Ok here we go. I am a long time rv owner. I have owned both travel trailers and motorhomes, I also have a class 1 driver’s license, so I am no stranger to towing.
Frankly some of the advice I have seen here is frightening. You can not safely tow most of what you are looking at.
When towing a trailer the important number is your payload capacity. It is on the sticker on your door jamb.
In my case the payload capacity is 1554 lbs.
We own a Rockwood Ultra Lite that weighs between 7000 and 7200 lbs loaded. That puts my tongue weight at 850 lbs minimum for safe towing. (Tongue weight should be between 10 and 15 % of the trailer weight for safe towing or else you will have issues with sway). So that leaves me with 700 lbs of payload. To that, add the weight of your hitch, ( the weight of the weight distributing hitch is not part of the tongue weight) in my case the hitch weighs 100 lbs. So I am now left with 600 lbs of payload. My wife and I weight 375lbs. (Yes I should loose weight). That now leaves 225 lbs in payload capacity. Let’s allow about 100 lbs for tools and other odds and ends that I carry in the cargo area, and we are left with 125 lbs to spare.
So if we had our three kids(grown ups now) we could not tow this trailer safely. As it stands we are probably to close for comfort.
All this to say that the 9000lbs towing capacity is a myth, it does not exist other than on paper.
Our most recent trip was the Alaska highway and the Expedition performed beautifully. It did not meet a hill it did not like. I could make speed up any hill, and there are some steep hills in Alaska. The issue is not pulling power, the Expeditions have power to spare. The issue is weight, carrying and stopping that weight.
That being said we would like to downgrade to a smaller trailer but can’t find one with a floor plan that suits our needs like the one we now own.
For myself I would prefer a trailer that weighs in at less than 6000lbs loaded. That would put us in the 20 to 24 feet range.
Do your due diligence. Visit some rv website. There is good advice to be found there. But be aware, not everyone is an expert. ( I’m not saying I’m an expert, but I do have lots of experience).
Take care and safe travels.
This is GREAT information.
To add to this, the tongue weight listed on a manufacturers website is usually dry, meaning no propane, battery weight, or front cargo was considered. In most cases, you can add another 70-100+ pounds (single versus double propane and battery).
A lot of people add a bike carrier system to the tongue of their trailers. That can easily add another 100 pounds to the tongue.
Floor designs can impact. A recent couple videos by Big Truck Big RV on YouTube surprised him and the dealer employees on how heavy some tongues were, especially on the toy haulers — one was 1300 pound tongue weight EMPTY.
The past couple years, I have see many new owners out there pulling rigs that should have no business behind their tow vehicle. Sadly, the dealers allow them to pull them off the lot.
In another group I belong to, a woman is considering adding a rooftop tent to her 4Runner so the kids did not have to sleep in the tent as they are becoming “difficult” teenagers. In case you were not aware, 4Runner are known to have atrociously bad payload. I think it came out where hers is something like 866 pounds and she is already using about 500 for the hitch and tongue weight of the camper. Add her, the two kids, and cargo, she is well beyond the payload... and now she wants to add a 200+ pound rooftop tent. SMDH
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