How to Measure a Travel Trailer?

[RedGuy]

I was wondering what the proper way to measure a travel trailer is? Mine was supposed to be a 21ft TT, but I measured it from bumper to toung is 24ft. Is the 21ft just the "Box"?

[RedGuy]

I was wondering what the proper way to measure a travel trailer is? Mine was supposed to be a 21ft TT, but I measured it from bumper to toung is 24ft. Is the 21ft just the "Box"?

[Ray,IN]

That's a reasonable assumption. Sometimes the designation has absolutely no connection to actual length though. For instance, our RV measures 39' 9", with a designation of 35TMS. You are correct about actual length, that is what you need for reserving a campsite.

[TXiceman]

Once upon a time, the model numbers related to the length. Now the manifacturers seem to just pick any old number whether it relates to length or not. Like Ray noted, use the actual length when reserving a site.

Ken

[RedGuy]

Ok so proper measurement is bumper to toung, so my trailer is really a 24ft trailer.

I actually don't even know what my designation is since I can't find a VIN plate on my trailer, I also don't know what the gross weight is,(though I suspect it's 7,000 since I have 2 3,500lb axels) basically I have zero info on this thing other than what the title says which is 1988 Mallard Sprinter. I'd guess that the desiganation might be something like 24RB though since it's a rear bedroom modle. I think the PO probably just measured the box and called it a 21ft trailer.

[Randy the sly old fox]

For legal purposes you should use the tounge to bumper measurement - here in Oregon you pay by the length - campers are measured from end to end at the top of the unit. 5th wheels are measured the same way. TTs are tounge to bumper, and Motorhomes are bumper to bumper. When the dealer filled out the reg on my unit they called it a 22' unit - it is actually 23.5' so they cheated the state out of 30.00 (the rate is 25.00/ft).

In days of yore model designators and measurements differed from Mfg to Mfg depending on if they wanted the unit to appear larger or not - just like including or excluding tounge wt from the units dry wt. Perception is everything in marketing.

Now we are getting TTs measured in sq ft due to all the slide outs - next it will be in cu ft to cover the toy haulers.

[Jeff_in_The_Dalles]

Yeah, the model name doesn't necessarily corrispond to the length. Patio Hauler makes a 320F toyhauler, but it is actually like 35' long, for example.

Oregon charges by the foot, and I think they use what's on the title.

[RedGuy]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Randy the sly old fox:
For legal purposes you should use the tounge to bumper measurement - here in Oregon you pay by the length - campers are measured from end to end at the top of the unit. 5th wheels are measured the same way. TTs are tounge to bumper, and Motorhomes are bumper to bumper. When the dealer filled out the reg on my unit they called it a 22' unit - it is actually 23.5' so they cheated the state out of 30.00 (the rate is 25.00/ft).

. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>


WOW and I though Michigan was bad! In Michigan it's $200 to register a travel trailer, any travel trailer and the plate is permanent as long as you own it. So with my calculations, your registration is $550! I hope to god that's not every year!

Michigan actually doesn't even put a length on the title, only the dry weight. If you don't have the dry weight you have to get it weighed before they'll register it. Since mine already had the dry weight listed on the previous title I didn't have to weigh it. However that weight was off several hundred pounds, which disapointed me abit since I bought the thing thinking it weighed 3,700lbs empty which would leave me a large margin of error with a 5,000lb tow capacity rated truck. Luckily I don't take much with me when I camp.

[kampingkeith]

Many of the trailer manufacturers use the inside living length, rounded off, to get a model number.

[Steve Rankin]

Our experience is that the number in the TT or 5ver model number is usually closer to the length of the box than it is to the overall length. Three of the 5 TT's we've owned were 3' longer than the model number, however both of our 29's were actually 30' overall. In other words, our 27 & both 29's were all the same length.

This is not true for MH's, especially MH's with a 40 in their name. It seems that many MH manufacturers respond to market pressure to fit more interior into the coach by making their 40' MH anything up to 42'. This adds a certain 'wow factor' when they go into a 40' MH and see a 41.5' interior.