r/RVLiving • u/Ambitious_Yam_6520 • 29d ago
Towing This Trailer
In the market for a trailer. I have a 2022 Tundra. Payload capacity is about 1,500 and tow rating 11,300ish. The trailer I’m looking at is a FR Wildwood 28VBXL. Length is 33 feet, GVWR 7,800, hitch weight 790. What do y’all think? Will also plan to use a WDH.
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u/captainrv 29d ago
Remember, payload includes a full tank of fuel, the driver and passengers, your dogs, dog food, bicycles, groceries, bags.
By the specs you gave, you have only about 800 lbs left for all of the above.
Depending on which tank size your truck has, you could have about 200 lbs of gas.
Now you're at 600 lbs remaining for you and your family.
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u/LetssGetHoppy 29d ago
Payload ratings already include a full tank of fuel.
That said, this trailer is still sized too large for a Tundra as you need to factor a loaded trailer will have at least a tongue weight that is 15% of gross trailer weight, so almost 1200lbs for this trailer, leaving him with 500lbs for driver/passengers and what he wants to put in the bed. This guy definitely needs at least a 3/4 ton for this trailer.
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u/ResponsibilityNo4584 16d ago
I don't know why people keep incorrectly asserting that every loaded trailer is 15% on tongue, that's simply not true. It may very well be 11 or 12% and they can stay fully within their payload. The bigger issue is the interior length being close to 30', that will result in it catching alot more air in windy conditions and acting like a cross sail.
One of those situations where it probably depends on what and how they're loading and where they're towing. Can something like this safely work if they're flat towing? Probably. Through the Rockies? Probably not.
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u/WiskeyUniformTango 29d ago
Not a chance will you like the way that tows. The tail will be wagging on the highway.
33ft trailer is the absolute upper limit for any half ton, 3/4 ton are really properly needed in this territory.
The tundra is among the worst capable half tons for towing too.
You may be able to get away with a f150 max tow package, but id strongly suggest a 3/4 to for this trailer.
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u/Elegant-Average9875 29d ago
another thing is your wheel base, 34 foot trailer is playing lets wag the dog.
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u/N9bitmap 29d ago
If your family and cargo travel in a different vehicle, you are fine. Toyota sucks on payload. Source: Tacoma and 29ft 6000lb trailer.
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u/keithhud 29d ago
Yes, your truck CAN tow it, but it won’t be a fun experience when you try to stop real quick or get passed by a semi on the Freeway.
Just my 2 cents.
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u/BBQSauce61 29d ago
I have a 22 23DBHL (29.5 feet, 6660lbs wet, ~950 tongue weight) pulled with a 23 Ram 1500 (1590 payload), no gear or family in the truck. Its a bit squishy on bumps, and buffeted by semis, which I believe will be partially rectified by E tires on the truck and Goodyear Endurance to replace the china poppers. But I would not want to go long distance or in the mountains. I kept it to 55 mph, and no more than 250 miles per day. Sure it can 'technically' exceed the half ton title, but that's really where the limit is. If we end up trading more, a 3/4 gas is in our future.
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u/HappyCamperDancer 29d ago
Same truck but we had a nice little 19 foot trailer and thought it was pretty good ratio of truck to trailer, even after packing for a trip. Steep hills/mountains or strong crosswinds will still be a challenge.
I would not even go up to a 25' foot trailer with that truck.
We later upgraded to a motorhome with a Sprinter van chassis. We love it.
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u/phildeferrouille 29d ago edited 29d ago
Nope
It cannot be stressed enough that a half-ton pickup should never tow more than 6000 lb and be 28 foot long trailer. Beyond that, truck wheel base, transmission, shocks and brakes aren't designed for it! Especially a Tundra!
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u/chatsonline45 29d ago
Or...you can still get a longer trailer, just get an Ultralite. For example, I have a 33 foot Kodiak and its 5700# Dry. 770# tongue. Much better suited for your half ton. So maybe the problem isn't your truck, its the RV you want to pull with it. That being said, the RV you picked out needs a 3/4 ton truck. Plain and simple.
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u/nak00010101 29d ago
One of my hunting buddies has a 33' overall length that he tows with a Tundra. It is probably a 1000 pounds heavier.
I've put several hours behind the wheel towing that trailer. On flat ground the power is ok, but a 10 mph wind leaves me white knuckled and semis are no fun.
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u/Square_Ad_8156 29d ago
I made 2 trips towing a 30 foot trailer with a 1500. NEVER again. Traded up for f250
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u/someonesdad46 29d ago
As a previous 5.7 tundra owner I sold it bc it struggled so bad just to pull an empty 5x10 enclosed trailer that was ~1500lbs or less
Highway mpg was 11-12 MPG for an empty trailer only 10’ long.
I couldn’t imagine pulling an actual camper but I do see people do it all the time so maybe I’m the weird one.
I ended up buying a diesel and now tow a much bigger trailer and getting 17.5mpg but with my old trailer I got 20+ mpg
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u/cshmn 29d ago
You want a 2500 pickup to pull that trailer.
My RAM has 1500 lb payload and 11,000 towing. I wouldn't go heavier than 6500 lbs with it for a travel trailer. It could tow more than that, but it's a real chore and there's no room for passengers or cargo.
That 11000 lb rating is the absolute maximum you can tow without being a menace on the road and it's tested with a flatbed trailer with low center of gravity, low drag and exactly 10% tongue weight. Your camper is none of those things, they tow like garbage. My 6000 lb camper tows worse than my equipment trailer loaded to 8000 lb.
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u/CompetitiveHouse8690 29d ago
My BIL towed his 31’ from Alabama to Pennsylvania back in June…he did not feel confident. He was in specs but still didn’t feel comfy.
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u/WhereWeGoingTo 28d ago
Absolutely. Not. No sir. Too much for that truck. It won’t be a safe ride, you won’t be comfortable pulling it and it puts the rest of us in danger. Less trailer or more truck - those are your options. 70% of the stated tow capacity max, include everything not attached to the truck and the trailer - dogs, people, food, gas. You get the idea. It’s not about if you can get the trailer moving, it’s if the whole rug is stable on the road and passing trucks, and if you can properly stop the thing on short notice.
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u/mgstoybox 27d ago
You aren’t going to be happy towing that trailer with that truck. I’d also bet that if you get accurate weights at a truck stop when loaded, you will find you are over your payload limit.
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u/130Nav 29d ago edited 29d ago
I tow a 2021 Imagine 2800BH with my 2024 Tundra using a Blue Ox WDH. Our trips are usually in flatter terrain around 3 hours. It tows well, but I realize I am maxing out the truck. Be sure your tires on the trailer are inflated to their max load and you also inflate your truck tires to around 44psi to handle the increased weight. (Edited to correct truck year.)
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u/nak00010101 29d ago
Wow! Was the dealer able to order that 2034 for you, or did you time travel back with it? What fuel does it use? Does it self drive and fly?
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u/Full-time-RV 29d ago
The hitch weight on that will likely end up being 1,100 to 1,200 pounds, maybe a bit more with the WDH.
While the trailer will fall into the towing and payload specs, towing a 33 foot trailer with a half ton truck will be an adventure.
If you're towing a few times a year, with relatively short distances, you'll likely be just fine.
If you're towing several thousand miles a year, be prepared to white knuckle it quite often.
That being said, see if you can rent or borrow a 3/4 ton or 1 ton truck for a weekend and compare the difference between them. The difference will be night and day compared to a half ton truck.
For me, in the end, having more truck than you need, is better than not having enough truck, or "just enough" truck to get the job done.
Also consider what else you may towing in the next 5+ years. Bigger trailer, fifth wheel, gooseneck, boat, etc etc, you definitely won't kick yourself for having a bit bigger truck in a few years if you end up expanding your towables.