7000-7500 (dry), 8000-8500 (loaded and wet) trailer and be fine.

j

 

[ash901]

Thank you all for great advice. I will be passing this along to my husband ASAP!

 

[bigdisneydaddy]

You can weigh your vehicle at any CAT scale for around $10, they will even tell you the tow vehicle weight front and rear axle and the trailer weight while hooked up. If you go on their website it tells you exactly how to approach them and what to ask for, its pretty easy to use and the people at the Flying J I used were helpful.