Audi Q7 - Best bunkhouse I can safely tow?

[BeMurda]

Hi all,

I have a 2018 Audi Q7 with the factory tow package and auto-levelling air suspension. It's rated to tow 7700lbs and tongue weight of 770lbs. Weight distribution hitch is prohibited because of the unibody design. I plan to get an antisway hitch.

FYI the brakes on this vehicle are fantastic, they are unbranded brembos and the vehicle, despite weighing the same as an F-150 crew cab, brakes 27 feet shorter from 70mph (CarandDriver).

Anyway, I'm looking to get a family bunkhouse for casual use. Currently have a toddler boy running around the house and we are hoping our family will grow this fall.

I really would like to have a tandem axle trailer for all the safety benefits, but there is a sort of weird anti-goldilocks thing where the likely real world tongue weights that the vehicle can handle are somewhat incompatible with double axle.

I started out by looking at the Grand Design 21BHE. It is a bit heavier than I would like but the dry tongue weight seemed good at 456lbs. Then I read online that the weight was easily cresting 800lbs in some cases when loaded, which made me sad.

There are many single axle trailers I could get - among those I am nearly settled on the Apex Nanos (185BH, 186BH or 194BHS) if I have to go with a single axle.

If not for the 600lbs tongue weight on the tandem axle Apex Nano 208BHS that would have been an easy pick for the best vehicle to match to my Audi. But for some reason the dry tongue weight is so high.

So far the only lighter tandem axle that seems easily doable that I can find is the overpriced 7ft wide Winnebago Micro Minnie 2100BH. But it doesn't have a true queen bed! Bleh. It has the same dry hitch weight as the Grand Design, but is 600lbs lighter. Can I really not just make the 21BHE work if the Micro Minnie would?

My wife would like a dinette that can seat 2 adults and 2 kids by the way.

Am I stuck with a single axle or is there a tandem axle out there for me? Please help! And please don't tell me to upgrade my tow vehicle - I just traded down out of an F-350 dually, LOL! I'm looking for the best trailer to fit my current vehicle.

[tuffr2]

You guys in those solid built SUV's just don't have the wheelbase of a truck. I know, I know - you have the brakes, HP etc.

I would look at a nice pop-up trailer. I.dont think you can tow a hard shell bunk house. I have a friend that tried towing a small bunk trailer with a Toyota Tacoma for a little while. But he did not like the way it towed. After many RV's and trucks later he now owns a Class 'C' motorhome.

For me - I started in 2008 with a 2008 Gulfstream Streamlite 22 SLB. I had a generation 1 Honda Ridgeline with a 122" wheelbase. The travel trailer was 26.5' long. I camped at the local State Parks and was always on back roads towing at 35 - 45 mph. That was good. But when I wanted to travel 250 miles on the highway that was not good. I had a lot of sway and steering corrections to stay straight. I ended up with a full sized truck which had a wheelbase of 154" and that towed the same trailer rock solid at 72 - 74 mph.

IMHO you do not have the wheelbase to control a very big travel trailer is why I would recommend a pop-up trailer.

[BeMurda]

Originally Posted by tuffr2

You guys in those solid built SUV's just don't have the wheelbase of a truck. I know, I know - you have the brakes, HP etc.

I would look at a nice pop-up trailer. I.dont think you can tow a hard shell bunk house. I have a friend that tried towing a small bunk trailer with a Toyota Tacoma for a little while. But he did not like the way it towed. After many RV's and trucks later he now owns a Class 'C' motorhome.

For me - I started in 2008 with a 2008 Gulfstream Streamlite 22 SLB. I had a generation 1 Honda Ridgeline with a 122" wheelbase. The travel trailer was 26.5' long. I camped at the local State Parks and was always on back roads towing at 35 - 45 mph. That was good. But when I wanted to travel 250 miles on the highway that was not good. I had a lot of sway and steering corrections to stay straight. I ended up with a full sized truck which had a wheelbase of 154" and that towed the same trailer rock solid at 72 - 74 mph.

IMHO you do not have the wheelbase to control a very big travel trailer is why I would recommend a pop-up trailer.

It's just untrue that you can't tow a small travel trailer safely with this vehicle. There are thousands of people safely towing Airstreams etc with vehicles on this platform. Some are probably overweight and unsafe but still not running into issues.

Here is an 85 page thread about people towing their airstreams with their Q7's and other vehicles on the same chassis. https://www.airforums.com/forums/f46...134917-85.html

There is no way I am going to purchase a pop up, I could easily get a travel trailer under 3000lbs if necessary - but it really doesn't seem like it is.

[Piper & John]

I would listen to tuffr2's advice as he knows what he is talking about. In addition to a short wheel base, you most likely have 1,200 to 1,300 lbs of CCC. BY the time you add an 800 lb tongue weight, you only have 500 lbs for people and stuff in your vehicle. Air bags can compensate for rear sag, but not safety. Would you not want to be as safe as possible with a young, growing family?

[tuffr2]

The Audi Q7 has a wheelbase of 117". Agree that can tow a small hard shell camper. But a pop-up would have more room.

[BeMurda]

Originally Posted by Piper & John

I would listen to tuffr2's advice as he knows what he is talking about. In addition to a short wheel base, you most likely have 1,200 to 1,300 lbs of CCC. BY the time you add an 800 lb tongue weight, you only have 500 lbs for people and stuff in your vehicle. Air bags can compensate for rear sag, but not safety. Would you not want to be as safe as possible with a young, growing family?

1340lbs payload. I don't want to go over tongue weight or any of the manufacturer recommendations. What is a reasonable guideline for dry tongue weight that will stay less than 770lbs when loaded? This is the problematic bit in terms of picking a trailer. And perhaps only the Micro Minnie could be tandem axle in this size range, unless I opted for a fibreglass egg like the Escape Trailers that have less room.

[tuffr2]

Here are some small trailers with bunks. Some are too big but there are some that might work.

https://youtu.be/5tIEXn74tb0?si=shfcnjzmV5_UGXo7

[propchef]

Originally Posted by BeMurda

It's just untrue that you can't tow a small travel trailer safely with this vehicle. There are thousands of people safely towing Airstreams etc with vehicles on this platform. Some are probably overweight and unsafe but still not running into issues.

Here is an 85 page thread about people towing their airstreams with their Q7's and other vehicles on the same chassis. https://www.airforums.com/forums/f46...134917-85.html

There is no way I am going to purchase a pop up, I could easily get a travel trailer under 3000lbs if necessary - but it really doesn't seem like it is.

This. The Q7 is a VERY capable tow vehicle. No, it doesn’t have the wheelbase BUT it has a very short overhang (distance from hitch to centerline of the rear wheels) and it has an independent suspension far superior to any 1/2 or 3/4 ton PU.

[propchef]

Originally Posted by BeMurda

1340lbs payload. I don't want to go over tongue weight or any of the manufacturer recommendations. What is a reasonable guideline for dry tongue weight that will stay less than 770lbs when loaded? This is the problematic bit in terms of picking a trailer. And perhaps only the Micro Minnie could be tandem axle in this size range, unless I opted for a fibreglass egg like the Escape Trailers that have less room.

Hi BeMurda

I would reach out to Andy Thompson at CanAm RV. He’s set up literally hundreds of these, all keeping within the numbers. The WDH “prohibition” isn’t about the unibody, you can safely use one.

IIRC the Q7 already has airbags.

It’s a great vehicle.

[tuffr2]

If you can tow a travel trailer in the right hand lane on the freeway and keep up with the semi's then you are good to go. Doing this without holding up the semi's would be great.

[scrapperjohn]

Completely ignore dry weights.
No one tows empty.
I only look at GVWR of trailer, then figure around 12% of that for tounge weight.

[kdauto]

Originally Posted by propchef

Hi BeMurda

I would reach out to Andy Thompson at CanAm RV. He’s set up literally hundreds of these, all keeping within the numbers. The WDH “prohibition” isn’t about the unibody, you can safely use one.

IIRC the Q7 already has airbags.

It’s a great vehicle.

From all I've read about Canam, they are great at mating very oversized and overweight trailers to smaller tow vehicles. I'd say some of the mods are almost criminal. Having vehicles like an Acura RDX or Highlander with 28', 7000+ lb GVWR trailers is crazy.

A Q7 is pretty capable, but it has its limits. Use a WDH at your own risk, and unfortunately, the risk of everyone else on the road.

I'd be keeping the trailer to 24' OAL and no more than 4500-5000lb GVWR tops.

[MADP4301]

My daily driver is a Durango, which is very similar to your Q7 as far as size and capabilities for towing. I mostly use my dually for all towing needs but I have put on some miles towing a ski boat (5k on the trailer) and a 7x14 cargo (5k loaded). It towed them rock solid 70 down the interstate.

I moved my 8.5’ x 24’ (27’ OAL) enclosed trailer with it about 20 miles (county roads) on a whim when I had the dually and 5th wheel already hooked up. It was mostly empty just some insulation and lumber in it. I would estimate maybe 4.5k wet weight since it’s an all aluminum trailer 3.5k dry. It was uncomfortable and I was only doing 55 MPH. It really felt like the trailer owned it. Way too much trailer even though I was towing well below ratings. Maybe anti sway and load bars would help but not enough in my opinion since I wasn’t going that fast to begin with.

I wouldn’t want to exceed a 20’ OAL travel trailer, which means about a 17’ “box” if I were going to be towing down the interstate. Pretty small…

Good luck.

[Rgsauger]

We towed a Winnebago micro Minnie 2108ds with my wife’s 4Runner a bit. It was stable and stopped straight. NO power. Wanted to run around 55 or so was all. Equalizer hitch and Primus brake box. Safe but underpowered.

Put it behind my Ram 2500 and I could almost forget it was there.

You can do a lot if you take it easy. More important to be able to stop straight than tow at speed. Good luck.