Help quick pleez

[Bronco]

Just got the New Wildwood T27rlssle after a six and a half week wait from the factory. Dealer made up for it with lots of goodies from their store but Now I've got a bigger problem. There is not one single true advertized length or hitch weight. My truck is rated to tow 10300 lbs with a max hitch weight of 1000lbs.(All of this the dealer knew well). The brochures, the dealer and even the F.R. area rep said that the hitch weight would be 735 lbs before the dealer added the batteries and filled the propane. When I got home I borrowed a digital crane scale from work and weighed the tongue using my engine hoist. 1120 lbs! I removed the baterys and propane tanks and weighed it again. 960 lb !!!
Advertised lengths were 26'2" w/o hitch and 28'10" with the hitch supposedly including the rear bumper. Actual lengths are 28'10" w/o hitch and 32'6" with the hitch NOT including the rear bumper.
The white water tank is located directly above the axles and the grey and black tanks are between the axles and the hitch and they were empty (never used even once) when I weighed it.
The question is , will this wreck my truck and shoud I return it? If I were ever to want to carry water it would be way over the trucks specs and getting a new truck is not an option. How far can I push the limits of the truck?

thanks fer any help

[aintgotnun]

Tongue weight can be compensated for with heavier springs or air bags on your truck. You don't mention the weight of the trailer so I'm guessing it's under the 10300 capacity of your truck. So I'd say you've got the option of adding springs or air bags to bump up your allowed tongue weight.

anyone else?

greg

[Bronco]

with the rear steer axle theres no room that i or any of my buddies can see to put air bags on it. I thought the tongue weight rating for a tv was based on the rear axle, not the suspension. maybe ill look a little harder on the internet for add on overload springs or airbags. thanks

[mn_308]

(again) I'm new to this TT deal, but...

What are you running for a hitch?
Doesn't a WD hitch move some of that tongue weight across all of the TV axles?

[aintgotnun]

Originally Posted by mn_308

(again) I'm new to this TT deal, but...

What are you running for a hitch?
Doesn't a WD hitch move some of that tongue weight across all of the TV axles?

Also something to look at would be the rating on the hitch receiver as well. Maybe your's isn't rated high enough and there may be a replacement available. Most half-ton trucks have a payload capacity of close to 2000lbs. Your issue may just be the hitch receiver. Just some thoughts.

greg

[welshman599]

To start, I'm a bit lost. The FR brochure for the wildwood LE 27rlss shows ovrall length of 31'1", axle weight of 5910 and hitch weight of 680. those ratings are dry and before options and accessories. I'll refer to a piece on ratings:http://www.rvtowingtips.com/what-can-i-tow.htm

On a 6-7,000 lb trailer, I'd want about 800-1000 lbs on the hitch to tow well. And it sounds like it is about right. The question is your truck. According to an article I found on outdoorlife,com:
I tested this maneuver on a closed driving course and on the open highway with a 30-foot camper in tow at speeds ranging from 35 to 65 mph, and found that the steering was so smooth I kept crossing two lanes instead of one (on a six-lane highway). It took me a few minutes to get the hang of it. Quadrasteer and all-wheel-drive are standard features on the Sierra Denali. Engine and transmission availability will be limited to a 6.0L Vortec 6000 V-8 and a four-speed automatic. The Sierra Denali delivers a maximum trailering capacity of 10,000 pounds.
So, it sounds like a sweet hauler!. that 1000 lb hitch weight rating confuses me though, is that the bumper hitch rating?? If so, I assume you had a Reese or equiv WD hitch set-up installed, and that changes everything.

[dimurrrw]

Check out your model, but the one made for the Pacific North West Market, at http://www.forestriverinc.com/nd/flo...ies=WildwoodLE
Note hitch weight. Very interesting and makes you wonder.

[MRimmer]

Things that make you go hmmmm


I found in the 2007 brochure dry hitch weight of 670lbs


http://www.forestriverinc.com/downlo...ldwood2007.pdf



hmmmm

[Bronco]

Thanks for the help guys, Unfortunately i had to make the dealership take the trailer back. I swapped for a keystone springdale rlse. It IS 700lb hitch weight, and it IS 28'10" as its brochure claims. The wildwood area rep claims that between the 2007 and 2008 model year, 22 inches was added to the length of the T27 RLSSle without any notification to anyone who sells it, including the forest river reps.(thus explaining the 1100 lb hitch weight, By the way, we did see that web page stating the 1300 lb hitch weight just after we placed the order, we called the forest river rep about it and quote- that weight is wrong, even 5th wheels dont weigh that much, its hitch weight is only 735lb-unquote) Places I want to go would be difficult with a 33' trailer It was a gorgeous, well built trailer and I had it for a good price, but there is no way that even a heavy half ton like mine should pull it. The denali has a 1700 lb payload rating, but thats for a payload in the box, not 12 inches off the rear bumper, that leverage there adds up quickly. For a fifth wheel the trucks manual gives a max hitch weight of 1500lb. Not to mention the lighter side of the problems including the fact that it didnt fit into the driveway without the hitch kinda poking into the sidewalk. if only i had a 1 ton diesel........