Show me your travel trailers

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Midnightmoon

Member
How many of you own and tow travel trailers with your Sprinter? If you do, what trailer do you own? Please post your pictures, experiences, etc.

I've been RV less since buying the Sprinter in 2015. I'm getting the itch to pick up something small (Approx 20') for those short weekend trips. I've been down the large RV road before and I have no desire to go there again.
 
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HarryN

Well-known member
Midnightmoon said:
How many of you own and tow travel trailers with your Sprinter? If you do, what trailer do you own? Please post your pictures, experiences, etc.

I've been RV less since buying the Sprinter in 2015. I'm getting the itch to pick up something small (Approx 20') for those short weekend trips. I've been down the large RV road before and I have no desire to go there again.
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I went to a local RV show in January and discussed pulling some modest size trailers and toy hauler trailers behind both 2500 and 3500 170s. On the 2500 170 version, there isn't all that much GVW rating left after you put a few things in the van. The 3500 170 with many conversion setups is definitely better, but not as amazing as you might think.

To know for sure, look at the ratings in the door frame and consider to go to a scale to have each axle weighed to see where you are at.

For what I am interested in doing, it pretty much means an aluminum frame trailer. Your sprinter is shorter, which usually helps in the GVW available.
 
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220629

Well-known member
Checking axle weights is always good advice.

Tow Rating

The Sprinter tow rating is 5000# 500# tongue weight. Some models might be 7500# 750#.

The tow rating is not dependent upon the cargo/load in the vehicle as is common for Detroit iron calculations to deduct. The only Sprinter vehicle weight consideration relates to the actual tongue weight put on the hitch.

As has been mentioned, some RV's are close to or over GVWR so even just the tongue weight could be an issue.

vic
 
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HarryN

Well-known member
Aqua Puttana said:
Checking axle weights is always good advice.

Tow Rating

The Sprinter tow rating is 5000# 500# tongue weight. Some models might be 7500# 750#.

The tow rating is not dependent upon the cargo/load in the vehicle as is common for Detroit iron calculations to deduct. The only Sprinter vehicle weight consideration relates to the actual tongue weight put on the hitch.

As has been mentioned, some RV's are close to or over GVWR so even just the tongue weight could be an issue.

vic[/QUOTE

Thanks - that is very interesting. I will need to go back and look at the rating systems again and try to understand this better. The RV / trailer people that I spoke with are very used to using the RVIA labels and using the typical GM / Ford / Dodge "pickup truck + hitch or 5th wheel" approach and their guidance was based on that information.

The sales people must be under some kind of liability related lock up because some of them might have turned down orders at the show based on an incomplete understanding. Then again, probably it is me with the incomplete understanding on this area. :hmmm:
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220629

Well-known member
HarryN said:
... The RV / trailer people that I spoke with are very used to using the RVIA labels and using the typical GM / Ford / Dodge "pickup truck + hitch or 5th wheel" approach and their guidance was based on that information.

...
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Yep. They tried to sell me a 10,000# expensive weight distribution hitch for my 2004. The tow capacity is 5000#. My Jayco 23B weighs under that (4800 something #). The hitch weight would have added probably 50# to my tongue weight. I've been doing fine without a 10,000# WDH.

Forget all of the Detroit Iron trailer tow calculations that you might want to apply.

With the exception of the tongue weight; passengers, cargo, etc. don't need to be included in the weight calculations.

Some info is here.

Aqua Puttana said:
From what I have gleaned the T1N 2500 tow rating is 5000# all the time. (Some other models are 7500/750.) I haven't seen a mention of deduction using a number of passenger chart, WDH, or other complications. As Boater indicated, you need to subtract the tongue weight from the tow vehicle cargo capacity and monitor Gross Vehicle and axle weights.

A couple selections from the 2006 T1N operator manual. (Around page 223)

"Vehicle and Trailer Weights and Ratings

Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) is the maximum
permissible vehicle weight: 8,550 lbs (3,878 kgs),
9,990 lbs (4,531 kgs) or 10,200 lbs (4,627 kgs).
NOTE: The weight of your Sprinter is indicated on the
type plate. For type plate, see Identification Labels.
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW): comprises weight of
vehicle including fuel, tools, spare wheel, installed
accessories, passengers, cargo and trailer tongue. It
must never exceed the GVWR.
Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) is the maximum
permissible axle weight: "

"Gross Trailer Weight (GTW) is the maximum
permissible trailer weight to be towed:
5,000 lbs. (2,260 kgs)"


"The tongue weight at the hitch ball must be added to
the GVW to prevent exceeding your Sprinter tow
vehicle’s rear GAWR."

That's what I have found. vic

P.S. - As an aside, I just calculated a bit over 19 mpg for a second trip while towing my approx. 2600# (all up) sailboat/trailer. I used the Ciprian Set Sixty CSS method except that I set the 60 using my GPS speed, not by the speedo.
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Asalways clicking on the blue arrow icon within any quote box will take you to the original post/thread. In this case there is much more discussion found in the original thread.

vic
 
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HarryN

Well-known member
Interesting and thanks for the links.

My son has a Toyota 1/2 ton PU truck and tried to tow a trailer that was well within its official ratings. Even after adding a weight distribution hitch and other accessories, it was still a no-go, so I have been very careful. He likes the truck for driving around with his 2 year old, but it's useless as a tow vehicle.

He ended up hiring someone to move the trailer around for him as needed because - well let's skip that part.
 
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Mike DZ

2016 View 24V (2015 3500)
Conservative rule of thumb - leave 20% of your tow capacity (5000 or 7500) for the really big hills and getting on the freeway.
 
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220629

Well-known member
HarryN said:
...

My son has a Toyota 1/2 ton PU truck and tried to tow a trailer that was well within its official ratings. Even after adding a weight distribution hitch and other accessories, it was still a no-go, so I have been very careful. He likes the truck for driving around with his 2 year old, but it's useless as a tow vehicle.
...
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:idunno:

That's not a Sprinter.

Jayco 23b.

Jayco website specs: 4130 dry; 410 pin; 4950 GVW and 820 CCC

We've towed our 23b through the mountains of Pennsylvania without problem. We do keep our speeds down. 60 mph is typical. Sometimes a bit faster on a downside to get speed for the next climb, but never any truly excessive speed. Climbing some grades was down to 45 mph or so at times.

My other computer crashed, so no actual pictures.

This is similar to my 23b.

Jayco23b.jpg

vic
 
Nautamaran

Nautamaran

2004 140” HRC 2500 (Crewed)
To add to the discussion, newer vehicles may also state a GCWR on their placard, which is the Gross Combined Weight Rating.
This restricts the rolling weight of the combined vehicle and trailer. The GVWR and GAWR still apply.

My T1N lists a GVWR on the placard and shows a factory 5000# tow / 500# tongue hitch on the data sheet.
That 500 pound tongue is weight on the vehicle and the actual weight counts against the GVWR and GAWR capacities, but the 5000 lbs in the trailer is not accounted for directly. This can encourage poor trailer balance if you are trying to minimize tongue weight by loading the back half of the trailer (please don't, as this will destabilize you).

The newer GCWR number better accounts for the braking and transmission loading realities of pulling a trailer, and puts an end to the game of stated towing capacities growing year to year in marketting literature with no backing by any formal engineering. If your placard states a GCWR, you can safely (and legally) roll with that combined weight and be confident that your vehicle is up to the task.

I pull an 2500lb 8x5 foot toy box for bikes and boats when we go camping. It slips behind the Sprinter or our Dodge Caravan. I know it's there on the Caravan, but on test runs with the Sprinter it made no noticable difference.

-dave
 
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Midnightmoon

Member
Well, I pulled the trigger today on a 2017 Jayco Jay Feather 7 22MBH. As equipped weight without water is 4246# with a tongue weight of 445#. I spoke at length with the salesman at the dealership and he suggested pulling it without a WD hitch and see how it handles. I'm pretty impressed overall with the dealership experience I've had with them. Very low pressure.

I still have to install a brake controller in my Sprinter so I will be going to pick it up with my Cummins Ram. I'll post my experiences with it once I take it out with the sprinter.
 
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Motoheadz

New member
I've been towing this set up since 2011, Gulfstream Trailmaster, 24ft. - balance everything right and no issues. weight dist hitch, and e-brakes, I forget the exact weight but I think its 4200-4300 lbs. engine is strong, brakes are strong.
 

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Midnightmoon

Member
Well, it followed me home yesterday.




Pulled like it wasn't there behind my Cummins Ram. Interested to see how the Sprinter handles it our first time out.
 
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Midnightmoon

Member
Finally got it hitched up to the Sprinter. I still need to do some adjustment on the hitch height. It is a little nose down from where I would like it to be. But, it isn't as bad as what it looks like in the picture (driveway is on a slant). Approx 1" below level.

 
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Midnightmoon

Member
By far my favorite part of my Sprinter is something I've never really thought about before. I absolutely love the angle and position of the backup camera on this thing.



It is so easy to back in to the trailer using this thing. I have to get a camera similar to this for my Ram.
 
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