comprehensive book or article needed

[Brownleaf]

I am considering getting a tow vehicle and small travel trailer 22 ft or so. I notice there are controversies about one or two axle, construction materials, choice of weight of trailer as well as possible hazards and dangers in pulling a TT. I wonder if there is a book or long article that would lay out all sorts of advantages and disadvantages of various related issues with towing and choice of TT. ( forgot to mention choices of brands of TT) Thanks Doug

[DM6156]

A few things I've learned in my 1st year of TT ownership first hand or from talking to fellow campers where I've stayed.


1. Keep in mind the destination.
- Some campgrounds have limited space for larger RV/TTs (i.e. state parks)
- Some campgrounds have limitations of type of TT (i.e. fishing bridge in yellowstone national park does not allow tent campers due to bear activity).
- Some campgrounds have limited pull-through, you'll need to back that thing up! Some people don't like to do that.

2. Just because your tow vehicle says it can tow the TT doesn't mean it can do it WELL. Sure a 3500lb rated vehicle can tow 3000+lb TT on flat ground, but may (will) have issues going up/down mountain roads, especially steep ones.


3. Sway control / WD hitch is your friend. Dealer tossed mine in free when i purchased TT. Ask for deals!

4. You tube is also your friend. Good videos showcasing models (can save you 1-2 hour of wasted drive time).

5. Manufacturer websites are your friend too! Research specs, including inside hight! I looked at one TT and really displiked it because the ceiling was so low in comparision to others with similar layout/features - it felt really claustrophobic.

What I did, check all local dealer websites looking for ones that fit my criteria. After narrowing down list, went to manufacturer websites to get more detailed specs. Then went to visit local dealers to see them first hand. Sometimes, pictures don't show entire story.

[All_I_could_aff]

Never get over confident, leave plenty of following distance. Things get ugly real fast when towing.

[seaeagle2]

Rule number one for a newbie, ignore "tow capacity", it is an incredibly asterisked number, look at the yellow payload sticker on the door. Rule number two, ignore the "dry tongue weight", rule number three, ignore it when the truck or trailer salesman says,"you'll be fine towing that with that". While there is a constant conflict between the "weight police" and the "Detroit builds in a safety margin, you'll be fine with a 1/2 ton" crowd, you need to determine how heavy a trailer you want to tow, and what the loaded tongue weight is, then determine what type of properly equipped truck you will need to tow it.

[beemerphile1]

Everything you need to know is on this forum. Get comfortable and read away. Ask questions when you have specific things you want to know.

[theoldwizard1]

Although it has not been said, the smartest thing you can do is start with a used RV, something 4-7 years old. Us it for a year or two and you will have a much better idea of what you really want.

Anything longer than 16'-18' will need two axles. Not so much the load, but it will ride better.

Class III trailers (3,500lbs-6,000lbs) and up you will want a weight distribution hitch. Again, it is a ride issue.

[troubledwaters]

There is a consumer research site that rates RV's and a whole ton of other RV related stuff. Requires purchasing a subscription Clicky

[GrandpaKip]

Welcome. Here’s a couple ideas.
Get very familiar with all weight ratings and what they mean. Both truck and trailer.
Realize that, for the most part, brand doesn’t really matter. You can find the same 2 models, but one of them will be really horribly put together and the other is fine.
Go to every dealer around you.
Start a notebook. You will never be able to remember everything you see.
Check Craigslist for RV’s and go look at the sizes you are interested in.

Good luck and have fun searching.

[Blazing_Zippers]

When we started out, we thought about how much usage the trailer would get. 3 days a month, 40 days a year--and how many days the rig would sit next to the house while payments were on going.
Then how might we use the rig? Campgrounds, resorts, boondocking, long road trips, hot or cold weather?
Used vs. new?
We came up with this; a well built 22 ft (which actually ended up at 25 ft)-New- a sofa-and the largest holding tanks available for that size. Not sorry that we did this. We've owned several trailer since then (1 a horribly made fifth wheel), and after 12 years, have settled on an affordable well made, 24RKS that will fit in most campgrounds.
And we USE it as often as possible. Happy hunting.

[All_I_could_aff]

I tow a small single axle hybrid trailer, and can testify that tandem axles are more stable, generally ride smoother, and provide a safety margin and convenience in the event of tire or bearing failure.
I was limited to small, light trailers by my two light duty tow vehicles.

[deltabravo]

drsteve wrote:
The first step is to decide on a TT before you buy a tow vehicle. The RV world is full of first timers who bought a truck only to find it would not pull the TT they eventually decided to buy.

x1000

Also, as far as something in the 22' range, anything that big is likely going to be tandem axle.... unless it a really small body length and the "22 feet" is tip of hitch to tail of rear bumper.

Nearly ALL manufacturers use a number to describe the model, which implies that's the length of the RV, but that is very misleading in many cases.

Always look at the specs of the rig to determine its actual length.

One case I can point out is Arctic Fox. The have 3 models with "25" in the number, a 25R, 25W and 25Y. The 25R is much shorter than the Y and W models. You can see the obvious difference in length just looking at these floor plans: http://northwoodmfg.com/arctic-fox-2/classic/

Other things to factor in to the equation of what to get - how much space do you have at home to park it? Can you even park it at home to store it?
How many people will be in it?

As far as a truck to tow it, I follow the philosophy of the more room in the cab is better.... I'm single and travel alone, but I won't own anything other than a crew cab truck. The extra space is essential. Camera gear, small cooler for beverages enroute, grocery runs, and other stuff and things.

[Lwiddis]

X2. Buy or select the TT first. Then match a TV to it. Why 22 feet? Because of where you go? What you can “pull?” Where you will store it? Because 22 feet has all the features you want?

[BarneyS]

Welcome to the forums! 🙂 . You have found the largest RV forum on the internet and you should be able to find just about any answer to any question you might have right here or in one of the many other forums on this site. Take a good look around at the many possibilities we have here.

We have a pretty good FAQ that should give you a good start on the answers. Some of the links are a bit out of date but the information is still good in most cases.

I hope you get all your questions asked and answered. DutchmenSport gave you a good answer above and hope it helps. Please come back and post often. 🙂
Barney

[drsteve]

Brownleaf wrote:
I am considering getting a tow vehicle and small travel trailer 22 ft or so. I notice there are controversies about one or two axle, construction materials, choice of weight of trailer as well as possible hazards and dangers in pulling a TT. I wonder if there is a book or long article that would lay out all sorts of advantages and disadvantages of various related issues with towing and choice of TT. ( forgot to mention choices of brands of TT) Thanks Doug

The first step is to decide on a TT before you buy a tow vehicle. The RV world is full of first timers who bought a truck only to find it would not pull the TT they eventually decided to buy.

[DutchmenSport]

You hit the mother-load right here on these forums. There are several groups of forums and by selecting one, you can go back and read the many and varied posts and comments. You can also do a general "search" in the search box on key words and it will bring up a bazillion comments. You can click on the main links for those comments and read the entire thread.

And then, you can also just post a new question, and if someone makes the comment that you need to search the archives, respond back and just say you've already done that.

These forums are a wealth of information. If you can weed through sarcasm, the joking, and even some of the angry-snarley posts, underneath it all is a wealth of knowledge.


I don't know of any specific type of "list" or resources you are looking for, except searching the internet and putting things together in your heard. There are some very helpful sites with a lot of information, if you take the time to explore them.

Changing Gears is one such site with a BUNCH of lists, helps, suggestions, do's and don'ts. It a great site for both beginner and a 100 year old RV veterans alike.

GoRving is a really nice site for someone initially interested in RVing. It's full of useful information, not opinionated at all, just simply lays out simple facts and let's the reader make their own decisions about things. They also have some pretty cool YouTube videos, which I still enjoy watching after all these years: Go RVing YouTube videos, click here. Remember, the official site is GoRVing.com.

Again, YouTube is a magnificant source of information too. In the search box, type in just about anything and you'll get overwhelmed with selections to watch.

Just something off the top of my head: Compare Chevy with Ford one-ton dually. Here's what I got... simply overwhelming: Click here.

As I said, I don't know of any single resource that has it all. But maybe the above links will give you something to start with.

Remember ... don't be shy asking questions on these forums. I think there's a LOT of folks just eager to chime in and help you out!


Oh, one more: Advantages of Single Axle or Double Axle trailers, click here.