Payload and towing

Hi I am new to this forum and would like to address my question to anybody who is towing a travel trailer with a UVW 7324 and a GVWR OF 8995 or more. I noticed someone is towing a Grand Design Reflection. We have a deposit on a Grand Design 2970RL Imagine which approximates your Reflection. I am leery of our 2014 Toyota Tundra Platinum being able to tow it long distances. It's towing capacity is 9500# I don't want to purchase a trailer my husband can't tow safely. We pick it up the end of the month if we buy it. WDH E-4 4PT anti-sway and P3 brake controller will be installed. Husband also will upgrade shocks and tires. I would appreciate any advice and that Reflection owner experiences would be warmly welcomed!
Oh the payload is 1305 Hitch 900 front 4000 rear 4150. Hitch wt of trailer 795. just me hubby and 3 small dogs and stuff in truck. Thanks

 

Thanks for your response Colorado. I am in Ohio and I am losing sleep over this trailer! The sticker reads the combined occupants and cargo should not exceed 1305# the towing capacity is 9500# Would a propride 3p sway control help with handling issues on a 34' trailer? I see pics of people posting with large heavy trailers (would like to talk to the one that has the Grand Design Reflection) that say their Tundras tow without any issues. Travelling with dogs means pottybreaks so our tanks would not be full.

 

the tundra can handle a lot but the max tow rating is really designed around the trucks ability to stop the load. The truck can tow way more than 9500lbs but controlling that to a complete stop is where things can get dangerous. I would try to stick to a travel trailer in that 8500 loaded range. That gives you 1000lbs to play with in the truck. Or this could be a good time to look at 3/4 ton trucks if your lifestyle requires a bigger trailer.

Now getting that out of the way! If I was going to buy the trailer and just had a tundra, I would get load range E tires, weight distributing hitch, a heavy duty leaf pack and probably Firestone airbags or timbrens to help with leveling out squat.

 

Get a 3/4 ton Chevy or Ford. WDH distributes the load to each axle and really has no effect on the payload. Also the tongue weight is usually heavier than the 10% theory. I have used a scale on our TT and it is.

 

My toyhauler was anywhere between 8k-9k loaded. I didn't enjoy taking long trips with that weight. The truck could do it, but didn't like it.

Toyhauler is gone and my new camper is under 6500 loaded. The truck and I feel much better.

You need a bigger truck.

 

When pulling big trailers, plan to have sweat on your forehead ! Lol, I'm serious..

 

As a general statement, if you want a large(or larger) travel trailer, buy a 3/4 or 1 to to pull it.
It seems people want to play this game on whether they can squeeze the trailer and weights within the trucks limits but that’s risky. It’s one thing to be able to tow that weight but it’s another to tow it safely and stop it safely.

 

There is an old saying..."You can have too much trailer for the truck, but you can never have too much truck for the trailer."

We have a 22' TT. It's just me, my wife and the dog. The unloaded trailer weight is 3650. The factory trailer brake system works great on our trailer. I'm always in Tow/Haul mode (Beast mode as they like to call it on here) when towing and at times I can't even tell the trailer is back there. It's easy to maneuver into a campsite and we can camp in most any National Park campsite (the sites tend to be short where we like to go). We are outside most of times when we are camping, so a smaller trailer was the right decision for us.

 

@ColoradoTJ I couldn’t agree more with “wonder what the comparison vehicle is?”

I loved my Tundra in many ways but I did not like it towing even light weight. Most of that has to with me owning 3/4 ton diesels the past 15 years.

It’s all about perspective when it comes to someone saying this tows this weight great or without issue. But I would be willing to bet once someone hooked their trailer behind a 3/4 ton, they would probably have a whole new view on things.

This is by no means knocking anyone towing with their Tundra, just a different perspective and one to consider when wanting to venture into larger trailers that push the limits of the truck being used.

 

I looked it up, nice trailer:



When you add exterior battery, tanks and any storage in the front, the hitch weight will increase. Pack interior stuff over the trailer's axle if you can.

You could tow it with your Tundra, but it'll be a very cautious ride, you might feel some sway over 60mph (I like to travel between transport trucks at the same speed). And you'll really need to anticipate your stops, leave plenty of distance. Make sure your brakes are good, if you need them done, get good pads and slotted rotors designed for towing. Sync your brake controller properly down the street a few times before you start your trip.

What you'll find is it's not the shocks, the back end will squat with that much hitch weight on the leaf springs. I'm using Blue Ox WDH, it was still squatting and importantly an uncomfortable bounce over bumps. If the front end of your truck pops up, it can feel like you briefly lose some steering/braking control. So I added Timbrens and I'm basically riding on them. When not towing I remove them. If you tow often, Firestone Air Bags on all the time might be your best bet. For lighter trailers, you would not be doing both, only a WDH.

The Blue Ox WDH mitigates swaying, and I also added a TRD sway bar, whether you tow or not, you'll appreciate the improved reduction in body roll on turns in day to day driving. Both of those help with highway sway when towing.

Or, just get a 3/4 ton or full ton pickup. They're a hard ride when not towing but they're solid if you start approaching the upper limits of 1/2 ton.

I should add that if you're not parking on flat lots, get Andersen Levellers, so easy to use:



And X-chocks of some sort. It locks down the wheels and removes the shake as you walk about in your trailer despite having your trailer jacks down. Keep in mind those jacks are not for levelling, they're for mild weight support, stop as soon as they touch the ground.



If you don't have towing mirrors, those help too. Lots of fun add-ons, I think there's a thread here, stuff like a cutting board that goes over your stove and increases counter space, etc.

Happy RV'ing!

 

Welcome from Northeast Connecticut.

 

I asked the following in a previous post but didn't get much feedback, I'm also new to this forum..

If you were to chose between purchasing a travel trailer with a light tongue weight (500lb) but heavy on weight (7k dry / 9k gross) - OR - a travel trailer with heavy tongue weight (800lb) but "ok" on weight (6k lb) Which way you would go?

In case #1 I would love to have plenty of payload but I don't know how will I feel pulling such a heavy monster (15klb weight combined)

In case #2 payload won't let me take my dogs to camping =( but will feel relief pulling 6klb as I have pulled this weight before

 

I can't answer your question but this is how I avoid all the numbers.

 

That’s a nice trailer! Can you even feel it back there lol.

 

Does anyone know if they sell an electrically operated dump valve ??? I'm on the move often... just kidding !!

 

Op with that camper your going to have a lot of tail wagging the dog and your going to be fatigued by the time you get to where your going. Its either a bigger truck or downsize on the camper to something more in the range of the Tundra pulling it safely.

 

Awesome, Thank you! I appreciate straight answer like that. A "good tongue weight" is about 10% or above off the trailer weight then? And Does my 14k lb Weight Distribution Hitch and sway system help in my first option at all?

 

The towing experience in a Tundra with the weights you are describing is nerve-wracking. Towing safely is about having margin.

Either get a smaller (lighter) trailer 6500 or less, or get a 3/4 to 1 ton truck.

Like someone said...you can never have too much truck.

 

Holy crap! A lot factors to take into count. And yeah Tundra's mpg is awesome (this does not damage the awesome truck Tundra is) but deep inside all of us would like to see the gas gauge stay up for a bit more time.

Even though TundraDude34 says in his youtube channel the next Tundra will give us up to 30mpg due to a new hibrid electric engine (Toyota will never play the ecoboost game)

So what I've learned today is:

-You can max your payload as long is within numbers AND to have a comfortable towing experience to camping you need to tow a 6,500 lb camper or less. AM I RIGHT?

 

I’ve heard nothing but great things about the ProPride and I plan on getting for any conventional trailer I have in the future(were saving up for a TT). Can’t put a price on the safety of my family, may as well have the best hitch. With that said...IMO that trailer is at minimum 2500/F250 territory. Towing at MAX numbers or over will not only be unsafe, but the trip will be difficult at times when it doesn’t have to be. I’d say pick a smaller or a lighter trailer.....or get a bigger truck. If keeping the Tundra and regularly towing a heavy trailer, even with the pro-pride id look at getting the rear sway bar and putting on air bags, along with E rated tires.

Also on any trailer I wouldn’t trust the sticker numbers. Take it to a CAT scale / a tougue weight scale, and verify the sticker numbers and know the actual weights both unloaded total and hitch tounge weight

 

Here’s a couple that look better towing for a Tundra IMO, but all of this is just opinions. Go with what you both like. I’d also ask the question if it’s just the two of you...do you NEED a 34’ trailer. Some really nice floor plans from Imagine line are MUCH less weight and seem to be perfectly setup for 2 people + pets.

https://www.granddesignrv.com/showroom/2019/travel-trailer/imagine/floorplans/2250rk

https://www.granddesignrv.com/showroom/2019/travel-trailer/imagine/floorplans/2600rb


https://www.granddesignrv.com/showroom/2019/travel-trailer/imagine-xls/floorplans/22rbe

and this one would be “better” but still pushing I’d say.

https://www.granddesignrv.com/showroom/2019/travel-trailer/imagine/floorplans/2670mk

 

Thanks for all your inputs Hubby is claustraphobic wants room to relax. We saw the 2970rl at a RV show that had all the features we wanted to go glamping and got a good deal. We are getting the TT primarily as place to stay in FL with our dogs. to visit family and of course to travel.