Towing 33' travel trailer

My wife and I are about to pull the trigger on our first travel trailer. Tow vehicle will be my 2019 Limited CM.

Looking at a Keystone Bullet 287QBS.
The specs are as follows:
Dry weight: 6200lbs.
Length: 33'
Hitch weight: 735lbs.

I will be purchasing the anti-sway/weight distribution hitch with it. Am I safely in my limits or is it too long of a trailer?

 

I think you will be fine just dont over load the camper or the truck .I pull a 30' with mine have for 3 yrs now. But it sit @ 5400# dry weight.

 

That looks like a nice camper!

 

Thanks !

 

You are going to be at the upper range of what you can tow - and possibly over in an area or two.
I'm assuming that the 735 tongue weight is unloaded? If so, you only have around 265lbs that your hitch (if a LVL 4) will support (which is 1000lbs weight distributed).
If it does get towards 1000lbs, you will only have 400'ish for all other stuff you pack in your truck - and that includes you and any passengers in there.
Personally... I wouldn't tow that with anything less than a 3/4 ton truck - and a 1 ton would be my preference.

 

Make sure you get E rated tires. Stock tires are crossover suv rated.

 

Even with E rated tires and air bags that is going to be a white knuckle tow. I agree with Tracey that trailer needs to be pulled with a long bed 3/4 ton.
Our tundras are awesome but that’s too much for any half ton. My first trailer was 6300 dry and 28 foot long I sold it and downsized to be safe.
Just because it can be done, that dose not make it safe.

 

It is a long trailer and you will feel it in high winds but you can tow it with a good margin of gcvwr leftover. You will be close to payload if you have alot of stuff in the truck. You dont need a 3/4 or 1 ton for a 7k trailer, but definately get a high quality wdh like the blue ox sway pro.

 

My previous toyhauler was 6600ish empty. Loaded without toys around 7500, with toys closer to 8500.

Toyhauler is gone. I loved the Tundra enough that I would rather change the camper than change my truck. New camper is under 5000 empty and I'll be carrying the dirtbike in the truck bed. Tongue weight and bike will still only put payload at 900ish, but it carries the weight much better.

I towed the toyhauler up and down the east coast for a year, that was enough time for me to know it made the trips miserable. I've only pulled the new camper twice so far, but I'm barely exaggerating when I say it feels like it's not there. You can read a dozen other threads on here about trailer size and other experiences. After everything I've experienced and read it's safe to say the Tundra's COMFORTABLE towing range is under 7000 loaded. It CAN pull more, but if you're doing any real traveling on a monthly or weekly basis you'll regret going over 7000lbs loaded.

 

OBX
Your 100 Percent correct!

 

I tend to think about margins, and, while the Tundra May be technically capable of towing that trailer, to me there’s not enough margin between the size/weight of the trailer and the Tundras max capability. Agree with the other posters that it won’t be a good towing experience, I’d recommend a 3/4 or one ton gasser.

 

O.p. if you are we looking at this trailer and you like the size of it if it's not an ultra-light I highly suggest you looking into one it really will make the difference in the weight I say your dry weight definitely should not be half the towing capacity or just right at it .Imo

 

We have similar specs but only tow from late spring to early fall to within province campgrounds (Canada), ie; nice weather, flat landing. On the highway, I don't go faster than 60mph or it's more prone to sway, I'm usually between transport trucks at the same pace.

I'm equipped with drilled/slotted rotors, heavy duty brake pads, OEM tow mirrors, TRD sway bar, BlueOx WDH, Tekonsha P3, Timbrens, and Furrion rear camera on the back of the RV that's live when driving.

Correct above on payload so it depends how you pack the TT and what's in the truck plus passengers. If you weigh down the front end of the TT using the fore storage compartment, 2x20lb propane tanks, battery etc, the hitch wt will be much higher. In general, try to put gear over the trailer's axle. The first time I pulled our loaded TT on a short trip, my rear squatted and the occasional bouncing over bumps made it feel like the front end popped up with less steering control, not fun. I got Timbrens which it permanantly rides on when towing, the truck is level. I use Timbrens because I have 1.5" shackles.When not towing, I have extra spacers installed that I remove from underneath the Timbrens so they never hit in everyday driving. I did not want airbags always in contact because at 5psi, it still affects ride quality. Airbags are adjustable and arguably better.

Now we bring a second smaller SUV and pack it rather than the truck. It's great on gas and we use it when exploring outside the campground; very rarely my wife has to leave for work and come back, another reason why we bring it. That means we are well within the Tundra CM’s payload and the tongue/trailer weight is closer to dry. Other than length, the towing is quite pleasant. Later when our kids don't RV with us, we will downsize, or I'll get a 3/4ton and 5W.

Based on my experience and if you are only going away with the truck, a lighter RV would be more comfortable towing for you. Getting any RV you'll need to practice wide turns and backing up in an empty parking lot; learn to sync your TT brakes with your brake controller. We towed a popup for several years so it's a bit of a steep learning curve if this is your first RV. Andersen levellers make RV parking on non-paved surfaces easy, and if you're dual axle, X-chocks lock the TT so nothing moves when you're walking around inside. There’s lots of RV tips, that’s another thread.

 

I would recommend you take a look at a keystone bullet 277bhs. It has a similar layout to the trailer you listed, is a hair shorter but much lighter.
Edit: i might be wrong on the length part.

 

In most cases the max payload will be met before you hit your GCVWR.
As several folks have related in threads on the RV boards I visit - you may see people pulling those size trailers with a 1/2 ton truck.... but it doesn't mean that they are doing it safely.
Going to a Ford 1/2 ton and their HD towing package (like finding a pink unicorn on a Ford dealer lot) and their payload gains you more payload capacity than a normal 1/2 ton, even the Tundra which is last in the payload class from some research I did. The 3/4 or 1 ton TV will give a greater range of payload capacity (the DRW Ford 350 regular cab 4x2 will give you 7,640lbs of payload capacity), especially in this case, as I can almost guarantee you the tongue weight will be around 1000lbs. My 329lb dry tongue weight on my Winnie 1790 jumped up to 523 after the trailer was loaded and battery and dual 20lb propane tanks (combined almost 100lbs) added along with the standard camper stuff (water hose, trailer 30 amp cable, Coleman stove, spare outside chairs, etc) loaded in the front compartment. That's why we got the Tundra as the 2017 4Runner was overloaded on the hitch and getting close on payload - before any foodstuffs and their related ice chests were loaded.

 

To me there is a difference whether you can safely do it (squeaking in by the numbers and staying under all your limits) or comfortably do it. This doesn't apply to everyone, I understand there are owners that only travel 1-3 times a year and stay within 2 hours of the house.

Staying 10% under on your GCVWR and payload still does not equate to a comfortable trip. It might be safe and you'll be legal, but you won't have fun travelling on the interstate, sustained grades, twisty roads, or more than 3-5 hours behind the wheel. 4 out of every 5 trips that I take are greater than 4 hours from the house.

Giving yourself a 20% or greater margin across the board will mean a more enjoyable trip. You won't be exhausted after driving, you'll feel better about the safety of your family, and you'll just look forward to the trip.

 

Look into getting a ProPride hitch ... it geometrically projects your pivot point over your rear axle. Also the way it is designed, the trailer cannot initiate any sway. Had one on my old trailer (Jayco 32BHDS) made all the difference in the world.

 

A good rule when deciding whether your truck and trailer are a match is to focus on the GVWR of the trailer. The GVWR is the number you'll be close to towing, not the dry weight since the dry weight is likely not an accurate number even when empty. Calc 12% of that for tongue weight going on your truck which of course is burning up your payload capacity. You'll run out of payload well before towing capability.

Another consideration is "where are you towing"? Florida? Sea level all the time so no worries. The Rockies? You're going to have issues due to elevation. Gas aspirated engines lose 3-4% of their power for every 1000 ft. gain in elevation. I'm in the Valley of the Sun, AZ. When I go to 7000' I lose 20-25% of my horses. That fact was part of my calculation when I bought my Lance TT @ 5400# with gear and propane but no water.

Frankly speaking my trucks towing capability was near bottom of considerations list. My payload was first.

Of course you'll get it all weighed to know exactly what you're driving.

 

Same here. Payload first and all other after.
One thing that I've found that many don't count into their payload impact is the WD hitch itself.

 

Figure 80#s for that hitch alone. Payload goes quick, kind of like $'s out of my wallet some days.

 

The Tundra is/has been using sae j2807 for towing specs since at least 2013. J2807 already allows for full fluids, inc fuel and 2 passengers at 150 lbs and 100 lbs for hitch.

 

So that basically adds 370 #s to the max payload sticker on my door jam?

 

150lbs each for a passenger. Thats usa human averages from like the 1960’s.

Average woman in USA right now is 168 and average man is 196 i believe.

At least there is some allowance though!

 

Good question. It would not surprise me if that was already included in your max payload number on the sticker since most are not aware of what J2807 is.

 

The max payload on my crewmax is 1100 equipped with the tss package. I thought that was super low and it would make sense if that 370 was assumed.

Weight: The standard specifies that vehicles with a GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating) of less than 8,500 pounds carry a 150-pound driver and a 150-pound passenger. Vehicles above 8,500 pounds add an extra 100 pounds of equipment. If you’re heavier than 150 pounds or carry more gear, deduct that extra weight from the maximum towing figure.

That's what I found from here: https://tundraheadquarters.com/tow-ratings-explained/

 

I'm towing a 5,500 pound dry weight 5th wheel that has a 1,060 pound hitch weight. I added E rated tires and air bags to my 2018 DC TRD 4x4 to help carry the load. The Tundra tows quite well. I wouldn't want to be any heavier.

 

I have always wondered that's considers what the truck will hold in the bed right ? I don't know much on this but the hitch weight is not the same on a bumper pull vs a 5th wheel what is the max hitch weight on a tundra for a 5th wheel ?

 

I believe both fifth wheel and bumper pull hitch weights are part of the total cargo capacity.

 

Here is my hitch set up. I'm very satisfied with how it performs.

 

Im most cases I would agree with that, but there are some travel trailers that have a gvwr almost 3 thousand pounds more than dry weight. there would be no reasonable person who would put 3 thousand pounds in the travel trailer. so no good reason to limit yourself to the gvwr in that case. i only add 800 pounds