Travel Trailer Debate- Experienced Opinions Wanted

[futzin']

Taking a family of 5 (plus they may wanna take friends) is a really big ask for a 21' (or 23') TT and/or a JT. I realize it's prolly very hard to reconsider options at this point, but it's possible that you spend a bunch of money and no one's happy.

Just my opinion. I own a 25' Micro Lite. (Seldom tow it anymore, and haven't yet with my JT).

Side note, word is that so many campers have been sold in the past year that camp sites will be tough to find.

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[aj8544]

Taking a family of 5 (plus they may wanna take friends) is a really big ask for a 21' (or 23') TT and/or a JT. I realize it's prolly very hard to reconsider options at this point, but it's possible that you spend a bunch of money and no one's happy.

Just my opinion. I own a 25' Micro Lite. (Seldom tow it anymore, and haven't yet with my JT).

Side note, word is that so many campers have been sold in the past year that camp sites will be tough to find.

Great points, one of the main reasons we are looking at these specific floorplans is the double bunks that will easily sleep 2 kids each.

I should mention our primary goal with this is not to have a massive trailer with living space to spend a significant amount of time in. We aren’t looking to join the weekender campsite block parties. This is essentially for sleeping, eating etc... and allowing us to get to more places and spend more time outdoors as a family. Basically a mobile basecamp. My kids enjoy hiking, fishing, biking, canoeing etc... those will be our primary activities. We live in the Fingerlakes of NY, a quick 4 hour drive to most any part of the Adirondacks which would be our primary travel destination.

As a secondary use I do also own hunting property 1 1/2 hours away. This will also serve as a hunting camp for early seasons before it gets too cold (hence the reason I want the heated enclosed underbelly that these models offer).

Certainly concerned we wont get as much use out of it as we plan. Would love to just rent a camper at least a few times to get a better feel for it. However, the towing limitations of the JT and local supply make rental nearly impossible.

Our real contingency plan if the JT won’t handle the task is to upgrade my wife’s Wrangler (2018 already at 70k miles) to something larger that will more easily fit 3 kids and tow more. Likely a 3/4 ton Ram.

 

[futzin']

Excellent!!

Likely a 3/4 ton Ram.

. . . like a Power Wagon?

 

[aj8544]

Excellent!!



. . . like a Power Wagon?

Would love one, but I don’t want to sell myself short on payload... again haha!

 

[futzin']

The interior of the anniversary edition that's out now . . . beautiful

 

[wvyankee2]

Heard you mention living in hilly areas. Also mentioned a generator and solar. After your fully loaded with family and equipment, you will be maxed out with the XLS21. I had a 22' trailer that was 4100 dry. About 4600 as I towed it. Around 600 lb tongue weight. In the hills of WV with 35" tires and 488 gearing, I felt I was maxed power wise. That's an overall lower gear that what you have with 33's/410. Suspension wise with a 10000# Equalizer WDH, it was fine. Just underpowered. Felt like I was beating it up maintaining 60MPH on highway.

 

[eaglerugby04]

What are the weights etc... of what your pulling?

6k dry. I have a very stripped down rubicon, stock rubicon tires as well. Its just me and 3 kids so truck payload is very light. stopping is no issue since brake controller works great

 

[Ferg]

As someone who has put about 5k miles of pulling a TT on my JT, the big thing I would tell you vis-à-vis towing a TT with a mid-size pickup: just because you can pull something big doesn’t mean you should pull it. There might be lots of coaches you may be able to theoretically pull behind your Glad, but doing so safely and comfortably are not the same as simply being able to do so. A white-knuckle drive on the very limits of what your truck can do is no fun. If you put your family members in the JT, add some cargo, and also have a heavy tongue weight, you’re most likely over your limit … and that no es bueno.

For what it’s worth, I’d say play it safe. Stay under the 80% tow-weight rule you’ve seen mentioned earlier, have the wife and kiddos ride in a second vehicle, and enjoy your trip.

Let me explain what I mean: my JT is a Sport with the (non-MaxTow) Tow Pkg. My maximum cargo capacity is approximately 1100# (1,113#, to be exact). My maximum tow weight is 6k# with a 600# tongue weight.

250 (me)
130 (passenger)
350 (tongue weight of my trailer)
200 (misc. cargo in the truck)
930 TOTAL

That’s two occupants with me pulling a small travel trailer (GVWR is 3,700#). It leaves me only about 170# of leeway. As many have stated previously, it’s often the truck’s capacity rather than the towing capacity that gets maxed out first.

 

[Muddzy]

Heard you mention living in hilly areas. Also mentioned a generator and solar. After your fully loaded with family and equipment, you will be maxed out with the XLS21. I had a 22' trailer that was 4100 dry. About 4600 as I towed it. Around 600 lb tongue weight. In the hills of WV with 35" tires and 488 gearing, I felt I was maxed power wise. That's an overall lower gear that what you have with 33's/410. Suspension wise with a 10000# Equalizer WDH, it was fine. Just underpowered. Felt like I was beating it up maintaining 60MPH on highway.

I will be in a similar situation with a tow vehicle except I haven't regeared yet. I have 37in tires and 2.5in lift with 4.10s on a rubi. I've been researching this a lot and on some of those that live at altitude and cover significant elevation change (colorado passes) said their JT struggles towing with 5.13s and they wish they went to 5.38s. So I will probably be doing 5.38s.

I think the fact is the JT is limited by engine performance and that's OK. It's not a power wagon or diesel 3/4ton pickup so going up steep inclines is going to be slower. The good news is I've read that the engine is made to perform at high RPMs, so maybe it sounds like you're beating the engine up, but that isn't the case. Just change oil frequently.

 

[jetrocker]

Tow a 30 ft TT, 6140 dry wt. with a Sport S, Automatic, Max Tow package...little to no gear in truck, just wife and I? Maybe 600-700lbs in trailer. Max of 5-10 gallons liquid while towing. Max trip length probably 600 miles.

Anyone similar experience with feedback or observations? I understand this is pushing it a bit, but trying to realistically see if we can get the trailer we'd be most happy with without having continuous towing regret and anxiety. Minnie 2301BHS.

No one has a comment on this question? I'd really appreciate some feedback please. Thx, Mark

 

[danielspivey]

No one has a comment on this question? I'd really appreciate some feedback please. Thx, Mark

I tow a similar set up... 6000 dry. Sounds like your conscious of payload which is good. Make sure you use:
1) WDH w sway control
2) brake controller (I have Redarc pro, works great)
3) tow mirrors (I have rampage set up)

4) rear view camera ( I don’t know how I did it without it)

I usually go around 55, don’t go over 60 mph.

My wife drives the SUV behind me as a second set of eyes with that SUV.
Is it glamoing? Yes, but we wanted the second bedroom to put that 1 year old in. It’s totally worth it.

we also use it for a quiet get away when my wife or I need to work done, it’s also a great COVID hang out... don’t have to worry about friends being in the house. We live on the river so it’s nice to have people come down and have a place to go.

 

[kelkolb]

No one has a comment on this question? I'd really appreciate some feedback please. Thx, Mark

IMO that's really pushing it. I wouldn't go over 80% of my rated capacity. With a Max Tow I'm looking at no more than 4500 dry weight.

 

[danielspivey]

IMO that's really pushing it. I wouldn't go over 80% of my rated capacity. With a Max Tow I'm looking at no more than 4500 dry weight.

which you are entitled to your option. Most people on here freak out when someone gets close to towing 7000, but no one seems to freak out when people go right to their payload. With your rule a rubicon owner should have more than 960 payload. That’s like 4 grown men and a couple snowboards with nothing else.

you can safely tow within the tow capacities as long as you do it responsibly. We have people on here towing >65, up to 85 mph, that’s dangerous! If you have your tow rig set up right and take it easy shouldn’t have a problem with 7000. Will it win races? No.

 

[kelkolb]

which you are entitled to your option. Most people on here freak out when someone gets close to towing 7000, but no one seems to freak out when people go right to their payload. With your rule a rubicon owner should have more than 960 payload. That’s like 4 grown men and a couple snowboards with nothing else.

you can safely tow within the tow capacities as long as you do it responsibly. We have people on here towing >65, up to 85 mph, that’s dangerous! If you have your tow rig set up right and take it easy shouldn’t have a problem with 7000. Will it win races? No.

Doesn't bother me. People can do what they'd like. If you're staying legal, great. The people that go beyond their payload and tow rating should be shunned for it. It's dangerous. If you want to push it and you scale it and are within your capacities, more power to you. I just don't want to be on the edge all the time wondering if I can bring an extra person or wondering if I can go more than 45mph up a grade. As you said, it's my opinion which is what he was asking for.

 

[eaglerugby04]

I tow a similar set up... 6000 dry. Sounds like your conscious of payload which is good. Make sure you use:
1) WDH w sway control
2) brake controller (I have Redarc pro, works great)
3) tow mirrors (I have rampage set up)

4) rear view camera ( I don’t know how I did it without it)

I usually go around 55, don’t go over 60 mph.

My wife drives the SUV behind me as a second set of eyes with that SUV.
Is it glamoing? Yes, but we wanted the second bedroom to put that 1 year old in. It’s totally worth it.

we also use it for a quiet get away when my wife or I need to work done, it’s also a great COVID hang out... don’t have to worry about friends being in the house. We live on the river so it’s nice to have people come down and have a place to go.

So true with the camera. So much better than mirrors. My rig is just about the same size.

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