Which TrailManor to purchase?

[jimwilly]

Looking to trade up to a TrailManor from a pop-up. Tow vehicle is a Mercury Mountaineer with the 5.0L V8 engine, 3.73 ratio gear axle, automatic overdrive which I plan to disconnect when towing the trailer. The Mountaineer has a 111 inch wheel base. We do use a tow vehicle hitch to accommodate two bicycles but other than that we only carry the typical equipment for two people. I do not presently have one but plan to purchase a weight distributing hitch to use for the new TrailManor. Looking for suggestions as to what might be the largest TrailManor I should consider pulling with the above vehicle. The particular floor plan is not critical at this time, just trying to narrow the choices down to those I can accommodate with my existing vehicle. Any suggestions appreciated.

Thanks,
Jimwilly

[Windbreaker]

Your wheel base suggest to me that anything over 2720 would feel as if the trailer were the one in charge, not you.

[Cobra500]

As long as the trailer has sufficient weight on the ball/axles, what difference does the TV wheelbase make? Most semi truck/trailers have a very short wheelbase on the TV.

The biggest problem (in my experience) with trailers involves imbalance, putting too much weight behind the trailer's axle, that tends to steer the TV and sets up left/right oscillations.

A short wheelbase makes backing the rig much easier.

[fcatwo]

Several contributers to this site are towing with TVs similar or identical to yours and you should hear from them if you can give them a couple of days. There are a few fairly expensive ($2,500.00 range) weight-distributing hitches that you'll read about with a search of this site that are apparently able to compensate for a short wheelbase and allow for towing a longer than normal trailer. I have no personal experience with them however.

[Windbreaker]

As long as the trailer has sufficient weight on the ball/axles, what difference does the TV wheelbase make? Most semi truck/trailers have a very short wheelbase on the TV.

The biggest problem (in my experience) with trailers involves imbalance, putting too much weight behind the trailer's axle, that tends to steer the TV and sets up left/right oscillations.

A short wheelbase makes backing the rig much easier.
Not true and true. Semi tractors have the weight mounted just in front of the rear axles and the wheels on the trailer are alllll the way back. Thus putting equal weight on the truck frame (all wheels) and the trailer wheels at the rear of the rig. The tractor width is the same as the trailer width. These rigs are built for towing! Not so with what you and I buy. Our TVs are thinner than the trailer, most often much lighter than the trailer and built to ride smooth with little weight in them. There are things we can do that will help some of the problems but little will totally correct them. (Have you noticed that Freightliner, Peterbuilt, and other big tractor builders are now marketing to RVers? There is a reason.)

You are 100% right is stating that too much weight behind the axle on the trailer will cause problems. So will uneven weight side to side. So will sizeable weight changes in the axles of the TV.

Now how does wheel base suggest what size trailer one should tow? First, it serves as a guide to the overall weight of the TV. Second, there is less leverage room from the front wheels to the rear with weight displaced behind the rear. Both of these are major control factors.

He stated that he had enough hp and proper gearing to pull a 5 to 7.5 K trailer. That means he could tow any TM if the wheel base was of a size to control the trailer. I don't think it is. He might get by with the 3023 but he would feel, and rightly so that the trailer was in control more than he was, this might be fine most of the time. But, what about that once, just once, when it was not?

And boy are you right about the shorter wheelbase and backing, my longer WB is a killer is trying to get into tight spots, like my driveway with a car parked in the street right in front of it.

[Cobra500]

I have not yet had the chance to pull a TM yet (still looking...), but I do regularly pull a heavy 18' single axle trailer up and down mountains here in Utah as well as towing a speedboat, both heavier than TM's. I wouldn't hesitate pulling a 3023 at all with a Reese hitch and trailer brakes.

My TV is a "short" 2 door Ford Explorer Sport, 4.0l v-6, 4x4, 4.1 axle (rated ~5000 lbs) with overload leaf springs and hd truck tires. The vehicle is the best TV Ive used (other than Peterbuilt 18 wheelers) - I like the shorter wheel base over 3/4 ton pickups Ive owned. My only problem is with it is the brakes- a bit weak with a heavy load. The 5 spd auto tranny is fantastic for towing- keeps the rig in the power band extremely well.

[jimwilly]

Thanks all for the help. Good information as we shop for our new TM.