Community Forums

Geezer80 · 07-02-2016, 10:58 AM

Wondering about experience with the air ride rear suspension also what do you use for mirrors? Thanks, JR

plasma800 · 07-02-2016, 01:31 PM

I think it's important to check the door sticker to see what the payload of the vehicle is.

Probably in the 1400lb range.

plasma800 · 07-02-2016, 01:33 PM

From this weight, you would deduct all passengers weight, and weight of any other gear in the vehicle. Then deduct the weight of the hitch, then weight of tongue of the "ready to travel" trailer.

If all of that adds up to more than 14xxlbs or whatever your door stickers says, you might not enjoy the handling.

You might find the appropriate clip on mirrors here

https://www.google.com/search?q=2005...on+tow+mirrors

dcarver · 07-02-2016, 01:34 PM

Air Suspension worked pretty well. Set the wdh up first before you turn the car on and the bags inflate. The mirrors I got a Walmart. They adjust enough to fit the stock mirrors. Do you have the v6 or v8?

plasma800 · 07-02-2016, 01:34 PM

And if I recall, you just bought a TT, but I'm not sure I saw anything about what it was?

Geezer80 · 07-02-2016, 03:25 PM

The TT is a 2014 Keystone Premier 22RBPR. It will be our first TT. We're scheduled to take delivery 7/5, that's why I'm trying to get as much info as possible prior to towing it home. The engine in our Envoy is the 5.3L V8.

I've gone though all the load and weight numbers and are satisfied.

Thanks to all , I do appreciate your input!

dcarver · 07-02-2016, 06:55 PM

Make sure to get a good whd hitch like an equalizer or blue ox. If I'd had known that when we had ours I might have kept it longer

plasma800 · 07-03-2016, 12:03 AM

light hitch, you're probably ok. Just, ya know.. if it handles goofy, you'll know.... the front end will feel light, or the trailer will pull the rear end of truck around..... and you''ll know it for sure if that happens.

Geezer80 · 07-03-2016, 07:05 AM

Perhaps you can educate me. The hitch (factory) is rated 10,000# GTW and 1,000# TW with a WDH. I will be using a WDH. The 22RBPR weighs less than 5,000# with a TW of 500#. What am I missing?

SmokeyWren · 07-03-2016, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnnyringo

Perhaps you can educate me. The hitch (factory) is rated 10,000# GTW and 1,000# TW with a WDH. I will be using a WDH. The 22RBPR weighs less than 5,000# with a TW of 500#. What am I missing?

You're missing the fact that those are dry weights. Your wet and loaded trailer will be a lot heavier than that when on the road.

Keystone 2014 Premier 22RBPR has shipping weight of 4,690 plus cargo carrying capacity of 4,820, for a total GVWR of 9,510.
Click here to Download A Brochure for a 2014 Keystone Premier 22RBPR

You probably won't load it all the way to 9,510, but it could easily gross 7,500 when wet and loaded on the road. Average tongue weight (TW) for that size trailer is 13%, so you should count on at least 13% TW. 13% of 7,500 is 975 pounds, or almost double the 500 pounds TW per the brochure, which assumes a too-low 10% TW for a dry trailer. 975 pounds TW is going to tax the payload capacity of your SUV.

dcarver · 07-03-2016, 10:51 AM

Smokey, I think the 4,820lb carrying capacity is a misprint. On the 2015 it's 1673 which would make more sense considering its not a toy hauler. He will be close however to his max gvwr of the envoy. I would just load the trailer with all camping gear and food.
Johnnyringo I would load everything towards the front and try to shoot for about 13% tongue weight for stability. The envoy xl is relatively long but it's still a narrow vehicle which along with a light tongue weight can cause some trailer sway. Like I said, good weight distribution hitch and load the tongue weight up should give you a relatively pleasant drive. The 5.3 v8 is pretty stout when revved up. Our 4500lb tt we pulled allowed us to stay in OD most of the time and without slowing down much on Hills running about 65mph. If you'd like to run 60 or less drop it into 3rd gear.

Airmech · 07-03-2016, 12:21 PM

I used to own a 2004 envoy XL 2wd. Towed a 18.5' boat and a 2 axle jayco pop up. Didnt have any air ride that I know of but handled both extremely well. I had the I6 4.2L in mine. Had almost the same power of the 5.3 V8 of the time. For what it was, it was a great little SUV.

Geezer80 · 07-07-2016, 04:08 AM

Update:

We took delivery of our TT. It's a Keystone Bullet Premier 22RBPR.
The purchase included a Curt WDH. W had to adjust he position of the Ball head to a lower position before we started home (150 mile drive). I have not been able to find any information on towing with our GMC's auto leveling rear air suspension. The trailer still tended to wander a bit, but was still easy to control. I stopped about half way at a Camping World and had an interesting conversation with a knowledgeable employee who came out and looked at our set up. Surprisingly, he disregarded the level of the front of the trailer where the hitch attaches, but measured the actual trailer frame at the front and rear. Turns out the front was still higher than the rear! Go figure. So after I got home I reversed the the hitch and lowered the ball height about 3 inches. I then hooked up the trailer again and, measuring the frame to ground, the front is 1/4" lower than the rear!

Will be road testing in the near future.