Looking for help, I currently have a 02 Toyota tundra 2x4. I have a supposed towing cap. of 7200 lbs. I am currently looking into toy haulers to haul a banshee blaster and kx 60 bike. I am looking into the 21' range but have no clue of which brand is better than others and what to look for versus what not to be concerned about. I prefer to have all the extras such as the fuel tank and ect... I have looked into the Sandpiper, Baja, Attitude, Dunes and I think Tahoeand Carson Funrunner. I am not sure of the difference other than obvious quality of cabinets and what not.

1. Can my truck handle one of these? I was told they dry weight is 5200 LBS kind of standard.
2. If so which brands are best to stay away from.

The trailer folks all state that their highest price model is the best but don't state why. I plan on trying to purchase one used for a year or two old.

Thanks in advance for your help

 

It depends if your truck can tow them, look for the GVWR for the truck, if its 7200lbs than your trailer AND everything you are going to haul better be 7200lbs or less

 

I have a Weekend Warrior SuperLite. It is a 23 footer and works awsome. That same brand has a 19 and a 21 foot models. They would be a little lighter and still take those 3 quads easy. I had a Tundra before my Hemi, so I think you would be OK with a "light model" quad hauler.

 

What you want to look for is your GCWR. This is what your truck and trailer combined can weigh. Sometimes it's a PITA to find it. Manufacturer's tow ratings are usually based on a full fuel tank and only the driver. No cargo. So it can be very deceiving. Once you find your GCWR, you don't want to exceed 80% of that unless you want to wear your truck out really fast.

GCWR is not equal to GVWR + tow capacity.

I would definately look at the small lightweight trailers (say no more than 21').

Since you have your truck already, what you should do is load up everyone that you are going to have in the truck, and everything that you would be putting in the truck, including a full tank of fuel. Go to a public scale and get weighed. This will be your GVW. Also, weigh each axle. Compare these to the GAWR on the sticker on the driver's door area. Subtract your GVW from from your GCWR. What you have left is what you can actually tow. Now, take 80% of what you have left. Figure out what your toys weigh. Figure out their wet weight. It will be more than the manuf. listed dry weight. Need to add fuel and oil weight.

Figure out how much all your gear will weigh. All your food, ice, and extra stuff you are going to put in the trailer. Now, add a couple hundred extra pounds to that just for a margin. Don't forget to add the weight of any fuel and water the trailer will carry.

Water = 8.3lbs/gallon
Fuel = 7lbs/gallon

I think most trailers in this size carry 40-60 gallons of fresh water. So figure 320-500lbs for water. Fuel will probably be 20 gallons. That's 140lbs. Don't forget to add just a little extra weight for extra margin of error. Subtract that from what's left of your GCWR.

Now start shopping for a trailer that has a weight less than what you actually have available for towing.

When you have it narrowed down, ask the dealer(s) if they will weigh the trailer(s), or let you take it to a public scale to weigh it. Make any sale conditional on it being light enough for your truck. Dealers will gladly sell you a trailer that would destroy your truck. The weight that is listed on the trailer isn't what it actually weighs. You need to weight that particular trailer.

Any weight issues will pop on on your GCW and your rear GAW. Exceeding any rating for your truck is unsafe, careless and is illegal.

Looking at your numbers, it's gonna be close, if not over. With just yourself with what you posted, you have 2,000lbs for cargo. Rough guesses, your quads are 400lbs. ea. THe bike, ummm...100lbs? So you've just killed half right there.

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Really good post there B&RWarrior. Needs to be read by a lot of people that are running overloaded on the freeways.

I would add one thing to this thread, even if you can pull it you still have to stop it! When B&R mentioned staying in the 80% of GCWR he was right on target. If you exceed this you will have trouble getting stopped. Now I know you will have brakes on the trailer and will probably buy a weight distribution hitch and all of that. But take it from someone that has towed all kinds of stuff for more miles than I care to remember --- getting stopped can be a bitch! Worse case is going downhill around a blind corner and having to make a panic stop. You just can't plan ahead for that. Well, yes you can actually. Stay in the 80% range, keep your equipment in top shape and keep your speed down. It may save the lives of you, your family and someone elses family as well.

When you get your new trailer I would suggest you find a nice big empty parking lot and practice making quick manuvers and stops. Start slow and learn how your rig reacts to various manuvers. Also, set out some cones and practice backing as if you were backing into a space at a park. Save yourself a lot of embarresment in the future. Get your traveling partners to go with you and decide on a series of hand signals to use when backing into places you need assistance getting into. A little practice can make a big differance. Also can prevent some major misunderstandings and equipment damage. Been there, done that and don't want to do it again.

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TY Ten. That third paragraph was a good idea too. Never throught of that.

I really started looking at the legal issues when I was informed by an uncle that I had towed a trailer out of class for work. It was a 16,000 GVWR dovetail we use for hauling large scissor lifts, fork lift and Ditch Witches. I try to let people know about issues, not to be a jerk. But just to hopefully open their eyes. I don't want to see anyone hurt by someone's actions who didn't know better. Some still just throw the info out the window and head out on the highway. Not caring and thinking "it'll never happen to me."

One of the problems is the laws and rules are different in so many states. Some states you can pull doubles with a standard license (Class C here in CA) but here in CA you are required to have a Class A Commercial with Doubles Endorsement. Obviously, something your average Joe doesn't have. And so these setups are rare. In less than 1.5 years of riding I've seen doubles twice (5th travel trailer with flat utility trailer behind it.)

I'm thinking of embarking on a project to collect information for my website. Either it be links to various Department of Motor Vehicles (or the equivelant for each jurisdiction) or license charts (CA issues some 11 different classes of driver's licenses!) And information on truck and trailer weights to maybe help people to decide on a trailer. One other thing that I would like to see, is an information questionaire/flyers handed out at the parks. One that asks particular questions about towing, weights, etc. And on the reverse have the laws or other information.

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Thanks for the responses, I have towed my boat for several years but it maxed out at 4500 lbs loaded. I just don't want to embark on something and find out I bought to much trailer. I plan on buying used roughly a year or two old. But I want to make sure I am safe and I have been adding the weight for water roughly 100 lbs and fuel not sure if it will have the geni on board or stand alone. Also I added 200 lbs for food and drinks although it may be high. Then roughly 700 lbs for toys. and another 200 for misc. totaling 1900 lbs and leaving me 4240 at 80% which leads me to ask is there a 21' toybox that weighs in at this or is it a pipe dream? If so is there any brands to really stay away from?

Lastly I have my manual in front of me and can not find anything on GCWR for the life of me. I also checked the doors and under the hood. Any ideas where I can find this?

Thanks again

 

I just found the GCWR which is 11800 lbs and if my GAW ft is 3160 and rear is 3960 totaling 7120 so would I take 80% of the remaining balance of the GCWR to be safe if so that really on leaves me 3744 LBS which means I probably can not tow a 21' box and toys. Is this correct? Please let me know if this is not the right way to figure this out. I do not know where I would actually weight the truck and people. The axel numbers are taken from the door so am I right in assuming they could be more with gas and passageners?

Thanks again

 

WARNING TO PICKY PEOPLE: LONG AND DETAILED POST!

It's really a hard one to find. I know Ford publishes it in their towing guides on their web site. It's one of those ones where there's a number out there, but it's a PITA to find. My guess, check with your dealer. If they don't have it, they can probably get it from the manufacturer. If they don't have a GCWR, then find out EXACTLY how they come up with the tow rating and you can use that to figure out what the GCWR would be.

The ratings for a particular line of truck will can very based on what engine, tranny and gears you have.

Ok, found one. But this is for '04 model year. Not sure if there are any differnces: '04 Tundra eBrochure Spec Sheet

Based on your original post and this file, I'm assuming you have the V8 Regular Cab SR5. So that puts your GCWR at 11,800lbs. Toyota lists a curb weight of 4,490. I'm not sure, but I believe curb weight is full fuel, etc. With no passengers, and no cargo (or course.)

11,800 - 4,490 = 7,310 lbs of trailer, passenger and cargo. Based on that, you can see that they are only figuring the driver weighing in at a whopping 110lbs! At least we have somewhere to go from. 80% is your target max. so 80% of 11,800 is 9,440 lbs. Taking out your (manufacturer's!) curb weight of 4,490 leaves you with only 4950 lbs. You may be less or may based on your individual truck.

Now on to the toys.

Banshee weighs in at 386lbs dry. Need to add oil and fuel to that. Maybe coolant. For simplicity's sake, let's just say 400lbs wet. 2 gallons of fuel will be that 14lbs anyways. Should always error on the heavy side though. So, 400lbs.

Blaster weighs in at 324lbs. Just to get somewhat round numbers let's call it 330lbs with oil and some gas in there.

I can't find a KX60 on Kawi's website. So I'm going to use the KDX50's weight of 84lbs. 90lbs would probably be the max as it has a sippy cup (.53gal.) for a gas tank.

400 + 330 + 90 = 820lbs.

Take that from your 4950 available.

4,950 - 820 = 4,130.

Let's turn to people. I have no idea how much they weigh so you'll have to change this as appropriate. I'm going to assume 2 adults, or one adult and a teenager, plus there's probably a little one putting around on that 60. Say 150 ea. on the Shee and the Blaster plus 80 on the 60. So that's 380lbs of bone, flesh and blood.

4,130 - 380 = 3,750lbs.

I took a peak at a few websites to see what I could find.

Weekend Warrior FK 1900 19' Superlite is 3,887lbs dry.
Tahoe Transport 19TB TT 4,910lbs dry.
Tahoe Pak Rat 22TB TT 3,580lbs dry.
National RV Rage'n 2021G 4,930lbs. dry.

Of those 4, only 1 of them fits the weight, at even a dry weight. And it really only sleeps 2 people. Let's look at the WW FK1900 as I think it's pretty much the lightest available.

3,887 (dry) + 830 (water) + 34 (propane) = 4,751 lbs wet. That's no generator. No fuel.

So far we are at 4,490 (truck) + 4,751 (trailer - basic) + 820 (toys) + 380 (people) = 10,441. That puts you at 88% of your max. You have 1,359 available in your GCWR.

Now, you need to actually add in your clothes and gear. For a weekend trip with full gear, plus incidental clothes and what not would add at least 100lbs per person. Maybe more. So let's say that's another 300lbs.

GCW is now 10, 741lbs. Available is 1,059lbs.

Fuel for the toys. I know I bring 7.4 gallons (2.4 in the tank + 5 in a can) for my Warrior, but never use more than about 5 gallons. Whatever is left over goes in my truck for the trip home. Usually saves me a little, and reduces weight. At the least, let's say you take 5 gallons each for the quads and 1 for the bike. Tha'ts 11 gallons at something like 77lbs. Gas weighs in a little over 7lb/gallon. Let's use 79 lbs just to pull back to nice, even numbers.

GCW is now 10,820 lbs. Available is 980 lbs. We are now at 92%. This is a serious red zone here.

You figured 200lbs for food, drinks, etc. I like that. Nice and conservative. Most people I know, even with a fridge in the trailer still carry and ice chest for the refreshments. Let's toss in your 200lbs.

GCW is now 11,020 lbs. Available is 780 lbs. Now at 93%.

200 lbs for various miscellaneous stuff is also good. Maybe even low. Figure tools to wrench if you need to. Plus all the little RV stuff. Maybe even a little TV.

GCW is now 11,220 lbs. Available is 520 lbs. Now at 95%.

So this is where we are. But there's no generator.

Onan lists the MicroLite 2800 as weighing 113 lbs. That also comes with an 18 gallon gas tank. Ok, weight on the fuel. We've got a decision to make. We've already figured fuel into the weight, and now we have fuel weight here. Let's say we put the fuel in the trailer, and take it out as we need it and mix it on site. We already grabbed 11 gallons, so pull that from the 18, leaves us 7 for weight calcs. 7 gallons of fuel weighs in at 49 pounds. Lets call it 50.

113 (genset) + 50 (additional fuel) = 163 lbs.

GCW is now 11,383 lbs. Available is 417 lbs. Now at 96%. This doesn't inlude the weight of the actual fual tank. Not knowing what it's made of, I have no clue.

After is all said and done, if you are better than what I figured, you are 400 lbs shy of your max. If you are in worse shape, it's not looking to good. You could legally pull this trailer with your vehicle. I.e. they couldn't site you for it. But, if you were in an accident...could a lawyer convince 7 to 12 people that you operated in a negligent manner? Hard to say.

You are going to be operating at your vehicle's maximum. The truck will wear faster. Maintainance will need to be performed under it's most servere listings. How often are you going to be taking the rig out? Weekly? Monthly? Only you can make the decision.

Personally, I think I'd pass. Maybe look towards a basic cargo trailer and maybe try to build it out. Then upgrade the truck, then a toy box.

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Warrior, Thank you so much for your detailed information. It added alot of thought to where I was. Yes I was starting to assume that the trouble for me was going to be my truck and you confirmed it. I guess I'll have to pass for now and look into a larger truck in the long term if I want to persue this avenue.

Thanks again.