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Old 09-17-2020, 06:52 AM   #1
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Thanks so much for the add! I am a complete and utter newbie to everything from towing to camper owning. I excited bought my first camper, a 2003 Sunline Solaris 27ft SR with one slide out. It weighs out at 6,094lbs. I have done a lot of research but have heard many mixed reviews about my tow vehicle. I ah e a 2017 Nissan Armada V8 with a tow package. I am getting a brake controller installed and have a WDH setup as well. My car can tow 7500lbs and I plan on taking 2 separate cars and putting nothing I. The tow vehicle not the camper. Everything goes in the second vehicle. My question is, as long as I go slow and am only driving on no hill thruway roads that is an hour away, should I be ok??? I am getting so many mixed messages
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Old 09-17-2020, 07:55 AM   #2
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Boy you sure like to start big! I hope you have at least some experience with trailers.
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Old 09-17-2020, 09:04 AM   #3
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I personally don’t have much experience but we camped for many years as a kid and I always watched my father. He plans on coming up to help me and go over everything and review everything on mine and I am prepared to learn. I’m also considering a season site for the first couple of years too. I got this rig for a great deal as it was hard finding anything lighter for anywhere near the same cost and same capacity as we are a family of 7 and need the space 😊
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Old 09-17-2020, 09:40 PM   #4
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Hi,

Welcome and congrats on your Sunny! By the one picture, being a bunk house, and knowing it is a 2003, that lines up with a 2003 T-267SR

Trying to help here. The brochure empty (dry) weight of the camper is listed out as 5,730#. This is without a battery, LP gas in the tanks, no added options above the standard model and no cargo in the camper. The 6,094#, not sure where you found that. There is a weight sticker inside the camper, check the top kitchen cabinets, the bathroom or the top bedroom cabinet. If the 6,094# was on that sticker, which is the empty dry weight when it left Sunline, then that is closer to the "unloaded" weight. For a family of 7, it is very easy to add 1,000# - 1,200# of cargo and fluids to the unloaded weight.

Keeping to a normal low added cargo of the 1,000 to 1,200#, that puts you at or over 7,000# on the loaded camper weight at first pass. The empty tongue weight is 750# which when the camper is loaded, can be 1,000# to 1,200# pending the loaded cargo.

There are 2 main needs in a tow vehicle to be a good match, how much can it pull, and how much weight can the truck hold up in camper loaded tongue weight. The combo of being almost at to above your trucks tow limit combined with the heavy tongue weight, can put you over the rear axle rating of the truck, and potentially the truck GVWR. This makes your truck/camper not a good match. While you may just squeak by pulling it, and not be happy with that weight, the loaded tongue weight is the one that put you into trouble quickly. Odds are high, your truck cannot handle the loaded tongue weight of the camper even with a weight distributing hitch.

We are willing to help you understand how all the truck ratings fit and line up on paper against that camper if you want to see it. But I can tell you quickly, this is not a good combo. We will need a good amount of info from you on your truck, but just ask and we can help explain so you can learn how your existing truck stacks up and how to size up the right truck. Just ask and we can get into it.

This post, it is a little long, but it helps explain about the truck & camper ratings and what to look for. The second reply talks about some of what we would need from you to help do the truck towing check. https://www.sunlineclub.com/forums/f...ing-10775.html

You mentioned keeping the camper at a seasonal campground for a few years, that would be a great start to introduce yourself and your family to the fun of camping. We can help you on anything with the camper as well.

In time, if traveling with the camper comes to be, then look towards a larger truck sized up well to match with the camper.

Hope this helps.

John
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Old 09-18-2020, 04:41 AM   #5
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Hi John,
This was a HUGE help and yes that is the exact model
Of my trailer! I guess I read the manual wrong and had asked people but this was the weight they said. I have attached a picture of the inside weights that came with my manual for you to see. Also, though my propane tanks are filled, my water tanks will not be filled and I plan on having no cargo, food or clothing stowed in the camper to offload as much weight off the camper and my car. I will also be driving in the vehicle myself with no kids. Al kids, cargo, equipment and food will all my going in a separate and unattached vehicle. My SUV is a V8 AWD with tow package and is rated for 8500lbs max tow capacity. I have also attached a picture of the front and rear axle capacity and how both of these help for you to better assist with helping me to get my vehicle ready or checked even for being able to tow the trailer. I am going by a completely dry camper but have thought a lot about seasonal which I will definitely consider for the first year to get acquainted with things.
You have been extremely helpful and I hope you are able to get me to my maiden voyage with her in October ��
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Old 09-18-2020, 04:42 AM   #6
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Pictures

Sorry here are the pictures John
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Old 09-18-2020, 07:59 AM   #7
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Hi Lbetter1206,

OK, we can help you better understand this. And you have given us a few things to work with. GREAT! This will take some time, but I will show you have this all stacks up so you can learn how to do this.

There was a few pieces of info missing from the info above you posted. Thank you!

I did a quick look on the web for your truck owners manual. I found this, straight from Nissan https://owners.nissanusa.com/content...ner-manual.pdf

I was after the GCWR , the truck unloaded weight with options and the truck receiver ratings.

Look at page 10-21 under the "Towing load/specifications chart".

1. It shows the GCWR as 14,700# for the AWD model. They do not list engine or rear axle options, so they may only have one engine/rear axle combo.

2. It does shows the 8,500# tow rating. And it lists all the clarifiers that subtract from that rating. The term, tow rating has mislead many a good camper person before.

3. It lists "maximum tongue load" 850#. And that aligns with the conventional 10% of the tow rating used by many auto manufactures.

Help me with this. Confirm/get these if you can:

1. The manual I found online and the manual in your truck have that same "Towing load/specifications chart" Due to printing revisions, the page number may be off a little, but the chart and the ratings should show up. Compare the numbers and confirm them.

2. Go to the back of your truck and look for a sticker on the truck receiver. (the hitch part of the truck). We need to see the ratings sticker of the truck receiver. See page 10-22 of the manual showing the 7 wire trailer plug and the 2" square hole for the drawbar/WD shank of the receiver. Often the sticker is there. You will need to take the cover off the receiver hole most likely to see it.

Some SUV's do not have the sticker as they are part of the bumper system, but some brands do have them. Crawl under and look if needed. If we cannot find a sticker, then they refer to the manual which is 850#. There should be a lot of numbers for tongue weight, with and without a weight distribution hitch. Take a pic and post. Here is one sticker off a GM Trailblazer SUV. Yours will look different, but should have the same chart
and ratings.



3. We need to track down your truck unloaded weight, with full fuel and any options. OR a confirm "cargo weight" the truck has, again for your exact model with all options on it and full fuel. I did not have time this morning to hunt that down. Nissan may not have a large options package like some SUV's have. If by chance you know the unloaded truck weight or cargo weight for your exact model, please link us to it or take a pic and post. That will help me not have to hunt it down. Some of the newer trucks have a cargo rating on the driver door sticker, but I did not see it on yours. Bummer...


I am hoping you can find a receiver ratings sticker and it says something more then the 850# tongue weight with a weight disturbing hitch. At the moment, it is not looking good from what the manual states and that rating may be the first obstacle you come into.

Will be back later on this, hoping you can hunt up what you can.

Thanks

John
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Old 09-18-2020, 10:50 AM   #8
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Sorry, I forgot to mention, when looking for the truck unloaded weight with full fuel, we also need the front and rear axle weights to go with the unloaded weight. Need these to figure out the rear axle weight unloaded weight.
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Old 09-18-2020, 12:21 PM   #9
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Axle weight

In the picture I previously posted it listed both weights of front and rear axle. It also gave full maximum capacity allowable in regards to cargo as 1853lbs I believe. But again, I am not putting anything it my car except me...... completely empty! My husband will take the kids and any and all cargo in a separate car. I will attach the pictures of the cargo and axles but I will have to look under my car to see if there is a sticker for the tongue max capacity.

I have to say I keep seeing people towing trailers longer and heavier than mine and with SUVs and stating they towed well. All with only WDH and brake controllers. I would love to get a truck but financially and space wise I can’t
Right now but maybe in the future. I am really trying to get my car prepared for towing our camper and tried to be as logical as possible and feel like it is possible and I just need to be safe, go slow and and follow all recommendations which I’m trying to do.

I just want to be safe and appreciate your willingness to help especially all of this amazing info.
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Old 09-18-2020, 06:50 PM   #10
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Hi,

First, we commend you for wanting to understand and figure out if your truck can safely tow your camper. Wanting to understand and having an open mind to try and learn this is the first step.

I am not trying to burry you in technical stuff, trying to help you understand it so you can make an informed decision. For now and in the future. There is a lot of "fine print" along with disclaimers by the vehicle manufactures. They all use very similar language, and until you are exposed to it, to learn what that fine print is, this may seem complex. Once explained, it makes sense and all adds up.

A few comments.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lbetter1206 View Post
In the picture I previously posted it listed both weights of front and rear axle. It also gave full maximum capacity allowable in regards to cargo as 1853lbs I believe.
The door sticker gave the "Max Weight Ratings" and not the actual unloaded truck weights. See your sticker, I rotated it, zoomed in and put some arrows on it to talk to.


Blue arrow- GVWR = Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. This is the max the truck can weigh fully loaded. It is not the weight of the truck empty.

Yellow arrow - GAWR - FR = Gross Axle Weight Rating Front. This is the max the front axle can weigh when fully loaded. It is not the weight of the axle with the truck empty.

Red arrow - GAWR - RR = Gross Axle Weight Rating Rear. This is the max the rear axle can weigh when fully loaded. It is not the weight of the axle with the truck empty.

If you add up the front (3,616#) and rear axle (4,343#) weight ratings, that comes out to 7,959#. H'mm one may ask, But I thought the GVWR is 7,500# which is the max the truck can weigh? Why does the 2 axle ratings add up to be more then the GVWR?

The GVWR is based on many factors and not only axle weights. The GVWR is what the manufacture declares max weight the truck can weigh however the truck is loaded. Many manufactures allow some freedom in loading the truck axles with higher axle weight ratings as they know more cargo can go in different places, like the rear of the truck. But, the GVWR is the last word in total truck weight. And we do not want to over run the axle ratings as then mechanically, the springs, axles themselves, tires etc. can be overloaded and fail sooner.

The tire placards pic you posted, your are right, I missed seeing the max cargo weight. I rotated the pic, zoomed in and we can see it is 1,653#. Thankyou for finding that.




Now that we know the cargo capacity of the truck at 1,653#, we subtract that from the 7,500# GVWR and we get, 5,847# GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight) for the empty truck weight less the driver and any cargo. This is part of the towing check we will do.

The issue I cannot find, yet anyway, is what split in the 5,847# is between the front and rear axle. They are not normally equal. If we can confirm what this is, it makes it easier to know what added weight by the loaded trailer tongue weight will be allowed so the rear axle of the truck will not exceed the GAWR-RR.

I did some more digging and found this. The 2017 Nissan towing guide. This and your truck manual explains most all of what I said above. https://www.nissanusa.com/content/da...wing-guide.pdf I must say, Nissan did a good job in creating the towing manual. Have a look, I know it can be dry reading, but they do spell it all out.

You still have one large issue, the 850# max tongue weight rating as stated in your truck manual when using a weight distribution hitch. That will be a kill shot in being able to safely tow your camper. You do not want to overload hitch equipment. Odds are high, your rear axle only has close to that 850# of available weight that can be added and not exceed the axle rating. But, if you can find a receiver sticker with ratings or a unloaded rear axle weight we can confirm this.

To these thoughts,
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lbetter1206 View Post
snip...
I have to say I keep seeing people towing trailers longer and heavier than mine and with SUVs and stating they towed well. All with only WDH and brake controllers.

I am really trying to get my car prepared for towing our camper and tried to be as logical as possible and feel like it is possible and I just need to be safe, go slow and and follow all recommendations which I’m trying to do.

I just want to be safe and appreciate your willingness to help especially all of this amazing info.
I understand what you are saying. I myself started out towing travel trailers with a 1500 Chevy Tahoe. GM's full size 1/2 ton SUV. Pulling the camper was not so much an issue, however lucky me, I picked the heaviest loaded tongue weight 7,000# GVWR class Sunline they made.... A 2004 T2499. I soon found out that when I loaded the camper, I was soon way over the rear axle weight rating (GAWR-RR) and the GVWR of the Tahoe. So the learning started specific to travel trailers, as I have towed many trailers before, just not travel trailers which are different then, boats, flat bed trailers, smaller enclosed cargo trailers. That was 17 years ago now and I have learned much, towed much, had other campers, other trucks, and helped many other campers understand and learn how to size up the truck and camper including the WD hitch and adjusting it. And I am still learning all the time.

I see camper folks all the time towing with their WD hitch setup wrong. And I see campers way too big for the truck they are towing with. Someone may have never took the time to help them understand all this "stuff". I have had truck and camper dealers tell me, sure you can tow it, without knowing anything about my truck, camper or where I even plan to tow at. It happens, it does not make it right and I really hope any fellow camper never gets into a towing accident. I have helped some folks back into what went wrong when they did have a towing accident. Seeing a camper towing accident is a real wake up call to make sure the setup is right from the start. It all happens too fast.

Moving on, see what you can find on the receiver sticker. I'll see if I can find the unloaded truck axle weights to align with now confirmed 1,653# max cargo on your truck and we can regroup and finish the towing check.

I also saw this cut and paste you posted next the the Reese round bar WD hitch head.


I'm not sure where that came from, but it is a bad example. It is not even accurate for most any truck and it does not seem to fit your truck after reading the truck manual. If your truck has auto leveling, that feature requires a different setup procedure. We can get into how to setup the WD hitch if wanted, after we finish the truck towing check.

Hope this helps and be back soon.

John
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Old 09-20-2020, 08:02 PM   #11
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Hi Lbetter1206,

Did you by chance find any rating sticker on your truck receiver hitch?

I did some digging and found your axle weights. It was a deep dig, but I found them and on the Nissan site, so the info is reliable.

Here is where I found the front and rear axle weights with the truck empty.
https://usa.nissannews.com/en-US/rel...mada-press-kit

Click under the “Spec” tab. Scroll down to “Weights” They list a 52/48% front and rear axle weight split on the curb weight. From your door cargo weight sticker, we know the GVWR is of 7,500# – 1,653# of cargo weight = 5,847# curb weight. Applying a 52/48% split of the 5,847# weight we get:

Empty truck with 1, 150 driver only in the truck with full fuel. (they rate the driver at 150#)
Front axle: 3,040#
Rear axle: 2,807#

Frontal area reduction on tow ratings. This may be a new term for you, Frontal Area. When the auto manufactures create their tow ratings, they have a spec for the square footage of the trailer in relation to the truck. Travel trailers are different than other types of trailers, like horse trailers, open flatbed trailers, boats, cargo trailers etc. Travel trailers are very tall and wide creating a large resistance to the wind. An open flatbed trailer many times is not a lot larger then the profile of the truck. Example, a flatbed trailer with a farm tractor on it is not as much wind resistance as a large enclosed cargo trailer to the wind. Your travel trailer is 8 ft wide x 9.3 ft tall not including the roof AC unit. 8 x 9.3 = 74.4 sq ft. exposed to the wind. We nick name this, towing a brick wall. The camper is clearly larger than the truck exposed to the wind. I could not find the chart for Frontal Area spec for Nissan. They have one, just I can’t fit it. When you exceed the design limit, the towing/pull performance suffers, meaning the excess wind drag makes is harder on the truck to pull the load and the truck bogs down trying to sustain the load.

Frontal area specs for your size vehicle are common to be at 60 sq ft. This fits most trailers, expect travel trailers. Your camper being at 74.4 sq ft. means it is approx. 24% over the truck pull ratings. This does not mean your truck cannot pull it, it means the truck will work a lot harder when you approach the pulling limit on the truck. Folks who know about this, find/size a truck with extra reserve pulling ability to overcome the large frontal area of travel trailers and fifth wheels. The real problem is, while some manufactures state what frontal area their tow ratings are based on, they really do not give you how much loss there is for exceeding it. Just it will affect the towing performance. More on this when we get to the GCWR load check on the truck. I just wanted to explain Frontal Area here. See page 15 in the Ford towing guide, Ford is good about posting this. Other makes do too, but not all. https://www.fleet.ford.com/content/d...owingGuide.pdf


We now have enough info on the truck to do the Towing Check.

Loaded camper tongue weight and GVW: First we need to figure out the loaded tongue weight of the camper. You stated you were going to tow the camper empty, the truck empty other then you, and everything else was going to be in a second vehicle. I’m not sure you have thought that all the way through yet, but to learn how to do a towing check on your truck, we will do it to what you told us. You can adjust the weights to the new numbers when you decide to load the camper and truck.

The camper UVW (unloaded vehicle weight) is 6,094# from the camper weight sticker. The UVW on that weight sticker in the camper includes; full LP gas (63#) and full fresh water (266#). To save weight, you can fill up the fresh tank at camp and tow with no fresh water. But you will have the LP tanks filled with gas. You also must have the battery on the camper to work the emergency brakes. The 50# battery is not part of the UVW as the dealers add the battery.

To get the GVW (gross vehicle weight) of the camper, empty but with LP gas and battery,

6,094# UVW
– 266# fresh water
+ 50# Group 24 battery
0# Camping gear. (add in camping gear when the time comes. )
______
5,878 # GVW - Camper

Camper Tongue weight. From the 2003 Sunline brochure, the T-267SR has a 750# dry tongue weight. Dry means no LP gas in the tanks and no battery. Both of those items add tongue weight.
Doing the math for you on how to add the LP gas and battery, it comes out like this.

750# Camper dry weight (empty)
+ 56# LP gas (63# x 0.89 = 56) 0.89 is the math factor for the LP tanks distance behind the tow ball.
+ 40# Battery (50 x 0.8 = 40) 0.8 is the math factor for the battery distance behind the tow ball.
______
846# Camper tongue with no camping gear inside.

Sunline was very good about creating their campers to have good tongue weight and balance to create a stable towing camper. Trailer design shows that a “minimum” of 10% of the trailer GVW must be on the trailer tongue. Less than 10% and trailer sway can start given certain circumstances. Travel trailers have the ability to have loads change when camping. LP tanks go empty, someone loads heavy object at the back of the camper, fresh water hauled to camp goes empty and other things that can negatively sometimes affect the tongue weight percentage. A better target is 12% or more on tongue weight. Then you have a 2% buffer to not get too low and have sway concerns. More tongue weight is OK, just the truck has to be able to hold it up.

Your 2003 T267SR has a 846# tongue weight (with no cargo inside) on a camper with 5,878# of GVW. 846#/5,878# = 0.144 x 100 = 14.4% loaded tongue weight. This means the trailer will tow very stable naturally. But, the truck has to hold up that tongue weight. Do not try and moves lots of things around in the camper to get that down to 10%, that is not a good thing to do, one accidental move of something at a later date and you can be under the 10%.

Now we have the numbers to start the tow vehicle check. I post these in the next reply.
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Old 09-20-2020, 08:08 PM   #12
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Tow Vehicle Check.

2017 Armada AWD with tow package ratings with Sunline 2003 T267SR

Truck front axle check.

GAWR-FRT = 3,616 #.
Front axle weight = 3,040# Loaded truck with only 150# driver and no cargo.
Front axle excess capacity: 3616 – 3040 = 576#

Truck rear axle check

GAWR-RR = 4,343#
Rear axle weight = 2,807# Loaded truck with only 150# driver and no cargo.
Camper tongue weight = 846# This estimate requires a WD hitch must be used to limit the rear axle weight gained by only 846#. Failure to use and adjust the WD hitch properly can result in overloading the rear axle.
Reese round bar WD hitch with tow ball: 110#

Rear axle excess capacity: 4343 – 2807 – 846 - 110 = 580#

Truck gross weight check.

GVWR = 7,500#
Front axle weight: 3,040#
Rear axle weight with camper: 2,807 + 846 + 110 = 3,763#

Truck GVW: 3,040# + 3,763# = 6,803#

Truck excess weight capacity: 7,500# - 6,803# = 697#

Truck receiver weight check:

Receiver rating with a WD hitch: 850#
Loaded camper tongue weight: 846# Camper with full LP gas, battery and no camping cargo.

Excess receiver capacity: 850 – 846 = 4#

Gross combined weight check (truck pull rating)

GCWR = 14,700#
Truck front axle weight: 3,040# (empty truck and one 150# driver)
Truck rear axle weight: 2,807# (empty truck and one 150# driver)
WD hitch weight: 110#
Camper GVW: 5,878 (no camping gear in camper)
Reserve capacity for exceeding frontal area: 1,500# (estimated from past experience. More is better)

GCW = 3040 + 2807 + 110 + 5878 + 1500 = 13, 335#

GCWR – GCVW = 14700 – 13335 = 1, 365# excess reserve pulling capacity.

You may have noticed, I never used the trucks “Tow Rating”. The GCWR is the real pull rating of the truck engine and drivetrain. If you ever had a 8,500# low profile trailer with only a 850# loaded tongue weight, limited weight in the truck, then you could tow it at full capacity. Travel trailers are not made that way. They have heavy tongue weights, large frontal are, are very long and are normally higher than 10% loaded tongue weight on purpose.

The weakest point in your setup is the truck receiver. There is only 4# of excess capacity. This is with only you in the truck and an empty camper. Do not exceed the truck receiver rating.

What you asked for barley fits. All these are weight estimates. Do not take these estimates as facts. The only way to confirm these, is spend less the $12 at a truck scale and weigh the truck and camper. Odds are favorable they always come up a little heavier.

You can see the weak areas in your setup. If you fill the truck with cargo and people adding up over 580#, the truck is at the GVWR limit. If you add camping gear to the camper, if it adds tongue weight, you will be over the truck receiver ratings and possibly the rear axle if there are people and cargo in the truck.

The truck engine and drive train has some reserve pulling power for more weight to be added to the camper or truck, as long as you do not exceed the axle or receiver weights.

If you do decide to attempt this, you must use a WD hitch with a very good anti sway control. No single friction bar to try and get by with that many use. You have a lot of trailer behind you on a short wheelbase truck on soft truck suspension with P rated tires. The WD hitch must be adjusted to work with air lift suspension on the truck to not create a fight between the WD hitch and the air lift system. See your truck manual for more on the WD setup and air lift.

You are right on the edge of this working. I would not recommend this camper/truck combination.

If you have not read the Nissan truck manual towing section and the towing guide, it is highly recommended. They spell out what I have shown you.

By reviewing the calculations, you can see how to size up the truck and the camper for the future. You have a really nice camper. Just that large of a camper needs a larger truck to tow it loaded and bring the family and all your camping gear along. Your thoughts on a seasonal site may be the middle ground of how to have fun camping while fully enjoying the camper loaded with all the stuff we “all” being with us.

Hope this helps,

If you need more on this, let us know.

John
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Old 09-21-2020, 05:26 AM   #13
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Helpful info

John,

This information is super helpful and I never knew or understood what all the weights and numbers meant and now I have a clearer picture of what they mean. I tried to look in my hitch receiver as well as on the bumper and completely under the car like you asked but still, I found no stuck or info whatsoever and have attached those photos. I managed to muster up the courage to hook up the camper to my car and will also attach that photo as well. I took it out for a spin around my block and felt like it towed well, granted I was going very slow. Aside from all the normal noises that an older camper makes when towing , it felt pretty solid.

I know all of your numbers point to not being able
To tow it as I would come close but again, I am not towing anything at all in my car as well as in the camper. My husband and I both agreed it would be better and safer at least for right now, if all the kids, food and camper equipment go into a completely separate non towing vehicle. I am banking on this to help give me the flexibility to be able to tow the camper. I only have a weight distribution hitch on the camper now without a sway bar but I did have a brake controller installed and also got tow mirrors. I am still on the fence about installing a camera on the back end of the camper but will have to see.

I really really want this to work and perhaps after the first season which this will really be the only trip, will have a better idea if I either need to rent a truck or just do a seasonal site but this would limit use to where we go every year.

Lots to think about but I greatly, greatly, appreciate all
Tour help and wisdom as it really shows in your knowledge of weights and measurement s when it comes to towing.

Thanks you so so much!!
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Old 09-21-2020, 05:50 AM   #14
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Second option

John,

I also forgot to say, in the event I am just very unsure or don’t feel
Comfortable, this is my fall back plan......
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Old 09-21-2020, 09:10 AM   #15
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Hi Lbetter1206,

Here are a few pointers for towing. Ask if each one is not clear or understood we can expand on the reason. Anyone towing needs to understand these and this is the place to ask without fear of asking dumb questions. We all had to learn this, we are not born with it.

1. Tire pressure. For towing, the truck tires "must" be at the driver door sticker pressures for cold, start of the day, towing both front and rear tires. The truck is handling a lot of weight and it needs the door sticker pressure to hold up the weight. You check this when the tires are cold before you start driving. When you drive the tires heat up and the pressure rises not giving you an accurate cold pressure.

The camper tires need to be aired up to max side wall cold pressure as stated on the tire. If you have the original size that Sunline called out, they are ST225/75R15's load range D. Which is 65 psi. An prior owner may have upgraded the tires to load range E which is 80 psi. If they are C load range at 50 psi, they are the wrong tries. Check the tire side wall, all 4 tires, it will tell you. The printing may be on the inside of the tire if you cannot find it. Trailer tires on tandem axle need full tire pressure to ward off interply shear on the tire. High stress on the tires in turns as they do not steer and scrub on the road and the tires want to tear the tread off of them.

Underinflated tires on the truck or camper can aggravate trailer sway and tire failure from overloading.

2. 45 mph is sort of a critical speed on the highway. When you approach that speed and go over it, the handling of the camper can change if the rig is not stable due to setup, overloading or towing conditions. Be alert for it.

3. Trailer sway and the brake controller. Memorize this, understand it, practice it, it has to become second nature and you have to react quickly, within seconds.

If the trailer starts to sway behind you, you will see and feel it in the truck as the camper is weaving back and forth behind you. It starts small and grows to large swings, fast. When this "starts" happening, instantly reach for the trailer brake controller manual button and firmly and quickly apply the full manual braking to the trailer while trying to drive straight ahead. This action creates high drag on the trailer brakes and helps stop the sway event.

The normal instinct is to slam on the truck brakes. Do not slam on the truck brakes! That is the worst thing you can do in this situation as the swaying camper will start pushing the truck potentially into jack knife. Quickly apply firm and full manual trailer brakes while steering straight ahead. As the sway tames down and stops, then slowly let off the gas pedal and start slowing using the truck brakes and slow down the truck and camper.

Do not try and steer the truck to get out of the swaying trailer. This steering action feeds the sway making it worse. Best is to drive straight ahead unless you are going to crash into something.

Practice reaching for the manual button on the brake controller. It needs to become instinct. Not trying too scare you, but help you learn this. It is well documented by reputable towing authorities. I did not create it, I learned it from them, once I even knew about to look for it. A large swaying trailer can go out of control in seconds at highway speeds.

4. Passing semis/ large trucks or buses. When these larger vehicles pass you fast on the highway, they create a bow wave effect which wants to upset the truck and camper. Keep an eye out for them in the mirrors. Keep in your lane but be closer to the right white line to leave a larger space between the passing truck and your truck. More distance decreases the bow wave effect. Once you learn how your truck and camper reacts to this, you then know if this is a problem or not. You may need to make small steering corrections to help compensate. Do not make drastic large steering moves unless you are going to hit something. When your camper and truck are setup right, semis will not bother you. If they do create an issue, this means there are issues that can be adjusted or changed to help get rid it of. This is an entire post in itself.

5. Make wide turns and go slow and look in the mirror to see the camper and what you may hit. Until you learn & master your truck and camper turning radius, you have to compensate for wide turns so the camper will not hit something in the side of it. Like high road curbs, stops signs, mail boxes etc.

6. Stay calm, be alert, check your mirrors and have fun. Ask any and all questions.


Hope this helps.

John

PS You need to get anti sway control soon.
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Current Sunlines: 2004 T310SR, 2004 T1950, 2004 T2475, 2007 T2499, 2004 T317SR
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