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Old 02-13-2009, 11:33 AM   #1
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Towing With 2008 GMC Canyon

Hello Everyone,

I am new here. I've been reading the posts and signed up because i exceed the allowable free views . As many of you have said there is a natural progression from Tent all the way up to Travel Trailer. We are in the PUP phase and are looking to make the next progression. I'm pretty much constrained by my current tow vehicle and was wondering if anyone had suggestions on what, if any, Travel Trailer I could step up to. My tow vehicle is a 2WD Crew Cab I5 3.73 gear ratio with tow package. If i max out my truck carrying 5000lbs that leaves a 4500 lbs Max Trailer weight. I currently have a WC hitch but it's no big deal to switch over to WD hitch. I've had a dealer try to convince me that I could pull a 31' trailer becuase it's within my weight limit but I realize that is just crazy. I'm thinking I don't want to go over 20'. I'm thinking the Hybrid TT's are a good choice but wanted to get more opinions on this. Any thoughts? Thanks.

-Sean
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Old 02-13-2009, 11:57 AM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by skkane View Post
Hello Everyone,

I am new here. I've been reading the posts and signed up because i exceed the allowable free views . As many of you have said there is a natural progression from Tent all the way up to Travel Trailer. We are in the PUP phase and are looking to make the next progression. I'm pretty much constrained by my current tow vehicle and was wondering if anyone had suggestions on what, if any, Travel Trailer I could step up to. My tow vehicle is a 2WD Crew Cab I5 3.73 gear ratio with tow package. If i max out my truck carrying 5000lbs that leaves a 4500 lbs Max Trailer weight. I currently have a WC hitch but it's no big deal to switch over to WD hitch. I've had a dealer try to convince me that I could pull a 31' trailer becuase it's within my weight limit but I realize that is just crazy. I'm thinking I don't want to go over 20'. I'm thinking the Hybrid TT's are a good choice but wanted to get more opinions on this. Any thoughts? Thanks.

-Sean



To FRF, I have a 34' that weighs 6,600 lbs dry, I believe your tow vehicle is too small and with a short wheel base. Some Dealers will tell you anything to make a deal. You have to go with the max tow capacity rating of your tow vehicle and the hitch rating with weight distribution. As far as the receiver there is a sticker on the receiver it self that gives you that info, the weights will increase by using a WD&SC system. You came to the right Forum, just stand by and I am sure other members have some good info for you. Good luck.
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Old 02-13-2009, 12:46 PM   #3
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I pull a 08 Flagstaff 21FB micro lite with a 07 Dodge Dakota Quad Cab V8 with no problem.But I have 131.3 wheelbase.
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Old 02-13-2009, 01:15 PM   #4
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skkane, 1st of all:

I am going to have to agree with rockwood06. Check out the towing chart from:

http://www.rvtowingtips.com/how-long.htm

I think the Canyon Crew Cab has a 126" wheelbase, and that website says you should restrict yourself to a 24 footer. I am pulling a 28.5 footer with a 145" wheelbase F150, and the chart indicates that I am at my max. I know this is just an suggestion chart, but you gotta start somewhere.

If the dealer were trying to sell me a 31 footer for that truck, I would walk away and find another dealer. If they will mislead you with that, then they just might mislead you with other things.

JMHO.
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Old 02-13-2009, 01:45 PM   #5
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I'am with Mtnguy on that. I see no way to tow a 31 ft trailer.The saleman that told you that is full of it.
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Old 02-13-2009, 05:53 PM   #6
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The dealer was definitely full of something . He certainly succeded in making me question myself. Either case based on what you all have said and what i've found I don't want to exceed a 22 footer. I think I will get the most bang for my buck by looking into Hybrid Travel Trailers. I've picked one model from each manufacturer and will start comparing them. All of these are between 20 and 21 feet and my current PUP is 19'2'' so it's not much of a stretch there.

What about the GVWR of the trailer? My truck says it can handle 5500 and i'm gonna drop that down to 4500 to account for the family, hitch weight from trailer, and stuff. I've received some comments (other sites) that even though the dry weight is in range you have to go by the GVWR of the trailer. I was thinking that was more of a limit of what you could load on the trailer and what you actually load should be added to the dry weight.

For instance, i'm looking at a ForestRiver Roo 19
Length 20'3''
Dry Hitch 161
Dry Weight 3295
GVWR 4561

My truck says it can handle 5500 trailer but i want to stay within 4500. I have a WC hitch that will have no problem with this dry hitch. This looks doable right or am I still missing something.

Now another one I am looking at is a Palomino Stampede S-195SD.
Length 20'3''
Dry Hitch 271
Dry Weight 3467
GVWR 5762

The numbers looks pretty much the same except the GVWR is 1200lbs heaver. Just because the GVWR is higher doesn't mean I have to load it like that. If I put the same stuff from the first one into the second the weight should be within range (adding the 200lbs dry weight diff). So this looks doable as well right?

Sorry for the long reply... I just wanted to make sure I had all my thoughts in here so you all could set me straight. Thanks for the replies they really do help me and I'm sure will help anyone else just learning this stuff too.

-Sean
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Old 02-13-2009, 08:25 PM   #7
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Check your truck manual, in mine It suggest that a trailer or camper weighing 5,000 lbs or more a Weight Distribution And Sway Control System is strongly recommended. Good luck with you selection, let us know how it works out.
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Old 02-13-2009, 08:47 PM   #8
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Yep thanks.. I was gonna go with a sway control. I'm using a friction sway control on my PUP with a WC hitch. Depending on the weight of the new trailer I pick I was gonna decide between a WC or WD.

Thanks again for all the responses.

-Sean
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Old 02-13-2009, 09:47 PM   #9
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skkane, looks like either of the hybrids that you listed would probably be very doable with your TV. You are correct, that just because the GVWR is high, doesn't mean that you have to load it to the max. Our Surveyor has a 7500 GVWR, but am camping ready around 5500 lbs., and intend to keep it that low. I have added about 400 lbs. of camping gear to my camper to bring the empty figure of 4800 up to 5200 lbs., and still need to add clothes and food, and sometimes water to the mix.

Beware that the empty weights supplied by the manufactures are misleading. The brochure for mine lists a 4300 lb. empty weight, but by the time they added AC, a battery, an awning, propane in the tanks, I went across the scales bringing my unit back from the dealer and it weighed almost 4800 lbs. A 100 lb. AC, 60 lbs. of propane, 50 lb. battery, 100 lbs. of awning, and other options can quickly add up. But either of those trailers that you listed, with my figures thrown into the calculation, should still be close to the conservative 4500 lbs. (out of a 5500 lb. tow rating) that you are looking for.

Good Luck with your search, and keep us posted....especially if you decide on that Roo.
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Old 02-13-2009, 09:58 PM   #10
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Thanks.... I've been seeing that the manufacturer list the low end of the numbers so they can show a high load rate and look good. Where do you get the trailers weighed?

-Sean
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Old 02-14-2009, 07:07 AM   #11
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You can check out Cat scale locations at: http://catscale.findlocation.com/

I have a friendly weigh-scale lady at my local quarry who has let me done a number of weigh-ins over the last couple of years. Grain elevators are another option. We also have a stone retailer close by, but the scales aren't long enough for my combo, but I do use that resourse for side to side weights as I can't get those measurements at the quarry because of guardrails on each side.
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Old 02-14-2009, 05:03 PM   #12
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Well we went ahead and did it. I put some money down on a Shamrock 19 just about fully loaded with all the goodies. When the weather clears we will make the trade. I was looking for a 21SS and thought the numbers all looked good but when I talked to the actual dealer we found a huge difference in what Forest River states online for the dry and GVWR weights. The title for the 21SS I was looking at actually had the weight listed higher then the GVWR listed on the website. The dealer advised me to rethink because he wouldn't recommend it. Funny, I went from one dealer saying I could handle a 31' trailer no problem to this new one saying I shouldn't go with the 21SS. Talked it over with the wife and we opted to go check out the 19 today. We both liked it and the weight listed on the title was 3800 (well below what I was shooting for). The dealer suggested going with the WD hitch and I agreed just to lighten the hitch weight. I was a little upside down in the trade but with the market I can live with it. My payment only went up 50 bucks so it's doable.

Whole family can't wait to go camping now. Thanks everyone for your input.

Sean
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Old 02-14-2009, 05:44 PM   #13
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Sean, congratulations on the new camper!!! And it seems like you actually found a dealer that is a square shooter!!!

I betcha you will put a lot more miles and enjoy your 19 footer following behind your Canyon than that 31 footer that the 1 dealer had orginally suggested.
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