What travel trailer should I buy?

dmeyer302

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Weight isn't your problem here. Even at 7500 lbs you can do stoplight drags..........up to about 40 mph when the wind starts being a factor.

Frontal area and length needs to be a far larger consideration than weight.
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ausable

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We are "life time" towers of Travel Trailers, and are, in fact, along the gulf coast being a snow bird until it's safer to go back north. Even a 7' wide model is still wider than your truck mirrors and that's an issue. I'd also strongly suggest that towing above 4000lb dry weight of any TT is all you want. They tow like a para-sail when there's a puff of wind or 18 wheelers are around you. No fun, no fun at all. 7500 tow rating means nothing much when it comes to T.T. towing. A flat bed trailer hauling that weight is one thing, a TT is a different creature all together. Lots of nice models in your specified length well under 4000 lbs. The list is long and you probably already know most of them. We've had most of them. The Rockwood GeoPro/E-Pro is quite nice, but way over board on techie stuff that has proven somewhat a nuisance to most of their owners. We love ours.

IMG_0899 2.jpg
 
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JonB

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Ed - Thanks for the worksheet. It does work. I will use it before heading to the RV show.

Jon
 

Ed Venture

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Ed - Thanks for the worksheet. It does work. I will use it before heading to the RV show.

Jon
Glad it worked for you!

Yes - I'd run some base numbers so that you know what you will be comfortable with in terms of trailer weight. It's easy to get sucked in to a trailer that you like the features and layout of and push the limits of your comfortable weight. If you have your number in hand, you can look at the stickers and on the side of each trailer to see if its in weight spec before you even set foot in it.

Happy shopping and post a pic of your new trailer when you get it!

Best,

Ed
 
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JonB

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"The Rockwood GeoPro/E-Pro is quite nice, but way over board on techie stuff that has proven somewhat a nuisance to most of their owners."

Looked up the GeoPro and it looks nice. What kind of nuisances?

Jon
 


Don B.

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We are looking at the Geo Pro 19FD as well so we are interested in pros and cons, too.
 

tombdmot

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After looking at many trailers knowing weight, storing outside and enjoyment were important, we ended up getting a 2018, 3,500 lb (fully loaded) 16' Airstream Bambi a few years ago. Love the trailer, but had to get rid of the Honda Pilot that turned out to be a bad idea even though it is supposed to pull 4,500 lbs. Got the new Ford to pull it and can't wait for the dealer to get the tow package installed soon. I was happy that the truck is able to pull more than I need with an engine that get way better mileage than the Pilot. This truck also gives us the option to eventually upgrading to a longer trailer if we wanted to, but I'd be weary of going over the 5000 lb threshold.
 

ausable

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We are looking at the Geo Pro 19FD as well so we are interested in pros and cons, too.
The Rockwood series are as good as any and much better than most. Lots of reasons to really like it. We chose it and not disappointed. There is really only one main bug a boo and that's the pass through inverter. PITA. Design flaw in choosing a pass through version. Your outlets are throttled at 1000 watts and that's just not right.

Overall? A fine, fine choice as long as you're not blindsided by the inverter. Which, btw, your salesman won't know a hill of beans about. Join a FB page and do a search and you'll find a thousands posts on the son of a gun. It has befuddled and left so many rookie RVers left to pull their hair out.
 

ausable

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"The Rockwood GeoPro/E-Pro is quite nice, but way over board on techie stuff that has proven somewhat a nuisance to most of their owners."

Looked up the GeoPro and it looks nice. What kind of nuisances?

Jon
See my response just above.
 

Msfitoy

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If don't go with a Offgrid Trailer due to price, I wouldn't mind a Geo Pro or No Boundary for mild offroad...
https://offgridtrailers.com/
 

Oregon Comrade

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Based on my limited towing experience, trailer towing capacity is rarely the limiter, its typically payload. A 5k trailer @ 10-15% tongue weight is 500 to 750 lbs. Two adults, another 300 to 400. Bikes, luggage, fuel, food, firewood, your looking at least 1000 to 1300 lbs...which is near limit of these trucks.

7500 lb trailer leaves virtually no reserve payload.

This is stock truck, lift, leveling kit, oversize tires all effect payload to an unknown or hard to quantify extent.

YMMV
 

P. A. Schilke

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Hi Folks,

There is another metric here that needs to be included and that is GCW, and I do not know Jon's configuration...just XLT, so what does his owner's manual spec out his GCW By the way GCW is not defined as Trailer GVW+Truck GVW... Just as GAWR of the front plus GAWR of the Rear axle does not equal GVW... Really need more data from Jon to assess what trailer he can purchase...

Here is a way to figure this out that is not a SWAG! Load the Truck with what you anticipate you will carry in the pickup box, then load yourself, Wife and Kids, Dogs, tortoise etc. Then get the truck weighed at a public scale... Now take that weight and subtract from the GCW of your truck configuration...subtract another 10% for insurance...this will tell you what your max GVW trailer you can haul and be with in Ford Specs. Then for safety, on your first trip with truck and trailer, both loaded to go have fun, stop by the scales again and weigh the whole thing...how does it compare to GCW? If over, probably best to head home and remove something to reduce weight...If under, you might have opportunity for a bit more, like say a 6 pack of beer for example...Pacifico would be my choice of beer...:)

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired
 

Oregon Comrade

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Hi Folks,

There is another metric here that needs to be included and that is GCW, and I do not know Jon's configuration...just XLT, so what does his owner's manual spec out his GCW By the way GCW is not defined as Trailer GVW+Truck GVW... Just as GAWR of the front plus GAWR of the Rear axle does not equal GVW... Really need more data from Jon to assess what trailer he can purchase...

Here is a way to figure this out that is not a SWAG! Load the Truck with what you anticipate you will carry in the pickup box, then load yourself, Wife and Kids, Dogs, tortoise etc. Then get the truck weighed at a public scale... Now take that weight and subtract from the GCW of your truck configuration...subtract another 10% for insurance...this will tell you what your max GVW trailer you can haul and be with in Ford Specs. Then for safety, on your first trip with truck and trailer, both loaded to go have fun, stop by the scales again and weigh the whole thing...how does it compare to GCW? If over, probably best to head home and remove something to reduce weight...If under, you might have opportunity for a bit more, like say a 6 pack of beer for example...Pacifico would be my choice of beer...:)

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired
Sorry Phil you have no clue what you are talking about. Based on your credentials I would expect more. You post is very off base.....we all know Negro Modelo is the best choice :)

Cheers
 

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Realistically, if you want to be happy with trip mileage and power... Use mild acceleration, 62MPH cruising speed, and find a trailer with good aero and no more than 4000 pounds. If you and your family will fit,go with under 3000 pounds and buy a clam shelter and an awning.
I tow between a thousand and three thousand miles per trip, with only two of us, but I get better than EPA City while towing my 2000 pound trailer and all my gear,
The Ranger would happily tow a larger trailer at a somewhat higher speed, but you'll pay at the pump. If you just camp close to home, that may be just fine.

If you want towing excellence ,longevity and quality along with GREAT resale, look at a Fiberglass trailer like...
Scamp , Casita, Eggcamper, Parkliner, or Escape...or if you are rich... look at an Oliver.
 
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