Towing Definitions-Understanding Towing weight terms - Page 3 - Fiberglass RV
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Old 04-16-2017, 03:42 AM   #41
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Happy Easter ...... and ...... Happy Camping!
Second thought. Your outcome based on your scientific approach of trial and error (real world or theoretical) should give you peace of mind on the road.
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Old 01-09-2019, 07:58 AM   #42
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How much leeway should I give for towing weight of vehicle vs dry weight of trailer?

I'm looking at a used Ford Edge Titanium Crossover 2018 V6 that has a 3500lb max load tow package. Am considering something like 17' Escape with 2400lb dry weight and 65 gallons fresh/grey/black tanks. What's the typical allowance I should allow? At 8lbs per gallon of water, looks like 520lbs and would expect black water heavier, 10lbs? Would I be cutting it too close given other materials? I can of course just be careful to travel keeping fluids cut in half. But is this still cutting it too close? Will be traveling US/Canada over a couple years, living in it.
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Old 01-09-2019, 09:18 AM   #43
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Don’t forget all the stuff you own that will be in the trailer, including food. That adds more than 100 pounds in addition to water, propane and all that. Also check the payload limit. You’re probably over that too. Sounds like too small a tow vehicle to me put I’m sure people do it.
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Old 01-09-2019, 09:57 AM   #44
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Most people don’t tow with all tanks full. Waste tanks would typically be emptied when leaving a campground or soon after departing an undeveloped camping spot.

How much fresh water to carry depends on where you’re headed- no need to carry a full tank if you’re going to a campground with water.

Dry weight does not include options either. A/C, furnace, awning, extra insulation, thermal windows, solar... Escape's list is pretty long. It all adds up.

I included a link to some actual weight data in your other thread. That's probably more helpful than trying to work up from the dry weight.
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Old 01-09-2019, 10:58 AM   #45
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My Escape has at least $6,000 in options, which I do not think is unusual. Figure front storage box, awning, AC, thermopane windows, bathroom window, etc. It adds up! It would be quite unusual to have a totally stock Escape.

Only Edge with a 3,500 pound tow limit is the V6 model. And even with that motor, it requires the towing package too. Otherwise, its a lot less. Even with that model, tongue weight is limited to 350 pounds. Figure 13 to 15% of trailer's weight as tongue weight.

At best, you are going to be very marginal. Up to you, I wouldn't do it since you are talking full time. Some people go marginal, as the trailer is just a weekend warrior, and they avoid steep grades.

Figure you are going to travel with gray and black tanks close to empty, but the fresh water tank full. Full propane tanks too.


Pick the trailer you want FIRST, then select a tow vehicle with margin to spare.

As far as what other people do, I have seen some crazy tow situations, people pulling massive fifth wheels with half ton pickups, others towing trailers with vehicles with zero tow rating.


The last piece of advice is two foot "itis". People commonly get afflicted with this sickness. They find a deal on a trailer that is two feet longer, or they step into one "just a little larger" and realize it suits them better, etc. A tow vehicle that can handle the next size up in trailer gives you a lot more flexibility.

In the case of Escape, if you are going to get a bathroom, that takes up critical space in the trailer. The 19 foot gives you a larger four person dinette up front and a queen bed in the rear. Even for the single camper, its not so much the four person dinette, but instead, its one big enough to set up your computer, coffee maker or whatever. For a truly solo camper, you could look into a 19 with a rear dinette, and turn the front dinette into a permanent bed.

With the 17B, the front dinette is only 25 inches long. So if you turn it into a bed, you are talking really small (a standard twin is 39 inches wide). The back dinette is ample at 52 inches wide. Full time you will not want to have to raise and lower the dinette every night to make a bed. Now if you can handle no bathroom, the Escape 17A has a large rear dinette and a large permanent bed.
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Old 01-09-2019, 11:10 AM   #46
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I second Bill's thought on the full timing thing. It's one thing to kill your vehicle occasionally on some summer weekends by pulling a trailer too heavy for it, but to do it all the time, all throughout the year...you'd definitely destroy that vehicle pretty fast. Brakes, driveline, shocks and transmission would all go out on you really prematurely.
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Old 01-09-2019, 12:14 PM   #47
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Quote:
Originally Posted by xenokc View Post
How much leeway should I give for towing weight of vehicle vs dry weight of trailer?

I'm looking at a used Ford Edge Titanium Crossover 2018 V6 that has a 3500lb max load tow package. Am considering something like 17' Escape with 2400lb dry weight and 65 gallons fresh/grey/black tanks. What's the typical allowance I should allow? At 8lbs per gallon of water, looks like 520lbs and would expect black water heavier, 10lbs? Would I be cutting it too close given other materials? I can of course just be careful to travel keeping fluids cut in half. But is this still cutting it too close? Will be traveling US/Canada over a couple years, living in it.
Blackwater would be a bit lighter than freshwater if anything.

You should avoid traveling with full gray or blackwater tanks any further than the nearest dumpstation. The Escape is a bit like the Trillium so shape starts to be a factor when towing. You don't say which engine/ transmission you have in your Edge... Assuming 3.5L normally aspirated with a 6SPD automatic.

Your driving habits and understanding that the effects of acceleration and cruising speed are big factors.
If your trailer actually weighs 2800-3000pounds leaving the curb and you exercise restraint in driving...
Many of these factors are too subjective to advise when combined.


If you step up to the 2019 Edge with The 2.7L Ecoboost and the new 8SPD, you will surely have the margin you seek.
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Old 01-09-2019, 01:53 PM   #48
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^Thanks all, great info. Am concerned Edge might be a bit too risky. Also considering Ford Flex, rated 4500#.
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Old 06-18-2019, 11:47 PM   #49
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Advice for towing!

Hi everyone!

I currently drive an Acura RDX 2015 model with a 680 kg (1500lb) towing capacity, GRTW 2280 kg, curb weight 1827 kg.

Would I be able to tow a 13” boler trailer? I estimate it is about 1250 lb.

Probably get this hitch from the dealership- https://www.acura.com/accessories/modals/rdx/rdx-acc/trailer-hitch


Much help appreciated! I am not good with math!
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Old 06-19-2019, 02:27 PM   #50
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Originally Posted by Amandaem View Post
Hi everyone!



I currently drive an Acura RDX 2015 model with a 680 kg (1500lb) towing capacity, GRTW 2280 kg, curb weight 1827 kg.



Would I be able to tow a 13” boler trailer? I estimate it is about 1250 lb.



Probably get this hitch from the dealership- https://www.acura.com/accessories/mo.../trailer-hitch



Much help appreciated! I am not good with math!
Before you put any money into this set-up, load the Boler as you do for travel and take it to a CAT (certified auto and truck) scale, found at truck stops, gravel yards, feed lots, waste transfer stations... The real-world weight of your Boler may be more than you think. 1700 pounds loaded is more typical.

Next up is brakes. They are required by the manufacturer for towing a trailer of this size, and many Bolers don’t have them. Does yours?
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Old 08-15-2021, 10:32 PM   #51
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We have to be careful when towing to be NOT like this
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Old 08-16-2021, 06:34 AM   #52
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Amandaem View Post
Hi everyone!

I currently drive an Acura RDX 2015 model with a 680 kg (1500lb) towing capacity, GRTW 2280 kg, curb weight 1827 kg.

Would I be able to tow a 13” boler trailer? I estimate it is about 1250 lb.

Probably get this hitch from the dealership- https://www.acura.com/accessories/mo.../trailer-hitch


Much help appreciated! I am not good with math!
BC, like western WA where I used to live, has a lot of hills and mountains. Doubt it.

Is the weight above an estimate, or a guess? As an engineer, we made estimates all the time. Those would be based on some data and facts. Sometimes our estimates were pretty good (once we got all the information). And sometimes, they weren't.

I'd get a true weight, about $15 at a truck stop. No need to guess on weight. And I have yet to have seen a trailer weight guess that was HIGHER than actual. Its something unique in the world of RVs. Weights are almost always understated.

When I bought my Trillium 1300, the seller confidently told me it weighed 800 pounds. I did not use this "information", as I knew it would be much higher. First time across a truck stop scale it weighed in at 1,540 pounds. And that was with no battery, no propane, no furnace, no water, and not much camping gear.

And finally, stopping is much more important than "going". Being able to safely stop when going down one of those hills is critical.

My Honda Element is rated to tow 1,500 pounds. That rating requires trailer brakes. Of course, people can do whatever they want, regardless of ratings. Saw a motorcyclist towing a full sized washer dryer on a cargo trailer. Wish I had a picture. How he stopped in an emergency? Fortunately, it was in flat Florida. But it was also in a big city (lots of traffic). I gave him a wide berth.
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Old 08-16-2021, 06:52 AM   #53
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Bill, the question was posted over two years ago, and the poster hasn’t been back since the day after. We can only wonder what the outcome was.
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Old 01-02-2024, 09:40 AM   #54
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Some manufacturers place a limit on the frontal area of the trailer. This could be the governing factor when choosing a trailer. The newer Grand Cherokee has a low limit of 40 Sq Ft despite the high towing capacity of 6200 lbs for the V6 and 7200 lbs for the V8. Both the V6 and V8 are limited to 40 Sq Ft trailer frontal area.
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Old 01-02-2024, 09:43 AM   #55
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Why doesn't fiberglass RV manufactures post frontal areas and/or drag coefficients for their trailers? I believe it could be a positive selling point.
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