If you had to skimp, would it be on TV or TT?

[Homeby5]

For those here who are actually restrained by a finite amount of money, if you only had a fixed smaller budget, would you sacrifice a lesser TT for a stronger TV...OR would you get a nicer TT and push the limits on a TV?
I'm a newbie camper but after driving 6000 miles from Key Largo to Alaska, and have experienced high winds, mud, steep grades, etc.. I have learned the importance of a TV rated well above the capacity for what is being towed.
If you would have asked me this before my drive, I would have definitely pushed the limits on my TV and splurged for a more expensive TT.
What say you?

[AlfaBaz]

Hindsight is always 20/20!! 20 years ago, I pushed the limits on my TV, a short bed F-150. I put an 8 foot Lance Light, cabover camper on it which put me right at the weight limit. Then I hooked up my four horse stock trailer (albeit with only 2 horses in it) and went on my way. A friend and colleague of mine (auto shop teacher where I taught Biology and Chemistry) later confided in me that I scared him to death every time he saw me do that. A few years later, I saw the folly of my ways and bought an F-350 diesel dually. I love knowing that I can tow just about anything.

[Skip426]

My first three fifth wheels were at the limit of my TV .
But I only traveled short distances in the off season to avoid summer traffic .

My first longer trip in summer; taught me the lesson ; and { self edit } near cost me my marriage.
104 f and a truck that would overheat if the air conditioning was turned on and a need to get where I was going that day .

Three days later my DW slapped the local paper down ; with an add circled and said " Will this truck tow the 5er in all weather without overheating ?"
When I read the add and said yes , she passed me the phone and said " Buy it !"
Trailer tow capacity was 14,100 lbs , 5er was 10,000 GVWR . 40,000 miles towing in 4 years , including , coast to coast in 7 weeks, and got better fuel mileage than my first TV.

Towing at the limit may not bite you the first trip out but sooner or later it will .
Used to say " There's no substitute for cubic inches . " Now it's " You can never have too much truck!"

[Old-Biscuit]

If on a 'limited' budget the TV would not just be the Tow Vehicle but also the Daily Driver ....that makes the decision easy!

[hemifoot]

i can confidently say i did not scrimp on my tv.but i wasn't restrained by a small budget. even if i was i still wouldn't scrimp on a daily driving tow vehicle due to where i live.winters here are brutal on roads and light duty trucks.

[Skibane]

There are other ways of cutting costs on a TV besides reducing towing capacity - i.e., buying a model with fewer luxury options, buying used rather than new, avoiding all-new-for-this-year models (which dealers tend to sell at higher prices)...

Overstressing a TV also increases the incidence of repairs, and ultimately reduces its lifespan - which forces you to buy a replacement for it sooner.

Nowadays, even the lowest-trim tow vehicles are well enough equipped to be comfortable to drive - and just as reliable, fuel-efficient and crashworthy as their high-trim counterparts.

On the trailer side -

If a cheap TT doesn't last as long - and doesn't return much of its original purchase price at trade-in time - then it isn't really all that cheap. And, you don't get as much enjoyment out of it, while you have it.

So - My vote is for (1.) buying a modest-but-capable TV, and (2.) buying a TT good enough to keep you from ever wanting (or needing) to buy another one.

[TXiceman]

On a limited budget, shop used. You can find decent tow vehicles, but it may take a while. Same for the trailer, find a good higher quality trailer in the 3 to 5 years old range. But do make sure the tow vehicle is not over its limits.

Ken

[move on]

Originally Posted by Homeby5

For those here who are actually restrained by a finite amount of money, if you only had a fixed smaller budget, would you sacrifice a lesser TT for a stronger TV...OR would you get a nicer TT and push the limits on a TV?
I'm a newbie camper but after driving 6000 miles from Key Largo to Alaska, and have experienced high winds, mud, steep grades, etc.. I have learned the importance of a TV rated well above the capacity for what is being towed.
If you would have asked me this before my drive, I would have definitely pushed the limits on my TV and splurged for a more expensive TT.
What say you?

Do it right. Go for the tow vehicle. As you say, get one well above the capacity for what is being towed. Rated capacities are a stretch of the imagination of the tow vehicle manufacturers and they really can't safely tow what they claim.

There are lots of really nice small trailers out there that can be safely towed. Don't go overboard with a giant trailer. Aside from being unsafe, you will wind up living in the trailer rather than enjoying the outdoors.

[Skibane]

Originally Posted by move on

There are lots of really nice small trailers out there that can be safely towed. Don't go overboard with a giant trailer. Aside from being unsafe, you will wind up living in the trailer rather than enjoying the outdoors.

I agree.

Small trailers are easier to tow, can be towed with a wider variety of vehicles, and will get you into campsites where a large trailer won't fit (or isn't allowed).

Avoiding the "bigger is better" mindset pays a lot of dividends.

[Dave Pelletier]

Buy used or fewer options or gas instead of diesel but do NOT compromise the size and capability of your tow vehicle. 2 cents

[Nwcid]

I would also say it depends on use.

If you are the "average" RVer that only uses there RV a few times per year and for short trips and the TV was a daily driver I would be likely to push the limits.

If I spent any significant amount of time using my RV or doing long distance, the TV would be the priory.

As others have said there are lots of way to get a TV that is appropriate to your RV. I now have a TV that far exceeds the weight limit needs. It also cost a lot less than the TV I was using before.

[2cyber71]

Always get the best truck. Always over buy the truck.
Everything else is secondary.
Never tow within 2,000 lbs of your capacity. You will definitely kill your tranny.

[Kid Gloves]

Originally Posted by Homeby5

For those here who are actually restrained by a finite amount of money, if you only had a fixed smaller budget, would you sacrifice a lesser TT for a stronger TV...OR would you get a nicer TT and push the limits on a TV?
I'm a newbie camper but after driving 6000 miles from Key Largo to Alaska, and have experienced high winds, mud, steep grades, etc.. I have learned the importance of a TV rated well above the capacity for what is being towed.
If you would have asked me this before my drive, I would have definitely pushed the limits on my TV and splurged for a more expensive TT.
What say you?

When will you stop referring to yourself as a newbie? You’ve completed a major trip that many will never attempt and you probably have the equivalent of 5 years of experience compared to the average RV’er.

I will say that you’ve confused cost with weight. One could spend six figures on a TT that could easily be towed by a used, $5000 1/2-ton or SUV. The bottom line is, regardless of the price of either vehicle, the tow vehicle needs to be rated by the manufacturer to tow the trailer.

[Persistent]

Originally Posted by Homeby5

For those here who are actually restrained by a finite amount of money, if you only had a fixed smaller budget, would you sacrifice a lesser TT for a stronger TV...OR would you get a nicer TT and push the limits on a TV?
I'm a newbie camper but after driving 6000 miles from Key Largo to Alaska, and have experienced high winds, mud, steep grades, etc.. I have learned the importance of a TV rated well above the capacity for what is being towed.
If you would have asked me this before my drive, I would have definitely pushed the limits on my TV and splurged for a more expensive TT.
What say you?

For 6000 miles of wilderness and major cities, I would make sure I had a matched set. Make sure the tow vehicle is well within its capabilities and up to the weather you will encounter. Make sure the TT in excellent towing condition and up to the weather you will encounter.

If I had to scrimp, I would get a smaller trailer and a lighter duty tow vehicle that match capabilities.

I wish you good luck and happy trails ahead!