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Old 03-20-2015, 11:37 AM   #1
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Need to make a decision

First off I apologize for this thread, I never thought I would be starting a thread about "is my truck big enough for...". I have been searching this forum as well as other sites, but I can't find what I'm looking for.

I have been pulling a Rockwood Mini-Lite 2306 for about three years now. Two and a half of those years with my 2006 Chevy Trailblazer. I recently bought a 2014 Chevy 2500HD Z71 with 6.0L gas engine. It pulls the Mini-Lite with no problem.

I have been looking at toy haulers and have decided (or so I thought) on the XLR Hyperlite 30HDS. This is a new floor plan for 2015 and I really love it. RVwholesalers has one in stock and four on order. I put a deposit on one thats on order and it's due in very soon.

The problem is that it is very nose heavy with a dry hitch weight of 1314lbs. Now here's where I'm confused and concerned. The hitch on my truck says max tongue weight 1500lbs. and max trailer weight 13000lbs. The dry weight of the TH is 7631 so I know the total weight won't be a problem. I know that by the time I add the battery and full propane bottles to the tongue it will already be above 1500lbs, not to mention anything else that gets loaded in front of the axles.

I also know that when I add items to the garage it will help take weight off of the tongue, but I don't have anything real heavy to put in there. I take two kayak's, two bicycles, a step ladder, fire wood, and some lawn chairs. Those are the heaviest items I take, the rest will just be minor things that I put in there. So I figure even if I put 600lbs worth of cargo in the garage that will only take about 300lbs off of the tongue. Not to mention after the weekend when I burn all of my wood there will be even less weight in the garage on the trip home.

Also I was looking at my current equalizer WDH and it is the max 1000lbs tongue and max 10000lbs trailer weight hitch so I know that isn't going to work either. So here's where I need help, is the tongue weight going to be way to heavy with hardly anything in the garage and will getting a bigger WDH even be enough. I want to know before I get this trailer and find that I don't have or can't get the right hitch set up. The last thing I want to do is damage my new truck.

I appreciate any and all replies. This forum is a big help and I'm thankful for all of the knowledgable people that contribute.
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Old 03-20-2015, 12:14 PM   #2
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I recommend getting a 1400/14000 Equalizer BRAND hitch (RVWholesalers sells them and they are very competitive on price). Load as much of the heavy stuff as you can in the garage and then enjoy the new camper. FWIW, I've seen literally hundreds of people load hitches rated at 500lb TW (no WDH) to 3 and 4 times that amount year after year hauling loads of hay, feed, tractors, livestock, you name it with no problem. BTW, some companies actually list the TW with standard items such as a battery and full propane included. I think you are worrying about something that isn't worth fretting about. Oh, good choice on RV dealer, also. We are on our 3rd RVW camper in 3.5 years and we recommend them to everyone.
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Old 03-20-2015, 12:16 PM   #3
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U should be OK. You can add extra rear springs to your TV to take care of the tongue weight if needed. Engine and Tranny should be just fine.
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Old 03-20-2015, 12:39 PM   #4
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You will be close (by the numbers) but I would just load it up with as much weight in the rear, do not put anything in the truck, load it all in the garage, put on the bigger WDH and get it weighed (real life numbers) and then go from there. My initial gut says you are fine but the only thing that matters are the real life TW number.
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Old 03-20-2015, 01:29 PM   #5
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Thanks for the replies so far. I just got off of the phone with Bob at RVWholesalers service department. He told me that he is not as concerned with tongue weight as he is with gross trailer weight when setting up the WDH. He asked what I thought the gross weight will be, considering dry weight is 7631, and I said probably around 9000lbs with everything that I will put in it. He assured me that my current WDH, equalizer 1000/10000, will work just fine. Man I just hate for the numbers to be "close", that gets me a bit scared..
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Old 03-20-2015, 01:30 PM   #6
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IMO you're fine. Worst case scenario is you spend a couple hundred bucks for a new class V hitch


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Old 03-23-2015, 09:43 AM   #7
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I would agree with most recommendations here, as far as proceeding with the purchase(s) and getting accurate numbers.

However, if you find that you are significantly beyond 1000 lbs TW once loaded to go (and you will be!), then I would not plan on any long trips until you upgrade to the correct rating (1200 or 1400). The correct bars are not just to be sure something isn't going to break. Significantly overloading the WDH means the hitch joint will not be stiff enough to prevent the dreaded "porpoising" undulations that can happen on the highway.

Fortunately, that should be correctable for "only" several hundred dollars, if/when needed.
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Old 03-23-2015, 10:10 AM   #8
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You could always place some ballast in the rear of the camper to act as a counter weight. Fill up a half dozen 5 gallon pails with cement and keep them in the furthest rear garage part when you travel. Then just pull them out or aside when you stop. It would be a very reasonable cheap fix. Things like this are needed for people up here in the Northeast that plow. The added weight over the rear wheels aid the traction. You would be using yours to act as a counterweight.
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Old 03-23-2015, 10:54 AM   #9
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If it helps, my set up is running pretty close to "max" of my TV tongue weight, tow capacity, etc and with the WDH, I don't have any problems towing or stopping. I haven't weighed my actual set up with all my stuff in it nor have I been on any significant inclines, yet. Oh and instead of an extra leaf in the rear spring, you can get a Timbren SES Kit and it only comes into play when the vehicle is loaded so it won't stiffen up your ride when not hauling.
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Old 03-23-2015, 11:09 AM   #10
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I was in the same boat as you when I bought my latest TH.. I had to upgrade the Class V on the truck which was 1000/10000 to 1600/16000. Replacing the hitch was not that expensive. My WDH is rated at 1400/14000... I use to anti friction sway bars... I am hauling one Motorcycle in the garage at about 900lbs... I have a tongue box which holds four deep cycle batteries. I also have two propane bottles on the tongue. I have weighed in at at 1350lbs of TW.... This works out to be about 13% of my total trailer weight which is right where I want to be.

I would upgrade the trucks hitch and WDH. Get your new rig, set it all up the way you like then weigh it and see where you stand and go from there..
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Old 03-23-2015, 05:41 PM   #11
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Thanks for the info that you all have provided. I have already made the call to get the Equalizer 1400/14000 WDH. I wouldn't be comfortable with the 1000/10000 WDH that I already have so I'll just try to sell it. The new hitch is $723.00 installed from rvwholesalers and I'm also adding an electric tongue jack. I am planning on keeping my truck bed and front compartments of the camper empty while towing. My toy hauler should be in any day and I can't wait for our first trip in May.
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Old 03-23-2015, 05:49 PM   #12
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Dry camp/boondock much?

As you use stuff your trailer will get lighter.

Water is 8.3.... per gallon and you can add or remove very easy.


About 42 pounds per five gallon container.
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Old 03-23-2015, 05:59 PM   #13
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I got my hitch for about $230 rated at 16000/17000WDH and installed it with some simple tools and a floor jack... You can save yourself some money

B and W Trailer Hitch for Chevrolet Silverado 2500 2014 - BWHDRH25600
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Old 03-23-2015, 06:00 PM   #14
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No I don't boondock at all, We stay mainly at State parks. I could take water containers and fill them up for my trip home to replace the weight of the firewood I burn during the weekend. I guess where there's a will there's a way, I'll just have to figure it out.
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Old 03-23-2015, 06:06 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 1l243 View Post
I got my hitch for about $230 rated at 16000/17000WDH and installed it with some simple tools and a floor jack... You can save yourself some money

B and W Trailer Hitch for Chevrolet Silverado 2500 2014 - BWHDRH25600
Thanks for the link. I think I'm good with the factory hitch once I get the proper WDH on there.
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Old 03-24-2015, 08:16 AM   #16
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Relax and enjoy
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Old 03-24-2015, 08:20 AM   #17
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I'm pulling 11,000 with almost 2,000 on my tongue with an F350 Dually with Airlift air bags. It's a classV hitch with 1,500 max tongue and 10,000 max and no WDH and it tows like a dream at 70mph all day long. If anybody should stress it's me.
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Old 03-24-2015, 10:38 AM   #18
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I'm starting to relax and I will enjoy it, just waiting for it to come in so I can get my hands on it. Should be any day now.
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Old 03-24-2015, 11:17 AM   #19
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Know the feeling 8)
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Old 03-24-2015, 11:22 AM   #20
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Your right, sorry. I thought I read that your trucks rating was at 1000lbs TW.. I see now that you are more than covered on the hitch department. I agree with rblack when you get your new rig just enjoy it and don't worry about. Plus I would just load it normal then wiegh the trailer including the TW and see if you have do any special loading if it's too heavy... Remember TW should be between 10/15% of trailer total weight. Closer to 15% is best...
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