Just joined,great forum has answered many questions. Wife and I going to buy first tt this spring and have been looking around local dealers lately. Thanks to forum I have a pretty good handle on the alphabet soup of numbers I need to determine what my truck can handle. That being said dealer insists we'll be fine, but numbers don't lie and I will be coming within three or four hundred lbs of max GCWR of 13500lbs . We live in western MT at 5200 ft , most camping spots are close,less than a hour but all of them are higher. I think I'm pushing it,other tt we are looking at don't have slides and are quite a bit lighter. Value your input thanks
Newbie,am I pushing my limit
- Thread starter jjhornet
- Start date
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SeilerBird
Well-known member
In my opinion if you are going to be towing in the mountains you should take at least ten percent off the numbers which would make you over weight. The reason being is engines lose power at altitude but the weight remains the same. You will eventually want to upgrade your trailer and if you are right at the limit then if you go to upgrade the trailer you must upgrade the truck. I think you are pushing it too, but that seems to be what every beginner seems to want to do.
Memtb
Well-known member
If you are experienced towing trailers (not rv’ing), and are comfortable, my response no problem! Today’s trucks are far superior in all aspects to those of yesteryear. If you’re patient, you can deal with the uphills. Downhills would be my concern...as it sounds as if your truck isn’t diesel ( no engine brake). Many (most) of today’s tt/5er’s are woefully undertired, braked, and axle’d. Take that into consideration when RV shopping!
But to put things into perspective, years ago, before today’s well-acknowledged tow/weight ratings....many of us towed more with far less than you are considering. Stay under or near your capacities...and you should be fine.
If you’re not experienced or comfortable towing... “disregard” the previous paragraph!
But to put things into perspective, years ago, before today’s well-acknowledged tow/weight ratings....many of us towed more with far less than you are considering. Stay under or near your capacities...and you should be fine.
If you’re not experienced or comfortable towing... “disregard” the previous paragraph!
grashley
Well-known member
First, Welcome to the Forum!!
Do you know how to tell the dealer / salesman is lying? THEIR LIPS MOVE!!
Consider this: http://www.rvforum.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,90933.0.html
The published Tow capacity is based on a bare naked model with no options, no cargo and only 2 passengers at 150# each. In the small print on the chart, you will find the weight of all options on the truck and all passengers and cargo, including a WD hitch, beyond 300# must be subtracted from the Tow Rating. Also, I am quite sure the dealer was using the camper dry wt. Nobody goes camping in an empty camper, and the actual weight will likely be at least 1000# more than dry wt.
The options and cargo alone will push you to the the Max Tow limit. Being at a higher altitude, I would not pull that heavy of a camper. If you are using the camper dry wt, you will be well above max tow.
Thanks for asking BEFORE purchase.
Do you know how to tell the dealer / salesman is lying? THEIR LIPS MOVE!!
Consider this: http://www.rvforum.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,90933.0.html
The published Tow capacity is based on a bare naked model with no options, no cargo and only 2 passengers at 150# each. In the small print on the chart, you will find the weight of all options on the truck and all passengers and cargo, including a WD hitch, beyond 300# must be subtracted from the Tow Rating. Also, I am quite sure the dealer was using the camper dry wt. Nobody goes camping in an empty camper, and the actual weight will likely be at least 1000# more than dry wt.
The options and cargo alone will push you to the the Max Tow limit. Being at a higher altitude, I would not pull that heavy of a camper. If you are using the camper dry wt, you will be well above max tow.
Thanks for asking BEFORE purchase.
Thanks everybody,good advice. All my calculations are on fully loaded truck ,trailer,hitches etc plus a couple hundred lbs just in case. Have lots of experience towing large loads , work construction and have CDL,so no real learning curve I hope. That being said the other tt we are interested in are about twelve to fifteen hundred lbs lighter and would probably be better choices.
grashley
Well-known member
I am delighted to hear you are using "real" weights! So many first time posts are from folks who listened to the salesman, who used all of the WRONG numbers in hopes of making a sale. I hope we helped you.
