Treehorn

I have been shopping for a travel trailer and have been looking at hitch weights of the trailers I like and noticed big differences in % of overall dryweight.


For example...


Avenger ATI (Primetime) 27DBS
Dryweight 6652 lbs
Hitch weight 721 (10.8%)


Wildwood (Forest River) 28DBUD
Dryweight 5885 lbs
Hitch weight 805 lbs (13.68%)


Bullet 272BHS
Drywieght 6030lbs
Hitch weight 540lbs (10.74%)


Generally speaking how accurate are these brochure hitch weight nubmers?

Also if loading payload to each of these trailers providing I load towards the back, can I assume the same % towards hitch?


My truck has an yellow sticker available payload of 1615lbs. I think I am going ot be tight on payload with these trailers.


Thanks.

BCMIF150

It all depends on how the trailers are laid out and where the axles are in relation to the tongue. You want to be more worried about loaded weight. You could quickly add 1000 lbs to any of those numbers when you get your stuff in it.

EventHorizon

Dry weight is kinda vague. See if you can find where the fresh water tank is located. It's probably the biggest single load you'll carry. Loading about 400 pounds of water can move the center of gravity big time depending on it's location in the rv.

Treehorn

Is it not just better travel with tanks empty and load up water close to site or better yet if the site has water just connect direct?


Im happy to use road services for washrooms when traveling, etc.


I know at Nascar races fresh water is expensive but if it means the difference between tavelling save and me getting the trailer I want, im glad to pay for fresh water and pump outs.

Treehorn

Is this a reasonable calculation? I used 1000 lbs cargo like suggested.


Avenger ATI (Primetime) 27DBS
Truck Payload Capacity 1615lbs
Trailer Dry Hitch Weight -721lbs (6652lbs 10.84%)
Driver -210lbs
Passenger 1 -150lbs
Passenger 2 -80lbs
Passenger 3 -65lbs
Tonneau -100lbs
WDH -100lbs
Cargo in Trailer -108.4lbs (1000lbs x 10.84%)
Cargo in Truck -100lbs

Remaining Payload -19.5 lbs

EventHorizon

This is really just personal preference. I take my own water if I can as I've had a couple of bouts of, well, call it montezuma's revenge from drinking water other places. Also most of the camping I do is within 2-3 hours drive so not hauling water that far. If I need to fill up on any long travels I do in larger cities rather then at the campsite as I find the water safer.

flc

I rarely carry any more water than I need for bathroom breaks. I always drink and cook with bottled water and usually fill up the tank near the campsite or use the campsite water hookup.

ColbyL

I always tow with my fresh holding tank full. 55 gal/456 gal. The tank is centered over the axles, so doesn't affect hitch weight (I suppose it might when braking, etc). It lowers the center of gravity of the TT, so improves stability. The other reason being that it is the water I normally drink, and I am partial to my own E.coli

smokeywren

We almost always haul the drinking/cooking/coffee water in clean one-gallon milk jugs stored in the bathtub. The fresh water tank is usually about one fourth full and is used primarily for flushing the pottie plus maybe a quick shower. I don't trust the campground water for drinking/cooking/coffee, and our well water at home is very "hard", so we haul RO water in the milk jugs.

11screw50

We don't use campground water for cooking or drinking either and since the layout of our TT requires the slide to be out to access the bathroom, I don't bother hauling any water in the tank...except for 2-3 gallons in the black tank along with chemicals...