TT Suggestions Requested: ~6500lb GVWR

[PatientMushroom]

Hello! First time TT buyer and first time posting. I've been lurking for some time as we research our purchase, and am very grateful for the community here as I've already learned a ton from the archives.

We may be looking for a holy grail of sorts, so hoping for some suggestions. As seems to be common, our biggest constraint is payload on our new truck. It is our daily driver, so we traded off TT capacity in exchange for more options in the truck. Honestly, I didn't realize just how heavy those options were going to be and so we're left reassessing what TTs might work for us.

We're hoping to find quality construction and are not overly constrained on price. We plan to put in a lot of road miles primarily on long weekends, to hiking locations, often off grid, sometimes in the mountains.

< 28ft long
<< 7,000 lb GVWR
<< 900 lb tongue weight

Abbreviated Wish List: dinette, couch, oven, awning, solar ready, generator ready, 4 season

Our favorite trailers so far have been the Lance 1985 and 2295, but the low cargo capacity (after options added) has us looking elsewhere. We don't want to have to choose between filling the water tank and carrying gear. We also like the Nash 22H and 24M, but the high "real world" tongue weights I've seen in some forums has me skeptical about keeping within the payload limit on these. I am struggling to understand whether there's a lower limit on tongue weight driven by trailer design... for example, is it always feasible to achieve a 13% tongue weight through load configuration, or might trailer design mean that we can't get that under 15%?

I appreciate any leads, especially to sites that make it easy to search TTs based on specs. Thanks!

=== The Math ===

TV: F-150 4x4 w/ 3.5L V6 ecoBoost, Max Tow Package, 145" wheelbase
7000 lb TV GVWR / 18100 lb GCWR / 1655 lb Payload Capacity

Payload Capacity:
1655 lb limit
- 525 lb occupant weight (hubby + me, and our giant mountain dog)
- 100 lb hitch
- 100 lb drinks, snacks, dog bed, etc.
= 930 lb tongue weight MAX

900 lb tongue weight / 0.13 = 7000 lb MAX

[Partsbob]

With regard to the generator, we opted to go with 2 paralleled portable gensets in the truck bed. For now we only have the one 2350w unit to run the necessary items in cooler temps, but since we have a 15k AC (with soft-start), we’ll get a matching 2350w genset to link directly to our 30a power cord for the Summer months, without adding the heavy weight of an on-board genset in the camper itself.

[Partsbob]

Hi Mushroom, first, we have a 2016 Lariat with exactly the same configuration and recently upgraded our TT to the Heartland North Trail 27RBDS which works perfectly for us with GVWR of 7400#. It has all the quality, space, features, tank sizes and inside storage we could ever need as a couple with a total length of 32’. I feel we are close to the max of our TV axle weight and the length I would want to pull, but we’ve never towed with full tanks, though we do plan to boondock soon. Granted, I’ve gone through 3 WD hitches to feel comfortable with this length, but now feel good with the combination.
North Trail does have shorter models that you might consider, if this is longer than you want, but we both Love the quality of the product, but especially the openness the opposing slides gives us in this model, having owned Jayco and Starcraft TT’s in the last 3 years.

[PatientMushroom]

Great suggestion on the generator. We have a portable generator, so that trade off would save us from buying one specifically to fit in the TT enclosure. We're finding options we like with Jayco, I hadn't considered them before.

[wanderingaimles]

If having a unit be set up for an onboard generator is part of your plan, it's gonna be tough. If you can go with a portable genny in the truck bed on the trips where you need one, your specs become possible.
Lance and AF, ORV, all are heavy, as you have seen, to get under 7000 gvwr will take looking elsewhere with your other requirements. To stay to units with better than average reputations for service and (ahem) quality look to the other lines. KZ, Jayco, Grand Design, and Winnebago would be the next set of suggestions, Winnebago for example offers this Minnie look specifically at the 2401 RG
The other lines likewise offer similar models.
Good luck

[Grit_dog]

Don't get super caught up in the low payload rating, provided your truck has the 9.75" rear axle, which it should.
Ford rates that axle from 4500lbs to 5000lbs depending on which literature you read.
Springs may get a bit soft but there are numerous cures for that.
2000-2500lbs payload (on the rear axle alone) is not a problem.

[PatientMushroom]

That's great to know! Appreciate hearing real world experience. Definitely open to a longer trailer since it's feasible to tow safely.

[Mickeyfan0805]

PatientMushroom wrote:
As far as length.. I think that should include the trailer tongue? As I understand it for our wheelbase length, the rule of thumb max trailer length is 28' (20' + 1' of trailer for every 4" of truck wheel base over 120").

Unfortunately, I haven't shopped trailers in the 8 years since we bought our current rig. That said...

I would suggest that you worry much more about weight than length. The wheelbase rule of thumb has been kicked around for years and seems, at least from what I've seen, to have roots in an old towing article with little scientific basis. Ford doesn't issue such ratios, and someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe the other major truck carriers do either. Your calculations above have you on the right track.

FWIW - I tow a 35' trailer with the same set-up as you with the exception that we intentionally skimped on options so that we would have more payload to work with. The length doesn't bother me at all. With the trailer loaded at 8k pounds, I make sure the tongue is between 1,000 and 1,100 pounds. With almost 1,900 pounds of payload available on the truck, that load keeps us just below our GVWR.

[PatientMushroom]

Ha! Well, I am the wife and don't mind climbing over, but your point still stands as my husband is not super excited about being climbed over when I need to go.

As far as length.. I think that should include the trailer tongue? As I understand it for our wheelbase length, the rule of thumb max trailer length is 28' (20' + 1' of trailer for every 4" of truck wheel base over 120").

[jdc1]

When you say "28 foot", you must mean with the tongue included? The walk-around bed is a must....just ask your wife. Who wants to climb over someone when they need to "go"? And the added floor space of the 24M will be a boon to your keeping the trailer longer. According to their specs, you'll be fine. Get a decent weight distribution hitch (Equalizer or Reese....new OR used). You'll be at 6,000 lbs before you put dishes, towels, linens, clothing, chairs, ect. in her, but, you'll work it out.