Kodiak anyone?

[Mama Steph 2]

Yeah. Ideally, to get actual weights, you will take the fully loaded trailer to a scales and get all the real weights for your unit. They do sell a relatively simple scale for tongue weight which is sort of like a heavy duty bathroom scale. For most purposes, though, the 10% rule works. Of course if you load 800 lbs of luggage in the front of the trailer, the rule goes out the window.

OK, we do have a place to weigh the unit!! So I should be loading luggage in the back instead of the front or keep it evenly distributed?

[LONE-STAR 370]

The 10% rule didn't work very well on my toy hauler. We had to learn how to load it just right to keep the numbers in check. When we first bought it I put a scale under the tongue jack and loaded it to get it right. But the 10% rule worked perfect on my Dads TT.

[ftwildernessguy 778]

No, you should load the trailer evenly. My freshwater tank is behind the axles, so if I run with a full tank of water, I try to compensate with a little more weight up front. Too much up front will increase the tongue weight, but too much behind will cause instability and increase sway. Now you're more confused, right?

[Mama Steph 2]

No, you should load the trailer evenly. My freshwater tank is behind the axles, so if I run with a full tank of water, I try to compensate with a little more weight up front. Too much up front will increase the tongue weight, but too much behind will cause instability and increase sway. Now you're more confused, right?

actually, that part makes complete sense!!

[alexwyattmommy 181]

I think I will be buying our bottled water and cans of soda after we arrive at the Fort so I don't have to add those to my weight limit. LOL

[Mama Steph 2]

I think I will be buying our bottled water and cans of soda after we arrive at the Fort so I don't have to add those to my weight limit. LOL

Good point! No more coolers filled with soda and ice!

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

We try and tow with all tanks empty and save our stock up shopping for when we get there.

Helps overall but also with gas mileage.

[ftwildernessguy 778]

On a long trip, I fill the freshwater tank about 1/3 full so we can use the toilet on the way down, and I don't have to hookup to the city water on the overnight stop. We camp once a year at a state park without water hookups so have to run with a full tank. That adds about 400 lbs to the weight.

[Mama Steph 2]

That's a good tip. We have only camped locally with our current camper so I will have to remember that for our bigger trips. We use state parks and have always filled the water there but even the heavy coolers add up!

[Mama Steph 2]

I just want to say how much I appreciate everyone's help here! You guys are the best. :hug: :heart:

[HappyCamper...Deb 61]

I just want to say how much I appreciate everyone's help here! You guys are the best. :hug: :heart:

Did I say "I told you so" yet? :beathorse:

:rofl2:

[Mama Steph 2]

You can have that one. Right on many levels. Steve has been listening to all the details of Fhf, including Lou's snarkiness, and thinks this is a great place too!! I dont think he believed an online community could be this close. <3

[alexwyattmommy 181]

I didn't think it could either. I am so glad this place was shown to me.

Since you are bringing a mini van, I think you could put sodas, water and ice in a decent sized cooler for the trip down.

I've seen it somewhere, someone brings a gallon jug of home tap water to use to flush while traveling to save on weight from water in the tanks. But I guess if you are going on longer trips where you are stopping overnight, you need to decide if you want to ride with water in the tanks or take the time to hook up to the facilities.

[wak648...Bill 94]

IMHO, You are all wring with whey she needs to do! If youse take her xypzq and subtracted it from her daily BM snd urine output. Then add the wright if the neighbors dog and multiply by .0765485433784 with a coding of 3. The math will show her that she is over going it with the 2500 truck and she should just get a Yugo or Chevette with a good weight distributing and sway control hitch'

[SCTigerCock 171]

IMHO, You are all wring with whey she needs to do! If youse take her xypzq and subtracted it from her daily BM snd urine output. Then add the wright if the neighbors dog and multiply by .0765485433784 with a coding of 3. The math will show her that she is over going it with the 2500 truck and she should just get a Yugo or Chevette with a good weight distributing and sway control hitch'

Drinking already? :hah:

Or are you started to spell like me? :banghead:

[wak648...Bill 94]

Drinking already? :hah:

Or are you started to spell like me? :banghead:

Trying to do my best Cupcake impression.

[alexwyattmommy 181]

:rofl2: I don't even know who cupcake is, but that above post was hilarious!

[Mama Steph 2]

Ok, that was just the laugh I needed this morning!!!

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

see.. all this talk about tongue weights and such is making my head spin. DH and I were out looking this weekend as well, He is in love with the Keystone Outbacks. They are defiantly "purty" but as most of you know, DH travels alot. I want something I can hook the armada up to and take off with out worrying about my sway.. tongue weight.. and whatever else it is I'm suppose to know. DH is convinced I'm crazy for asking for a pop up over a TT, maybe I am crazy.. but I believe in "KISS" keep it simple stupid!! :rofl2: As far as loading the stuff, as long as I have room for my blender I'm happy. I'm easy and not afraid to say it.. :rofl2:

The Keystone salesman suggested to DH that he have me see someone for my issues, never has he seen anyone snub their nose at a TT and get all giddy over a pop up..lol

The Keystone salesman is NUTS Judy!!! I agree with you. Get something small that you KNOW you can handle safely. Even if you lose sleeping capacity, throw the older kids out back in a tent!!!!!!

[MLM5.. aka Judy 97]

The Keystone salesman is NUTS Judy!!! I agree with you. Get something small that you KNOW you can handle safely. Even if you lose sleeping capacity, throw the older kids out back in a tent!!!!!!

I knew you would get it :) We have actually decided to wait one more year on buying anything, we just couldnt agree. My truck is paid off in 7 more months, then if Daddy wants to drop a wade on a big trailer he can, in the mean time, mama and the kids will keep her tent :) Hopefully next year DH wont be traveling so much. I told him if he bought the outback now, and it was sitting my drive way taunting me, I was moving him into it. :rofl2:

[alexwyattmommy 181]

LOL. My sister camped with a two room tent for over 10 years before she got the Jayco X19H last year. They made sure it was something she could tow with the 3 girls if her husband couldn't get time away from work.

They funny thing is, she only uses it for sleeping. She uses the full kitchen set up from camping days to cook. She uses the comfort stations for showering. And she would rather wash dishes outside. LOL

[tim5055 120]

The Keystone salesman is NUTS Judy!!! I agree with you. Get something small that you KNOW you can handle safely. Even if you lose sleeping capacity, throw the older kids out back in a tent!!!!!!

Actually, the salesman is correct from his point of view.

popup = small commission

TT = larger commission

Your wants, needs or even the safety of your family is usually of no consiquence to an RV salesman. His job is to separate you from the largest amount of your money he can, or if you don't have money he will finance almost anything to almost anybody.

I'm of the school of being overly safe. I pull a pop up (OK, a LARGE pop up) with an F-250 Diesel. As we continue to look at different options as we move forward (Fiver, Class C, Class A...) we encounter many salesmen. I was looking at a very LARGE fiver last year and started to look at the weights. Without breaking stride the salesman told me we could tow it with our F-250. Funny, he didn't know it was a Diesel, didn't know what options, gears, or transmission I had on it - just that I could tow the fiver with it. When I ran the numbers at home it was several thousand pounds over my max!

Now, back to the original question about being able to tow with the Hemi. My gut feeling is yes, but you should always run the exact numbers to be sure. Even if boarderline you may be able to tow thousands of miles with no problems that you know of. Towing close to your max or overweight rears it's ugly head most times in ways you don't notice, like wear and tear on the transmission. But the worst problem in towing overweight is that you can't stop very well, or at all.

[NLPRacing 4]

We picked up our Kodiak 300 BHSL last week. We're going camping this weekend, I'll let you know how it goes.

[LONE-STAR 370]

Congrats.