Jayco 213

sanm,an68 · 08-12-2010, 04:54 PM

My wife and I are looking at travel trailers and really like the Jayco 213. I am concerned it is too heavy and long for my tow vehicle. I have a 2008 Mercury Mountaineer v8 awd with the factory tow package. My vehicle is rated to tow 7300 pounds. Obvioulsy I don't want to tow anything close to that weight. I know I need a brake controller and weight distribtion hitch with sway control. We have 2 little kids and they love the bunk beds. If I could get the same modle at 3500 pounds I would go for it.

Let me know what you think. Opinions are all accepted.

Thanks
Sanman

Texas Sam · 08-12-2010, 06:42 PM

What is the unloaded weight of the 213, what is the loaded weight and what are the dimensions? I looked on the Jayco website but did not find the 213 so I cannot suggest another Jayco trailer with a similar floor plan. More info please.

Hondopatrick · 08-12-2010, 06:57 PM

I believe it is the Jay Feather EXP... correct? There are several floorplans including the 213. Unloaded weight is 4285 with a gross vehicle weight of 5500. I'm not an expert on trying to figure out what you can tow but it seems to be well within the 7300 pound tow rating of your Mountaineer.

Hondopatrick · 08-12-2010, 06:59 PM

Oh and ... Welcome to the forum! Let us know what you decide.

sanm,an68 · 08-12-2010, 07:20 PM

Sorry for the confusion. Hondopatrick nailed it though(weights and size right on). We are looking at the 213 exp because it is all hard sided and has bunks for the kids. We have looked at the hybrids and will go there if we can't get what we need in a weight we can tow. Bunks and a queen bed in a hard side. the lighter shorter the better.

Thanks
Sanman

Denise · 08-13-2010, 10:11 AM

Hi SanMan and welcome to the Jayco Owners Forum. Our experience with towing just within limits of your tv is that things will feel fine on the flatlands and hills, but may really bog down up grades. Braking may become a concern on long, steep grades; lower gears helped us there.

If you plan to do a lot of long distance travel vs. local camping, that 213 looks nice as you can still overnight/boondock somewhere along the route without having to pull the queen bed out (can leave it closed up still to sleep).

Let us know what you plan on doing, and remember that figuring all this stuff out and planning the purchase is part of the camping experience... Have fun!!

Seann45 · 08-13-2010, 10:22 AM

You appear to be well within the weights and limits of your tow vehicle. Believe me on a rain day you will appreciate the extra length.

welcome to the group

Seann

sanm,an68 · 08-13-2010, 11:32 AM

I plan on towing my trailer short distances during the summer maybe 10 weekends(Duluth and the North shore area). We love it there. 1 long trip to the mountains and beyond each year. I know I'm below my weight limit but I don't just want something I "can" tow. I want something I can tow without having to worry about overloading my vehicle (or me for that matter)on long trips.

Denise · 08-13-2010, 12:20 PM

What region of the country are you from? Do you have the coolers installed on your tv as part of the towing package? We had to add those to our previous tv (mini-vans) to keep the tv from overheating etc. Over the years pulling a pop-up then a fiberglass hard side tt over 10+k each (each of two mini-vans) our tv did well. We still have the second mini-van that we used to tow the our last smaller tt. It has 80k miles on it of which 15k was towing (through mountains also). All we've had to do so far has been new tires (once) and oil/filter changes.... nothing the major. Just make sure your tv has the coolers for towing. (perhaps I should preface this with I am definitely not an expert in this field... just our experience with help from other rv techies).

sanm,an68 · 08-13-2010, 02:58 PM

I'm from Minneaplois MN. It is moderately flat here. I plan on driving mostly in MN but once a year I would like to take the Mountaineer to the mountains. We love Yellowstone and would like to go to some of the other national parks. I actually don't plan on adding a trans cooler because I already have the factory one. I can see it in front of the ac coils. I do plan on getting a scanner to read trans temps as I'm driving and if I need to I will replace or add another trans cooler.

I have located 2 used 213's close by for a good price. Both are 2007's. I was planning on getting a new one in the spring.

Thanks
Sanman

Texas Sam · 08-13-2010, 04:15 PM

Sanman,

I agree with Sean45 that you are well within the towing/loading limits of your tow vehicle with a loaded trailer weighing 5,500 lbs. The only time you MIGHT notice a slowdown would be pulling the trailer up mountains that are in the 1,000 feet range. For every 1,000 feet in elevation you climb your tow vehicle loses 3 percent of its towing efficiency. At 10,000 feet your tow vehicle could pull 5,500 lbs but it would be straining.

Having pulled two different trailers in the Rocky Mountains with a tow vehicle that was straining, I would do it again in a heartbeat because MOST of our towing was at lower elevations. I would rather have the added creature comforts of the heavier trailer rather than settle for a lighter weight trailer just because I want to tow in the Rockies once a year.

Just my experience and preferences.

sanm,an68 · 08-13-2010, 06:39 PM

Texas Sam and everybody else. Thanks for the advice. We will almost certainly be getting the 213. I like they space the slide adds to the unit. I am now confident my vehicle can tow the trailer. I need a brake controller and weight distribution hitch now thwn ready to really start looking. We will for sure buy something by spring and I will let you guys know what we end up with.

Again
Thanks
Sanman

Texas Sam · 08-13-2010, 08:18 PM

Take a look at the Reese Dual Cam weight distribution hitch, the Prodigy brake controller and McKesh towing mirrors. We have been very satisfied with all three products for the five years we have been using them with our trailers.

JPBeck · 08-13-2010, 09:19 PM

that's a nice lay out-- I've never seen that before.
If you vehicle tows 7200 and the GVW of the 213 is 5500-- that looks good to me-- only thing I'd be concerned about is the short wheel base on the TV. Having towed with a shorter wheel base TV and a 25' trailer in the past. To say that it was a bit of a white knuckle adventure every time we towed (and we towed it half way across the country every summer) would be a understatement. But you got what you got. Obviously you'll weight distribution bars may want to look at a sway control bar as well.

Good Luck!

wvcmgbv8 · 11-09-2017, 10:07 PM

We bought a 2017 X213 and tow it with a Jeep Grand Cherokee V8 4.7 L.
No problem so far towing. I have the e2 WDH and the Prodigy brake controller. Excellent products.
I hope you have fun with the X213.

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