eduardobibm

First off, no I am not being facetious.
I am totally new to towing and pickup trucks in general, been a motorcycle guy nearly my whole life. I’ve always looked at 4 wheel vehicles as a necessary evil.
I purchased my first truck ever in April of this year for the express purpose of towing a trailer, having very little knowledge of its limitations. All I knew was that it had a tow capacity of 11,100 lbs. The way I looked at it at the time was that it would be easy to find a unit under 11,100 lbs that my family and I would be comfortable in.
When I started shopping for an RV, I had several dealers telling me I would have no trouble towing 9000+ lbs (dry), 36’ units with my ½ ton. I had one dealer tell me that hitch weight is irrelevant if you use a WDH. In fact, in the over a dozen dealers I visited, there was only one that recommended against certain units based on weight or length.
I’ve spent some time on this site learning from people who have actually done it (rather than from those just trying to sell me something). It’s been an eye opening and often frustrating learning experience but in the end I selected a smaller unit which I’m sure I will be very happy with; but more importantly, safer with.
So, Thank you weight police, you may not have told me what I wanted to hear, but you told me what I needed to hear. Best case is I would have purchased an RV that was too much for my truck, worst case is I put my family and others on the road in jeopardy.

IronJoce

RV dealers are the worst when come to give advise regarding which truck can tow which trailer. A 9000+ lbs 36ft TT is WAY too much of a trailer for a F150 IMO.

Congrats on the new trailer an post pix now

Cheers

eduardobibm

Shipper is scheduled to arrive with my new unit on Thursday of this week. I will certainly post pics.

RedOne

Maybe I missed it, but what did you end up deciding getting?

eduardobibm

Getting a 2013 Coachmen Freedom Express 292BHDS. Got the "Liberty Edition".
This one is mine.
http://www.colerainrv.com/rv/cincinn...xpress+292bhds

I started out wanting a toy hauler but could not find one I liked. And since the original idea in getting an RV was so I could spend quality family time (not take all my buddies out riding), I decided to just throw one bike in the bed of my truck and tow a travel trailer with a low enough hitch weight so that it doesn't throw me over my payload capacity. My dirtbike is only about 260lbs.

This one fits the bill, is fairly light and most importantly my wife liked it. I think I could have gone a bit bigger\heavier, but don't think I needed to. I need to keep in mind that this is my first RV, and this one is plenty big for a first timer like myself.

Franny K

If you are weight police concious there is a little detail that isn't talked much if at all on this forum. That is at what gcwr do you need a medical card. I tried to discuss this at trailer dealers and they twist it into at what point do you need a cdl. I finally sent an email to our motor vehicle department in the state I am registered and the answer came back in state 18,000 but intra state (I believe that was their wording) it is 10,000. I brought this up on a tractor forum as that is kind of the max load I anticipate (possible exception of short runs to the gravel yard or cashing in scrap perhaps) and this was alien to the others there in other states. If you are police concious I suggest investigating this. Like a lot of things this may not be enforced until there is an incident and the charges are heaped up to a mind boggling extent.

edit I think the numbers were 18,001 and 10,001

BadAlBell

My maryland drivers license says right on it I can drive up to 26000 lb gvw non commercial vehicles.
CDL is for commercial vehicles
As far as I know so is a medical card
Lots of info on IRV2 and other motorhome websites

eduardobibm

I came within a hair of putting a deposit on a toy hauler that would have put me 2k above the GCWR. Folks on this site talked some sense into me.

billf

Franny K: What's a medical card? Sounds like a great tip but I've never heard of these. Who issues them? Who needs them? Are the police supposed to check for them? Thanks.

Widedomain

Medical cards are carried by commercial drivers to show proof that they have had a current DOT medical exam.

Commercial vehicles are vehicles used in commerce that exceed 10,000 lbs gross weight or gross combined weight. A Commercial Drivers Licence (CDL) is required to operated trucks greater than 26k lbs GVW.

If you are operating non-commercial vehicles that weigh more than 26,000 lbs, you will need a Class B or Class A license.