1982 Sunline

[silky'smom]

Hello to all. I am new to this forum and would like to ask some questions. I just bought (and have not yet picked up) a "new" '82 12 ft Sunline, fully self-contained with a dry weight of 1750 lbs. Although I researched my concerns, I'm still not convinced my 2005 Hyundai Tucson, V-6 2.7 ltr, rated at 2000 lbs, will tow the camper without problems. I was told I could tow it fine, and I was told I couldn't. I was also told I needed a sway bar and a weight distribution hitch or I wouldn't be able to go over 50 mph. But then, I was told that's not true. So, I am confused. I will be picking it up next week (a round trip of about 250 miles)...I guess I'll find out then. But any advise or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I forgot...I already have a hitch, but not a brake controller. Do I need to do this? Will it help? Thanks again!

[Honda03842]

We purchased a 1982 15.5 foot Sunline this year and towed it home (150 miles) without brake controller or antisway bar with our four cylinder Honda CRV. It towed easily and without a single problem. We did not drive over 55 mph because the tires were less than perfect.

We intend to tow the Trailer across Labrador this summer with the Honda.

We have subsequently purchased new tires, a simple sway bar, primarily for emergency stops, and a brake controller.

Our trailer weighs 1550 pounds dry and empty. We have taken it out this summer and find it tows well, we do not exceed 65mph, a tire and I think sanity limit. It reduces our mpg from a normal of 26 to 20 mpg.

Good luck,

Norm Milliard
1982 Sunline 15.5SB
2004 Honda CRV

[Steve Collins]

Most states now require a brake controller if the trailer weighs more than 1,000 pounds. Check your state's laws, but I think you'll find that one is required.

The weight distribution system is sort of dependent on your individual situation in that weight class. If the tongue weight causes handling problems, you will need weight distribution. Basically, the weight of the tongue on the tow vehicle can unload the front to the point that you lose steering control. You can alter that to some degree by balancing your load in the trailer, but you do need some tongue weight. Otherwise, the trailer is trying to lift the rear end of the TV and can cause all kinds of problems. Normal tongue weight should be roughly 10 to 15 percent of the trailer weight.

Sway control is a different animal, and I highly recommend one even if you don't initially experience sway issues. The friction sway controllers are inexpensive, and in your weight class, they are highly effective. If you are using a 2"x2" standard receiver system on the TV, then everything is transferable to a new TV down the road anyway.

What can happen with sway is that under normal driving conditions you may not experience sway issues. But, just get the right combination of crosswind and a big 18 wheeler passing you at the wrong time, and sway can happen. There are other conditions that can cause it including panic stops, motor vehicle accidents, and so on. Sway control is just plain a good idea.

[Honda03842]

I use an interesting European site to evaluate the ability of tow vehichles. European law requires two ratings for a vehicle, towing a trailer with and without electric brakes. The following site suggests your Tuscon is capable of towing upto 3500 lbs but suggests a limit of about 2900 lbs.

http://www.whattowcar.com/review.php...i&serie=Tucson

As well I would be surprised if your 12 foot Sunline weighs 1750 lbs. The 1982 brochure gives a dry number of 1100 lbs, you can see the brochure under the files section of this site.

My suggestion that you could tow your new purchase home without having electric brakes was just a method of getting it home I would definitely get a brake controller.

There are an number of reviews of the Tuscon as a tow vehicle on the site and it gave your vehicle good marks. The only downside of the site is that all numbers are given in kilograms so you need to multiply by 2.2 to get pounds.


Good luck with your new rig
Norm Milliard
1982 Sunline 15.5 SB

[JohnB]

Silky’s Mom

Welcome to Sunline club. A place with a lot of nice folks willing to help the best they can.

I tried to look up your truck online to see if I could find how they rate there towing capacities.

I was unable to find the wording I was after or even any tow ratings. I must have been looking in the wrong place.

So I’ll tell you where to look so you can check this out yourself. I hope this helps and does not bury you in to many numbers, but it will help you answer your questions based on the actuals of your truck that only you have. Ask away on anything said you do not understand.

A caution on what is stated as “what your TV can tow”. If you read the fine print in your owners manual it will state how that tow rating is derived. On most brands, the tow rating is based on a base model vehicle with no options and only qty 1, 150# driver inside.

What they may not of said, other then in the fine print, is everything is “cargo” to the truck. People are cargo as well at extra options and camping gear. And this cargo reduces the amount you can pull in regards to the “tow rating”.

The best way to figure this out for sure is this. In your case since weight means a lot, take out any excess camping gear other then must haves in your truck. Put in all people that will camp with you and fill up the gas tank. Then drive to a truck stop and weigh the truck with people inside, axle by axle. It costs like $8.00. Recycling centers also have certified scale that you can use. Now you know exactly what the truck weighs and on each axle. The scale attendent can tell you how to drive the truck on to get each axle weight.

Look in your owners manual for what they call Gross Combined Weight Rating. Or GCWR. This depends on the engine size and the rear axle ratio of your truck. That GCWR number is the total weight that the engine, transmission and rear axle are rated to pull.

Now subtract your known truck weight from that GCWR number and what is left is all the trailer weight you can hook behind your truck. If it is under, then you have some options. If it is over, well you will be straining your truck

Next are 2 other things to consider, your name file says you are from Colorado. What elevation above sea level are you going to tow at? This means more to the folks out west then us easterners. Your engine without a super charger or turbo charger does not like thin air and looses power at elevation. The ratio is 3% power loss per 1,000’ of elevation. So at 4,000 feet, that is 12% power lose. So that will feel like loosing about ¾ of a cylinder worth of power. Or your running on 5 ¼ cylinder worth. This rule is real and will reduce the pulling performance of your truck.

There is one more thing to consider that it does not say in the tow rating that is unique to TT’s, wind drag. Sunline does a good job of making the front angle of the camper angle on the top to help cut the wind drag. However any area of the camper outside the shape of the truck is wind drag to the truck and it too reduces the performance. I have yet to find anyone who will quantify the amount of lose to the engine but it is real and you will feel it. Towing a 2,000 boat is a lot easier then towing a 2,000TT all due to wind drag. For this reason most like to have some extra tow capacity to make up for the loose of wind drag.

So that is the tug of war contest. If you end up at the full GCWR limit by the scales, the elevation will hurt you as well as the wind drag.

Something to check is does your truck have a transmission oil cooler? And does it need one to be able to tow up to that 2,000# rating? Your may have it, but it is something to check. If not your transmission will overheat when you pull full GCWR.

OK that is the tug of war contest.

You talked about a WD hitch. Steve gave you a good guide on why to use them. The question is will your truck allow one to be used. The receiver in the back of the truck has a rating on it. It will have a “weight carrying” rating. This mean it can only hold up a TT tongue weight of XX pounds. In your case it may be 350# in weight carrying mode. If it will allow a weight distribution hitch to be used, it will also have a “weight disturbing” load rating. That rating will be higher and only if you use a WD hitch.

Truck receivers come in classes. A Class 1 can pull 2,000# and can only hold up 200# of tongue load. A Class 2 is rated to withstand a 3,500# pull and a 350# tongue weight. Neither of these 2 receivers can have the WD hitch used as they are not built strong enough to use it. You actually have to make it to a class 4 receiver to use WD. Seeing the size of your truck, I would doubt it will allow the use of a WD hitch.

So what this now mean is the TT tongue can only weigh so much regardless if the truck can pull it. So again need to find out the rating on the receiver on your truck.

On brakes, again look in your owners manual under towing. Most manuals state how much weight can be pulled before trailer brakes are required. Some are at 1,000#, some 2,000#. In your case it might just be the 1,000# area but need to check. If you do not abide to this, the brakes on your truck are not large enough to stop the trailer pushing you. So check this out. Then there are the towing laws by state as Steve told us.

Sway control, yes by all means add a friction sway bar on the TT. For that size trailer they will work as that is the size they are intended for. You can use a friction sway bar with or without a WD hitch.

Good luck and happy camping.

John

[Steve Collins]

John,

Regarding weight distribution towing, Reese does make a light duty WD system for use on smaller rigs down in the 1,000 to 3,500 pound weight range. This system can be used with a standard Class III receiver which is available for this TV. (Reese #45582)

Just looked it up: It is the 350 Mini WD system, and is designed for maximum tongue weight of 350# and gross trailer weight up to 3,500#.

They also make another light-duty WD system that is good for gross trailer weight up to 4K and is available for both A frame and pole tongue trailers.

Both WD systems require a 2" receiver.

[JohnB]

Steve

Thanks, that mini is an option and I know of it. It works on some large Pop up's. I had forgot to mention it.

Key point is what receiver does Silky have on her TV and can the TV actually carry that tongue load even with WD.?

With a 2,000# tow rating that sounds like a Class 2 receiver and a 200# tongue load.

If the TV can actually pull it, and it is not over GVWR or axle loads, then upgrading a receiver might be an option. This is a good point but needs more investigation.

Good point to bring up.

Silky let us know if you need more help on all this hitch stuff once you figure out what your truck can pull and weighs.

John

[Steve Collins]

Originally Posted by silky'smom

I just bought (and have not yet picked up) a "new" '82 12 ft Sunline, fully self-contained with a dry weight of 1750 lbs.

The 1982 brochure in the Files section of this website says the axle weight of the 12' is 1130 pounds (empty) and the tongue weight is 125 pounds (empty).

May I ask where you got the 1750 pound dry weight info?

If the trailer is an '82 12' unit with the quoted weights from the brochure, then it is a lot lighter than we have been discussing and you probably are going to be able to tow it just fine with a class 2 hitch although you will probably want a brake controller, and as I suggested earlier, a friction sway control. If the car has a 2" receiver (Class 2 or 3), so much the better as it is a lot easier to add towing accessories if you have a receiver instead of a fixed Class 2 hitch. At that weight rating, you'd even be OK with the smaller 1.25" Class 2 receiver system.

Remember that dry weight doesn't include any gear, and we all take "gear" with us, lots of it...

I looked up the tow rating of your vehicle: It's rated at 2000# towing and a GCWR of either 6,650# for 2WD or 6,830# for 4WD. That's everything totalled up: trailer, car, people, dogs, kids, food, blankets, frisbees, etc.

[Sunline Fan]

Originally Posted by Steve Collins

The 1982 brochure in the Files section of this website says the axle weight of the 12' is 1130 pounds (empty) and the tongue weight is 125 pounds (empty).

May I ask where you got the 1750 pound dry weight info?

I'd like to know the same. I don't think this will be the best towing combo in the world, but it should get the coach home empty no problem, assuming it's 1130#. If you go look at the '81 brochure for the 12.5' MC and the '83 for the T-1250, it gives a GAWR of 2100. They also made the model lighter that year, so they must have changed something (made it cheaper, probably) between '81 and '82.

Jon

[silky'smom]

Thanks so much to all of you who responded to my questions.

I picked the TT up on Sun. the 17th and pulled it from Fort Collins to Colo. Springs (snow everywhere, but none on the roads!). I'm pretty proud of my little Tucson. It pulled beautifully (though I never went over 60 mph), and the Sunline followed just as nicely. For the most part I had it on cruise control and let the car do the down shifting, etc. Yes, the Tucson is underpowered, but I think if I take it easy I won't hurt the car, even when I have more stuff in it and the TT.

Thanks again for all your help.

[Honda03842]

Sixty mph is plenty, as you may know trailer tires carry the prefix ST and are limited to 65 mph. When I bought my Sunline the tires were old and needed replacement, they do not fail via tread wearout but rather age.

I bought Goodyear Marathons for my 15.5 foot Sunline because they had the highest weight capability I could find. A set of three cost about $261 and each tire is capable of supporting 1480#s.

I tow with a 145hp Honda CRV, manual transmission. If you have an automatic you may want to consider a transmission cooler, relatively inexpensive but can keep it from overheating when towing.

Good Luck

Norm Milliard
1982 Sunline 15.5 SB
2004 Hond CRv

[Mooney]

A note on automatic transmissions,

you will probably want to keep your ride OUT of overdrive. The gearing in the overdrive usually isn't enough to pull a trailer without a lot of shifting in and out of OD and creation of a LOT of heat (the bane of autos). Check your manual for more info.

Definitely consider a tranny cooler- easy enough to hook up, or a mechanic can do it for pretty short money (usually- your ride may vary).