Weight into travel trailer

[4077]

I realize that different folks will pack their trailers differently, but curious if I could get a general idea of how much weight in "stuff" you generally end up with in your trailer? Also, if you ever even think that there is the remotest chance of possibly wanting to pull a trailer someday, splurge and pay for the extra towing ability. Regretting my 2011 Tahoe with 3.08 gears and no extra cooling. Got this great engine and chassis, but limited to 5200 lbs towing and a GCWR of 11000 pounds. Further, my tahoe with family, gas, and stuff is already over 6200 lbs, so can't even max my tow weight Lessons learned too late. Ugh...should have just done it, but thought I wouldn't ever trailer. 3.08 does get slightly better highway gas mileage....yippee...lol. For me, a waste of a Tahoe. Only myself to blame.... I guess posting it here is to cleanse myself, release and move on. Now, can I convince wife I should switch to appropriate Tahoe
Oh, I did originally have an appropriate 2010 Tahoe which was totaled (also my fault, unfortunately). Thanks for reading this babbling.....will make it to Fort in my own trailer eventually!!

 

[North of Mouse]

I realize that different folks will pack their trailers differently, but curious if I could get a general idea of how much weight in "stuff" you generally end up with in your trailer? Also, if you ever even think that there is the remotest chance of possibly wanting to pull a trailer someday, splurge and pay for the extra towing ability. Regretting my 2011 Tahoe with 3.08 gears and no extra cooling. Got this great engine and chassis, but limited to 5200 lbs towing and a GCWR of 11000 pounds. Further, my tahoe with family, gas, and stuff is already over 6200 lbs, so can't even max my tow weight Lessons learned too late. Ugh...should have just done it, but thought I wouldn't ever trailer. 3.08 does get slightly better highway gas mileage....yippee...lol. For me, a waste of a Tahoe. Only myself to blame.... I guess posting it here is to cleanse myself, release and move on. Now, can I convince wife I should switch to appropriate Tahoe
Oh, I did originally have an appropriate 2010 Tahoe which was totaled (also my fault, unfortunately). Thanks for reading this babbling.....will make it to Fort in my own trailer eventually!!

Yes, weight is 'very' important. Don't know how much it would help you, but my DH did put transmission coolers on more than one vehicle in the past when we towed trailers. It sure kept our engines from overheating.

We 'guesstimated' weight, so don't know how many #'s we put in trailer, but did try to keep it light enough to keep under capacity. We 'did' know our extra vehicle weight, but that wasn't much being lightweights.

Now, about convincing your wife - I won't go there My DH had lots of that to do in the past!

Good luck on getting to the Fort - we have certainly enjoyed it many times!

 

[tiggerdad]

I have a 32 foot Jaco that weighs roughly 8700 empty. On our trip to the Fort I had it up to 9500 loaded, but that included a fresh water tank half full as a "just in case" on the way there. I pull with an F-250, or did before I sold it to make sure my Master's degree loans are paid off when I graduate in May. At that time I will get another F-250 as it was ideal for that weight and length of trailer.
Not sure on the Tahoe, but you know what's safe as far as weight distribution and braking. I vote for overkill on this one because it's safer.

Sent from my Desire HD using DISBoards

 

[articfox676]

Longest wheel base is just as important as power when it comes to controlling what you are towing. Also a 3/4 ton is a more stable TV then a 1/2 ton.

 

[Nixie]

I feel for you. I was once where you were. I wanted a hybrid or a TT, but only had a Mercury Mountaineer with the v6 in it and who the heck knows what gears. Totally not intended to tow anything but maybe a very small pop up with its class 2 hitch. We did get a Yukon. Mine is the one with the 3.73 gears, 5.3 engine, and HD towing package. It is rated to tow 7,600lbs. We used to pull our 2008 21rs Outback with it. When totally loaded (with about 800lbs of stuff for 6 people), we were at 5,300lbs for the trailer. The problem was our GCWR. Our Yukon's is about 12,000lbs. We were just 700lbs underneath of it when packed and ready to go. I have found most people focus so hard on the towing capacity of vehicles, they overlook two other really important numbers: GVWR and GCWR. Most people (esp. with a family) will max out these numbers before they ever max out their vehicles towing capacity.

We now have a F250 (still have the Yukon though. That thing is my baby ) that we use to pull our Crossroads Cruiser 32BH. Probably still riding the line on GCWR due to my family size, but this vehicle certainly feels more capable of handling it.

Ever thought of a differential swap, tranny cooler, power steering cooler, etc?

 

[4077]

I feel for you. I was once where you were. I wanted a hybrid or a TT, but only had a Mercury Mountaineer with the v6 in it and who the heck knows what gears. Totally not intended to tow anything but maybe a very small pop up with its class 2 hitch. We did get a Yukon. Mine is the one with the 3.73 gears, 5.3 engine, and HD towing package. It is rated to tow 7,600lbs. We used to pull our 2008 21rs Outback with it. When totally loaded (with about 800lbs of stuff for 6 people), we were at 5,300lbs for the trailer. The problem was our GCWR. Our Yukon's is about 12,000lbs. We were just 700lbs underneath of it when packed and ready to go. I have found most people focus so hard on the towing capacity of vehicles, they overlook two other really important numbers: GVWR and GCWR. Most people (esp. with a family) will max out these numbers before they ever max out their vehicles towing capacity.

We now have a F250 (still have the Yukon though. That thing is my baby ) that we use to pull our Crossroads Cruiser 32BH. Probably still riding the line on GCWR due to my family size, but this vehicle certainly feels more capable of handling it.

Ever thought of a differential swap, tranny cooler, power steering cooler, etc?

Have considered the transmission cooler and an external oil cooler to bump up the max tow and GCWR up by 700 lbs, but doesn't help too much (tahoe chassis, brakes, etc remain same with or without 3.42 gears and HD towing package....so, it's all about the ratio and cooling. If I had the tahoe with 3.42 and cooling, my towing max would be 8200 with a GCWR of around 13700 I think ). Diff swap at dealer seems quite expensive at around $4000....I see some people say cheaper outside of dealer, but don't want to mess with warranty. Probably just as cost effective to trade with a used equivalent, but properly equipped tahoe. Everything that is appropriate for what we want comes in at a dry/unloaded weight between 4500 and 5200 lbs (26-28 foot trailers), so something will have to be done before we can go ahead with this.

It's funny....the 1500 p/u series offers the same engine and gear options.
With a 3.08 and transmission and oil cooling, there is the 700 lb increase. If you get 3.42 with no cooling, there is a similar small increase (relative to a 3.08 without cooling). However, put the two of them together (3.42 and cooling) and you get a huge increase all around. I'm not a car person, so I don't understand how the two of them together are so much more than the individual parts, but that is how it works, I guess.

 

[mikron]

We always go to a truck stop scale after loading and make sure we are under buy at least 200 lbs of MFG weight. All RVs different but in our 20 plus years of camping with tents pop-ups and motor coaches we learned no made very well.

More power and hitch weight the better and safer to hall or drive.

 

[Nixie]

Have considered the transmission cooler and an external oil cooler to bump up the max tow and GCWR up by 700 lbs, but doesn't help too much (tahoe chassis, brakes, etc remain same with or without 3.42 gears and HD towing package....so, it's all about the ratio and cooling. If I had the tahoe with 3.42 and cooling, my towing max would be 8200 with a GCWR of around 13700 I think ). Diff swap at dealer seems quite expensive at around $4000....I see some people say cheaper outside of dealer, but don't want to mess with warranty. Probably just as cost effective to trade with a used equivalent, but properly equipped tahoe. Everything that is appropriate for what we want comes in at a dry/unloaded weight between 4500 and 5200 lbs (26-28 foot trailers), so something will have to be done before we can go ahead with this.

It's funny....the 1500 p/u series offers the same engine and gear options.
With a 3.08 and transmission and oil cooling, there is the 700 lb increase. If you get 3.42 with no cooling, there is a similar small increase (relative to a 3.08 without cooling). However, put the two of them together (3.42 and cooling) and you get a huge increase all around. I'm not a car person, so I don't understand how the two of them together are so much more than the individual parts, but that is how it works, I guess.

Okay, I am in no way trying to be the weight police, but I would really caution you against pulling a 26 - 28fttrailer with a Tahoe. The wheelbase just isn't long enough for that length of trailer. If you had a 'Burb or Yukon XL, I would say go for it, but the wheelbase on the regular Tahoe just isn't long enough to keep all four tires on the ground if that length of trailer decided to go over. Wheelbase is truly just as important as towing capacity, GCWR and GVWR. Maybe it is time to look for a truck or a better equipped 'Burb.... Ya know, those 2500 Burbs are pretty sweet

 

[knucklebuster]

I realize that different folks will pack their trailers differently, but curious if I could get a general idea of how much weight in "stuff" you generally end up with in your trailer? Also, if you ever even think that there is the remotest chance of possibly wanting to pull a trailer someday, splurge and pay for the extra towing ability. Regretting my 2011 Tahoe with 3.08 gears and no extra cooling. Got this great engine and chassis, but limited to 5200 lbs towing and a GCWR of 11000 pounds. Further, my tahoe with family, gas, and stuff is already over 6200 lbs, so can't even max my tow weight Lessons learned too late. Ugh...should have just done it, but thought I wouldn't ever trailer. 3.08 does get slightly better highway gas mileage....yippee...lol. For me, a waste of a Tahoe. Only myself to blame.... I guess posting it here is to cleanse myself, release and move on. Now, can I convince wife I should switch to appropriate Tahoe
Oh, I did originally have an appropriate 2010 Tahoe which was totaled (also my fault, unfortunately). Thanks for reading this babbling.....will make it to Fort in my own trailer eventually!!

10 months ago DW and I purchased a 2009 34ft forest river. Our tow vehicle was a 2012 Tahoe with 5.3l engine and 308 rear gears. Didnt have a trans cooler. I am a chevy mechanic so I added a trans cooler and trailer brake controller and purchased a weight distribution hitch.....our first camping trip we kept close to get the hang of everything. Ive towed tons of trailers before but it was very scary pulling that big of travel trailer with the tahoe. Even with trailer brakes the tahoe couldnt stop it. Any railroad tracks or passing semi would send the whole rig out of control. With my wife and 1 year old daughter in vehicle it by far wasn't safe at all. I went out and bought a 2500 diesel and it pulls is like nothin is back there. My honest opinion....pls do yourself your family and everyone on the road a favor and purchase a vehicle large enough to tow your TT safely or downgrade to smaller trailer within tahoe specs.

 

[Teamubr]

I feel for you. Many of us have been there. To answer your original question, we have close to 1000 lbs of "stuff" we carry in the trailer. This includes food, clothes, chairs, lights, carpet, fishing poles, water, fuel, etc. We probably over pack, but all our trailers have been pretty consistent when we have weighed them. I had a 30 ft TT and now a 31 ft 5er.

I started with a V8 Explorer pulling a hybrid (no problem), moved up to the 30 ft TT (no slides and 200 lbs under tow rating). With a big WD hitch and 2 sway controls it did OK unless there were cross winds. Still not real comfortable and you could tell it was really working the Explorer. As others have said, it's the wheel base. A long trailer has a good old time whipping a short wheelbase TV around.

I moved up to a F250 diesel. It will tow the neighborhood around. I have a F350 dually now that we tow the race trailer with. 48ft gooseneck, 21,000 lbs with 2 Mustangs and all our stuff. It is amazing and very comfortable towing.

I think I would take the hit now and trade the Tahoe on something you know will tow your need today and what you think it might be in the future. I bought my F250 to pull the TT and quickly traded into a 5er.

If it will be a daily driver (my F250 was), it's a bit of a compromise. It comes down to doing the math on tow rating, price, fuel and how much you can tolerate between them all.

j

 

[4077]

Well, improved vehicle may be a tough sell here, so I have looked for compromise in the trailer. Jayco Jay Flight X213 (21 ft box, 24 feet bumper to ball) may be acceptable solution. Couch, table, king bed slide out the back, bunks up front, and no canvas (per the mrs.). I miss the idea of a wall slide for the floor space, but at 4000-4400 dry weight (depending on options), it seems a doable compromise and not a bad layout. I'm still gonna push for vehicle upgrade, though .

So, for Jayco owners past or present....good product?

 

[Teamubr]

Looks like a nice trailer. I like the King slide out the back. My first trailer was a hybrid with the canvas bunks on the ends. Your wife is a smart woman. Our first Fall trip when it got into the 40s made me wish we had hard sides. The furnace did OK, but the canvas just let the cold sink right in.

Jaycos have a good reputation. I think they are a bit pricey, but all the people I know that have owned one have been very happy with theirs.

j

 

[tiggerdad]

I have nothing bad to say about my Jayco 32BHDS. If you buy new, they come with a two year warranty, where most others only have one year. I have had only very minor warranty fixes done. Now, with that said, I have only been in it since March of 2012. It's new, so of course things are smooth. I shopped for probably two years before going with their brand, and I did a lot of research before dropping the change.

As a kind of strange coincidence, when I had my Jayco at the dealer for warranty work they actually had the model you are referring to on the inside showroom floor. I looked through it, and thought it was actually a really good looking camper as a whole. Just my opinion.

 

[2goofycampers]

We love our Jayco. We are on our third one. Buy the plan you want the first time. It's expensive to keep moving up.

You don't know if a company is good until there is trouble. I will say we had trouble with our first one. We, the dealer nor the factory could find the cause. It was a 2000, we bought it Sept 2000. They replaced it with the same model 2003. That's good service!

 

[lodge]

Ever thought of a differential swap, tranny cooler, power steering cooler, etc?

definately the way to go... Saved our transmission!

 

[4077]

definately the way to go... Saved our transmission!

Even staying within my vehicles specifications, I am going to add transmission cooler. Seems like a wise thing to me.

 

[North of Mouse]

Even staying within my vehicles specifications, I am going to add transmission cooler. Seems like a wise thing to me.

You are right. When we towed trailers, my DH always added a transmission cooler if our tow vehicle did not have a 'towing package'.

 

[Nixie]

Well, improved vehicle may be a tough sell here, so I have looked for compromise in the trailer. Jayco Jay Flight X213 (21 ft box, 24 feet bumper to ball) may be acceptable solution. Couch, table, king bed slide out the back, bunks up front, and no canvas (per the mrs.). I miss the idea of a wall slide for the floor space, but at 4000-4400 dry weight (depending on options), it seems a doable compromise and not a bad layout. I'm still gonna push for vehicle upgrade, though .

So, for Jayco owners past or present....good product?

This is Jayco's version of the Keystone Outback 21rs which is the camper we pulled with our Yukon. I think it is a great size and weight for the Tahoe and a great little floorplan for families who want a "bunkhouse". I would also urge you to look up a used Keystone Outback 23rs. Just a tad longer than the 21rs Feel free to PM me with any questions.

 

[4077]

I kind of feel funny about used TT's for some reason, but what you said did get me thinking to look and see what other manufacturers are currently making rear slide models... It seems Keystone no longer makes such a model in their Outback line, but didn't 't look through all of their lines...

 

[Nixie]

I know Rockwood has a couple of rear slide models for 2014.