Towing a 31.5 Travel trailer

dcracing2 · 01-30-2008, 07:28 PM

I'm looking at purchasing a 31.5 foot travel trailer and I'm not sure if my titan will tow it safely!
My truck is a 06 cc 4x4 w\o tow package but I'm getting the BT gears installed this week! I also have a 6" lift and 35" tires. I have air bags, trailer brakes and a equalizer hitch will be installed .
The trailer specs are 31.5', 6,300lbs dry, 3260lbs carrying cap, 60gal fresh water, 30gal waste, 64gal gray.
Would just like some opinions if it would be ok. (would like to get the 31.5' for the growing family)

Thanks

Derwud · 01-31-2008, 07:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dcracing2

I'm looking at purchasing a 31.5 foot travel trailer and I'm not sure if my titan will tow it safely!
My truck is a 06 cc 4x4 w\o tow package but I'm getting the BT gears installed this week! I also have a 6" lift and 35" tires. I have air bags, trailer brakes and a equalizer hitch will be installed .
The trailer specs are 31.5', 6,300lbs dry, 3260lbs carrying cap, 60gal fresh water, 30gal waste, 64gal gray.
Would just like some opinions if it would be ok. (would like to get the 31.5' for the growing family)

Thanks

That is a bit long, yes your truck can do it, but if you want a safe and easy trip, look for something shorter and lighter..

When you do decide on a trailer, I will give you the folllowin suggestions
Equal-I-Zer or Reece dual cam (Get the one rated for your true tounge weight)
Prodigy Brake Controler or better (Check RVwholesalers.com for best pricing)
Air Bags.
LT tires..

dcracing2 · 01-31-2008, 08:47 AM

Whats the difference in the brake controllers. I have a reese controller, is that a decent one? What would my true tongue weight be?
I have 35x12.50x18 Toyo M\T's are they considered a LT tire and are the acceptable for towing.

TitanLou · 01-31-2008, 08:47 AM

IMO I think it's a bit on the long side for a 1/2 ton truck. You could tow the dry weight no problem, but when you load it up it's going to be on the heavy side. What's the tongue weight? I think you will be OK if you are carefull on how you load it and drive slow. Good luck with whatever you decide to get.

Derwud · 01-31-2008, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dcracing2

Whats the difference in the brake controllers. I have a reese controller, is that a decent one? What would my true tongue weight be?
I have 35x12.50x18 Toyo M\T's are they considered a LT tire and are the acceptable for towing.

One at a time.

Not sure, but if is working for you, use the reece, the prodigy just offers some advanced features and works really well. (No manual set-up, the abilty to be mounted a lot easier since severe angles don't effect it as much, boost control and a few other nice touches)

No idea on the tounge weight, but what ever is listed, double it to be safe.. As for dry weights, most are listed without options and if you have a long option list, well then you have a much heavier trailer. Check the cabinets of the trailer and see if you can find the trailers weight sticker for truer dry weight. I just plan on being at max GVW of the trailer no matter what and it safer that way.

More than likely it's an LT tire, but check Toyo's website to be sure.

Black04 · 01-31-2008, 10:39 AM

i towed a ford 1 ton van aprox weight of 8800 pounds and my tranny was over heating in 20 min..... and i have the big tow and everything

mrzw70 · 01-31-2008, 10:54 AM

I have an '04 CC with the big tow but no lift. I tow a Puma 30' TT safely with my truck. The trailer has a load leveling hitch and sway control which helps and the weight is even a little higher than yours. Just keep your speeds at the posted limit and you should be fine. Just be prepared to use some gas, the truck pulls it and stops it fine but my mpg goes from 14 down to 7 or 8.

dcracing2 · 01-31-2008, 11:51 AM

Thanks for all the help guys. I think I'm going to pickup it up this weekend!

Carolina BBQ · 01-31-2008, 12:32 PM

I bought a 2006 Keystone Outback 30 ft trailor last year and pulled it from Northern Va to Charlotte (7 hour trip) with no troubles whatsoever. It weighs 6,500 lbs dry and I did spend the 500 bucks on the weight distribution hitch (which is a must). I have the Prodigy break controller and big tow which helps as well. I think you will be fine if you get the weight dist. hitch and don't load the trailor to the max.

Surferboy · 02-08-2008, 08:02 AM

I travel the country with my job. Every three months or so, we are living in a different part of the country. I think the shortest distance between two jobs was PA to MO, so we spend alot of time on the road, through all kinds of terrain. I tow a 31.5' Rockwood 8315SS (Hitch Weight 850 lbs. Axle Weight 4,997 lbs. Unit Dry Weight 5,847 lbs.) The only real time I have had any problems is driving east to west through northern AZ. The 60-70mph constant winds would push me around a little bit, enough to make me uncomfortable, but I would still drive about 50-55mph. All the other times, I keep it on about 60. I contribute most of the success to my truck being a LWB and also the Blue Ox SwayPro. That is hands down the best anti-sway setup you can buy. Big rigs are gonna push you around a bit when they pass you, but you get use to that pretty quickly, and that's gonna be on any setup.
Oh yeah, the gas mileage does suck. I average on flat ground about 9-10mpg and through the mountains about 6-7mpg. Thank God the LWB have a 37 gallon tank!

dcracing2 · 03-01-2008, 05:01 PM

I move my TT today for the first time at highway speeds and I had a hard time deciding what gear to tow in. Towing in 4th the RPM is at about 2200 @ 100km\hr and is okay on flat ground until I get to a slight incline the the truck slows then I have to manually shift to thrid and all is well.

I then tried backing my speed down to 90km\hr and keeping it in third with my RPM at about 3100. It seem to feel alot better this way but I'm just wondering if this will have any negative effects on my tranny, fuel economy (4th vs. 3rd).

( The trailer was completely empty)

**loufish** · 03-02-2008, 08:28 AM

Quote:

I move my TT today for the first time at highway speeds and I had a hard time deciding what gear to tow in. Towing in 4th the RPM is at about 2200 @ 100km\hr and is okay on flat ground until I get to a slight incline the the truck slows then I have to manually shift to thrid and all is well.

I then tried backing my speed down to 90km\hr and keeping it in third with my RPM at about 3100. It seem to feel alot better this way but I'm just wondering if this will have any negative effects on my tranny, fuel economy (4th vs. 3rd).

The important thing is to get the torque converter to lock up in 4th gear...Even though you switched gears, your 35" tires put your overall gear ratio right back to a Titan with stock tires and no tow package gears...

It doesn't make any difference in what gets posted, you already bought the trailer, went with 35" tires even though you knew you're going to tow real heavy....So tow in 4th, and drop to 3rd when needed and visit the gas stations often...

BTW - The Toyo's should be at least "D" rated, so no issues with those....other then they're to tall for good towing power...

BuckyBadger · 03-02-2008, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dcracing2

I move my TT today for the first time at highway speeds and I had a hard time deciding what gear to tow in. Towing in 4th the RPM is at about 2200 @ 100km\hr and is okay on flat ground until I get to a slight incline the the truck slows then I have to manually shift to thrid and all is well.

I then tried backing my speed down to 90km\hr and keeping it in third with my RPM at about 3100. It seem to feel alot better this way but I'm just wondering if this will have any negative effects on my tranny, fuel economy (4th vs. 3rd).

( The trailer was completely empty)

Don't forget the pictures

TitanicDJ · 03-02-2008, 09:59 AM

This is what I have. Jayco travel trailer dry was listed at 5500lbs loaded around 7800lbs. Listed at 30'-6" but it's actually more around 31'. I have an Equali-z-er with the 1200lbs bars and a Prodigy BC. You can see that I'm on BFG T/A KO, 35" with a ProComp 6" lift. I would say with the larger tires you'll end up in 3rd gear a lot more than if you had the stockers on. I watch the tranny gage and the minute it starts to heat up I'll drop it a gear. Once in 3rd the gage really doesn't move (the gas gage drops though). I've pulled this trailer a lot and the Titan does great. The only thing I would like to change would be the brakes, next mod I guess.