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Originally Posted by DSWhite
RockymtRay, I know you have a TrailManor and speak highly of them. I have a 05 SR5 DC 4x4 Tundra, prodogy brake cnt and Hellwig rear sway bar. I'm looking at buying the 3124ks or 3326king. From your comments on wheelbase requirements ,I should be ok for either one. My biggest concern is I want to be able to travel anywhere and don't want to be restricked by the trailor I'm pulling. Mainly the wife and I will be traveling.
I was sold on the 2720SL until we decided we might need the extra room if we spend alot of time traveling. Dave
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You'll be fine with even the 3326KS, certainly with the 3124KS. There are 3 considerations:
Total Weight: Since TMs are so lightweight, the GVWR of either of them with max load (~4500 lbs for the 3124; ~4900 for the 3326) allows you to load your truck all the way to the GVWR and still have some room left on the Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR). So weight will not be an issue at all.
Trailer Length. If you were to tow a standard box type travel trailer (high profile, somewhat sway prone because of centered axles and only about 10% of its weight on the tongue), the standard wheelbase rule would suggest a trailer length of 27.5 feet for your DC. The main factor in this rule is a trailer's propensity to sway. The 3326 is 26 feet so you'd be good even under this rule. However, because the axles are more rearward on TMs than on other trailers (tongue weight is around 14% of total weight)...and because they have a much lower towing profile than standard trailers, TMs are inherently very, very sway resistant. So sway resistant the the TM factory recommends
not using a sway control on the hitch because it could mask a loading problem. Therefore, if TM were to make a 29 foot trailer, you'd be able to tow it quite safely with your DC. As a point of reference for how sway resistant TMs are, I towed my 2720SL for two years with a Jeep Cherokee (very short 100 inch wheelbase) before I upgraded to the Tundra...and I never once had a single incident of sway!
Tongue weight. This is the only place you will have to pay attention because TMs have very high tongue weights relative to their total weight when equipped & loaded for travel. My 2720SL has a tongue weight of around 600 to 650 lbs; a 3124KS or 3326 will likely have a tongue weight of around 750 to 800 lbs in ready-to-go-camping configuration. Although that's still well below your truck's allowed tongue weight with a WDH, you most certainly will need a WDH and I suggest getting one with at least 1000 lb spring bars. As noted above, you do
not need anti-sway device on the WDH...a plain old, basic round bar Reese will do just fine. I have 750 lb bars for my 2720SL and they're pretty close to maxed out.
And you will certainly not be restricted in where you can go with the combo of any TM and your truck. You've got the power to tow even a 3326 anywhere in North America (folks have taken TMs up the Alcan Highway and all over Alaska). You'll readily cross any mountain passes on the Continent...perhaps not quite as fast as I do with my modded '03 AC Tundra and lighter 2720SL
...but a heckuva lot easier than if you were towing any conventional trailer. And since a TM is hardwalled and decently insulated...with all the amenities...you can handle even chilly weather and still be very comfortable after even weeks on the road. TMs are exceedingly fine trailers...their one big drawback is they're also exceedingly pricey trailers to purchase.
If you have other questions about TMs, please visit us over at the
Trail Manor Owners website.
Hope this helps
Questions on buying a TrailManor Travel Trailer
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