I?m looking for my first travel trailer. Before I give the numbers, I?ll explain why I?m buying one. I work industrial shutdowns, outages, etc. My father and I plan on just towing this trailer from RV park to park (wherever the work is) and unloading it from truck and using all of parks amenities (water,power,sewer,etc). I found a camper I like and have read on here already to ignore the dry weight and look at the GVWR (It?s 7700lbs according to Dutchmen brochure from 2008). I also checked my truck GVWR (7200 lbs on door jam sticker) It?s a 2011 F-150 Crew Cab with 5.0. Now my question is am I checking this right and the camper is too big for my truck? It?s a 2008 THOR Dutchmen 18F (fiberglass sides, no slide outs, 23? long). What we?ll be towing is clothes, 200 lbs of tools, a set of utensils and pots/pans, bathroom amenities, ourselves (425lbs together), etc. no firewood or that kind of stuff. The hitch dry weight is 466lbs and the empty vehicle weight is 4076lbs. It is a bumper pull trailer. I just need a yes or no on this. It doesn?t seem by looking at the size of the camper that it would be an issue for the truck but maybe I?m looking at it wrong? Like I said this is strictly work, no off road primitive camping whatsoever. GCWR is 13,500 and from what I read my maximum trailer load rating is 7700 lbs, so if my camper was maxed out so would my truck? Thanks for all the help.
Needing clarity.
- Thread starter JMS903
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Lou Schneider
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Welcome to The RV Forum!
A GCWR of 13,500 lbs. gives a Tow Rating of 8,000 lbs, the difference in weight between an empty truck and the GCWR. Since the trailer has a 7700 lbs GVWR, so at first glance you're OK as you don't carry a whole bunch of cargo in the truck itself.
In reality, given what you expect to load in the trailer, you should remain well below it's GVWR, which puts you further into the good area.
Your truck should do just fine as long as you don't go overboard on the cargo weight.
A GCWR of 13,500 lbs. gives a Tow Rating of 8,000 lbs, the difference in weight between an empty truck and the GCWR. Since the trailer has a 7700 lbs GVWR, so at first glance you're OK as you don't carry a whole bunch of cargo in the truck itself.
In reality, given what you expect to load in the trailer, you should remain well below it's GVWR, which puts you further into the good area.
Your truck should do just fine as long as you don't go overboard on the cargo weight.
Arch Hoagland
Well-known member
You'll do fine.
Utclmjmpr
Well-known member
You also can't ignore the human nature to acquire "stuff" over time,, the necessities of everyday life.. It all adds up.>>>Dan
Gizmo100
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Welcome to the Forum JMS903
Sounds like your good to go...
Depending on where you are traveling you may need to look into anti sway. But I would get it on the road and see how it handles before spending money.
Sounds like your good to go...
Depending on where you are traveling you may need to look into anti sway. But I would get it on the road and see how it handles before spending money.
