Cummins Diesel Forum banner

Trailer (RV) size without tow or sway bar?

6K views 36 replies 18 participants last post by  Highway 4x4 
#1 ·
Opinions please... I’ve permanently parked our 5th wheel at our recreation lot on Lake Weiss in Alabama. We put up a cover for it and I’m leaving it there for the long term. I’m keeping the truck (2015 CTD, single axle, SWB). We are now looking for a small tag along RV to fill the gap for when we want to take weekend trips. The 5th wheel was nice, but we mainly used it to travel from Arkansas to Alabama (to our lake lot).

I don’t want to deal with tow bars and sway control. What size camper should I be looking at that I can drop on the hitch and go? I have a 20ft high cube cargo trailer that I pull sometimes on the interstate at 80mph without any issue, so I’m thinking a camper of up to 25ft should be no issue?
 
#2 ·
It's not the length of the trailer that makes the difference, it is the weight, and the weight on the hitch.

I've pulled as high as 10K on the hitch, that was a 38' long travel trailer that had a GVWR of about 12.5K, I didn't weigh the pin, but it was probably in the 1400 range, it was no fun without a weight distributing hitch but was plenty manageable, and I towed it about 1200 miles.

If you want easy to tow without the WDH? Stay as small and light as you can be satisfied with.

Look for around a 8-9K GVWR max trailer and you'll be just fine.
 
#3 ·
I pull my 36ft 10,000 lbs without the eq hitch when I am feeling lazy and not wanting to deal with the weight. I have a 2018 2500. I am going to put airbags in someday. It hauls it fine just would like a bit more stability from the truck.
 
#4 ·
32' triple axle. Have towed from ocean to ocean several times. No issues and very stable. Tongue weight versus load distribution in trailer is key. When I towed heavy with it, had about 1500 lbs of tongue weight with 14k trailer/cargo.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Gilboyto
#5 · (Edited)
My 29HFS has a dry weight of 7282 and it pulls very nicely with my WDH.

The problem might be that it has a tongue weight of 1,100 lbs. So without a WDH you might need air bags or timbrens or something. Or not. I've pulled around locally, no highway and it didn't bother me. Could definitely feel the weight on the hitch but it wasn't a problem. Toy Haulers are nose heavy. bigly.

But it's the only style (TH) I will consider. The wife demands her own bedroom. After 43 years of marital bliss, she has the right. (I prefer it too)

The reason I'm talking about mine is that -- It's the only one I know anything about.

Ltng has forgotten more about towing them than I'll ever know
 
#6 ·
I pulled a 28ish foot camper from KY to Charleston a couple years ago without a WDH. It was a rental and the guy's hitch wasn't set up properly for a truck as tall as the Ram's so I figured I'd give it a try before I spent the time undoing the hitch setup and whatnot. No real issues to report, towed fine. I'm sure like others have said it depends a lot on the weight distribution of the trailer and how much tongue weight it gives you, the more the better (to a point).

WDH will always be more "stable", but for shorter trips or a light enough trailer you might be able to get away without it. That said, they're really not that hard to set up/use. Once they're set up, it's maybe an extra 2 minutes to put the bars on/take the bars off.
 
#7 ·
I fulltime in a 26 foot no slides, about 7,500lbs. 2015 2500 4wd 2 door.
I don't need load leveling, no wind, no problem, windy days, I have 2 break style sway thingies.
I just crank them down and no sway at all.
I started my travels with non, and then got one, then put the other on.
My friends 26 foot toy hauler I hauled with just hitch, and no problems, as it empty, had a high hitch weight. Loaded I would need WD and sway with it.
 
#8 ·
Gulfstream 31usss. About 36’ long, 11100gvw, 8300ish wet, 1200 tongue. Hauls fine with the simple 3” drop hitch. Truck and trailer are dead level. 81mph rated load E trailer tires. Hammer down.

I would have preferred something shorter that fits in tight campgrounds but she negotiated the price and we picked it up for a song. Can’t complain.

Watch your tongue weight and level. Also, the tires and pressures on both your rig and trailer will affect happiness on the road.

909320

Land vehicle Vehicle Car Travel trailer Trailer
 
#9 ·
Thanks for all the feedback guys. We are looking for a trailer in the 25-ft range. An old airstream would be nice! (But man those are pricy!). I just want something I can drop on the hitch and go, interstate or back road. And something I can get into some of the Corps of engineer properties without restrictions. Some of the federal ran camp grounds are decades old and not built for the longer RVs of today. I’ve had issues before, and was limited to only a couple spots I could fit in (with the 5th wheel). It’s just me and the wife now, so the larger 5th wheel won’t be missed too much (I hope).
About 20 years ago I used to pull a 32ft tag along with a 1500 Chevy. And man it was a white knuckle experience on the interstate, even with the lift bars and sway control. I never want to experience that again!
I would love to find an old tandem axle vintage camper to restore. If anyone out there is looking to sell one, let me know.
 
#12 ·
I chose a 26 foot, no slides, and if I had a slide or a bigger camper, there were places that I just popped in, I would have not been able to stay. Grab a clean used camper. I Got sick of the dinnet and cheep couch, they are both gone now. Toss the matress and get a good one. Having a electric awnning and jack are great. In the 26 and under range, you shouldn't need WD, might need break style sway, or not.
Happy camping
 
#10 ·
@OP, just curious why the aversion to a WDH? I had one on my last two bumper tow trailers and it wasn’t a pain for me. I feel like it added a few minutes hooking up and a few seconds when disconnecting. If you have an electric tongue jack you can just raise the trailer a few inches after you have connected the hitch on the ball then hook up the chains and lower the trailer and you are good to go.

I only ask because it will give you so many more options. Don’t get me wrong, you asked a fair question but I am more curious than anything as to the reason you are so averse to a WDH? After the initial set up I don’t see the big hassle.

Anyway, good luck whatever you choose.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#13 ·
@OP, just curious why the aversion to a WDH? I had one on my last two bumper tow trailers and it wasn’t a pain for me. I feel like it added a few minutes hooking up and a few seconds when disconnecting. If you have an electric tongue jack you can just raise the trailer a few inches after you have connected the hitch on the ball then hook up the chains and lower the trailer and you are good to go.

I only ask because it will give you so many more options. Don’t get me wrong, you asked a fair question but I am more curious than anything as to the reason you are so averse to a WDH? After the initial set up I don’t see the big hassle.

Anyway, good luck whatever you choose.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
My aversion is not so much to the use of a WDH, I'll use one if I have the need for it, but if I don't need it, why use it. I just wanted to get opinions and see what other folks have experienced, and how large people safely tow without a WDH. I have only towed a 5th wheel RV with my 2500 RAM, and of course that was smooth as butter. My experience with tag along's (on the bumper) and WDH was with the 1500 truck. I also remember the WDH popping and cracking when I back-up and turn, etc. I just don't want to deal with one unless it is necessary.
 
#11 ·
I can see his not wanting to use one. Even if setup properly they still change the handling on the road. I prefer to run without because I like how the truck and trailer can move independently. That and the older I get the less I want to deal with the heavy ass hitch.
 
#15 ·
Weight distribution makes sense, but I would disagree that length does not matter (hehe). Longer length provides more side load for wind pressure to push the RV, leading to sway. I think it is a combination of weight distro + length.
 
#20 ·
This is our old 1963 Airstream that we used as a hunting trailer for many many years. Bought it in about 1983 and sold it in 2015. It was just too small after my brother and I had 4 kids to take hunting and it only slept 4.
We took it on a lot of rough roads that would have shaken today's trailers to death and never missed a beat and never leaked.
The newer ones are VERY pricey and they still don't have much room in them. I guess you're just paying for the name.

909496
 
#22 ·
Towing trailers is what destroys them. Bumps, highway vibrations and construction zones, dips, ruts, swails, sudden stops, going over rocks, etc. It tears everything in the trailer up.... Cabinets, appliances, you name it.

Airstreams hold up better than any of the others under rough and tumble circumstances.

But they're pricey. Real pricey. Really pricey

I drove right by their factory to pick up my RV. Don't know why that's relavant. It isn't
 
#27 ·
Towing trailers is what destroys them. Bumps, highway vibrations and construction zones, dips, ruts, swails, sudden stops, going over rocks, etc. It tears everything in the trailer up.... Cabinets, appliances, you name it.

Airstreams hold up better than any of the others under rough and tumble circumstances.

But they're pricey. Real pricey. Really pricey

I drove right by their factory to pick up my RV. Don't know why that's relevant. It isn't
ATC makes toy haulers that hold up just like AirStream. All aluminum builds and yes, they're pricey as well.
 
#23 ·
I use a Blue Ox WDH when I tow my 28’ Airstream (with my Ram 3500). I don’t cinch it up very tight, just enough to help with stability (although I’ve never tried towing it without the WDH). It tows so well that you wouldn’t even know the trailer is back there (even at 80 mph). (LT tires on the trailer.)
 
#28 ·
Without my WDH I've towed 860 lbs tongue weight. I can definitely notice the light front end as the truck wants to wander more so I have to pay more attention to that. Even with that, my hitch only drops 1 1/2" when hitched. The progressive coil springs work extreme well.

Don't see how you have to worry about the 6500 lb axle rating or the max 1800 lb hitch rating but most shank and ball that I have are 1000 lb max. Probably none of these are an issue but just in case you are bring your gold bars in the bed, you might want to make a pass through the scales. ha. Depending on butane, potable water, battery weights etc, on the 5 pull campers I've had, the tongue weight seems to always be more than the designed 10% that more campers MFG go by. (as much as 21%). I use the WDH.
 
#29 ·
I was in the same boat as you were OP. I decided to just get the wdh it dosnt take any extra time, hook up raise truck/trailer a bit and put on the bars. I am able to back the trailer up with no issues. Some folks told me that they are loud and noisy but imo it's similar to a 5th wheel hitch. IAM not to worry about the weight distribution part but got it more for the sway as it gets pretty Gusty.
 

Attachments

#30 ·
Nice rig, That was my conclusion also. For me, it improve "drivability" and distributes the load more equally between the truck axles and the trailer axles. As far as a sway bar, I gave that to "Goodwill Store" years ago, ha.
 
#35 ·
I would not tow my TT without a WD and sway. Everything is fine till TSHTF while going down a windy mtn road. But to answer the question,,, total length 25 ft and under 5K, depending how far and where you go. .
 
#36 ·
These types of responses should have the wdh mfgs sending you Xmas gift baskets and a birthday card every year!
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top