Community Forums

tuffr2 · 12-13-2018, 07:09 PM

I am looking at three different travel trailers right now. The Grand Design 315 RLTS the Jayco 330 RSTS and the Winnebago Mini Plus 30RLSS. My knee jerk reaction, which I hope is wrong, these trailers are too big to tow safety. That the huge slab sides will catch too much wind and will be difficult to keep from swaying.

Anyone have a long 37 plus foot travel trailer?

How well do these trailers tow?

2500HD · 12-13-2018, 07:24 PM

Our trailer is 36ft and I have no trouble with a 3/4 ton. It is very critical to have your hitch set up properly. My previous truck was a dually and I could just drop it on the ball and go.

For those trailers a SRW 1ton would be ideal. A dually if you plan to put a lot of weight on the bed, or plan to travel in the mountains or windy areas.

kylemcmahon1 · 12-13-2018, 07:35 PM

I have a 38 ft keystone outback. Tow with 3/4 Cummins now with gas ford 3/4 ton. Both handle it great. Went from Arkansas to Florida and back this past summer. Proper setup hitch no problems with sway or wind.

oldretiredafguy · 12-13-2018, 07:44 PM

Have an older ('01) Carriage 39' triple axle. Tow it with '02 Dodge 3500 DRW 5.9 Cummins. Pulls like a dream. The GVWR of the coach is 23K, but I'm normally at 17K.
Only problem is it's so high I have to be careful of tree limbs. Cracked the Sat dome in Mobile, AL while taking a mandatory detour.

steve52 · 12-13-2018, 07:58 PM

That's a lot of trailer behind the bumper. I would want a dually just to keep the tail from wagging the dog. There are other considerations too, like maneuvering in tight quarters. If you stay mainly at RV resorts that cater to big rigs you'll be fine, but many state and national parks, as well as a good number of private campgrounds, are going to be a bit tight with a rig that size.

tuffr2 · 12-13-2018, 08:09 PM

Standing next to the Jayco 330, which I think is the highest travel trailer I think dually. The other two trailers I think a SRW truck.

It seems these long trailers can be towed comfortably so, so far so good.

SmokeyWren · 12-14-2018, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tuffr2

It seems these long trailers can be towed comfortably so, so far so good.

The Jayco Eagle 330RSTS TT is over 39' long tip to tail. Dry hitch weight is about 1,400 pounds, with wet and loaded hitch weight over 1,500 pounds without a WD hitch when loaded to 13% tongue weight.

https://www.jayco.com/products/trave...ailer/330rsts/

I would not want to tow that trailer without a ProPride hitch, properly installed and adjusted. But the heaviest duty ProPride hitch has max tongue weight of 1,400 pounds. Add a ProPride 1400 hitch which weighs about 150 pounds, and total wet and loaded hitch weight would be about 1,650 pounds. So before I bought that trailer, I would want assurance from Jim Hensley himself that the ProPride 1400 would handle 1,650 pounds of hitch weight with no problem.
https://www.propridehitch.com/propri...control-hitch/

tuffr2 · 12-14-2018, 09:46 AM

The Jayco Eagle 330 RSTS is flying off Wise Trailer Sales lot in Ebensburg Pa. As soon as they come in a contractor working in the gas/oil industry buys it. It is really bigger than my 5th wheel. This thing is huge from the outside and from the inside. Two huge opposing slides in the living area and one in the bedroom. If I was a contractor and needed a place to stay this trailer makes a great hotel room.

Smokey - I think I need to come back down to earth. The Jayco Eagle 330 I would buy a dually truck. I bought a 2017 F-250 gasser thinking it could pull any trailer. Well, they just keep making nicer and bigger travel trailers. I may have another dually in my future...

To the DW - size does matter....ugh.

SmokeyWren · 12-14-2018, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SmokeyWren

So before I bought that trailer, I would want assurance from Jim Hensley himself that the ProPride 1400 would handle 1,650 pounds of hitch weight with no problem.https://www.propridehitch.com/propri...control-hitch/

Jim's manager of ProPride is Sean Woodruff. Here is Sean's response to my question "Would the ProPride 1400 be enough hitch to handle 1650 pounds of hitch weight with no problem?"

Sean Woodruff <stwoodruff@propridehitch.com>
Fri 12/14/2018, 11:15 AM
It will be if the tow vehicle is a 3/4-ton or a 1-ton suspension. I have a couple customers with 1800+ of hitch weight towing without any problems but they have 1-ton tow vehicles. The limiting factor of the 3P hitch is the 1400# weight distribution bars. The rest of the hitch can carry much more weight.

--------------
ProPride, Inc.
8137 Embury Road #7
Grand Blanc, MI 48439

Jshopes81 · 12-14-2018, 08:50 PM

Jayco 324bhds. Its around 36 total. Ive towed it with the 17 ram 3500hd srw just a ball hitch, ram 1500 with equalizer, and 03 f350 drw. The 1500 i wont do again but i was in a bind. The 17 ram with no weight distribution and the f350 with no wd both pull it fine. The ram is stiffer than the 350 so it bounces less but other than that, you know its there for sure but it does what you tell it to. 75mph is pretty stress free. For what its worth the 1500 with wd was about as stable as the wontons without.

Lafayettemo · 12-14-2018, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kylemcmahon1

I have a 38 ft keystone outback. Tow with 3/4 Cummins now with gas ford 3/4 ton. Both handle it great. Went from Arkansas to Florida and back this past summer. Proper setup hitch no problems with sway or wind.

Which hitch do you use? Pros? Cons? Would you buy it again? Thanks!

kylemcmahon1 · 12-15-2018, 05:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lafayettemo

Which hitch do you use? Pros? Cons? Would you buy it again? Thanks!

I use the Anderson wdh. Very easy to setup. And a lot of adjustability in it to fine tune the hitch. So if you take a long trip and have more weight in the trailer you can adjust the sag out. Unlike the equalizer 4 point which is a great hitch but you have to undo bolts and add washers to adjust properly which means break out the torque wrench. The other great thing about it is the total system weighs less. Just one bar of the equalizer 4 point weighs almost as much as the entire Anderson system. So saves the back.

Cumminsfan · 12-15-2018, 10:53 AM

You better like RV parks or get lucky in St parks towing something that long.
37' plus 22'+/- for a truck capable and you're at 59' going down the road. Hard to find sites in the 55+ OAL range in any place other than an RV park.

mtofell · 12-15-2018, 10:54 AM

A good HD truck and hitch setup, the towing experience wouldn't worry me too much. When I realized everything I wanted/needed in a trailer put me at that length, I ended up going the 5th wheel route. Not so much because of the towing but just the overall length.

I think a lot would also depend on how often and where you tow. Super windy areas or older campgrounds would discourage me. Being out often and covering a lot of miles might turn me away as well. If you're just sticking close to home and/or staying put for long periods I think you'll be fine.