Towing Weight

[AshAid]

A newbie here, my wife and I are going to be purchasing a TT within the next few weeks (a huge RV show in Baltimore) and we are looking at lightweight TTs. We have been a few places and gotten info on them, and we really like the Gulfstream 23-foot AmeriLite for price reasons as well as weight reasons as well. They seem to be a bit lighter than some.

My question I pose to the forum is this: we will be hauling/pulling this TT with a Mercury Mountaineer V8 AWD that has a GVTW of 5880 lbs. If we purchase a TT that has a dry weight of say 3400 lbs or less and has a cargo capacity of say 1500 or less, am I correct in believing that all that weight put together would be under the 5880 lbs of my vehicle, and so we would be fine? I don't what to max out on weight and for other reasons as well like accidents, etc.....

Any info would really help. It's just reading some posts about salespeople and what we have come across, it's like they don't know what they are talking about and are just looking for a sale.

Thank you.

[Motor31]

Good for you that you are thinking ahead.

First off forget the empty weight figure. It's likely to be off. The figure you need to look at is the GVW (gross vehicle weight) for the trailer which is the max or loaded weight of the trailer. Then you need to look up the tow rating for your tow vehicle. Keep in mind that that figure is based on half fuel, no cargo, no passenger and only 150 lbs for the driver. Do not believe the salesman when he says something like you can tow anything on their lot.

Your tow vehicle has a GVW and a GCVW (gross combined vehicle weight). The GCVW is the weight of the tow vehicle and the tow load. You'll need to weigh the tow vehicle loaded as if you are going on a trip with it. Subtract that weight from the GCVW figure from the factory based on the specs of the vehicle to include gearing, engine and any tow package purchased with it. That figure will be what you can tow with it before you overload it. Use the printed specs and materials from the factory; don't rely on verbal info from a salesman, especially an RV salesman.

You will need to do the same with the trailer when you get it. Have it empty except for the battery, propane and furniture. Weigh it and take that figure which will be the real empty weight and subtract it from the trailer's GVW. That will be your real CCC or cargo carrying capacity to include water, food and everything else you want to load into it.
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Mike, Nancy and the Fuzzies
2005 MS 38 RL3
2001 Volvo MH (HDT)
2004 R1150RT (piggyback)
1996 Jeep Cherokee (toad)

[porscheracer]

Your loaded weight estimates are probably very low. Remember, empty weight (which is irrelevant, as Motor31 said) does not even include LP. Lp is 4.4# / gallon, and water is 8.3# / gallon. So, if you have an LP capacity of 18, and a water capacity of 35 (both low nominal figures) - add 370# before you even put a can of soup aboard.

I doubt very seriously if you will be happy towing that large a trailer with that light a vehicle. If you must, and the figures you arrive at say you can, the following will be (IMHO) absolute musts for happy / safe towing:
Good trailer brake controller (I like the Tekonsha Voyager);
Proper mirrors on the tow vehicle;
A weight distributing hitch / sway control hitch, matched to the trailer weight.

Actually, those items are strongly recommended for any trailer - but I'd consider them an absolute must for a Mountaineer (or anything else where the tow / trailer weight ratio is near 1:1).

Does your Mountaineer have the optional towing package? If not, I'd strongly consider adding a transmission cooler, at the least.
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Norm & Janet
'08 Winnebago View 24H / '09 Escape XLT AWD toad
'05 Winnebago Vectra 36RD / '03 Dakota QC 4x4 toad, or a 24' trailer with another car;
Probably somewhere in NA - or maybe on another continent.