When talking about a travel trailer, kids, and camping gear, your limitation most likely will be the available payload.
Look at the sticker in your door jamb. Subtract the weight of all people and gear. Sometimes, it is just easier to drive onto a scale with everything inside and then subtract that number from your GVWR.
Whatever is left is what you can spare for the trailer tongue. Divide that number by 0.15 to be conservative. For example, say you have 600 lbs of payload left - that would allow for a 4,000 lbs trailer (max when loaded). It would be more accurate to actually measure the trailer tongue weight, but that is difficult if you don't own it yet.
Of course, disregard what I said if you don't mind going over the limits and deal with the safety / liability issues when they arise ....

 

You can get 19-25' travel trailers that weigh 2800 lbs. Even loaded with water, food and gear, you might hit 3500, maybe.
Tongue weight of a travel trailer is usually 10%.
If you have 600 lbs of payload left, you would have to be towing a 6000 lb travel trailer to max out.
I think a 21 or 25' trailer would be plenty comfy for a family of 4. (you don't go camping to sit in the trailer, right?)
I towed my buddy's 4000 lb boat/trailer on my stock suspension and it only dropped the rear an inch and I could hardly even tell it was there, when I was driving.
Not sure how your lifted setup handles, but I don't see there being an issue, as long as you get a dropped tongue, so the trailer is perfectly level.

 

EDIT: That "2800 lb" number was for a new and specific model and just the UVW.
If you are looking for a used one, you can still fall within the 5k lb mark with a 500 lb tongue weight.

 

5000 lbs is a pretty safe number. It should be within your available payload, and you should be able to find plenty of trailers in that weight range. As long as you won't be camping anywhere when its really cold or you don't have dogs that will bark all the time, you might want to consider a hybrid trailer. Hybrid trailers have a frame and floors and walls like a traditional trailer, but they have beds that fold out from the front, back or side walls. They have HUGE interior space for the size and plenty of sleeping options.

Alas, I have 3 yappy dogs that I bring with me everywhere, so I can't have a hybrid.

 

Thanks guys, good information.


Sent from my Autoguide iPhone app

 

I tow a 26', 2004, Outback travel trailer, bunkhouse model. I've been towing it since the fall of 2003. First with my 2001 Tundra on an RCD 6" lift and 35's with 4.88 gears and as of last summer, a 2007 Tundra CrewMax 5.7. My CM is now on the equivalent of 35's and I still have the 4.30 factory gears. I'm running a smaller lift this time around - Old Man Emu 3/1 complete lift. No problems whatsoever. My kids are 14 and 11. We've towed this thing all over the west including Yellowstone, the Pacific Northwest including Oregon and Washington, down to Death Valley, CA and all along the coast of CA, OR and WA. A 26' footer gives plenty of room and the bunkhouse models are great for two kids. They each get their own top bunk. It tows very well, can fit in most state and national park campgrounds. We've camped in every season and have a Yamaha 3000 watt generator to supply quiet power when needed. Probably the most critical aspect of towing a larger trailer is the weight distributing hitch and anti-sway components. Those must be properly adjusted to set the truck and trailer level and reduce or eliminate sway while towing. You will need a 'deep drop' shank for your truck, which I needed on my 2001.

I have no idea what a used bunkhouse model would go for nowadays, but perhaps you could find one in your price range. Feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions or post here and I'll reply. Feel free to check out my gallery as I have a bunch of pictures from places we've been. Good luck with your decision! We LOVE our Outback!