Towing...with what and why?

As we have gone through the process of identifying what we are most likely wanting to buy, we need to determine what we will be pulling the camper with.  There are some towing guides that you will want to take into consideration along with some extra costs that will have to be taken into consideration once a decision has been made.  Some individuals will choose to decide their towing vehicle first then based on that determination they will decide how much weight or how big of a camper they want to purchase, others will say choose your camper first then determine if the your vehicle is capable or not of pulling the camper selected.  Either way is perfectly fine, most people that we know select their camper first (or get a general idea) then determine if they have to downgrade, upgrade, or remain in their current selection.

Lets begin with the smaller of the three options that we have discussed.  If your selection has been a popup you will be glad to know that most pop ups due to their lightweight can be hauled with a smaller SUV, minivan, or light truck.  Most vehicles with a tow rating of around 3500 to 5000 lbs. can pull just about the many available popups in the market today.  The vehicle will need to be equipped with a hitch (usually a Class 2 or 3) for this and at times if you are on the heavier side of things 4 or 5 thousand lbs., it is greatly recommended to add a brake controller to the vehicle as coming to a stop on a smaller V6 engine vehicle pulling that much weight can be a bit unsafe.  With this said, pulling a small camper allows the owner to move around easier, little experience is needed in regards to towing, although I would highly recommend practicing turning, backing up, and changing lanes prior to getting on the road such as busy highways and interstates.  Remember that towing these types of trailers also puts "drag" on the vehicle, so be very mindful of your driving conditions...specially wind and wet conditions.

Next up is the hybrid models, with these types of models you are now entering the realm of actual towing something a bit larger and more precautions have to be taken, pre-trip inspections are always recommended with anything towed behind a vehicle, however careful consideration is to be taken with these larger campers.  These types of campers range from the lighter (around 4K lbs.) to the heavier range (around 5-6k lbs.) and does involve usually having to install a heavier duty hitch as well as a brake controller.  If either of these things are not installed in your vehicle, it is a must, usually a full installation of both will run an individual anywhere between the inexpensive range of $300.00 and up to the more expensive brake controllers.  Weight is an issue at this point so the vehicle towing these types of campers usually range between the 1/2 ton pickup trucks or heavier duty SUV's.  A minivan is usually not recommended as it would put too much stress on the transmission and engine due to the weight.  As indicated before, weather conditions, road conditions, and specially speed play a major factor now that you are towing something a bit heavier.  Practice is a must, such as backing up, knowing the height of your camper, and learning how to drive with limited rear visibility is something an new owner will have to get used to.

Last, we have the full travel trailer and depending on the length, weights can vary from the lighter 5k lbs. up to 95k lbs., this will greatly affect which vehicle you decide to pull with.  At some point you also have to take into consideration not only the weight of the camper, but also the weight of your belongings, as well as the weight of all the individuals and items in the vehicle.  It is recommended that you not max out or come close to it when pulling these heavier trailers as it is incredibly unsafe.  As indicated previously it is recommended that at this point if you need to, you might have to upgrade to a full 3/4 ton vehicle or something with the engine capable of towing larger amounts of weight without compromising safety.  Special precautions have to be taken regarding the weight distribution of items both inside the camper and inside the vehicle.  At this point a weight distribution system is a must as well as a sway control bar which allows for better and safer driving down the road as small things such as passing vehicles or semi-trailers greatly affect the stability of the camper and therefore directly affect the towing vehicle.  Making simple turns, parking in certain parking spots, or even considering getting into certain areas have to be carefully planned as your ability to backup or make sharp turns have now been taken away.