Getting close to ordering 26BH. Can you double check my tow numbers?

[Subaru297]

Payload is the limiting factor as everyone else has mentioned already. I have been going over the numbers as we just purchased a new 281BHS.

Not directly comparable but....

Brochure weight 4900lbs
Delivered weight 5500lbs (door sticker)
Ready to camp weight 6500lbs (Just a guess as we don't have the trailer yet.
6500lbs *12.5% = 800lbs tongue weight

Our truck is a rather weak 2013 f-150 with a listed payload capacity of 1500lbs and 7350GVWR and 7500lbs towing capacity. We went to the scale before on the way to the RV dealer which are all free as far as I have seen in BC and Alberta.
Truck with 1/2 a tank myself, wife, 2 year old, and 5 month old kids weighed in at 6525lbs with no camping gear.

7350-6525= 825lbs remaining for tongue weight!

So I can do it but it is close to maxing out my payload.
I did have three sandbags in the back and a heavy rubber mat for winter driving and the heavy winter tires on the truck but that should be about 200-250lbs and will likely just be replaced with camping stuff when we get to head out.

I also wanted to point out that the payload on the TV door jam can be a bit optimistic as well. Any options you add at the dealer take away from that as well. Bed liner and toneau cover are the culprits in my case I think.

The new F150's with the Max tow and HD payload have capacities over 2000lbs in the crew cab varieties. 2620lbs to be exact in the 4x2 models and 2330lbs in the 4x4 crew cabs. I don't think anyone else is in that ballpark.

[Tex1961]

Originally Posted by tjpolsin

Looking at GCWR, your max gross TT weight can be 7950 (13100-5150). the GVW of your 26BH is 7500, so you are getting close (450# to spare, but OK so far)

your available payload is 1150-TT tongue - passengers. your 26BH at 7500# has a tongue weight of 750# (min), therefore you have 400#(max) avail for passengers and gear. Again, close to max. with a fully loaded TT, you should only have two passengers in your jeep with you, else you will exceed the payload of your jeep.

the less stuff you put in your trailer, the more passengers you can carry in the jeep.

Tim

Your math confuses me... The GVR IS 7500, but the dry is only 4505.. His towing capacity is 7500 so he has a lot more room than 400# for equipment and people..

[wwsmith111]

Dude, you need a bigger tow vehicle than a jeep to safely tow a TT that big. By bigger I mean wider and longer for stability such as a pickup. No doubt that hemi has power, but that would not be my main concern. How much is the life of your family worth? Get a pickup to tow with or buy a popup or small TT. Just sayin'

[SouthCo]

Originally Posted by Camper_bob

+1, I LOVE my truck, but if I had it to do over, I would get at least a 2500. I've been looking a lot, and the additional expense to go all the way up to a 3500 isn't that great a jump. But most of the 3500s I've seen don't offer gas engines; diesel only.

On the other hand, I don't really tow all that much, so the 1/2 ton makes a nice daily driver. The other, other hand: my commute is only 7 miles a day...

decisions decisions...

Yeah it's not that much more to just go 2500 or 3500. I wish I had looked more before buying the 1500 I ended up selling. But then again, I was only towing a 18' enclosed trailer at that time. And I think my 2500 rides almost as good as the 1500 I had. On some bumpy road around here the 2500 seems even smoother but my 1500 did have the max trailer package... I guess maybe the extra weight of the 2500 makes it seem smoother on some bumps.... I really like driving my 2500 but I don't drive it daily...

[tjpolsin]

Originally Posted by Tex1961

Your math confuses me... The GVR IS 7500, but the dry is only 4505.. His towing capacity is 7500 so he has a lot more room than 400# for equipment and people..

I got those numbers from looking up the stats for the 26BH on the Jayco website.

GVW listed for the truck + GVW listed for the trailer should be less then the GCWR of the Tow vehicle. The other half of the puzzle is including trailer tongue weight into truck payload (as discussed here). Max tongue weight will be ~12.5% of trailer GVW.

I have always used gross weights (not dry weights) when matching truck to trailer.

Tim

[JamesA]

man, this is tough. getting a new TV and 26BH vs Jeep and getting a smaller TT which we'll grow out of fast. If new TV then there is the added cost of upgrading. Argh!

[clubhouse]

Originally Posted by JamesA

man, this is tough. getting a new TV and 26BH vs Jeep and getting a smaller TT which we'll grow out of fast. If new TV then there is the added cost of upgrading. Argh!

Do yourself a favor -- figure out the TV part first, then re-look at trailers. I imagine if you get a different TV and a 26BH it won't be long before you start to think you wish I had xxx or should have got xxx.

From the 26BH there are several very similar floorplans that add just a little bit more; maybe a slide, maybe a slighly different kitchen layout, etc.

I decided on the 26BH beasue I thought it was a decent match to my TV at the time. But in reality if I had a little more TV I may have chose the BHS option since it was only a few % higher in price and weight -- but I was really trying to minimize weight/length and every LB mattered with my TV.

Ultimatly had I focused on TV first I very well could have picked a floorplan initially that would have worked better when we had our 3rd kid and could have prevented having to sell the first trailer sooner than planned.

[LiftedAWDAstro]

It's a vicious cycle isn't it? LOL What about looking at a light weight camper like a Jay Feather 228 which has 3 bunks and no slides? How about a White Hawk 25BHS? It is a bit lighter than the 26BH and less tongue weight but still has the sleeping capacity plus a small slide.

I would also very highly recommend you invest in one of the best hitches available, either a Hensley Arrow or Propride 3P which I use. With the shorter wheelbase and width of the GC, you'll want all the stability these 2 hitches provide. They are very expensive but worth every penny. There is NO tail wagging the dog with these hitches.

[JamesA]

Originally Posted by LiftedAWDAstro

It's a vicious cycle isn't it? LOL What about looking at a light weight camper like a Jay Feather 228 which has 3 bunks and no slides? How about a White Hawk 25BHS? It is a bit lighter than the 26BH and less tongue weight but still has the sleeping capacity plus a small slide.

I would also very highly recommend you invest in one of the best hitches available, either a Hensley Arrow or Propride 3P which I use. With the shorter wheelbase and width of the GC, you'll want all the stability these 2 hitches provide. They are very expensive but worth every penny. There is NO tail wagging the dog with these hitches.

Thanks. I have been running the numbers every which way including selling my jeep and getting a F150 ecoboost, etc.

I had not considered the 228 and it may be a good unit if I'm being realistic. I figure if I buy well on that and then decide in a few years to upgrade the TV and TT I will be ok. That way I can keep my Jeep and not go all in on the first go around. Any thoughts?

[LiftedAWDAstro]

I would look at every option rather than buy a new camper and a new truck! That is unless you have the funds and have wanted a truck, then buy both! If you have a lighter camper, you can upgrade the tv in a year or 2 and then upgrade camper as the kids grow.