What length of travel trailer you feel comfortable towing

I’m looking at travel trailer to tow with my 5.5” box 23’ tundra Payload is around 1350lbs. I think roughly 28’ is probably the max length I would go with and somewhere about 800lbs for hitch weight is the max I would go with. I will definitely get wdh and air bags. What length and hitch weight you recommend to be in spec with the truck (I got TT Hybrid motor ) let me know what u have

 

95% paved road
80%flat 20% medium hills

 

Ill never understand the mobile house on wheels needs of folks. If your going camping, keep it small and minimalistic- small tent or small camper, no need to bring these monstrosities into the wild. The amount of times I see folks outside in nature, sitting inside their RV's all day bugger picking and watching TV, it drives me nuts! Same thing goes for people, couldn't imagine going to a campground just to be 10-20ft from 100 other people but that's me. We own an opus op4 pop up- small, compact, goes anywhere and is more capable than the truck is offroad... and sleeps 4-6 people on a queen, king and twin bed- full pull out kitchen, etc.

Sorry for the rant, but once you start getting that long and particularly that heavy you need a bigger truck for safety. 8k trailer + passengers, gear, dog, etc and you're way over payload.

 

I would advise against the air bags. The reason is that pumping up air bags on the rear axle along with a WDH defeats some/much of the benefit of the WDH by raising the rear end a bit which then reduces the WDH ability to transfer weight to the truck front axle AND the trailer axle(s). In other words, you could overload the rear axle by pumping up the air bags where as the WDH removes weight from the rear axle. Now if you were to use the air bags to support the rear end when the WDH is not connected, during say some off road where you need the ground clearance back that the WDH torsion bars are taking, then that's a good application for the air bags. IMHO.

ps: I'm thinking of air bags too, for that second reason specifically. But not clear how practical it is to stop, take off torsion bars, pump up air bags, all just to go off road which I then assume will be a short drive to the campsite. Someone with experience on this could chime in better.

 

I pulled our 25 ft trailer that weighed 5000 lbs empty, 6000 lbs loaded and it did fine with it. Even though it's rated to tow 11-12000 lbs, the biggest challenge is the tongue weight and traditionally that's 10-15% of the trailer weight so on a 8000 lbs trailer you are between 800-1200 lbs. If you don't already have the trailer I'd consider looking at lighter one because of how close you could be to the max cargo weight as stated by the others. We wound up selling our trailer and getting a toyhauler is shorter and weighs 1000 lbs less but not because of the truck but because we like the toyhauler flexibility.

 

To each their own. I personally don't like lifts, big tires, and turning trucks into Mad Max vehicles. As long as people who love camping are finding peace and a connection with nature in their own ways.

@OP - I will be towing an almost 29' (24' floorplan) that will probably average around 7000lbs (5850lbs dry). I will be using a WDH without any air bags (for reasons @Paul Moll mentioned). I am feeling totally confident in this plan based on my experience towing and the many, many accounts of this truck's capability to tow similar setups with the proper set up and calibration.

 

Different strokes for different folks, except that my stuff is all functional, useful and kind of mandatory where I live and recreate.

Vs hauling a poorly built house on wheel into the woods to sit inside it all day and night and not enjoy nature, while making a racket with generators/ TV's and stereo systems and littering like crazy. Idaho, Montana and the surrounding states RV'rs are a special breed of stupid, careless, ignorant and self righteous folks who disrespect the land and nature- apparently I have lots of pent up aggression towards them

 

I've brought my 24' jayco into some increadibly tight places boondocking. You just need to not tow it with that land yacht half ton and its really not a big deal. Its why i have a GX460.

No one is impressed by your $35000 popup.

 

I've towed about 15k miles over the past 1.5 years with our 25' TT. It's a grand design 21BHE and weighs about 5500 pounds loaded. Unloaded it's probably around 4600. I have a full truck when the wife and 4 kids are aboard. I use a WDH and up until a few months ago, I was also using airbags. My truck is a 2018 crewmax. I've towed across the country several times, and we live on the front range of CO so I've seen a decent mix of flat, mountainous, wet, dry, windy, etc..

I wouldn't want to pull a trailer any longer or heavier with a Tundra. Not much margin for error left once you get bigger than this with a TT. I've spent a decent amount of time adjusting the hitch, distributing load in the truck and trailer, and hitting scales. While your truck is newer and has some different features, the inherent limitations of the newer trucks are nearly identical to the last generation. There's just no way around the fact you've got a 1/2 ton grocery getter and that tongue weight is gonna eat up your payload in a hurry.

I keep a spreadsheet with towing data and with regard to my specific situation, I'm always pretty much at 100% of GVWR on the truck, about 85% of GVWR of the trailer, and about 75% of GCVWR. Yes, you can load the truck over your stated payloads and GVWR, but it's simply imprudent to do so. I am continually trying to load the trailer differently and keep as much weight as possible back there and I can probably improve these ratios to increase the total weight I can move but more pounds is more pounds. Life is short and I want to travel with my family, not spend my life convincing myself my truck can do more than it really can. You're going to get a variety of opinions here, but towing a heavier trailer just leads to a more white knuckle experience for no reason IMO.

I'd try to do all you can with the WDH before messing with air bags. The bags actually work against a WDH (to a point) and make the ride more harsh. If you offroad they become a hinderance, as well. You don't want a Carolina squat when towing, but if the rear is a little lower than the front it's really not that big of a deal. The suspension is working like it's supposed to. No need to "keep it level" with bags. I will say that the bags do help with some sway in my experience.

I'm sure someone will be along shortly to tell you that they routinely tow 11teen thousand million pounds with their tundra and they can't even feel the trailer back there.

 

I'm towing almost this exact setup. The Tundra does great for the 9(ish) trips we do each year. I had a gas 2500 ram. I hated the 6 speed transmission always screaming uphill and the harsh ride when I wasn't towing. I use a WDH, no bags.

Side note. I was against RV's forever. Until I started thinking it as vacationing. When I want to go camping I go backpacking (we do that about 6 times per year). I won't bash on anyone for getting out and enjoying life. I'm too happy to waste my time on that silliness. LOL.

 

Everyone has their own feelings on this type of subject, and to each their own. Me personally, I like to keep it around 7500# and 28' max. Yes, that's on the larger/heavier side, but the 3rd gen tows it great. My advice is to always stay around 2/3 of max tow rating or less.

 

For the trailer, it is important to try to keep your tongue weight over 10% of the actual trailer weight to help with sway. That means if your towing a 7000 lbs trailer, you are going to have a tongue weight over 700 lbs. If your payload on your Tundra is 1350 lbs. you are left with 650 lbs for stuff and people to take with you. Most trailers will have a higher tongue weight on purpose to make the towing experience less swaying. Some of the bigger Airstreams that I see are about 7,000 lbs. with a tongue weight of over 1,000 lbs. That heavy load leaves little room for stuff or people to bring along.

We take a few extra propane 20 lbs bottles and a couple of kayaks and chairs and all sort of extras. With all the weight in the truck and the trailer added, we are close to our max payload (1,390 lbs) but under our Gross Vehicle Weight. Our trailer puts 500 lbs on the hitch and our hitch (WDH) weighs about 100 lbs.

One thing to account for is the extra add ons like a bed cover and racks, sliders, heavy bumpers and skid plates (in my case I could be up to 200 lbs). Those can add up and eat away at the payload before you even attach the trailer.

 

There is a whole other thread on the trailer towing topic, can't find it right now, but it's not real far back in history.

ps: payload is the first Tundra limit to hit. But the RV website towing experts claim that one can exceed payload rating IF one also stays under axle rating for each axle, AND they use WDH. Here's a real handy calculator: https://www.ajdesigner.com/apptrailertow/weightdistributionhitch.php
It might load with default values, so you might have to re-enter Tundra and your TT specific values.

 

Thanks all ! It sounds like not installing air bags is a good idea eh ! Let the wdh do the work maybe a set of timbren instead ? And defines won’t go 28’ lol I just decided 26’ long will be my max and no more than 700/750 lbs as far as hitch weight goes. Feel free to post some pictures of what you have I’d like to compare

 

Good decisions @Welderdude80

Long story short: I've set my limit at 900 pound tongue, 950 perhaps if I need to. 7000 loaded trailer weight. 2 adult passengers, 100 pounds cargo in truck. And WDH of course, 1000 pound as they rate those. Here's my screenshot of that in the above calculator. Note that it's right at the limit on Tundra GVWR, but is a few hundred pounds under on each axle. (WC=Weight Carrying ie no WDH; WD=WDH)

 

wasn’t asking anyone to be impressed by it and definitely paid no where near that much and can turn around and sell it at anytime for far more than I paid for it, unlike every other house on wheels out there.

Ive seen guys drag 40ft goosenecks into places they absolutely shouldn’t have been, I’ve also seen a lot of said 40ft trailers left places or busted in 2 because they couldn’t get them out. Small rig helps, but mobile homes shouldn’t be taken into the woods. Enjoy nature people

 

Understand why some people buy large travel trailers, namely those who live out of them chasing work because their career choice demands it. In which case buy a 1 ton dually diesel and a nice 5th wheel because you’re legit living out of it.

Otherwise I agree with you.

 

Agreed

 

Here's my travel trailer. I have this same ancient, original Dana pack. Everyone else is wrong.

 

This is probably the maximum comfortable set up you're going to want to tow with a ½ ton. Yes I know stickers, axles, wdh's, bags, add-a-leafs, sumo springs... ugh. Capable of more? Sure. Not a good time or good idea doing it though.

 

Maybe just me but appears you have “self righteous” down pat…

 

My kids freaked out when we were invited to dinner at my buddy's RV campsite. His kids are friends with my kids, and his family camps in a 34-footer that they pull with a Nissan Armada. Lol.

Ever since that evening, whenever camping comes up in conversation at my house, all I hear is how awesome campers are and how we need one. I just don't know if I can do it. The part of me that bought a 2nd gen Tundra because it's nearly indestructible is the same part of me that recoils at the idea of buying a plywood/aluminum/plastic camper that isn't really made to last, even if it's well cared for.

 

yeah in the same situation, thats why i want the smallest double axle camper i can find with a shower (want doulbe axles in case of tire failure safety margin). i rather invest the money into a boat than camper.

better yet, stick to fishing from the shore like i have been the last 20 yrs. i go fishing to get away from everything and shore fishing works.

 

You make a lot of assumptions and put a lot of people into one overly-simplified, stereotypical group.

I bought a TT because I have a wife and kids and it makes it easier for us to enjoy the outdoors. Before I had a family, and for a good while after, I spent hundreds and hundreds of nights tent camping, hoofing around with a pack, etc. Now that I have a family, we can boondock and have a nice place to clean up and sleep after a day of hiking, fishing, boating, hunting, etc. My son plays competitive soccer and we often travel to areas for large tournaments. I've found taking the trailer is more comfortable and offers more privacy than getting a hotel. It also saves a fortune.

My point is that there is a lot of nuance to the decisions people make, and just because you don't understand the "why" behind something doesn't give you the right to sit on your self-appointed moral throne and dish out misperceived judgment on others.


Your $30k inflatable trailer is not "minimalist" by any stretch of the word - and it wouldn't get to 90% of the places we used to take our little offroad trailer, which was also not "minimalist."





At some point we outgrew this and had to "upgrade." The night this picture was taking was at a KOA in Green River, UT in October. Staying here allowed us to drive into Canyonlands and take some pretty long and remote hikes throughout the day, while still having a nearby place to cook a meal, sleep in a warm bed, and take a shower. Our nearest neighbor was at least 150ft away.




And this is at a private campsite in Brian Head, UT - again, our nearest neighbors were several hundred feet away through aspen trees. We woke up before 5 am every day we were here, caught about 50 fish between us on a pontoon boat, road SXSs all over the mountains, hiked, grilled, and were able to sleep in comfortable, warm beds at the end of the night. We don't even have TV in our camper and we spend maybe 1-2 waking hours in it a day when we're camping.

 

IDK about traveling trailers, but 28' with 10k loaded worked well.

 

yeah i looked at the black series trailers and man they are nice for really off the beaten path trailers, but man that pricing is nuts for the HQ17 and HQ19. but man i can wish

 

That pin weight is going to leave you very little payload for gear in the bed, passengers, etc.. And as you know it will slightly increase as you add gear to the truck.. Personally I would just keep a close eye on your weight, but if within spec go for it.

I cannot speak at all to the power or comfort of towing in the 3rd gen Tundra.

 

This is what I did. Wife & kids aren't the camping type (it takes a lot to get them to stay 1 night on the boat). They're more of a "picnic" crowd. So my TT/toyhauler/RV is a 30' Cruisers Inc Aria. Couple of old carb'ed big blocks get us on a plane with ease and we can bring our friends/family for a day on the river. I also recently gave up trying to turn the family into fishermen. So a couple of weekends in the spring and fall, I'll go stand in a stream and throw flies at usually nothing which scratches my itch and is pretty cathartic.