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Old 01-25-2015, 04:06 PM   #21
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You should be OK with the proper weight distribution hitch and anti sway bar. Plus, as several folks has recommended, head for a scale just to be sure.
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Old 01-25-2015, 04:17 PM   #22
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This setup will be better than many I see on the road. I would be more concerned seeing a Chrysler 300 towing a 32 ft Airstream that the OP suggested combination.
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Old 01-25-2015, 04:24 PM   #23
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I learned in "math school" that if you plug a fluffy number into a formula, your resultant answer will be fluffy regardless of how many significant numbers accompany it in the calculation. The number you get from the 'ideal tongue weight is 13-15% of loaded trailer weigh' is a fluffy number and really fluffs up the resultant "answer". Further, I contend that stating "on average people tend to put 1000-1500lbs into their trailers" gives the appearance of accuracy in a number that one person probably cannot gain without doing a detailed poll and, if one did such a poll, one would receive wild guesses about how much the individual added to his/her own trailer, much less what "on average" others added. This weight added number is double-fluffy. Just my opinion - not stated as a fact.

To the OP, before you change your mind on which trailer to buy, please try to take at least some of the fluffiness out of your calculations.
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Old 01-25-2015, 05:05 PM   #24
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I learned in "math school" that if you plug a fluffy number into a formula, your resultant answer will be fluffy regardless of how many significant numbers accompany it in the calculation. The number you get from the 'ideal tongue weight is 13-15% of loaded trailer weigh' is a fluffy number and really fluffs up the resultant "answer". Further, I contend that stating "on average people tend to put 1000-1500lbs into their trailers" gives the appearance of accuracy in a number that one person probably cannot gain without doing a detailed poll and, if one did such a poll, one would receive wild guesses about how much the individual added to his/her own trailer, much less what "on average" others added. This weight added number is double-fluffy. Just my opinion - not stated as a fact.

To the OP, before you change your mind on which trailer to buy, please try to take at least some of the fluffiness out of your calculations.
Actually Mr Dan these average numbers are based upon numbers from people's actual loaded cat scale numbers. An average adjust that. Some will 've more, some will be less. If you rather, we can go with the full gvwr of the trailer which I'd even heavier but very few actually load to full tt gvwr. Also I can tell you from personal experience exactly how much it sucks and how unsafe towing over payload and under towing capacity can be. I will never ever be there again, nor will I ever make a recommendation that could land someone over on numbers as a result.

To the OP- good move looking smaller. Air bags and wdh for not increase your payload or towing capacity, they can help you tow it safer though. Air bags are designed to help level the truck out. Wdh redistributes some of the tongue weight off the rear axle and back onto the front axle and the trailer. The amount transferred is not going to be a lot and you also need to account for the weight of the wdh (these are not light).
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Old 01-25-2015, 05:27 PM   #25
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Actually Mr Dan these average numbers are based upon numbers from people's actual loaded cat scale numbers. An average adjust that.

If you are keeping track of everyone's actual loaded cat scale numbers, I accept your averages as decision- making information.

Peace!


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Old 01-25-2015, 05:58 PM   #26
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Dear Fluffy Numbers - I posted my actual CAT scale results for a TT that dry, is only about 500 lbs. more than the 1st TT the OP was looking at. IMO that helps him to make an informed decision. We actually had to leave some stuff behind, like some plastic folding tables & extra firewood, so that we stay under the GCVW of our 3/4 ton.
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Old 01-25-2015, 06:38 PM   #27
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Dear Fluffy Numbers - I posted my actual CAT scale results for a TT that dry, is only about 500 lbs. more than the 1st TT the OP was looking at. IMO that helps him to make an informed decision. We actually had to leave some stuff behind, like some plastic folding tables & extra firewood, so that we stay under the GCVW of our 3/4 ton.
Mine were actual cat scale numbers too.
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Old 01-25-2015, 07:03 PM   #28
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The weight police say you can't pull a 5er with a 1/2T, but I've towed a 2008Flagstaff 831RLSS and a 2012 Flagstaff 8528RKWS over 70,000 miles combined with no problems so far. Could blow the whole rig next time I hook up, but so far, so good. Been thru the Smoky, Ozark and Appalachian mountains with no problems. Would not dream of trying the Rocky Mountains tho. I don't go 55mph up the mountains, but I can keep up with a lot of the semis and even pass a few. Just saying you don't have to have a 3/4T/1.5T diesel to go camping in a decent size trailer.
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Old 01-25-2015, 07:47 PM   #29
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The OP has 2 kids so you have to factor-in their weight & all the stuff they bring which includes bikes & other outdoor toys, the extra clothes & food for a week, and at some point typically a cousin/friend & their gear... IMO when you have a young, growing family you cannot start-out at max payload & expect to stay there every time you camp.

In comparison, this summer we camped next to a very nice retired couple who towed a 5er with their 1/2 ton that was slightly over payload & GCVW due to the hitch weight of the 5er. In the TV, it's just the two of them & some snacks. Nothing in the bed of the truck... To stay near max payload they purposefully pack light & buy their firewood & most groceries once in the area.

They liked the 5er floor plan, their current 1/2 ton was just-enough, and they are willing to pack light to make it work. However, this typically does not work for a young family and soon they are upgrading the TV to make it work.
That said, if the OP's family think they will upgrade the TV in a couple years, then they could pack light for a couple years until they can afford to replace the TV.
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Old 01-25-2015, 08:03 PM   #30
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I think the point "fluffy numbers" is trying to make is that cargo can vary greatly with each of us. It is very difficult, and not always accurate to assume that OP's cargo is going to be the same as yours or mine.

I know in my case I have never scaled more than #1000 beyond the yellow sticker. We have always brought what we need to have fun and be comfortable, never having to skimp.

I have recently downsized to a F150 from an F350, and am quite happy with my decision. The Ecoboost with "heavy tow" does a wonderful job safely towing my trailer.
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Old 01-25-2015, 08:32 PM   #31
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I had a 2013 Silverado 1500 CC/ 5.3, 6 speed, 3.42 axle that I pulled a 35', 7000lb TT with a tongue wt of 800lb. I was very happy with this set up and would have kept it if DW didn't find a Wildcat 5er at Goshen.
Now the 2015 has a little more guts so you should happy with it.
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Old 01-25-2015, 09:00 PM   #32
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This very good info for newbies to have unfortunetly dealers could care less just to make a sale. I drove semi so it was easy for me i dropped the 1500 and got a 3500drw safer in the wind with my 5thW 15,500lbs weoll under the way i like it
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Old 01-25-2015, 09:12 PM   #33
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Look inside your truck drivers door frame for the tire loading sticker. It will say something like "all occupants and cargo should weigh less than x lbs". That is your truck's payload. Now subtract the weight of your family, any pets, and any gear that will be in the truck when towing. What is left is your available payload. Your trailers loaded hitch weight must be less than this number in addition to the trailers loaded weight being less than your towing capacity. Sadly you will find your limitation is payload. So for arguments sake let's just subfamily plus anything in truck is 500 lbs. If the 1665 came off the door sticker then that would leave you 1165 lbs available for tongue weight.


Looking at the tt- it has a gvwr of 7744 lbs (dry weight plus cargo capacity). While this is within your towing capacity it is going to be at the upper limits of your payload. Ideal tongue weight is 13-15% of loaded trailer weight. This would mean a tongue weight of 1000-1200 lbs if loaded to max weight. On average people tend to put 1000-1500lbs into their trailers. This would mean a loaded tt weight of 6800-7300 lbs. That means a tongue weight of 750-1095 lbs. You can see how tight this is going to be.

To give you real world numbers, my old tt had a factory listed dry weight of 5700 lbs. It had an actual loaded weight of 7300 lbs (per cat scale). My tongue weight ended up at just shy of 1000 lbs.

I think the answer depends on how much weight you put in the truck and if that payload you listed is true to your truck with all options etc or a brochure number.
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ok, so after some thought we are now thinking a smaller TT. we like the quality of the forest river surveyor the one we additional wanted 291BHSS with a slide out for the dinette and a couch may be too much TT from what we are reading for our 2015 GMC Sierra 1500.

what we are thinking now is a surveyor 245BHS, looks and quality are the same, the slide out is just a dinette and no couch, with this configuration, we will lose 692 lbs on dryweight and lose 118 lbs on hitch weight. according to changinggears.com we will increase our TT towing capacities upto 7800 lbs from 7200 lbs. is a 600 lbs difference that much better and more easily and more comfortable to tow? if not and we need to go lower then 810 lbs, we will need to look at other brands such as the bullet from keystone. which we would rather not do. their forum stinks compaired to this one.

Try a Rockwood mine was really light weight and it was nice.
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Old 01-25-2015, 09:14 PM   #34
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Safely tow this trailer

You should be fine with your set up. I had a 2010 1/2ton sierra 1500 and I pulled a 7700lb trailer, my tow rating was only at 8400lb. The trailer was tounge heavy 960lbs my payload was marginal, so my dealer instructed me that I should install a weight distribution hitch to reduce some of my tounge weight, so before buying I opened a forum on good sams and most stated that it was rediculous to think that a wdh would reduce my tounge weight to get my payload numbers where they would be within the trucks ratings. Told the dealer what I found out, he stated go weigh each axle and come back to see me, He stated I'm going to put a weight distribution hitch on your truck. I want you to go back to the scale and reweigh each axle, I did quess what my front axle was 210lbs heavier but my rear axle was 540lbs lighter my trailer axles were now heavier so yes a weight distribution hitch will help with your overall payload and handling of the rig.
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Old 01-25-2015, 09:28 PM   #35
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The weight police say you can't pull a 5er with a 1/2T, but I've towed a 2008Flagstaff 831RLSS and a 2012 Flagstaff 8528RKWS over 70,000 miles combined with no problems so far. Could blow the whole rig next time I hook up, but so far, so good. Been thru the Smoky, Ozark and Appalachian mountains with no problems. Would not dream of trying the Rocky Mountains tho. I don't go 55mph up the mountains, but I can keep up with a lot of the semis and even pass a few. Just saying you don't have to have a 3/4T/1.5T diesel to go camping in a decent size trailer.
OC- I know you do fine with yours but the OP is asking if he can safely do it. Telling someone to tow outside their tow ratings is not telling them safety but rather, I've done it without incident so follow my precedent. Also, you have been towing champers for a long time, this is a newbie that may or may not have any towing experience to rely on.

Quote:
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I think the point "fluffy numbers" is trying to make is that cargo can vary greatly with each of us. It is very difficult, and not always accurate to assume that OP's cargo is going to be the same as yours or mine.

I know in my case I have never scaled more than #1000 beyond the yellow sticker. We have always brought what we need to have fun and be comfortable, never having to skimp.

I have recently downsized to a F150 from an F350, and am quite happy with my decision. The Ecoboost with "heavy tow" does a wonderful job safely towing my trailer.
I will not debate the Ford eco boost is a very capable tow vehicle known to have very high towing and payload numbers when properly equipped. I have friends that tow 5ers with them. The issue here is the OP has a gmc that has much lower numbers.
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Old 01-25-2015, 09:41 PM   #36
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Did I miss the engine size in the truck??? That is a key factor. Frank
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Old 01-25-2015, 09:55 PM   #37
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Well I am sorry to say that unfortunately we will not be a forest river owner....... after much thought we pulled out of our deal for the 291BHSS, we loved it but I think for now being first time TT owners and towers we decided to play on the side of caution. we went with a keystone Bullet 243bhs it's identical to the FR Serveyor 245bhs except lighter and about $3,000 cheaper.

My wife and I want to thank each and everyone of that helped bring the light to our eyes on the weight issue, we hope to be able to continue posting and getting amazing advice from all of you in the future if that is alright.as of now we have been unable to find any keystone rv forums such as this that are visited frequently.
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Old 01-25-2015, 10:17 PM   #38
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All the best! You have to do what is right for you and your family. Happy Camping!
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Old 01-25-2015, 10:27 PM   #39
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You are welcome to hang here. Other owners of "Some Other Brand" still frequent this forum.

For Keystone, try Keystone RV Forums. I owned a Keystone Cougar XLite before my F.R.

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Old 01-25-2015, 10:27 PM   #40
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Good luck with the Bullet, I own a Keystone Sprinter now and I still stay on for the good folks and advice on here.

I found the Keystoneforums to be very quiet if there is such a thing.

This is one of the most active forums out there.

Enjoy!
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