Just bought our first trailer!

[Covfam]

Howdy y'all!

My wife and i just bought our first travel trailer (we were class c and class be campers before)

This weekend we purchased a new Cherokee Greywolf 19RR we werent intending of a toy hauler as most other brand ones we looked at were far to big and really didnt like the layout) and we wanted a trailer under 27' maximum, but we found that the grey wolf 19rr had a wonderfull floorplan and its a small trailers and the open back ( garage area) open enough for our dogs to be in at night and during the day open enough that if we have visiters over we all can visit in it without standing in the aisle. also there is enough room for our bicycles or my motorcycle in it and later a kayak.

like i said we werent looking for a toy hauler but we found the perfect one for our needs even if we dont hauler around alot of quads and dirtbikes. the 19RR is quite friendly for the non toy hauler crowd too!

while we have rving experience we dont have any trailering experience (other than camping in colman pup ups as children 35 years ago)

our tow vehicle (06 nissan armada) has a heavy duty trailering package with transmition cooler trailer lights and brake wiring) class 4 hitch, and we asked our dealer to give us a curt weight ditributing hitch and sway control (for those gusty days)

in our rving days high quality double and triple walled tireds were required for rv wieght and stability. but when i look at trailer tires im not seeing much variety and it looks like alot of them arent even freeway speed legal (my wife and i drove 55-60 and never more in our rv's people in a hurry could pass us) so what do i look for in a trailer tire and wich brands are a good quality brand (not worried about cost id prefer safer than cheaper)

also any tips on how to secure a motorcycle in a toy hauler for the un initiated?

[MtnGuy]

to the fourm !!!

Great intro.....the only thing missing is some pictures.

You are wise to get a small trailer for your Armada. Looking quickly at the stats, you should be in good shape for comfortable and safe towing.

Sway bars generally work good on smaller trailers, so you shouldn't have a problem there. I usually add that you can't beat an integrated WDH with sway control like a Equalizer brand or Reese Straight Line Dual Cam. But both of those require a heavy tongue weight, and with the motorcycle in back they might not work as good as the sway bars.

It might be a good idea to weigh your trailer ready for camping with the motorcycle in the back, to make sure you are not taking too much weight off of the tongue. A minimum of 10% of the total trailer weight should be there, and 12% or higher is better.

As far as the tires, what came on the trailer should be OK unless you really load the trailer heavy. Beware, that ST tires are rated for a maximum of 65 mph.

[LadyWindrider]

As for securing your motorcycle, I had to install "d" rings in the floor of my toy hauler. Some people recommend putting in one of the track system style of tie downs. I'm sure your dealer would do it, for a price, if you are not handy with some basic tools. I made sure and got mine bolted to a cross member on the frame, and not just bolted to the floor. Congrats on the new camper, and welcom

[Covfam]

our new '11 grey wolf 19rr has 4 d rings (2 fron 2 back) installed already (sorry cant send pics untill it shows up the dealer is installing accessories currently)

and thanks for the advice on the sway controll with the heavy weight of a motorcycle, how do i check the precise amount of weight on the hitch?

my armada's hitch is rated at 9,000 lbs and 910lb tongue weight, how do i make sure i get the precise amount of weight on the hitch? any other options other than storing something heavy in the front of the trailer?

Thanks again for the info

[tmmar]

to the forums. Can't help you with your trailer related questions but I'm sure that others here can. Again, just wanted to welcome you to FRF!!

[MtnGuy]

Originally Posted by Covfam

and thanks for the advice on the sway controll with the heavy weight of a motorcycle, how do i check the precise amount of weight on the hitch?

my armada's hitch is rated at 9,000 lbs and 910lb tongue weight, how do i make sure i get the precise amount of weight on the hitch? any other options other than storing something heavy in the front of the trailer?

Load up your camper and head to a local rock quarry or grain facility with truck scales and see if they will let you weigh your rig. A CAT scale would actually be better, as they can weigh each axle individually.

I would suggest going across the scales at least 3 times. 1 with just the Armada, 1 time with the trailer with the motorcycle, and one time without the motorcycle. All of these should be done without the WDH bars in place........with those hooked up, it will give you a false tongue weight.

The differences in weight with the trailers hooked up minus the Armada by itself will equal your tongue weight.

If you really have a friendly scale person, I would suggest getting weights of each axle with the WDH hooked up also.

Just the front axle of the Armada on the scales.
Both axles of the Armada on the scales.
Both the Armada and the trailer on the scales.
Just the trailer axles on the scales.

By doing this both with and without the WDH hooked up, you can figure if your WDH is distributing the weight properly.

[Covfam]

thanks for the advice MTN guy!.

now as someone above posted that the tires that come with it are fine... are they fine for just camping or do i need better tires for the weight of a motorcycle in the trailer, also what are some of the good quality trailer tire brands (in case i need a replacement?)

[LadyWindrider]

You will be fine. Toy Haulers have the axles placed farther back than regular trailers, knowing you may be hauling some heavy stuff. With a 900 pound tongue weight, try to get 1200 pound bars, as a matter of fact, insist on it. I got 1000 pound bars, and put 1000 pounds in the back, still not enough bar on a Reese Dual Cam with a Ford F150. Al little heavier tongue weight to start, I think mine is 970 pounds. Good Luck.

[MtnGuy]

Originally Posted by windrider

You will be fine. Toy Haulers have the axles placed farther back than regular trailers, knowing you may be hauling some heavy stuff. With a 900 pound tongue weight, try to get 1200 pound bars, as a matter of fact, insist on it. I got 1000 pound bars, and put 1000 pounds in the back, still not enough bar on a Reese Dual Cam with a Ford F150. Al little heavier tongue weight to start, I think mine is 970 pounds. Good Luck.

Windrider, the listed tongue weight for that trailer is 574 lbs. I betcha 800 lb. bars would be a plenty, especially with carrying a motor cycle in back. You might have read that he has a 910 lb. tongue weight rating on his hitch.

And Covfam, that hitch rating is probably with a weight distributing hitch, correct ??

[LadyWindrider]

Thanks for the correction. I might still opt for the 1000 pound bars if I was going to tow it with water in the tank. That will add 200 plus pounds to the tongue weight in a hurry. Pretty sure the tanks are in front of the axle.

[Covfam]

Originally Posted by mtnguy

Windrider, the listed tongue weight for that trailer is 574 lbs. I betcha 800 lb. bars would be a plenty, especially with carrying a motor cycle in back. You might have read that he has a 910 lb. tongue weight rating on his hitch.

And Covfam, that hitch rating is probably with a weight distributing hitch, correct ??

no thats the standard nissan armada hitch on its class 4 hitch (according to the owners manual) despite the class 4 hitch it cant tow the full 12,000 lbs and 1,200 lb tongue weight, the manual says with my heavy duty trailering package and my 5.6 liter v8 with transmision cooler, i can tow a maximum 9000lbs and tongue weight of 910 lbs, nothing listed as a seperate weight distributing hitch, when asked at the dealer, they called corporate and was told that nissan does not recomend a weight distributing hitch because they (nissan) cant control outside factors so they tell us to use thier recomended maximum and not go beyond with a wd hitch.

ill be honest i dont know if thats nissan covering thier butts or the guy from corporate blowing smoke up our dealers bum

[Covfam]

upon closer inspection the maximum tongue weight on my hitch from nissan is 900lbs because i have a 4wd and the 910 tongue weight is with the 2wd model (im not entirely sure how that affects the tongue weight but hey thats what nissans owners manual tells me) :P

[MtnGuy]

Originally Posted by Covfam

no thats the standard nissan armada hitch on its class 4 hitch (according to the owners manual) despite the class 4 hitch it cant tow the full 12,000 lbs and 1,200 lb tongue weight, the manual says with my heavy duty trailering package and my 5.6 liter v8 with transmision cooler, i can tow a maximum 9000lbs and tongue weight of 910 lbs, nothing listed as a seperate weight distributing hitch, when asked at the dealer, they called corporate and was told that nissan does not recomend a weight distributing hitch because they (nissan) cant control outside factors so they tell us to use thier recomended maximum and not go beyond with a wd hitch.

ill be honest i dont know if thats nissan covering thier butts or the guy from corporate blowing smoke up our dealers bum

Interesting that you have that heavy of a hitch and Nissan does not recommend a weight distributing system. Hanging 600 to 700 lbs. on your hitch without a WHD is going to add over a 1000 lbs. to you rear axle, and take a couple of hundred pounds off your front axle......that is what is does to my truck.

See if there isn't a sticker on your hitch with the maximum weights.....most manufacturers do that. On mine it lists a 5000 lb. weight limit with a 500 lb. maximum tongue weight for the weight carrying mode, and 9900 lbs. and 990 lb. maximum tongue weight when using a weight distributing hitch.

[Covfam]

ill look at it in an hour when wife gets home with the truck and see if there is any indicator than what the manual says, but right now the nissan office, the dealer, and the nissan service techs are all saying the 9,000lbs 900 tongue in the manual. the service dept says they have 2 hitch options the armada without the heavy duty trailering option is a class 3 hitch on the non 4wd model and i have the special edition model for that year with class 4 hitch (now its called the silver edition) with the platinum edition with more gadgets than we have. ill take a look at the hitch up close when the wife gets home and hopefully clarify things for us i do wish that manufacturers would have a simple standard and stop trying to fudge with the numbers to make them look better than the competition.

[Covfam]

MTNGUY, there isnt a listing or sticker on the hitch showing tow rating or tongue weight in fact other all thats actually listed on the hitch is the class 4 rating on it.

so combined with the owners manual not saying anything about a weight distributing hitch and the nissan dealer and service department and supposedly the nissan corporate office telling them they dont recomend weight distributing hitchs and only recomend thier hitch im gonna trust thier 9,000 lb towing and 900lb hitch rating. and im wondering if the limitation isnt so much the class 4 hitch but the vehicles chassis, or transmission, or power plant? i dunno. but when i look all over the place for nissan titans and armada's with the big tow package (silly name i know) they come with the simillar numbers (with a lil less for the armada because of the extra weight over the titan.

i wish i could have a better answer for you, either way i never planned on having a trailer more than 80% of my total tow & hitch rating. and even with a heavy motorcycle this trailer wont hit the 80% of my manufacturers listed towing & tongue rating.

i do appreciate the heads up and i thank you for the tips on how to load the bike in the toy hauler

Btw you guys here remind me alot of the nice helpfull fuld at the born free forums... i have a hard time reading the rv.net forums the drama there is frightening.

[BigRed]

Welcome to the Forest River ForumDont forget there's a FROG (Forest River Owners Group) rally in Branson,MO (May 1st thru May 4th)

[MtnGuy]

Covfan, with a 12,000/1,200 hitch tow rating, that is a heavy duty hitch.....enough to pull the side off of a mountain. On my F150, the hitch is rated as a Class III/IV......it doesn't quite have enough tow rating to classified as a true Class IV.

RV Travel Trailer Hitch System Ratings

If you look at the chart, a Class IV hitch is rated for up to 12,000/1,200 only in the weight distributing figures. A hitch that can carry the 12,000/1,200 load without a weight distributing system is considered a Class V hitch.

I have no idea why Nissan would not want you to use a WDH. Seems like that would be easier on the vehicle to distribute the tongue weight instead of all of that weight be put on the rear axle. Does your Armada have a visible frame, or is it unibody construction ?? You gotta go by what Nissan suggests.......they should know their vehicles.

[Covfam]

honestly i think its just nissan trying to cover thier butts, because ive known ALOT of people who thing a WDH meant they would tow alot more than thier vehicle could handle. but who knows, i know the hitch is rated better than what they list my tow rating and tongue weight, but i never plan on putting more than that anyhow if i ever want much bigger of a TT ill get a nice new silverado 2500hd to pull it

Despite nissan not recomending a WDH, the service dept says it wont void my warranty if i use it for weights under nissans maximum limits (not the hitches limit) so ill be getting a WDH + sway control id rather be safe than sorry

[Covfam]

to answer your question the 2005 and newer Nissan titan, Armada,pathfinder and extera use the same Body on frame F-alpha platform.

but apparantly the nissan pathfinders from 1996-2004 all used a unibody frame and in 2004 when the first nissan armada (called the nissan pathfinder armada) was on the unibody but all others after that use the same body on fram platform as the Titan truck does.

and depending on the vehicle the standard hitch on the extera & pathfinder is a class 2 hitch and standard hitch on the titan & armada are class 3, and the towing package on the pathfinder is a class 3/4 hitch with 6,000lbs towing w/v6 and 7,000 with the same v8 engine as the titan/armada

and the Big tow package (thier silly name for it back then) on the titan and armada is listed as a class 4 hitch. not the combo 3/4 hitch like on my f350 super duty van.

im not sure how how nissan comes with thier tow ratings but after your questions and looking around it looks like nissan doesnt use the standard 3.73 or the venerable 4.10 towing gears but they actually use a 3.36 gear for thier heavy towing and matching it up some way with the 5 speed transmition making it the near equivelant to the 4.10 towing gears.


Ill be honest thats all gibberish to me i dont know how nissan rates thier gears nor understand them but perhaps thats why it doesnt tow the whole class 4 hitch capacity? im as puzzled as you are but i figure i can keep it safe by staying inside the manufacturers limits

BTW thanks for asking the questions it made me do more research on it than i ever did before and i was educated some more about my truck