Concerned newbie

[jubal early]

Hello there,
I need some guidance please. I'm looking to purchase a 2015 Forest River Heritage Glen 312QBUD TT.
The door sticker says the weight is 7660 and the length is 36'
My tow vehicle is a 2013 Nissan Titan Pro-4X with a 9300 # tow capacity and a 930 # hitch weight capacity.
Soooo naturally my question is; am I writing a check that my truck can't cash?
I will get the WD hitch, stabilizer and brake control.
Thanks

[doc73]

What is the full weight? Not dry weight, trailer will never weigh this. Look at dry plus cargo to get a better idea of real weight. Tongue will be 10 to 15 (most likely) of this number. This would be a worse case scenario if you loaded up full boat.. But figure on at least 1k to 1.5k in just stuff (food, clothes and other camping supplies) it adds up fast.

[Jmkjr72]

Also what is the payload capacity of the tv that could be another concern
What I found online shows the dry hitch weight being 855 lbs and gvwr being 9700 lbs so I would say you would be at the max limits of your truck if not over on the tounge and payload

[itat]

Originally Posted by jubal early

Hello there,
I need some guidance please. I'm looking to purchase a 2015 Forest River Heritage Glen 312QBUD TT.
The door sticker says the weight is 7660 and the length is 36'
My tow vehicle is a 2013 Nissan Titan Pro-4X with a 9300 # tow capacity and a 930 # hitch weight capacity.
Soooo naturally my question is; am I writing a check that my truck can't cash?
I will get the WD hitch, stabilizer and brake control.
Thanks

Short answer, IMO, is yes.

The trailer will be well over 8000# loaded and ready to camp and VERY long for your 140" wheelbase 1/2 ton. The PRO-4X has lots of goodies on it which reduces payload capacity. If you have any kids in the truck cab (since you're looking at a quad bunkhouse model), you'll almost certainly be over the GVWR and likely the rear axle's weight rating as well.

Just my opinion but based on my experience, I'd want a 3/4 ton with a longer wheelbase for that trailer.

[doc73]

Yes, tow capacity means nothing, need to look at the payload it will run out way before the tow rating, a mythical made up number by the manufacturer to misdirect. But I have given up on the weight police stuff for lent.. Funny thing is that I am not even religious..

[jubal early]

Thanks!
So, which is the bigger issue on this; weight or length? I've found some lighter trailers, but still in the 33 - 35 ft length range.

[ronheater70]

Originally Posted by jubal early

Thanks!
So, which is the bigger issue on this; weight or length? I've found some lighter trailers, but still in the 33 - 35 ft length range.

The weight will be the biggest factor.. I suspect that with the tongue weight, weight of the hitch itself, passengers, and any extras you will close or over your Payload. What does your door sticker list as available cargo capacity?
Looking on the net im seeing 1850 lbs, if that is correct.

[jubal early]

Originally Posted by ronheater70

The weight will be the biggest factor.. I suspect that with the tongue weight, weight of the hitch itself, passengers, and any extras you will close or over your Payload. What does your door sticker list as available cargo capacity?
Looking on the net im seeing 1850 lbs, if that is correct.

The GVWR for the Titan is 7200. Payload is @ 1850

[HangDiver]

The sticker on your Nissan Titan door jam will list GAWR FF and GAWR RR for your axle weight ratings. GAWR RR (rear axle) is key. Don't forget to add the weight of full propane tanks and batteries to your tongue weight. As someone else said it does add up fast.

[Flybob]

As mentioned above tow capacity and load capacity are tow very different things. Manufacturers often use tow capacity as it sounds much better. You can think of it this way. Tow capacity is a valid number if you are towing a 4 wheeled hay wagon and the only load on the TV is pulling it (no weight added to the TV). Load capacity is the weight limit that the frame and suspension of the TV can safely support in the case of towing, it is the tongue weight of the trailer, weight of the hitch ( 100 lbs) and weight of the cargo in the TV including passengers. Don't get caught up in the marketing numbers game. You can not increase load capacity with air bags. Your truck is not going to fall apart instantly if you exceed the load capacity, but you not enjoy towing with it and it will be less safe.

[itat]

You can overcome the length issue by spending big bucks on a Hensley or ProPride hitch to get better sway control, but I'm not convinced they'll be any better at weight distribution than an Equal-i-zer brand hitch. So I agree with the other posters that payload will be most critical factor, followed by the rear axle weight limit.

To be more safe, use the GVWR of the trailer your looking at and assume 12% of that weight will be on the tongue and conveyed to your truck.

If you have a CAT scale or highway scale close to home, fill the Titan's fuel tank, load the bed as if your going camping and have everyone on board - wife, kids, etc. - and take it to the scale to find out what it really weighs and what each axle load is. Then you'll have a real world estimate as to how much weigh carrying capacity you have left.

Some people will be quite comfortable being overweight on one or two factors, others will have a "white knuckle" experience. The less experienced you are at towing the more likely you'll be uncomfortable being at or over your truck's GVWR.

This is my own experience. Towing my current TT in my signature, with the '09 F-150 XLT with a GVWR of 7200#, I was 600# over the GVWR with my family of 5 in the cab and just over on the rear axle's 4000# limit. So I upgraded to my F-250.

When buying an RV, the best advice is to pick the trailer first and then pick the truck. Almost everybody does it the other way around so its a very common dilemma, especially when you decide to upgrade to a larger trailer. I was fine with the Roo, but not with our 32' long TT. I couldn't convince my wife to stick to something like a Rockwood Mini Lite. But I have to admit we really like the room in our current TT.

[Zak1]

Originally Posted by itat

You can overcome the length issue by spending big bucks on a Hensley or ProPride hitch to get better sway control, but I'm not convinced they'll be any better at weight distribution than an Equal-i-zer brand hitch. So I agree with the other posters that payload will be most critical factor, followed by the rear axle weight limit.

To be more safe, use the GVWR of the trailer your looking at and assume 12% of that weight will be on the tongue and conveyed to your truck.

If you have a CAT scale or highway scale close to home, fill the Titan's fuel tank, load the bed as if your going camping and have everyone on board - wife, kids, etc. - and take it to the scale to find out what it really weighs and what each axle load is. Then you'll have a real world estimate as to how much weigh carrying capacity you have left.

Some people will be quite comfortable being overweight on one or two factors, others will have a "white knuckle" experience. The less experienced you are at towing the more likely you'll be uncomfortable being at or over your truck's GVWR.

This is my own experience. Towing my current TT in my signature, with the '09 F-150 XLT with a GVWR of 7200#, I was 600# over the GVWR with my family of 5 in the cab and just over on the rear axle's 4000# limit. So I upgraded to my F-250.

When buying an RV, the best advice is to pick the trailer first and then pick the truck. Almost everybody does it the other way around so its a very common dilemma, especially when you decide to upgrade to a larger trailer. I was fine with the Roo, but not with our 32' long TT. I couldn't convince my wife to stick to something like a Rockwood Mini Lite. But I have to admit we really like the room in our current TT.

"You can overcome the length issue by spending big bucks on a Hensley or ProPride hitch to get better sway control, but I'm not convinced they'll be any better at weight distribution than an Equal-i-zer brand hitch".

I have had, owned and towed with the Equalizer hitch with my 2016 F150 towing my 2016 Vlite 30 WIKSS (7700 lbs dry). Most all WDH do a good job of weight distribution, the problem is sway. Most all advertise "help control sway". I can tell you from owning both Equalizer and now the Propride 3P 1400, the Propride (and Hensley, same design)is the only proven hitch to eliminate sway, period.

[fastalkintn]

Originally Posted by jubal early

Hello there,
I need some guidance please. I'm looking to purchase a 2015 Forest River Heritage Glen 312QBUD TT.
The door sticker says the weight is 7660 and the length is 36'
My tow vehicle is a 2013 Nissan Titan Pro-4X with a 9300 # tow capacity and a 930 # hitch weight capacity.
Soooo naturally my question is; am I writing a check that my truck can't cash?
I will get the WD hitch, stabilizer and brake control.
Thanks

I'm not going to jump on the weight police look at the door sticker thing, here is my real world experience very similar to your situation. I had a 2015 Titan SV Tow package 9300 and 930, same numbers as yours. I bought a 27RKSS with a TW of ~850 and loaded weight of ~8000 and 33' long. I started with an e2 hitch which was not enough hitch AT ALL!!! Then I moved to an equilizer hitch that helped a lot but I still didn't feel comfortable. After a lot of research and study I came to a decision that my truck wasn't enough for my TT. In my opinion the biggest problem you will face is a really short wheel base making it unstable and a TT that is ~2000# heavier than your truck. I traded my 2015 Titan for a 2017 Titan XD and the difference is UNREAL. Even though the wheel base and curb weight isn't a huge difference it is enough that I can now run 75 on the interstate and always feel comfortable and in control. I now feel like the truck is pulling the TT instead of the TT pushing the truck.

[TKPINSC]

Originally Posted by itat

You can overcome the length issue by spending big bucks on a Hensley or ProPride hitch to get better sway control, but I'm not convinced they'll be any better at weight distribution than an Equal-i-zer brand hitch. So I agree with the other posters that payload will be most critical factor, followed by the rear axle weight limit.

To be more safe, use the GVWR of the trailer your looking at and assume 12% of that weight will be on the tongue and conveyed to your truck.

If you have a CAT scale or highway scale close to home, fill the Titan's fuel tank, load the bed as if your going camping and have everyone on board - wife, kids, etc. - and take it to the scale to find out what it really weighs and what each axle load is. Then you'll have a real world estimate as to how much weigh carrying capacity you have left.

Some people will be quite comfortable being overweight on one or two factors, others will have a "white knuckle" experience. The less experienced you are at towing the more likely you'll be uncomfortable being at or over your truck's GVWR.

This is my own experience. Towing my current TT in my signature, with the '09 F-150 XLT with a GVWR of 7200#, I was 600# over the GVWR with my family of 5 in the cab and just over on the rear axle's 4000# limit. So I upgraded to my F-250.

When buying an RV, the best advice is to pick the trailer first and then pick the truck. Almost everybody does it the other way around so its a very common dilemma, especially when you decide to upgrade to a larger trailer. I was fine with the Roo, but not with our 32' long TT. I couldn't convince my wife to stick to something like a Rockwood Mini Lite. But I have to admit we really like the room in our current TT.

Or you could do what a co worker just did. He bought a long wheelbase Dodge 350 dually with a 32k tow rating figuring it covers anything he could conceivably consider.

[The_Rhino]

Originally Posted by jubal early

I'm looking to purchase a 2015 Forest River Heritage Glen 312QBUD TT.... sticker says the weight is 7660 and the length is 36'. [Titan's] Payload is 1850...

The 312QBUD will be over 8750 ready-to-camp & with 15% on the hitch, for stability, your tongue weight will be around 1300 giving you 550 left-over for the family without anything else in the PU bed...

Our 34' 2011 Primetime Tracer 3150 has a very similar floorplan (bunk ROOM, OD kitchen, etc... see my signature), but only weighs 6,500 empty. HOWEVER, we mount our (5) bikes in the dinette area, bring enough food & clothes for 10 days, 5 heavy/comfy camping chairs under the master bed, etc. so our ready-to-camp weight is still around 8,000 w/tongue weight of 1200+. IMO if you packed lightly, my size TT is the MOST a Titan can manage safely...

I tow our TT with a Ram 2500 CC w/5.7 Hemi, about the same size engine as in the Titan... The BIG difference is the Ram's rear leaf springs give me a payload of 3,000... When towing near max most suggest adding airbags, D/E rated LT tries & an Equalizer 4 or better WDH - but there is still no guarantee you will be happy with how it handles...

IMO you should focus on the TT that meets your family size/budget... It's MUCH easier to sell a used truck without losing your shirt vs. selling a used TT you have outgrown... In 2013 I found a 2 year-old Ram 2500 for only $14K... 4 years later I can still sell it for nearly what I paid on CL or about $12K as a trade-in... In comparison, in 2014 I bought our used 2011 TT for $20K. I think I could sell it for $16K on CL (at the beginning of the camping season) but dealers would likely only give me $11K-$12K as a trade-in...

However, I like your idea of buying a used TT... We got ours from a reputable local dealer for the same price folks were asking on CL. We camped for 3 seasons without any serious issues vs. new units that spend their first year having warranty work done... Just spend a LOT of time looking behind every access panel & walk-away if there are signs of water penetration...