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Old 06-01-2016, 08:48 PM   #1
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Advice on Sub 4000lb Bubkhouse TT

Hi Folks, thrilled to have found this forum. I have been researching for quite some time, a TT that will sleep my wife and I and are 3 growing daughters, 10,11 and 13. Our tow vehicle is a 2016 Ford Explorer 3.5 V6 with full tow package rated at 5000lbs. Looked at a 2015 Evergreen Ascend Cloud 19BH today and was a little shocked that the MSRP was $29k but it had been sitting for a year and was now $17k and change. The trailer looked nice, but is that a red flag? Any help appreciated.
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Old 06-01-2016, 09:02 PM   #2
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Welcome to iRV2.

A few words of caution before you continue your search.

Your trailer tow rating is for that vehicle with only a 150lb driver .
Please before you consider towing , put your family, and pets ? in the vehicle and run it across the scales , get front and rear axle weights and compare the to the max rating in your owners manual and on the drivers door post.
I'm sure you'll find that with a family of 5 on board you'll have very little weight capacity, on the rear axle, for any kind of trailer hitch weight.
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Old 06-01-2016, 09:37 PM   #3
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Well the wife and kids come in about 435lbs and my extra weight (210lbs-150lbs = 60lbs) puts us at about 495lbs. The evergreen came in at 3600lbs dry. According to most people I talked to, that seems to be acceptable. Obviously there's gear to consider, but we can be fairly minimalist.
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Old 06-01-2016, 10:03 PM   #4
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You will come across a lot of people who will tell you only a 3/4 diesel can pull a travel trailer and anything less and your Explorer's suspension will collapse under the weight causing a fiery accident.
Depends on what you plan on using it for. Few hour drives to the local state parks and you'll do just fine. Plan on driving cross country to see America the Beautiful and you may be thinking these people with diesels are on to something.
Keep in mind the 5k lb tow capacity is measured pulling a utility trailer with 5k lb of plywood, not a 5k lb travel trailer that has the aerodynamics of a brick.
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Old 06-01-2016, 10:18 PM   #5
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Minimalist is one thing , reality is another , even if you don't carry any water on board; bedding, clothing, kitchen ware and food; the weight adds up in a hurry; and then there's the growing children.
Then there's the hitch weight on the rear axle of the tow vehicle, be sure and include the weight of any sway control.
JMHO; Please weight your vehicle with all family aboard. I'm thinking you could easily need 700 + lbs of capacity on your rear axle weight to be within it's limits.
Just trying to keep you safe.
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Old 06-01-2016, 10:28 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DazBritUS View Post
Hi Folks, thrilled to have found this forum. I have been researching for quite some time, a TT that will sleep my wife and I and are 3 growing daughters, 10,11 and 13. Our tow vehicle is a 2016 Ford Explorer 3.5 V6 with full tow package rated at 5000lbs. Looked at a 2015 Evergreen Ascend Cloud 19BH today and was a little shocked that the MSRP was $29k but it had been sitting for a year and was now $17k and change. The trailer looked nice, but is that a red flag? Any help appreciated.
Welcome to the forum. I would never want to dampen anyone's spirits but like others have said , PLEASE check in with the weights and measures.

V6 with 5000 towing capacity doesn't seem to leave any buffer room. Your TT is about 3600 dry, with about 1500 carrying capacity. Your TV will be full, 5 people and their stuff adds a lot in the vehicle. Then 5 people's stuff in the TT is a lot more. I think you will exceed the limit when fully loaded with a tank of water too. You will CONSTANTLY worry about weight every single time you go camping, your supposed to relax not stress. Then think about the hills!!

Maybe you could ask to see if you can do a test run and tow it for a while. Don't forget, it will be empty. No clothes, food, stuff or water. See how it feels. Oh then there's the hitch weight and sway bars etc. It keeps adding up and your at the limit if not over.

Only YOU have the last say. Don't let anyone change your mind, but internally you will know. My gut says the TV is not enough for all your family needs with this TT. Pls be careful before part with your $$$$.
Just my 2c and nothing more.
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Old 06-01-2016, 10:40 PM   #7
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This post makes an interesting read .

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f45/tow-v...ors-89375.html

Just click on the blue writing.
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Old 06-01-2016, 10:45 PM   #8
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You will not be able to go far with this trailer and family. One thing your going to need is a "good WD hitch". Your Explorer besides towing capacity will have a max hitch limit. Depending in the trailer it could run 200 to 500lbs dry. Loaded depending on the floorplan you could be well over what the Explorer can handle safely. Get a big cross wind traveling on the freeway and you'll be running back to the dealer for a new F-150

Just finished driving across the country and hit high winds in SD. & WY. Even with my 26' tt ( about 6000lbs) loaded with my Tundra. I was hanging on for dear life. This went on for 500 miles over two day. If I would of had my SUV Toyota 4Runner I would have pulled over and parked it. My 4Runner was rated to tow 7200lbs (V-8). I would never tow more than 5500lbs with it
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Old 06-01-2016, 11:53 PM   #9
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I guess I should start a new thread "Who's towing with an Explorer and what are you towing?"
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Old 06-02-2016, 09:16 AM   #10
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Originally Posted by DazBritUS View Post
I guess I should start a new thread "Who's towing with an Explorer and what are you towing?"
Honest , we're not trying to put you off RVing , just trying to help you be safe , and in my case " learn from my mistakes".
I towed my first three , fifth wheels with a V-8 Dakota 4X4 P/U.
The first 2 , I was under the GCWR of the truck , the third was 1,000 lbs over, but still under the GVWR of the truck, so I thought I'd be OK.
I had no problems when traveling in the fall and spring; then I ended up on a hot summer trip for a wedding . In 100 degree temps , I couldn't run the A/C without over heating the engine . Six and a half hours driving south , into the sun with no A/C. Couldn't park and wait for cooler temps , had to be at work the next day. DW was VERY upset and three days after we got home threw the paper at me with a for sale ad circled and said . " Will this truck pull the trailer without overheating IN ANY WEATHER !" That truck was my tow vehicle for the next six years, my third and forth 5ers, and 70,000 miles of towing.
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Old 06-02-2016, 09:52 AM   #11
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OK, well in reviewing further, there are a number of Forest River and Jayco BH trailers that will sleep 5 and come in at a hair over 3000lbs. Is that more where I need to be or are you saying that my vehicle is just not a tow vehicle period?
And BTW I'm not offended or disappointed at all in the replies here. I joined to absorb any info I can. Better this way than buy 1st, ask questions later
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Old 06-02-2016, 10:01 AM   #12
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I pull a 5k lb trailer with the last gen '07 Explorer (full ladder frame, V8, same transmission as the F150, trans cooler, tow pkg) and even with a 7300 tow capacity the 5k lb trailer is pushing it for what would be comfortable to tow. Trips to the moutains are out of the question until I can upgrade in a couple years.
Even if you have the twin turbo V6 you may be fooled into feeling like there is plenty of power to pull it but the transmission in the new Explorers were designed for a Taurus and will likely suffer an early death if forced to pull that large of a camper cross county and through mountains.
Like I said, fairly short trips in fairly flat terrain and you'll probably be fine with it. But if your travels take full days and across the country you are going to wish you had a more capable tow vehicle to pull that trailer.
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Old 06-02-2016, 11:44 AM   #13
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If you're comfortable with being a little cozy with everyone in the trailer, you might want to consider a Starcraft AR-One bunkhouse. We just upgraded from ours to a bigger trailer, but it suited us nicely as a first trailer. Ours was a 2011 AR-One 16BH. It had a table upfront that folded down into a bed, and bunk beds in the back.

If I remember correctly, it came in a bit under 3k lbs. Maybe like 2875-ish? And we pulled it with a 2005 Explorer 4.0L V-6. We live in the Southwest and towed it many times into the mountains of Nevada and Utah. Even moved across country with it. 1800 miles!

We did have a WD hitch w/sway control, and never had any real concerns or issues.
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Old 06-02-2016, 12:00 PM   #14
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I had to laugh just now. I was at camping world looking at a really nice Jayco 19BH that was 3100lbs. I was leaving the sales office and there in front of me was a Toyota Hylander (5000lb rating also) getting a brand new 4700lb 26ft slideout attached to it, ready to roll out of there
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