Towing a small travel trailer

hey guys, I'm thinking about towing a small travel trailer with my 2011 Trd sprt dbl cab. I know the tow compacity is 6500 lbs. so what's a good weight for a trailer I can pull long distances? Also any brand recommendations for small trailers 16-22ft?

 

Hyperlink makes a pretty light travel trailer

 

Hyperlite

 

How about the Gulf Stream amerilites?

 

I wouldn't go above 3,500lbs. At some point I intend to move up to a travel trailer from my Aliner pop-up camper (1245lbs) and am looking at either a Cobblestone I18 (seems hard to come by) or an Rpod 179. There are others out there.

 

I know this is not a travel trailer but I use to tow this with my 2006. Car and aluminum trailer right around 5000 pounds. Electric trailer brakes, stock motor, automatic, air bags, TRD intake and exhaust...never had any issues unless pulling a VERY steep grade then I had to bury the pedal. With myself, wife and our gear....never exceeded the rated capacity. I really liked that truck and trailer combination. Hope that helps a little.
Donald

 

Thank you Donald, any trailer I get will be around 3000-3500. So I think I'll be alright. I do untend going through high elevations though.

 

Tow this. 3200# loaded, 6'8" wide, 8'11" tall and with the rounded corners the truck doesn't hardly know its towing.
At 60 mph get 12 -14 mpg in 4th gear. Now towing up grades like you find around the continental divide will require you to push the rpm's. Still... was an easy task for my old 2012 Tacoma in this picture.

 

Sometimes weight isn't the best indication of how much effort is needed to tow it. I have a jay feather 196. It weighs 3400# dry. It pulls like a pig. I have a little dump trailer that when loaded tows perfect... No wind drag. Electric brakes are mandatory.

 

I'd stay under 3200lbs dry. Once you start adding in food, gear, passengers, LP, it adds up. Water can be added as needed any gas station will let you fillup. Carry a 50' expandable hose and you can fillup dang near anywhere.

Casita, Rpod, Aliner (popup) are narrow and good trailers, decent amenities, short on sleeping space.

Hybrids are short and lightweight, provide 4-6 adult sleeping space but are usually 8 feet wide. Nicer amenities in the cabin because the 1-2 Queen beds are foldouts fore and aft, but they're tent ends with all the problems that implies.

Good luck, it gets bewildering the many choices you have, the many different setups, standard features and options:
- How many LP tanks? 20lb, or 30lb?
- Fresh, grey, black tank sizes?
- Big windows, small windows?
- Passthrough storage?
- Room for two batteries?
- Inside shower?
- Fridge/freezer size?
- Single sink, double sink?
- Twoburner stove, threeburner stove?
- How much counter space by the stove?
- Bunk beds, double bed, or queen bed?
- Fiberglass, gelcoat, or aluminum body?
- Body width? 6.5 foot, 8 foot?
- Hybrid or fully enclosed?
- Enclosed and insulated underbelly? This is a big deal to me.
- Options available?
- COST!!!!

Forest River has a good website with a few different lines of lightweight trailers, Rpod http://forestriverinc.com/product-details.aspx?LineID=173&ShowParent=1, Rockwood Roo hybrids http://forestriverinc.com/product-details.aspx?LineID=156&Image=5057&ModelID=957#Main.

There's quite a few manufacturers that put out similar lightweight products as Forest River. Dutchmen has the Coleman enclosed line, the Coleman hybrid line, and the Kodiak hybrid line.

And there are many more, which is why I said it can get bewildering sorting all of them out.
I wish you the best of luck.

 

No pics but I had a Fleetwood Pioneer 180ck that was around 4500k+ wet and was a chore to tow plus took me down to 10mpg. It was wide also, 8'? After a year I sold it. will buy a tent trailer or something under 3500K if I buy again. It was more the size than the weight but both were a factor especially towing over the passes. Also was hard to see around even with mirror extensions. Really like the Rpods if its in the budget ever.

 

Jayfeather is a good brand but like many lightweight hybrid trailers it's the wind drag pulling it with a midsize V6.

You want lots of room from a hybrid? Well, there will be wind drag. A lightweight hybrid that sleeps 4+? Well, it will be flatface. There's tradeoffs galore with small trailers pulling them with a midsize V6.

Some are narrow and aerodynamic like a Casita and Rpod, but limited space, small tanks, smaller bathroom/shower/kitchen space. But they're fully enclosed, no tent ends like a hybrid.

We were at our wits end a few years ago trying to sort through all the choices and COSTS, ended up with a Kodiak 166E. It's a tough little focker. Pulled it through many a desert wash and over rocks with a full 52 gallons in the fresh water tank. Offroad it's good, 8 inches ground clearance with 14" wheels. Been thinking 15 inch wheels, ubolt flip and a spacer.

That's another thing about the smaller trailers, some of them offer a factory offroad package that can get you up to maybe 10-12 inches of ground clearance. Casita does that I believe, Coleman also.

 

I did much research before buying our trailer. It depends on your wants and needs for the trailer. I bought a used R-Pod RP172 by Forest River. Trailers weighs in at about 3,000 lbs. Full water tank adds about 300 lbs. trailer is considered an 18ft. Has a dining area to queen bed conversation and 2 other almost full size beds that are bunk style. Trailer has plenty of room for our needs.

It was barely used and got a great deal after some searching. There are many ways to search for trailers out there like RVT.com and trailer forums.

I looked at things like campsite limitations on size (truck +trailer length), layout of trailer, brand, reviews, consumer and enthusiast following, maintenance, simplistity of use, amenities, ease of locating parts, etc.

Love this trailer. Tows great (sometimes I forget it's there), allows for great turning radius and getting into tight spots, no need for mirror extensions, and simple to use. Makes camping and outings awesome.

I have the factory tow package on my truck (6500 lbs towing capacity) and I do use a P3 trailer brake controller for towing and a Reese Pro Series friction sway control on the trailer for safety. No need for any type of weight distribution setup or system as tongue weight is fine (no rack on truck).

Good luck on your search. There are many options out their and you just need to find out what is right for you.

 

dzcustoms, where does your trailer brake controller plug in at? under the dash somewhere? thanks

 

Yes. It does plug under the dash. It is tight to get your hand in their, but it is there. There is an obII looking plug-in point under dash, that faces down, behind the little change drawer to the left of steering wheel near left knee if you where sitting in driver's seat. You can pop off the drawer temporary for a better look. I plugged it in, zip tied the wires under dash, and ran brake controller into the little pocket to the right of the steering wheel (yes, I drilled a small hole for wires). Clean, factory look. I can take picture later if you want.

I used the wiring harness that my P3 unit came with; plug and play.

 

+1 on the tekonsha p3 controller and harness. Plug and play and east to install. Gotta get a good ground wire in there too!

 

I'm going to order one on payday. my bigtex ch60 has ebrakes on both axles. originally had brakes on one axle.

 

This is the link to vendor I got it through. P3 brake controller unit with included harness. Let me know if you have any questions when installing. It is a nice unit.

$200 TEKONSHA P3 BRAKE CONTROL + WIRING HARNESS FOR TOYOTA 4RUNNER, LANDCRUISER, SEQUOIA, TUNDRA TACOMA & LEXUS LX570 GX460 LX470 GX470. CONTROLLER + PLUG/PLAY WIRE KIT.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0..._m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1H9HZ66SGMDSHG0590TA

 

Thanks Man! i appreciate that.

 

No problem. Just make sure you get right harness for your year truck. Glad I could help.