Towing a camper from NY to NC

[Gary H NC]

I made an offer on a 28 ft travel trailer that a dealer has in upstate NY.
Was looking locally but this place is about 4 to 5k lower in price for the same trailer.
Problem is getting it home.
Its 800 miles and they will deliver for 1.35 per mile.Expensive
I could use my Tahoe but would rather get used to towing it before doing a 800 mile trip.
My other thought is for 40 bucks a day i can rent a new pick up from Enterprise and go get it.Keeps the wear and tear off my truck.
Just wondering what you guys would do.
I'm leaning towards the rental truck idea....
Not worried about the actual towing part,i drove 18 wheelers for 20 some years......

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: Towing a camper from NY to NC

You have a PM, Gary.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Towing a camper from NY to NC

Replied,Thanks SBN...

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: Towing a camper from NY to NC

I would get me a truck and haul that thing back.
Like you 22 years OTR so not a problem towing anything.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Towing a camper from NY to NC

Yep,I think the delivery fee is too much.I could rent a truck and pay the gas for less than half.
Been reading some forums on other sites.One guy has the same Tahoe as mine and the exact same trailer and gets a lot of sway with it.
I figure a weight distribution hitch would help.I will only be towing it about 50 miles to the lake and maybe to the coast once in awhile.
At the lake i can leave it at the campground for 85 bucks per month.That includes power and water hook up..
Its not like i'll be going cross country in it.I'll pay it off in a couple years then get a diesel pick up to tow with..

 

[tommays]

Re: Towing a camper from NY to NC

Gary

I pulled a 24' for a long time it gets WINDY upstate and the sway was wild(full two hands yanking ) even with and E-350 and the chains maxed out




I wonder if the rental will have a big reciever and on a big truck i had to get a drawbar with a BIG drop


I would thing you would be looking at over 400 in gas and tolls to DIY it ? plus time


Tommays

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Towing a camper from NY to NC

Thanks Tommays, I did stop by an Enterprise rental dealer and they do have new Chevy trucks with the tow package.
I figured with truck rental and gas i'm still under 500 bucks.Should be no tolls going straight up I-81 unless there are tolls thru Syracuse.
Its worth a couple days driving to save 6 or 7 hundred bucks..Plus i will inspect the trailer in person before signing the papers..

 

[Rusty Boater]

Re: Towing a camper from NY to NC

Most all rental car companies will NOT let you tow with their vehicles. Also they will not have a brake controller, etc. I would buy the correct towing gear, weight dist, sway bars, and brake controller and do it with your vehicle.

By the way run a dual sway bar set-up and you will be fine.

 

[MikDee]

Re: Towing a camper from NY to NC

Hey Gary, Rent a truck if you can, I wasn't able to get a rental vehicle for towing my sons 19' Bayliner from Pa. to Charlotte NC in June, (I wanted a Trailblazer but not sure about adding a (sneaky) temp. hitch, & wiring?) I ended up taking it down with my 2005 Hyundai Tucson LX 4WD V6 Auto, it doesn't tow bad with a final gear ratio of 4:40X1, but stopping was a bit hairy,,, I took it as easy as I could, and all was good. I even went thru "Fancy Gap" on RTE #77 in a deluge at that exact time! Yeah, #77 to #81 is the best route up, no tolls.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Towing a camper from NY to NC

77 and 81 will be the route.
I finalized the deal and got them to add the weight distribution hitch.
After talking with Enterprise i found out no way could i tow with a rental.
So i'm off to NY later this week.My Tahoe already has the Reese brake control and the correct wire plug in.Get it serviced and check everything over good.

MikDee,I am not looking forward to Fancy Gap and that other stretch on 81 below Roanoke
This ought to be a learning experience.
The trailers dry weight is 4500 lbs..

Here it is..http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...STRK:MEWA:IT&viewitem=&item=270177822376&rd=1

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Towing a camper from NY to NC

nice, gary.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Towing a camper from NY to NC

Thanks TD! just hope the old Chevy can drag it...

 

[Mr.Stuart]

Re: Towing a camper from NY to NC

I've got a 4,500 lb travel trailer that I pull with a Jeep grand cherokee, I've hauled that thing many a mile across the states and have never had a bit of trouble, you'll be fine.

 

[Blue Water Runner]

Re: Towing a camper from NY to NC

Just downshift on the long grades and you will be fine. Weight distribution and sway control will keep your camper in check on the sway problem. Your setup should look similar to this:

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Towing a camper from NY to NC

A 28 foot travel trailer will require a weight distributing hitch on anything less than a 3500 series pickup. Couple that with a sway control and mandatory brake controller which you have zero chance of renting. Have your Tahoe equipped with the brake controller, hitch platform and lift bars and go pick up the trailer. You'll need the stuff at home anyway. Take some back road until you are comfortable at freeway speeds. One thing you need to be prepared for. On a freeway, a fast moving semi overtaking you creates a bow-wave of air coming off the front of the semi. As that hits the back of the trailer, it tends to push it to the ditch. That pivots the tongue toward the centerline, which tends to push the back of the Tahoe toward the centerline and the front of the truck to the ditch. Whether or not you comprehend all of that, it will happen and the corrective action is not to step on the brakes but rather hit the manual brake control button which activates the trailer brakes and snaps the rig straight again. You don't need "full on" -- just a touch of the trailer brakes only.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Towing a camper from NY to NC

Thanks for the tips! I feel a little better about towing it now.My truck already has the brake control and a Reese hitch.I need tow mirrors and found a set on Ebay for 20 bucks and the seller lives 15 minutes from the RV dealer.They are the Cipa brand that slide over the existing mirrors.I figure that will get me home.
Silvertip,I know all about the wind off of big trucks.It can get hairy
Hopefully by Sunday evening i will have it home.
I'm thinking about taking my nephew with me in case my back problems start acting up...it would be nice to not make that trip alone anyway.

 

[wncrjb]

Re: Towing a camper from NY to NC

Gary,
you got a PM

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Towing a camper from NY to NC

Made the trip with no problems! The Reese hitch with dual cam anti-sway system is great.Best money i could have spent.75 mph and not a bit of sway!
I ran 65 to 70 all the way.Only was able to get 200 miles from a tank of gas though.Those hills on I-81 in PA really ate the gas up.Had to run with over drive turned off.All in all good trip...
Very happy with the trailer and the deal i got...

 

[Blue Water Runner]

Re: Towing a camper from NY to NC

Congratulations on the easy run!

 

[MikDee]

Re: Towing a camper from NY to NC

Hey Gary, Good for You! Glad to hear it was all good, I kinda thought you'd be ok with your truck the way you described it,,, except for those annoying Pa. hills