Tow Capacity

[Gkconfer]

Hello all. I've spent the past several days browsing the forum topics and am impressed with the amazing amount of information available for newbies such as me on this amazing website. I'm also impressed by the genuine warmth and friendliness demonstrated by all. Camping folks are the best!

Now the question: After months of research on the net and in the field, we have narrowed the search for a new...and our first...rv to a Jayco Jayflight 26BH. The floorplan works best for us, and I don't feel the need for a slide unit...extra weight, potential leakage and one more motor to break down and eventually replace. My tow vehicle is a 2006 Toyota Tacoma V6 with the tow package offering a maximum 6500 lbs. towing capacity. The 26bh has a dryweight of 4700lbs, and I'm not sure if that includes the hitch weight. The dealer says it does, but I have received conflicting information from other sources that confuses the issue for me. I'm concerned that the weight of the 26bh will be too much for my truck once the cargo, human and otherwise, starts adding upwards to 6000 lbs. The dealers have all assured me that my truck is more than adequate for the 26bh, but I would prefer to hear that from people who have actual camping experience in these matters rather than salesmen trying to close a deal. Thanks in advance for your insights.

[paflyfisher]

The 4700# dry weight is as it sits on the dealer lot, no water, no pots & pans, no food, no cloths, no stuff you carry with you. The 6500# your Tacoma can pull includes all of this plus the weight of those riding in the truck. The weight sitting on your hitch is something else. Oh, and don't expect 18 MPG out of the V6.

[Gkconfer]

Thanks PA. I'm already mentally prepared for MPG shock. My truck gets 20mpg on the highway, but I've been warned to expect 10 MPG with a tt in tow. BTW, have you set up your tt at Poe Paddy State Park? I like to fish Penns Creek but am concerned that the 26bh may be a tight fit in that campground. My friends and I are already looking forward to the Green Drake hatch. Better yet if we can return from a successful night of fishing to the comforts of the RV. We're all getting too old for tent camping.

[cciparts]

Originally Posted by Gkconfer

Hello all. I've spent the past several days browsing the forum topics and am impressed with the amazing amount of information available for newbies such as me on this amazing website. I'm also impressed by the genuine warmth and friendliness demonstrated by all. Camping folks are the best!

Now the question: After months of research on the net and in the field, we have narrowed the search for a new...and our first...rv to a Jayco Jayflight 26BH. The floorplan works best for us, and I don't feel the need for a slide unit...extra weight, potential leakage and one more motor to break down and eventually replace. My tow vehicle is a 2006 Toyota Tacoma V6 with the tow package offering a maximum 6500 lbs. towing capacity. The 26bh has a dryweight of 4700lbs, and I'm not sure if that includes the hitch weight. The dealer says it does, but I have received conflicting information from other sources that confuses the issue for me. I'm concerned that the weight of the 26bh will be too much for my truck once the cargo, human and otherwise, starts adding upwards to 6000 lbs. The dealers have all assured me that my truck is more than adequate for the 26bh, but I would prefer to hear that from people who have actual camping experience in these matters rather than salesmen trying to close a deal. Thanks in advance for your insights.

Weight wise you should be ok. Don't expect to set any speed records with the V6 though.

The trailer is 4700. The average person takes between 400-700lbs worth of stuff with them. Then you have the passengers and the extra stuff in the vehicle. According to your vehicle specs you are fine.

Little story though; I took my F150 that had the 4.6 V8 and towed a few different trailers with it, one of them the 26BH. I decided that with the small V8 I would stick with nothing but pop-ups. It just didn't have the power. You are going to experience the same thing with the V6. I can almost guarantee you will be trading trucks in the near future.

Honest answer from someone working in the RV Industry.

[Crabman]

I think your concerns on the weights are justified, and you got a dealer that wants to sell a trailer really bad. The GVWR on that trailer alone is 7500lbs. Now that is not saying you will ever approach that figure. The empty weight on the Jayco website is 4725lbs. It will weigh more then this published weight when delivered,(I know this from experience) there will be a yellow sticker telling the actual weight with full propane tanks but before adding anything else such as battery, WD hitch, and anything YOU put in the rig. Then there is the cargo you put in the truck and the people as you mentioned. It all adds up and with a 6500 lbs tow rating, a short wheel base truck with a v6 towing a 29'+TT weighing in probably at 6000+ loaded, and a loaded tongue weight around 700 lbs, will not be a fun ride and the Tacoma will struggle IMO. I think you should investigate these numbers a little more before taking the plunge in order to possibly avoid a combination that may not work for you, and I`m not a member of the "weight police", the TT and truck combination that I currently have I feel is marginal at best. Best of luck.

[cciparts]

Originally Posted by Crabman

The empty weight on the Jayco website is 4725lbs. It will weigh more then this published weight when delivered,(I know this from experience) there will be a yellow sticker telling the actual weight with full propane tanks but before adding anything else such as battery, WD hitch, and anything YOU put in the rig.

Actually we have one that has all the options and weights just under 4700. The factory weight is with 2 propane bottles that are empty (that was just FYI stuff there).

I agree with you, I wouldn't want to go any distance with that truck. I was uncomfortable with one behind the F150 with the small V8.

[Crabman]

Originally Posted by cciparts

Actually we have one that has all the options and weights just under 4700. The factory weight is with 2 propane bottles that are empty (that was just FYI stuff there).

I agree with you, I wouldn't want to go any distance with that truck. I was uncomfortable with one behind the F150 with the small V8.

Jayco may have changed their policy since 2010 model, but here it is straight from the yellow sticker "The weight of this recreational vehicle trailer as completed at the factory with full propane cylinders and full generator fuel if applicable is 5568 lbs" The published website weight of my rig was 5315lbs. A difference of 253 lbs. Now I realize Jayco does not fill up the tanks before delivery, but they know what a full one weighs and must add on the appropriate amount, but this is really splitting hairs compared to the overall weights the OP is dealing with. Short tows he may be OK, but not far IMO.

[cciparts]

Originally Posted by Crabman

Short tows he may be OK, but not far IMO.

Here's another example.... Jeep rates their Liberty at 5,500 lbs tow capacity. I pulled a Jayco 1206 Pop-up with a Liberty and it scarred the living you know what out of me. Never again, thank heavens I was just helping a friend and it was her vehicle.

[Boss Wagon]

My two cents worth on tow ratings. I think they must rate them in Kansas, Nebraska or some other flat state with straight border lines. Over the past few years tow ratings have really gone up. Now 150's or 1500 pickem ups are rated at what the 350's or 3500's were several years back. I know that horsepower and torque ratings have increased dramatically, but I think tow ratings are like the fuel economy ratings of 20 years ago which were way off.

Someone on here commented about a dealer that spoke of the frontal area of the trailer. I had never heard of any other dealer of manufacturer acknowledging that before, but that is perhaps a bigger consideration than the weight. Once you get the weight rolling and up to speed the drag is what is really the culprit.

When I towed a Geo Tracker (about 2300 lbs) with a Class A motorhome the gas mileage was virtually the same as driving without it.

That's my two cents. I think all ratings are high, for merely marketing purposes. Tomorrow I'll wish I didn't even post this!

[av8arkie]

I think the tow vehicle can make or break a trip just as much as camper problems! A tow vehicle at its limits, IMO, is a bad thing! If you are scared sh@%less or uncomfortable towing, all the fun and relaxing you had camping is lost on the way home! Also, you may not use your camper as often as you may want because of the hastle, of towing! Just my 2 cents!

[Denise]

Welcome to the Jayco Owners Forum Gkconfer! Another thought on that tt/tv combo.... will you be on flatlands or will you hit hills/mountains. Will the braking system hold up when you need it? Your tv may bog down big time on grades, and you may wind up white-knuckling it down the other side. Is there any chance you can get a lighter tt that you could be happy with, or possibly purchase a tv with a higher tow capacity? Glad you could find this forum; lotsa folks with different experiences to share and other thing to consider when buying an rv... Sales staff at dealerships have a way of convincing folks that there tv can tow a tt based on drywieght. Happy shopping, and let us know what ya wind up doing!

[Duran1]

Hi Gkconfer,

Welcome to this great forum. I am a fresh newbie as well.
If i can give you my 10c to the subject, and i don't mean to discourage you by any means, i think you will have a hard time with the Tacoma. I am concerned about the transmission... The dealer will tell you whatever you want to hear (for the most part).
I hate to say this but i agree with Cciparts opinion as well that in a year, you'd be looking for a new truck.

[Gkconfer]

Thanks everyone. I appreciate your comments, and I am rethinking the entire purchase. I really like the Jayco 26BH floorplan but not at the expense of TV, life and limb. Unfortunately, a new TV is not in my future.

My research indicates that Jayco offers quality products, but I will probably need to look at other manufacturers since I can't find a Jayco tt around 3000#s dry weight that suits our needs. The Forest River Rockwood Mini-lite 2306 looks promising, is smaller, weighs about 3000#s unloaded. Does anyone have any experience with Forest River tts, and do you what do you think about the Tacoma's ability to handle a tt of that weight? Thanks again for your help. If I hadn't stumbled onto the good folks on this site, I would now be the owner of a tt that, in all probablility, I couldn't tow. Any suggestions and advice is greatly appreciated.

Greg in PA

[Bob Landry]

Payload capacity is as important as towing capacity and the two do not interact.. Your owners manual will give you that info. That number will include the weight of a full fuel tank and maybe a driver, but I'm not sure about that. Add the weight of all passengers, any gear you may have in the cab abd also anything you may be carrying in the bed. Add the hitch weight of the trailer keeping in mind that number is going to go up as you store stuff in the pass-through. It's best to go to a scale, but I think Jayco represents their trailer weights and hitch weights reasonably well. Their dry weight includes full propane tanks, but nothing else. Crunch the numbers and I'm betting you will be overweight for the Tacoma. I also think you'll be underpowered with the V-6. I towed my 22FB with a V6 4Runner and it really struggled in spite of the trailer being within the tow limits. I didn't have a tow package in the 4Runner, but that would not have affected the towing charateristics of the vehicle. One trip was enough to make me trade it on a Tundra. I bought the 4.6L and now wish I had bought the 5.7L. When I upgrade the truck and trailer, I will go to that. If you stay on level terrain, you may be OK, but I can tell you, When you're crossing the Colorado Rockies on I-70, there is no substitute for cubic inches and horsepower. Good Luck & Happy Camping.

[tbwill]

Originally Posted by Gkconfer

Thanks everyone. I appreciate your comments, and I am rethinking the entire purchase. I really like the Jayco 26BH floorplan but not at the expense of TV, life and limb. Unfortunately, a new TV is not in my future.

My research indicates that Jayco offers quality products, but I will probably need to look at other manufacturers since I can't find a Jayco tt around 3000#s dry weight that suits our needs. The Forest River Rockwood Mini-lite 2306 looks promising, is smaller, weighs about 3000#s unloaded. Does anyone have any experience with Forest River tts, and do you what do you think about the Tacoma's ability to handle a tt of that weight? Thanks again for your help. If I hadn't stumbled onto the good folks on this site, I would now be the owner of a tt that, in all probablility, I couldn't tow. Any suggestions and advice is greatly appreciated.

Greg in PA

Have you considered one of the Jayco/Starcraft Hybrids? I don't what you need as far as sleeping capacity, but something like the X18D will give you three pop out beds without cutting into the floorspace at all. Plus the GVW is 4400 lbs, well within the Tacoma's limit. We have the Starcraft twin of the X17C which suits us fine because there's only two of us. We tow it with a 2010 Toyota 4Runner and it pulls great.

[paflyfisher]

Gkconfer - I live 5 minutes from Spring Creek in Central PA and fish it every chance I get, nothing better than a native brown trout on a dry fly. I have a 2010 G2 31BHDS that is on a permanent site between Waterville and Little Pine Creek State Park. It is on private ground with only one other permanent site, my little piece of heaven. I don't fish Penns to much, it is a hard stream to figure out except when the Green Drakes are on, just have to hit it at the right time. When at the RV I normal fish Little Pine, both above and below the dam. Big Pine Creek is a mile away but alot of water to fish.

[Gkconfer]

I know Big Pine well, having fished it since 1985. I have never fished Little Pine, having more interest in exploring Slate Run, particularly the seven mile camp area. Love it for its remoteless and wild trout. I just recently started fishing Penns Creek. You are correct....Penns is difficult to decipher and, perhaps, is the most difficult stream I've ever fished...that includes streams in Montana, Wyoming and California. That's why I'll be heading back to Penns come April. Sorry for turning this thread into a flyfishing thread. Thanks again for the insight.

[Gkconfer]

Originally Posted by tbwill

Have you considered one of the Jayco/Starcraft Hybrids? We have the Starcraft twin of the X17C which suits us fine because there's only two of us. We tow it with a 2010 Toyota 4Runner and it pulls great.

Interesting. The Jayco 26bh weighs 4725 unloaded. The Hybrid you reference weighs only 300lbs less. Is that 4400lbs loaded or dry weight? And does your 4Runner have a V6 or a V8? Also, I'm curious to know if you travel cross country or keep your trips close to home. I plan to travel far and wide and have been warned on this site, and a Toyota Tacoma forum, that I'm asking for problems if I try to pull a tt in the previously mentioned weight range. I'm taking the warnings very seriously. Unfortunately, the dealers that I've talked with have all assured me that 26bh should be no problem for my Tacoma. Imagine that!

My wife and I love the floorplan of the 26bh, but are now seriously considering a Mini-Lite model in the 3000lb range. We want to be safe and enjoy the experience,but have ruled out the hybrid. Thanks for your help.

[Duran1]

Originally Posted by Gkconfer

Interesting. The Jayco 26bh weighs 4725 unloaded. The Hybrid you reference weighs only 300lbs less. Is that 4400lbs loaded or dry weight? And does your 4Runner have a V6 or a V8? Also, I'm curious to know if you travel cross country or keep your trips close to home. I plan to travel far and wide and have been warned on this site, and a Toyota Tacoma forum, that I'm asking for problems if I try to pull a tt in the previously mentioned weight range. I'm taking the warnings very seriously. Unfortunately, the dealers that I've talked with have all assured me that 26bh should be no problem for my Tacoma. Imagine that!

My wife and I love the floorplan of the 26bh, but are now seriously considering a Mini-Lite model in the 3000lb range. We want to be safe and enjoy the experience,but have ruled out the hybrid. Thanks for your help.

Another suggestion is to go to the dealer, have them hitch the TT to your Tacoma and let you take it for a ride. A lot of dealers do this (mine did at least). I would drive it at least 20 miles on the highway and a hilly road. I suggest a weight distribution unit especially if you want to travel far. That will add to the overall weight but will make your life on the road so much easier. My concern again is that you will run into problems pulling that particular TT with a Tacoma... I really hope i am wrong as Jayco's are awesome units. I could simply tell about their popularity when i took a look at my storage lot, 3 out of 5 were Jayco models....

[Wilkie]

You are right to reconsider your purchase even though I love my Jayco. I have been camping for 25 years and know from experience that the wrong TV can ruin a trip. I live in PA as well; its not the big hills you need to worry about, its the long ones that kill a TV. Don't trust RV dealers for the most part, they lie to make a sale. While you may technically be within your weight limit you also need to worry about stopping and handling. The weight of a full size trailer can easily push a light weight TV through a red light in a light rain...learned that the hard way. The tail will also wag the dog on a windy day. Do yourself a favor and allow for plenty of difference between tow capacity and trailer weight. Good luck with whatever you purchase.