Hi I'm absolutely new to RVing

[S. Frey]

I'm sitting in a very cold Manitoba and dreaming of southern climes (and the end to our Covid-19 lockdowns). We've been having southward of -40 degrees now for ten days or more, and I'm ready for something else.


I'm hoping (still in the dreaming and planning stages) to buy a Scamp RV and would really like to get a 16' trailer because I'm specifically interested in the dinette options (either front or side - I'm very open to suggestions on which is preferable - as well as to which bathroom/shower placement option is preferable). I like the idea of not having to tear down the bed every time we want to eat or sit somewhere.


However, this is my dilemma: I've got a 2010 Ford Ranger XLT pickup; extended cab, rear wheel drive, 2.3 L (4 cylinder, 143 Hp) engine, with automatic transmission. Will this handle the 16' trailer or am I stuck with buying a smaller 13'? I'm a bit worried about the 1,750 - 2,000 lb listed weight on the 16'. I don't mind pushing the envelope a bit, but I don't want to be an idiot either, especially with this kind of an investment. Also, the truck doesn't have electric brakes - does one need them for the 16'?



Any advice from anyone wiser and more experienced in this than my very peewee brain will be very much appreciated?


Thanks.

[Civilguy]

Steve,

Welcome to the forum. Your truck has a rated towing capacity. The forum has a thread called "trailer weights in the real world". I think these two things will illustrate the limitations you will face and the unsuitability of this combination.

Two vehicles use a brake controller to operate electric brakes on trailers. These controllers are generally aftermarket devices and can be installed on most vehicles.

[S. Frey]

Thanks Mike. I'll check it out, but that is what I was afraid the answer might be. Bummer!

[alan H]

Here is a good site
Scroll down past the featured trailer and look on left side for postings

https://www.fiberglass-rv-4sale.com/

[Civilguy]

Trailers are a relatively inexpensive way to purchase an RV as they don't have their own motor and running gear, but on the other hand they do require an investment in the tow vehicle.

Here's a link to the spreadsheet:

http://lakeshoreimages.com/spreadsheets/Weight.xlsx

[thrifty bill]

Step 1: Decide which camper fits your needs and get one.

Step 2: Acquire the tow vehicle needed to pull that trailer.

Never assume your current vehicle will make an adequate tow vehicle. If it happens to have enough capacity, GREAT! If not, plan a vehicle replacement in your budget.

It is always a good idea to have an electric brake controller on your truck, regardless of the trailer. No one in an emergency situation wished their trailer did not have brakes. Your Ranger came with 4 wheel drum brakes. Trailer stopping power will come in VERY handy.

And as your travels end up being longer distance, it just gets that much more important. A marginal tow vehicle may be adequate for local camping, say within a couple of hours of home. You can pick your route carefully to minimize issues.

On longer travels, more room in the camper is a plus. Not having to set up a bed every night and having dedicated place to sit, become more important. From Manitoba, to see warm winter weather you are talking southern AZ. Thats a pretty long trip. And on longer trips, you tend to take more "stuff". Consider clothing: you will need winter, summer and in-between. Add tools: longer trips means further from home, away from your tools. Even winterization equipment. On longer winter trips you will be un-winterizing on the way down, and re-winterizing on the way back. When I travel towards warmth in the winter, I plan to winterize well before home. Last winter trip to FL, I re-winterized my trailer in Jennings, FL, near the border. It was already cold enough there to need it.

[S. Frey]

Thanks for the link. Appreciate your help.

[S. Frey]

Thanks Bill. All good advice, and certainly true. I guess there is no advantage at the end of the day to "going on the cheap"! I'm sure that the guy who I was once following whose travel trailer started fishtailing and ended up skidding and flipping down the highway in front of me wished that he had better braking power on it before it took off!

[Gilda]

Yikes "S"! No one wants that scenario. It reminds us all that we need to be prepared.

I'd like to put in a plug for the 13' Scamp without bathroom. We, too, were new to Rving in 2011 when we bought our new 13' Scamp. We are mostly fair weather campers. We were limited in our choice of trailers since we made the decision to RV after we bought our new sedan, a Subaru Legacy, which turned out to be a fine tow vehicle except for the fact that the after market (only choice) hitch scraped on dips, bumps, and inclines (very annoying).

The 13' is great for two older adults. We keep the bed in place. The bed is narrow, but we are on the short side and are not overweight. We found it most comfortable to sleep with heads at opposite ends. This way we each have shoulder room. Bedding is simply a comforter or two or three on top and we can adjust as we wish.

We found that we mostly only cook and eat in the trailer for breakfast. Most other meals we have outdoors. It takes only 10 minutes to eat and it's nice to be in the trailer because it's much warmer than outside in the morning. We sit on the "sofa" which converts to a bunk when you want.

We use the campground showers or sponge bath; perfectly fine when camping. This saves on the hassle of storing, heating and dumping water. We also use the campground toilet facilities or outhouses, also perfectly fine. The following may be "too much information" but you need to know it. At night we use our porta-pottie, which stores under the "sofa", for #1 only (unless it's an emergency) and we put toilet paper in a pop up lidded trash can. This makes for simple dumping of the little tank into any toilet. We have had no smell issues as long as we use the porta-pottie chemicals.

Well those are the "comfort" basics. Look under my name "Gilda" in the Search bar. Go to the bottom of the drop-down to "Google search" and type in "decor" or "window coverings" or "curtains" or "bedding" and you'll see why I'm called the "Gleeful Glamper". Camping can be fun and beautiful! Feel free to PM (private message) me.

[Civilguy]

We used to own a 1998 Ford Ranger with the 145 HP 3.0 liter Vulcan V6 and four-speed manual transmission.

One time I towed a newly-purchased, empty ≈1,000 pound teardrop trailer home with the Ranger. I found that I had to drop into third gear on a rolling stretch of Highway 18 near Gig Harbor, WA. I considered the performance sub-par. That was the first and last time I ever towed with the Ranger.

We towed the teardrop for the year we owned it with a 190 HP V6 VW Passat with an automatic transmission. That worked well overall.

[Darwin Maring]

Should you upgrade your tow vehicle you will find you will have may options for a camper.
the V6 C-10s and Nissan Frontier pull the fiberglass campers with ease. We pulled out 19 5r Scamp with the 2003 extended cab C10.

[thrifty bill]

Remember in the world of molded fiberglass trailers, a 13 foot trailer has a body section that is only ten feet long by a little over six feet wide. Fitting a bathroom in a trailer that small means you have to give up precious room. The trade off is you either can have a separate place to sit, or a tiny bathroom. You decide. Of course, a bathroom adds weight and complexity. Many are OK with a simple portapotty instead.

Molded FG trailers are measured end to end, bumper to hitch coupling. Trace out a 10 foot by 6 1/2 foot space in your home. Inside that space, you need to fit a door, aisle way, bed area, small kitchen, a closet and some storage.

[S. Frey]

Thanks everyone. All good advice and things to "maul over" for awhile. I might be needing to rethink a lot of my initial naive ideas!

[Judy Clark]

Originally Posted by S. Frey

I'm sitting in a very cold Manitoba and dreaming of southern climes (and the end to our Covid-19 lockdowns). We've been having southward of -40 degrees now for ten days or more, and I'm ready for something else.


I'm hoping (still in the dreaming and planning stages) to buy a Scamp RV and would really like to get a 16' trailer because I'm specifically interested in the dinette options (either front or side - I'm very open to suggestions on which is preferable - as well as to which bathroom/shower placement option is preferable). I like the idea of not having to tear down the bed every time we want to eat or sit somewhere.


However, this is my dilemma: I've got a 2010 Ford Ranger XLT pickup; extended cab, rear wheel drive, 2.3 L (4 cylinder, 143 Hp) engine, with automatic transmission. Will this handle the 16' trailer or am I stuck with buying a smaller 13'? I'm a bit worried about the 1,750 - 2,000 lb listed weight on the 16'. I don't mind pushing the envelope a bit, but I don't want to be an idiot either, especially with this kind of an investment. Also, the truck doesn't have electric brakes - does one need them for the 16'?



Any advice from anyone wiser and more experienced in this than my very peewee brain will be very much appreciated?


Thanks.

not sure where I type a reply???? Judy Clark

[Judy Clark]

Hi Steven, Did you find out if a 4cyl. Vehicle can tow a 13', or a 16'foot trailer? Im in the process of trying to find a used Casita in California. Know of any? It's my first time typing a message too, so I hope I can get a reply.�� Judy Clark

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by Judy Clark

Hi Steven, Did you find out if a 4cyl. Vehicle can tow a 13', or a 16'foot trailer? Im in the process of trying to find a used Casita in California. Know of any? It's my first time typing a message too, so I hope I can get a reply.�� Judy Clark

Welcome Judy (and Steven)!

It depends on what engine and what vehicle it’s in. Tow ratings on 4 cylinder vehicles range from zero to 7500 pounds. Check your owners manual for the rating of yours, as well as any special equipment required. (I still haven’t heard what the rating is for the OP’s Ranger I4, but I believe Floyd towed his 13’ front bath Scamp with one for years.)

As a general rule I recommend a minimum 2000# tow rating for a basic no-bath 13’ molded trailer, 2500# for a fully optioned 13’er with wet bath, and 3500# for a 16’er with wet bath. These are just rough guides. A few people manage with less by choosing a lighter model, packing lightly, and driving conservatively. Others require an even higher rating due to extra people, lots of gear, and/or frequent mountain towing. Beyond the base tow rating, things like tongue weight limits, payload, and axle weight limits also come into play.

In addition, there can be significant variations among trailers of the same size due to age, options, and construction differences. Casitas, for example, tend to run a bit heavier than similarly equipped Scamps. Modifications by previous owners can also affect the weight. Sadly, you can’t always depend on sellers’ statements about weight.

Trailer brakes are pretty much a given with just about any tow vehicle short of a full-size truck. Your owner’s manual will specify a weight threshold for trailer brakes, often 1000# for smaller vehicles. Some states have low thresholds as well. Even if not required, brakes can be a game changer in an emergency situation. Not all 13-15’ trailers have them, but most larger trailers do. Adding brakes to a small trailer sometimes requires a new axle.

[thrifty bill]

Originally Posted by Judy Clark

Hi Steven, Did you find out if a 4cyl. Vehicle can tow a 13', or a 16'foot trailer? Im in the process of trying to find a used Casita in California. Know of any? It's my first time typing a message too, so I hope I can get a reply.�� Judy Clark

Google tow rating for your year and motor Venza. Depending on the year and motor, the Venza can have anything from a reasonable tow rating to almost nothing.

Regardless of what someone else is willing to do, your vehicle has a rating from the manufacturer. Either you go with their rating or you follow someone else you don’t know’s advice. In the end, you will own the decision.

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by thrifty bill

Google tow rating for your year and motor Venza. Depending on the year and motor, the Venza can have anything from a reasonable tow rating to almost nothing.

Regardless of what someone else is willing to do, your vehicle has a rating from the manufacturer. Either you go with their rating or you follow someone else you don’t know’s advice. In the end, you will own the decision.

For a moment I thought you were a mind reader, Bill. The vehicle model was in the post title, which doesn't show up on my phone.

Advice is the same- check your owner's manual. I would not trust a google search for a tow rating, but you can use google to pull up the actual Toyota owner's manual for the vehicle. Search "20XX Toyota Venza Owner's Manual" and look for a link to a PDF file.

Given the weather in some parts of the country, it might beat a trip outside to dig around in the glove box!

[S. Frey]

Thanks everyone. Very helpful advice to a newbie (wannabe) RVer. Perhaps one of these days I'll actually be able to shovel out of the snow bank and meet you on the road somewhere in the sunny south (preferably beside a nice, warm beach somewhere)

[k0wtz]

i dont think i would try it with a 16 maybe a 13 which i tug with a ford edge 2.0