Buying a new trailer, any recommendations?

[Boblobla]

As the thread title says, I am looking at buying a new trailer and I was hoping for some CP feed back on must haves, places to buy, brands that are awesome/terrible. I also have some stupid questions at the end of the post that it would be splendid if I could get some help with.

I tried searching and I found this thread but it didn't really answer my questions. If there is another thread that this should go in can a mod please move this?

We have 2 vehicles, a 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo, 3.6L w/ tow package and a 2008 RAM 1500 w/ 4.8L Manual transmission. My preference would be to tow with the Jeep as it is nicer to drive and the kids carseats fit better in it. I am completely clueless on trailers as I have always tented but with a 2.5 year old and a newborn it isn't really an option any more.

There are tons of places around calgary/okotoks/airdrie/red deer that sell RVs. Is there any to stay away from or ones that are awesome?

What are some options that are awesome to have? I would like AC but I am pretty sure most new units come with that. I am hoping to get a trailer with one of those little kitchenettes on the exterior as I love cooking outside in the mornings when camping.

Are there brands that I should stay away from?

Now some stupid questions:

I don't really understand tow capacity vs tongue weight (is tongue weight the same as hitch weight?). I am assuming I need to be aware of both when purchasing a trailer?

We have a family of 4, what length of trailer is a minimum?

Anyone have any experience pulling a trailer w/ a truck vs and SUV? Am I stupid for wanting to use the jeep rather than the RAM?

UPDATE:
So, based on this thread and some visits to look at trailers I have upgraded my truck. I now have a 2012 RAM 3500 so towing capacity is no a concern.

We have narrowed down what type of floor plan we want, I have a few specific questions now for what options are worth it and which are not.

What size would your recommend as a min for water, grey water and black water tanks?

Are electric jacks worth the extra money?

Should I be worried if there isn't a manual option for the slides? I have heard it is a good idea to have a manual as well as electronic way to close the slides.

The trailer we are leaning towards is from Bucars, a Sporttrek by Venture RV. Anyone familiar with this brand?

Thanks again for the help.

[ken0042]

I have a smaller trailer that I tow with my GMC Acadia. Looks to be a similar class of vehicle as yours. The exterior kitchen may not be available on a trailer small enough that you could tow with your vehicle.

As for places to deal with, I bought my trailer from Rangeland and would buy from them again. I also had a great vibe from Bucars. I liked Woody's but found their pricing to be way too high.

Edit- if I had to buy another trailer again today; it would be this one:
http://www.forestriverinc.com/Travel...VType=trailers

[Ironhorse]

Don't listen to the RV salesman as to what you can safely tow with your Jeep.

Find out what the tow rating is on your Jeep, and use 80% of that for real life (and Calgary's altitude). When shopping for RV's and looking at their weights, keep in mind those weights are all "dry" (ie none of your food and crap in it) and usually also don't include the awning weight.

Tongue weight is the amount of weight put on your hitch vs. on the trailer's axles.

[Hockeyguy15]

You may want to use the truck for towing, as you will be able to get something larger. You may find the trailers you can tow with the Jeep to be a little cramped.

A family of 4 you are probably not going to want to go below 23 feet.

[Madman]

Another vote for towing with your truck.

Even though your Jeep has the "towing package", (more than likely nothing more than just the wiring), your truck is better suited to handle the additional weight.

We bought our 5th wheel from High River Autoplex - http://www.autoplexrv.com/ - and were treated very well and have had very good experiences after the sale as well in terms of service.

[Nufy]

Disagree with towing with the 4.7 and manual.

I had a 2007 Ram 1500 with the 4.7 and a 5 speed.
3.92 gears I think.

5th Gear was a useless when towing and I was constantly in high revs in 4th to keep up with highway traffic.
As a result, mileage sucked more than normal when towing.

Truck capacity wasn't an issue as it had the proper tow package from the factory.

Just the combination of 4.7 and a 5 speed just didn't work imo...

[Hockeyguy15]

Originally Posted by Nufy

Disagree with towing with the 4.7 and manual.

I had a 2007 Ram 1500 with the 4.7 and a 5 speed.
3.92 gears I think.

5th Gear was a useless when towing and I was constantly in high revs in 4th to keep up with highway traffic.
As a result, mileage sucked more than normal when towing.

Truck capacity wasn't an issue as it had the proper tow package from the factory.

Just the combination of 4.7 and a 5 speed just didn't work imo...

I believe the 2008 1500 has a 6 speed manual, not a 5 speed.

[Madman]

Originally Posted by Nufy

Disagree with towing with the 4.7 and manual.

I had a 2007 Ram 1500 with the 4.7 and a 5 speed.
3.92 gears I think.

5th Gear was a useless when towing and I was constantly in high revs in 4th to keep up with highway traffic.
As a result, mileage sucked more than normal when towing.

Truck capacity wasn't an issue as it had the proper tow package from the factory.

Just the combination of 4.7 and a 5 speed just didn't work imo...

You are towing a multi-thousand pound non-aerodynamic brick behind you, so everything you said is totally normal.

Vehicles will work harder, need to rev higher and consume extra gas when you tow - that is just a fact of life when towing.

Not saying you specifically Nufy, but I think a lot of people really don't understand how they should be driving or what to expect when they are towing their new trailers.

[Sliver]

Have you considered a tent trailer? I have a 12' tent trailer with one slide out. When I open it up it's 24' long. Your Jeep would pull it no problem. The nice thing about a tent trailer is the beds are huge and comfy and you never feel cramped in them. They're also easy to pull and store. You can't camp in the winter in them, but that doesn't really matter for you (probably) since you have a baby anyway.

[Nufy]

I should clarify and say that 5th gear was pretty useless in normal driving as well.

Towing a 16 ft 2800 lb trailer only magnified the issue.

I told the dealer about it and it was dismissed every time.

Just a poor choice of vehicle on my part.

[Boblobla]

My truck is a 6 speed. 6th is only good for cruising on the highway.

I don't want a tent trailer, I grew up using one and I want something larger.

[FlamesKickAss]

We bought our trailer at Sunridge in Airdrie. Treated us well and some pretty good deals there.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Boblobla

My truck is a 6 speed. 6th is only good for cruising on the highway.

I don't want a tent trailer, I grew up using one and I want something larger.

Fair enough, but you may have had a small tent trailer. Like I said, mine opened up is 24' long and with the slide out it's 12' wide at its widest point. It has a king-sized bed, a queen-sized bed, and two double beds. If large is what you want and you want to pull something with your Jeep, it's a very good option. A 2013 tent trailer barely resembles a 1985 tent trailer. Just sayin'.

[ken0042]

I "get" that you don't want a tent trailer. I had one before and also didn't like it. Really it looks like you have the following options:

- Buy a bigger truck to haul a bigger trailer.
- Get yourself a tent trailer.
- Make a sacrifice on interior space on a smaller trailer to squeeze everybody into.

I went with option 3 there, and I do somewhat regret it. I should have gone with option 1. While my trailer does sleep 5 people; that is at the expense of using the dinette as a bed. The best tip I got when buying a trailer was to never could on the convertable dinette as a sleeping space. Currently I have to because my nephew usually comes with us camping. It works to use the trailer as a sleeping space, but when it rains or snows it does make things a little cramped inside to go play cards.

When looking at the weights, also look at each trailer's yellow sticker. For example the trailer I linked above shows a dry weight of 3700, and the yellow sticker shows 4100 pound ship weight. Probably closer to 4300 once you add battery and propane, and easily another 500 pounds of gear. That's one thing keeping me from upgrading to that trailer; I know my Acadia would really struggle to tow it.

[Sliver]

Have you checked out those hybrid trailers, Boblobla? Those seem like a cool option. Like Ken said, you don't want to be folding down a dinette every night. It takes away some of the fun. Make sure you have a dedicated bed for everybody for maximum fun.

By hybrid I mean one of those hard-shell trailers with just like a tent trailer bed that pops out the back and front. You should be able to get something roomy, but still light enough to tow going that route.

[Josh]

We have a Jayco 1007 tent trailer. Works for us and its lightweight. I imagine in about 5 years we'll upgrade to a 25 foot trailer or so. Yes, I know a tent trailer isn't for everyone, but it is an option.

http://www.jayco.com/products/campin...oorplans-specs

[Boblobla]

Thanks for the feedback. Is anyone able to answer if tongue weight and hitch weight are the same thing?

[Nufy]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Have you checked out those hybrid trailers, Boblobla? Those seem like a cool option. Like Ken said, you don't want to be folding down a dinette every night. It takes away some of the fun. Make sure you have a dedicated bed for everybody for maximum fun.

By hybrid I mean one of those hard-shell trailers with just like a tent trailer bed that pops out the back and front. You should be able to get something roomy, but still light enough to tow going that route.

Thats what I have.

16 ft... Bunks fold out to 24...

1 queen size bed on each end.

[Ironhorse]

Originally Posted by Boblobla

Thanks for the feedback. Is anyone able to answer if tongue weight and hitch weight are the same thing?

Pretty sure, yes.

[hedge]

Tow weight is the overall weight of the loaded trailer that you can tow. Tongue weight is the downward force that the trailer exerts on your ball once it's hitched up.

you will also have two ratings on your receiver, with and without weight distrubution. A weight distribution hitch transfers some of the weight from the rear tires to the front by using levers that apply an upward torsional force through the ball and your receiver. This probably isn't really of use to you because you wouldn't need a weight dist hitch on a smaller trailer.