Towed new 4300lb camper in 30-50mph winds

[Jefe1018]

Look at my Sig. For those that know, what do you think I can really tow.

What does your ccw choice have to do with anything?

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[Jefe1018]

I liked the 19.3 a lot but the wife wanted a slide. We have a lot of trips planned this year with it so I'll be trying to post up more often about the different places we go.

How far are you planning to go? I know the state of Florida is pretty much flat with the exception of the pan handle, right?

I get so jealous of how good your wheels look with the red paint scheme, looks even better towing your trailer.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Look at my Sig. For those that know, what do you think I can really tow.

Once you start heavy mods - there's no number anyone can possibly give you other than to say most of what you've done has cut your tow rating - some by a lot, some by a little.
All the weight added will reduce it (and your payload by the same amount of weight you've added to it) lifts, etc. - it all takes away.
Moving weight takes horsepower. Adding weight takes more horsepower. More HP generated means more BTUs of heat produced. So it's not just about power and weight, it's also about heat rejection. Your braking is reduced so you will rely a lot more on the trailer brakes. Emergency steering/handling and braking will be impacted. Taller tires mean less braking ability (increased stop times and distances).
No one can tell you other than a Rubicon automatic starts at 7,000 pounds towing. You will be under that. And then you should stay a margin of safety below whatever that is.
There is no formula.
For payload - take the door sticker number and subtract the weight of all of your additions from that and there's your payload. Then you subtract tongue weight from that - and what's left is what there is for your gear, cooler, anything you toss into it or that rides with you.
If your sticker says 1,000 pounds payload, and you have added 300 pounds to the weight of the truck since it was brand new, then you have 700 pounds payload. If you tow 5,000 pounds and have 500 pound tongue weight, then you are down to 200 pounds left for people, pets, guns, fishing gear, whatever.

 

[JTGuy]

I guess the best thing to do is pack a suitcase and stay in a hotel. lol, not a bad plan.

 

[Wildtoad]

You may already know this but it’s a common practice to weigh your JT and your trailer to get actual numbers. Load both as you would when towing. Full fuel, people, bed loaded with gear. Same for the trailer. Onboard water, food, clothes, dishes, etc. Have fun

 

[bleda2002]

How far are you planning to go? I know the state of Florida is pretty much flat with the exception of the pan handle, right?

I get so jealous of how good your wheels look with the red paint scheme, looks even better towing your trailer.

This year we are going to TN for the Smoky Mountain Jeep Invasion, next year we are thinking about trying to get to Texas. The problem with living in Florida is it's already a haul just getting to Georgia or Alabama so farther trips take a good bit of time.

Eventually we'd like to get out west with it over a summer, waiting for the wife to finish her APN and hopefully get a telemed job so we can really travel. I've been virtual for 12 years so once she gets her telemed we'd be able to travel the whole summers.

 

[KevinC]

This year we are going to TN for the Smoky Mountain Jeep Invasion, next year we are thinking about trying to get to Texas. The problem with living in Florida is it's already a haul just getting to Georgia or Alabama so farther trips take a good bit of time.

Eventually we'd like to get out west with it over a summer, waiting for the wife to finish her APN and hopefully get a telemed job so we can really travel. I've been virtual for 12 years so once she gets her telemed we'd be able to travel the whole summers.

Sounds like you have a good plan for the future and bought the right size camper to accomplish it.

Curious if you sold the Aliner?

I have a Aliner Scout. I had a Winnebago Micro Mini and pulled it to Georgia once. I got about 8-10mpg and any wind at all and it dropped to 6-7mpg. Found out my wife would rather the dog and I go camping without her so I down sized to the Aliner. Now I'm at 16mpg. As you probably already know, Florida State Parks are all over the State and each one has a unique quality to them. My plan is to try and visit as many as possible (4-5 year). I also plan on going to Moab one day and still undecided if I want to pull my Aliner or take a tent or stay in hotels. Still researching and dreaming.

 

[bleda2002]

Sounds like you have a good plan for the future and bought the right size camper to accomplish it.

Curious if you sold the Aliner?

I have a Aliner Scout. I had a Winnebago Micro Mini and pulled it to Georgia once. I got about 8-10mpg and any wind at all and it dropped to 6-7mpg. Found out my wife would rather the dog and I go camping without her so I down sized to the Aliner. Now I'm at 16mpg. As you probably already know, Florida State Parks are all over the State and each one has a unique quality to them. My plan is to try and visit as many as possible (4-5 year). I also plan on going to Moab one day and still undecided if I want to pull my Aliner or take a tent or stay in hotels. Still researching and dreaming.

I ended up selling the Aliner as it was the expedition so it's big for 1 or 2 people but small for a family of 4 and a standard poodle. I do love the Aliner though, and anyone with no kids should really look in to them. Plenty of space for 1 or 2 people and everything you need inside, while being easy to tow. The lady that bought ours is actually planning on taking it cross country for 3 months so it should get some good miles.

 

[Reddog]

Probably empty, new, towed it home for first time, truck and trailer unloaded. Bet it sits differently in real life use.

Also know he's pretty capable........

On a single axle trailer, if the front is a tad high, it shifts weight back a tiny bit, my bets- he'll adjust.

All true but looking closely at the pic, it shows he is sitting on one side of the street crown and trailer is on the other side so hitch looks high. Not sure when the rig is all perfectly level. When I tow my boat with transom drive empty, it tows much different once I stow all the gear in it (Yeti's and beer are heavy) and fill the 35 gal fuel tank. I don't need a weight distributing hitch so I just slow down a bit and it tows fine. My friend who has a trailer a little smaller in size to the one this guy does and it really gets heavy once all the fluids are loaded along with gear and food. He tows with a heavily modified JK. Both have a high center of gravity. This past fall he was towing it in Utah on gravel road going too fast in strong winds and the whole rig ended up offroad and damaged. Amazing how well things can go if one just slows down and adjusts to road and weather conditions, but some folks have to learn that lesson the hard way.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Amazing how well things can go if one just slows down and adjusts to road and weather conditions, but some folks have to learn that lesson the hard way.

You said a book full right there.

I stow all the gear in it (Yeti's and beer are heavy) and fill the 35 gal fuel tank.

Pretty easy to properly distribute weight in the boat/trailer combos I've had. The trailers are typically well thought-out for the boat weight distribution. unless you stack everything high at the very back, hard to mess up. You've got a bit over 200 pounds of fuel alone with a 35 gallon tank (gas at roughly 6 pounds)

I can't put a WDH on my car hauler and the company says absolutely don't do it on an all-aluminum frame. Just put the load on correctly and it's fine - but it's not a camper, either. Different animal totally.

 

[Reddog]

You said a book full right there.


Pretty easy to properly distribute weight in the boat/trailer combos I've had. The trailers are typically well thought-out for the boat weight distribution. unless you stack everything high at the very back, hard to mess up. You've got a bit over 200 pounds of fuel alone with a 35 gallon tank (gas at roughly 6 pounds)

I can't put a WDH on my car hauler and the company says absolutely don't do it on an all-aluminum frame. Just put the load on correctly and it's fine - but it's not a camper, either. Different animal totally.

Agreed. I do balance the weight in the trailer but weight is weight and I didn't do a good job in explaining my meaning in previous comment I guess. Just trying to say that whether it is a 5000 lb RV trailer or a 2,500 lb boat, center of gravity and mass matter and the faster you go the more the handling dynamic changes. I think a lot of people actually have no idea how much their towed trailer fully loaded weighs or what the added weight means to the center of gravity. I have been west bound on I-70 headed over the Rockies out of Denver and just been amazed at how fast all different types of vehicles were going pulling all sorts of RV's and trailers loaded with Quads and SXS's. Often on this site, you see comments by folks regarding the weight of an RV and how close to the max it is for a given towing platform but few comments about the speed that it can be safely towed. It's ridiculous to say that a JTR can safely pull a RV loaded to max weight at the same speed as the same vehicle pulling an RV weighing half as much or less. That was my point, people need to slow down a bit when towing.

 

[bleda2002]

Agreed. I do balance the weight in the trailer but weight is weight and I didn't do a good job in explaining my meaning in previous comment I guess. Just trying to say that whether it is a 5000 lb RV trailer or a 2,500 lb boat, center of gravity and mass matter and the faster you go the more the handling dynamic changes. I think a lot of people actually have no idea how much their towed trailer fully loaded weighs or what the added weight means to the center of gravity. I have been west bound on I-70 headed over the Rockies out of Denver and just been amazed at how fast all different types of vehicles were going pulling all sorts of RV's and trailers loaded with Quads and SXS's. Often on this site, you see comments by folks regarding the weight of an RV and how close to the max it is for a given towing platform but few comments about the speed that it can be safely towed. It's ridiculous to say that a JTR can safely pull a RV loaded to max weight at the same speed as the same vehicle pulling an RV weighing half as much or less. That was my point, people need to slow down a bit when towing.

There is a reason in Europe the tow ratings are huge vs ours. Most of it just comes down to the towing speed limit on Europe is quite low so they can tow more cause they just go slower.

Euro wrangler is 5k pounds, American wrangler 3.5k for example.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

There is a reason in Europe the tow ratings are huge vs ours. Most of it just comes down to the towing speed limit on Europe is quite low so they can tow more cause they just go slower.

Euro wrangler is 5k pounds, American wrangler 3.5k for example.

Many states used to have towing speed limits that were lower than single vehicle not towing anything. It was often limited to 65.
Some states had the law but not the signs, others had the signs stating towing speed limits. I guess the lobbyists and manufacturers of trailers and such got their word in.
those limits appear to be a thing of the past - can't find much on it any more.

https://rvnerds.com/resources/speed-limits-and-towing/

I disagree with their "fortunately" comment - no, if you are towing you can't possibly be going as fast as everyone else and maintain the same level of control and safety -

>> Fortunately, the number of states still clinging to split speed limits continues to fall. <<

I disagree. I tow and I disagree.

 

[WK2JT]

I guess the best thing to do is pack a suitcase and stay in a hotel. lol, not a bad plan.

Be sure to watch the weight of that suitcase so you don’t go over payload.

 

[bleda2002]

Be sure to watch the weight of that suitcase so you don’t go over payload.

I've heard the 2024s come with a payload detector, if you are over by a pound it goes limp mode and announces the vehicle you are driving is too fat, please pull over.

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