Buying a new travel trailer

I have a 2019 sr5 crewmax.
Payload: 1240
Towing capacity: 9000+

I am planning on buying a grand design imagine xls21bhe.
Hitch weight: 456
UVW: 4698
GVWR: 6395
Length: 24'11"

I wanted to know what experience yall have had towing something similar to this trailer. I plan on using a WDH and load E tires. Any advice, warnings or cautions would be appreciated. I should be under payload but it will be closer than I want it to be, probably 100-200lbs under.

Thank you!

 

100-200 under payload is almost a miracle. Good on you! Load things right, know your weights, spend time dialing in that WDH, and have safe travels.

 

So I have essentially the same truck as you, '19 SR5 w/TRD OR, CM 4X4, my door sticker says 1,260 payload (maybe 1,280?) and my trailer is pretty close, just a bit lighter than yours at 5,500 lbs. GVWR, to which I'm usually pretty close.

I assume you know that the mfr's published dry hitch weights are completely useless. Mine says 405 lbs. in the specs, but wet and loaded to camp in the real world it's more like 700+ (I tow with full fresh tank, and I prefer how it handles with some tongue weight.)

Figure on 12% to 13% of your GVWR (You may not always be that heavy but probably will be at some point) so your actual TW will likely be 750-830 lbs.

I towed this trailer for 6 years with my 4.7 1st gen and it performed adequately, but the '19 & 5.7 is SOOO much better, and my towing time is more relaxed and less work. It's amazing what a bunch more HP/TQ, bigger brakes, weight, wheelbase, 4.30's and another gear can do!

With all the crap-ton of dogs, solar, gen, firepits, cornhole, snacks, ice cream, and bacon we bring for a weekend outing I'm usually pretty close to my payload, and I'd be lying if I said I haven't probably gone over by a biscuit or two on occasion, but I try to keep it under control.

The Tundra handles it like the boss beast that it is... I think you'd be fine.

 

Interesting info...and not to hijack OPs thread but I'm curious how the 2022 1685 data compares to your year model?

Per Lance: Dry/Shipped is 4670, Payload is 1630 so GVWR is 6300. I aim to keep the trailer GVWR in the same ballpark of 5500 (GCVWR approx 12,700), which puts the est TW at 660'ish.

I just left the landscape supply lot and weighed the truck alone at 6800, fully loaded. If my GVWR is 7200, a hitch weight of 660 will put me over by about 250lbs.

 

They've gotten a little heavier every year since I bought mine. The base weight on my 2017.5 was 3,800 and had most options so it was "As Delivered" stickered a bit heavier, I don't recall exactly what the number was.

The '22 says 3,980 with a hitch weight of 425.

The new models have a base dry weight of 4,690 lbs so they've gained almost 900 lbs. but many of the "options" are now standard, sooo?

Also, the new ones are now leaf sprung with shocks instead of the Dexter torsion axels. I've had no problems with mine, but I know some of the single axel models were having problems with sagging and losing ride height.

My 405 lb. advertised hitch weight is more like 700, '22 says 425, and the new ones say 575, so real world could be pretty heavy for a small trailer.

I could get my TW down fairly easily if I needed to, I have a lot of stuff in the two front storage bays, I tow with a full FW tank, and I prefer the way it handles with some TW. It's within my capacities (usually, I probably bump over payload a skosh once in a while) so I don't sweat it.

 

I pulled my numbers off the build sheet/window sticker so they should be accurate to my specific unit and account for options....the numbers do vary a bit from the brochure.

BTW, I think it was you who referred me to the LOA board. Signed up, same screen name

 

Ohhh yeah, I remember now. Cool, real good bunch of people over there, and lots of knowledge.

I'm Bruce R. on there... Not super creative, I didn't realize I'd be spending so much time there.

 

You will find that your listed hitch weight will be much higher once you load the trailer. The published hitch weight is on an empty trailer and typically an average for your model. The same thing for the dry and loaded weights. My weights were off and surprised me.

Make sure to weigh your (tow) truck first at the CAT scale in the condition that it will be when towing (passengers, gas, generator, dogs, etc). I would then weigh your set up (truck/trailer)....maybe on the way home from the purchase. This will give you a good base line to work with from there especially if you are using a WDH set up.

Some guys tow better with some full (trailer) tanks. Mine tows the best with about 1/4 filled fresh water and about +/- 10 gallons in my black tank, propane filled and one battery.

Congratulations and good luck!