If you already have the vehicle you want to tow with, you must find a trailer that is within the weight range of your vehicle. This was a common problem that I encountered during my days as RV Sales Manager. Customers would come in to buy a travel trailer to find out that their towing vehicle did not have a good towing performance. It can be very frustrating to go out and find the perfect travel trailer or the fifth wheel and then hear that you can not drag it. On the other hand, it can be even worse if you go to a less reliable RV dealer and the salesman tells you that you can drag him! This happens every day and therefore you have to be armed with the right information before you buy.
It is not my intention to upset RV dealers, but if you go to a dealer and they do not ask you for information about the towing vehicle, then it is wise to go elsewhere. The first question my sellers had to ask was whether you already had a towing vehicle. If so, they look in our towbook and identify the towing capacity for your specific vehicle. Then we inform you about your options. We lost a lot of sales because the customer could not safely pull the camper they wanted, but we did not allow them to put themselves or their families at risk.
If you do not have the towing vehicle yet, it is a good idea to first find the desired camper and then buy a vehicle that can tow it safely. I will warn you again, be careful when you listen to the seller at the car dealer. They are only interested in the sale of a vehicle and a large part of the vendors do not understand the assessment of the vehicle. Call a reputable RV dealer and ask them to check the rating of the vehicles before you buy it.
I once had a customer who found the camper they wanted and went to buy a new truck. The salesman told him that the truck could tow 10,000 pounds. He went on to show my customer where 10,000 pounds had been stamped on the rear of the truck. The £ 10,000 stamped in the recipient is where the recipient himself is judged for. It has absolutely nothing to do with the towing capacity of the truck. My customer bought the truck and brought it to us to have the brake control and wiring performed. I looked at the truck in my book and it was estimated that it would attract 5,400 pounds. The camper weighed 6,000 pounds. I could write a book about these stories, but our goal is to prevent this from happening to you.
There are many things to consider before you buy a towing vehicle. How often do you plan to tow? Where are you going to tow? Is this vehicle used exclusively for towing or are you going to use it for daily use? Are you interested in a pop-up, a travel trailer or a fifth wheel? How much does the motorhome weigh you want? Once you have answered these questions, you can start looking for that perfect towing vehicle.
The manufacturer determines the rating of a vehicle. It is the maximum amount of weight that the vehicle can safely pull. The manufacturer takes a lot of factors into consideration when determining an assessment. They look at the size, transmission, axle ratio, chassis, suspension, brakes, tires, cooling capacity and many other aspects of the vehicle. This may all sound complicated, but the bottom line is how much the vehicle can safely pull. Do not assume that just because you buy a truck, it can draw a lot of weight. Most manufacturers offer vehicles with pull packages. A towing package improves the suspension, brakes, tires and the cooling system of the car. They also add items such as engine and transmission oil coolers to protect the main components of the vehicle while towing.
Happy Camping,