Calculating trailer towing

[Vivid-Dawn]

I've decided I want to live in a camping/travel trailer. A bit more room than the back of a van (I'll have up to 4 cats, depending on when I start this lifestyle), and I can leave the trailer unhitched at a campground and just take the truck off to do grocery shopping and other errands around town without lugging the 'house' all the time.<br>I haven't seen a post that really answers this question (one talked about wearing out the clutch with having too much weight, which is good to know, but not exactly what I wanted to know)<br><br>I have a 1991 Chevy S-10 LT Taho Blazer. Automatic transmission. Don't know how many miles, I would guess at least 200,000.<br>On the vehicle specs, what do I look for to find out how much weight it can tow?<br>And then, when I'm shopping for camping trailers, what do I look for that tells me how much it'll weigh with full tanks of water, propane, batteries, and whatever else I'll have in there (I'm thinking an extra 500 pounds of me (90lbs), 4 cats (40lbs) and "stuff")?<br><br>As I'm living off disability checks, and really don't want to fix the Blazer from working it to death all the time, this is nice to know BEFORE I get started in this lifestyle <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"><br>It does overheat going up canyon roads, and that's just with the back cargo area loaded with a food cooler and a few bags of clothes when we go to the ski resort once a year. My dad had to stop on the side of the road halfway up the mountain and let it cool down last year. I suppose I could get that fixed first, before I use it for living in a trailer. I'm hoping that's ALL I have to fix, as I still need to buy a trailer!<br>

 

[Dirty_Jeeper]

As for over heating, towing a trailer will multiply the problem. Talk to a shop about adding a heavy duty multi core radiator. Many say go aluminum, but brass works just as well for less money.&nbsp;<div><br></div><div>You'll be hard pressed to find a trailer that can EASILY be towed by an</div><div>&nbsp;S 10. I'm in the same situation with a Jeep Cherokee. They may be rated for 5,000 pounds but in the real world, that's a very heavy load for the little rigs to haul far.</div>

 

[Vivid-Dawn]

Well, my dad is currently rigging it up (the wire plug hole was too small, had to drill it bigger, and I dunno what else he's prepping)&nbsp; to tow his pop-up camping trailer. I guess we'll see how it handles it.<br><br>I love his camping trailer. I said I wanted it when he dies (which won't be for quite a while, I hope!) but apparently my sister and her boyfriend already decided it was theirs. Hopefully I get the Blazer then, since I'm the one who originally bought it, but let my dad have it as a spare car when I realized how much gas it takes! Oiy! So when the time comes, I could sell the sedan I'm driving now, and use that money to fix up the Blazer with whatever it needs then.<br><br>Yeah, this might not be for at least another 5 years (My dad is 77), but I like to plan ahead, and not have to scramble and stress out at the last minute&nbsp; <img src="/images/boards/smilies/wink.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"> <br>Heck, by then I may have enough money to just buy a new truck and trailer anyway! But here's Plan A, anyway. Plan B is buy new vehicles. Plan C is live in an apartment, cuz I qualify for low income housing... but the thought of living in an apartment = "ugh!"<br>

 

[sl1966]

Maybe you could sell the sedan and blazer and get something a little more robust to haul the trailer?&nbsp;<div><br></div>

 

[Vivid-Dawn]

Yup, I could do that too.<br><br>Though I still want to know which "specs" will tell me how much I can haul and how much I am hauling!<br><br>I've been Googling it, and I'm slowly learning...I think.<br>Curb weight is the weight of the vehicle without passengers or cargo. GVW is when it's filled with passengers and cargo. Great... that doesn't help me with <i>towing</i> though <img src="https://vanlivingforum.com/images/boards/smilies/crazy.gif" align="absmiddle" border="0"><br>

 

[Les H]

Try looking here
http://www.berrylandcampers.com/media/pdfs/classes/2/07towratings.pdf
Though I don't know if they go back to '91.
My 2001 blazer is rated for 5000 lb WITH a weight distributing hitch. My little 69 Shasta 14' travel trailer weighs something like 1650 empty, about 2000# loaded for camping. It makes it squat pretty bad without the load leveler hitch. Dont include yourself in the Gvw of the trailer, you won't be in there when YOU are towing it. Btw, my mpg went from 20.5 to 11.5 with the camper, so be prepared to take a hit there.

 

[sl1966]

Is it a Tahoe or a Blazer? My understanding is that those are two different model lines. If it's a Tahoe I think the 91's could handle up to 8500 lbs. The Blazers mostly come in at the 5k lbs mark like Les said. As long as the trailer weighs less than that you ought to be ok. To repeat (what Les said) you only count the weight of the trailer plus the weight of the stuff that's inside when you're pulling as the actual total weight. As long as this number comes in under the max towing capacity of what your vehicle can pull, you're golden!<div><br></div><div>I hope this helps with understanding tow weight. My trailer weighs in at 2k pds. It has a GVWR of 3k. I'm expecting to (at worst) add about 200 lbs of my personal junk to it when I move in. This means I'll be pulling 2200 lbs with 800 lbs of weight to spare. My truck can tow up to 5k so I've got over 2k pounds of wiggle room.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>One other thing to keep in mind is when traveling with a trailer. You always want to empty your black and grey water tanks before a long drive. It adds weight which decreases gas mileage. Each gallon of water weighs in at 8pds. You also shouldn't (re)fill your fresh water tanks until just before you arrive at your boondocking destination. Unless of course you're arriving at an RV park with water hookups.&nbsp;</div>

 

[Vivid-Dawn]

Um...it's both?<br>The owner's manual says "1991 Chevrolet S-10 Blazer Light Truck" and then the dashboard has embossed "Tahoe LT" and there's also a gold decal on the outside of the truck just next to the driver door that says Tahoe LT.<br><br>Though I think I probably will have to sell both cars and just get a newer SUV anyway. Then start saving up for the trailer. There's several in the classifieds that seem quite decent for under $5,000 ...and my dad's was only $4,800 and it's great.<br>

 

[akrvbob]

The bottom line is an S-10 Blazer is a very light duty rig and not up to towing much of anything long term.&nbsp; Pulling something every so often is one thing, but if you are going to live and tow with it full-time, I wouldn't pull anything heavier than a pop-up trailer. 2,000 lbs max. Bob<br>

 

[akrvbob]

<span id="post_message_1273828186">I hope this helps with understanding tow weight. My trailer weighs in at 2k pds. It has a GVWR of 3k. I'm expecting to (at worst) add about 200 lbs of my personal junk to it when I move in. This means I'll be pulling 2200 lbs with 800 lbs of weight to spare. My truck can tow up to 5k so I've got over 2k pounds of wiggle room. </span>

<br><br>Steve, I am very impressed with these numbers. What kind of trailer do you have that is only 2000 lbs? Have you actually weighed it? Did it already have your living items like cooking utensils, food, tools, books, clothes, camping gear, in it when you weighed it? <br><br>If you are only going to add 200 lb for two people, I bow down to you and say you are the ultimate minimalist!! Bob<br>

 

[Les H]

Steve , Tahoe was a trim level, like "SL", or "XLT" in the early 90's. In '96 or '97 it became it's own line, based on a shortened suburban.and I agree with Bob. My blazer might be rated to pull 5 klb, but I would sure hate to do it all the time, preferring to stay around 2/3 or 3/4 of my max Gvw.

 

[sl1966]

Steve, I am very impressed with these numbers. What kind of trailer do you have that is only 2000 lbs? Have you actually weighed it? Did it already have your living items like cooking utensils, food, tools, books, clothes, camping gear, in it when you weighed it? <br><br>If you are only going to add 200 lb for two people, I bow down to you and say you are the ultimate minimalist!! Bob

<div><br></div><div>Sorry for the long reply, but I wanted to be sure to cover all the details.</div><div><br></div><div>My trailer is a KZ Sportsman 16BH. I didn't get it with all the extra bells and whistles which saved me on the weight. It came in under 2100 lbs when I last weighed it 6 months ago&nbsp;(nothing new has been added since). It contained everything you mentioned except for clothes, books, and tools. The cooking, eating, sleeping, gear is all lightweight backpackers gear. Even all my towels are microfiber pack towels. It's all stuff I've been using on camping or backpacking trips for years. I've only added a few extra things since there's a little&nbsp;more room in the trailer than a backpack.&nbsp;<img border="0" align="absmiddle" src="https://vanlivingforum.com/images/boards/smilies/biggrin.gif"></div><div><br></div><div><i>Backpacking gear is generally not cheap for the good stuff that'll last you. I spend a lot of time shopping for and waiting until something I want drops to a price I'm willing to spend. When it does I buy at least two or more of them, if possible. REI clearance has saved me a fortune over the years for anyone interested.</i>&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>For books I switched to a kindle, and the only two real books I carry are the complete works of Mark Twain &amp; Jules Verne. My clothes don't weigh much since I've pared them down to the what's needed with respect towards where I will be living&nbsp;(something I learned reading the books of David Hatcher Childress). The heaviest bit of bedding from home is a 4.5 yard medium weight Scottish wool Great Kilt &nbsp;(and yes, I do know how to traditionally pleat a tartan - long story) used occasionally as a blanket on cold nights.&nbsp;The 200 lbs is the combined weight of everything above including whatever the beagle owns (although she travels very light&nbsp;<img border="0" align="absmiddle" src="https://vanlivingforum.com/images/boards/smilies/wink.gif">)&nbsp;. There is no one else traveling with me besides her. Everything (mentioned above) coming with me from the apt was weighed on a house scale and totaled it up to get that number.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>I haven't yet installed the solar power/battery system to the trailer, but know it'll add another 200 lbs. The portable generator like my tools will be stored in the truck trunk.</div><div><br></div><div>After all is said and done the total weight of my trailer will still come in under 3k lbs leaving me 2k to spare on the max tow weight.&nbsp;</div>

 

[sl1966]

Hi Dawn,<div><br></div><div>Moving things back to the topic after my long reply.</div><div><br></div><div>You could get a used van capable of pulling a trailer too. One of the full timers whose blog I follow is doing that now. She pulls a 16ft Casita brand trailer with a cargo van. Even though the trailer can't move on it's own you'll always have something to sleep in worst case scenario.</div><div><br></div>

 

[Gravediggerjason]

The bottom line is an S-10 Blazer is a very light duty rig and not up to towing much of anything long term.&nbsp; Pulling something every so often is one thing, but if you are going to live and tow with it full-time, I wouldn't pull anything heavier than a pop-up trailer. 2,000 lbs max. Bob<br>

<div><br></div><div>Assuming you have the best version of the S10 Tahoe lt you probably have one of the weakest transmissions GM ever produced. &nbsp;I have had a few of these vehicles and whole heartily agree with Bob. I definitely would try to upgrade if possible. Find yourself a nice 3/4 ton van, truck, or SUV your gas mileage will generally be worse (a little) but when your towing with a rig built to tow your mileage will not suffer as much of a drop. In the long run you'll save money buy using the right tool for the job.... My thoughts any way. Good luck J</div>

 

[Vivid-Dawn]

I thought about just living in a van. But while I don't need a lot of space, I don't want to live like a canned sardine, either <img src="/images/boards/smilies/wink.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle">&nbsp; A pop-up camper will be just right for me (and I think I'll probably have 2 cats too)<br><br>As I said, I still have at least a couple more years, hopefully, to really figure all this out. But I like to get things sorted out as soon as I can, because doing last minute stuff - especially figuring out a living arrangement - is just too stressful.<br><br>Today I got a bonus paycheck, and now have enough to replace the old/dirty carpet with vinyl tile, in my current apartment. Next project is fixing up the wood burning fireplace so I can use it (chimney needs cleaning, and the fireplace has bricks falling out of the back wall). Then I'll start saving up for truck and/or trailer <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"><br>

 

[dragonflyinthesky]

Hey Dawn, regarding a pop up,&nbsp;borrow a pop up if possible, then put it up in the rain and sleet&nbsp;and take it down in the rain and sleet. Going to be by yourself? At least you won't have anyone to fight with assembling and taking it down.<br>Look at Aliners, a bit expensive for me but they handle well.<br>Just my humble advice from the been there done that department.<br>There are so many small used travel trailers that are affordable out there to consider.<br>Not to be so down on your idea, anything you buy that you don't have payments on is good and may be sold. You don't have to stick with the first thing you get, there are no mistakes, only experiences. (Thats what someone says to make their mistakes seem less serious.<IMG border=0 align=absMiddle src="https://vanlivingforum.com/images/boards/smilies/biggrin.gif">&nbsp<img src="/images/boards/smilies/wink.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"><br><FONT color=#ff00ff size=3><b>Dragonfly</b></FONT><br>

 

[sl1966]

This is also why I ditched the idea of a popup. Someone was generous enough to let me try setting it up and it was a pain to do so. This was under good weather conditions too.<div><br></div>

 

[Vivid-Dawn]

K5ZAAV - THANK YOU! That's just the stuff I was wanting to know. Or at least it's a big help. When I'm shopping for vehicles, I still would need to know all their specific numbers. For some reason, nobody wants to list the towing capacity or how much trailers weigh... then again, I'm looking in classifieds. Maybe dealer websites would have more specifics.<br><br>dragonflyinthesky - Oh yes, your advice is perfect! That's what my dad did with his...well, except the sleet part! LOL&nbsp; He got it all set up, turned on the furnace (which is wonderful...nice and toasty in there, after it gets going!) ran the shower, turned on the stove, etc. to make sure everything worked before his first camping trip. Really wish I could just have his, but oh well. (Maybe I can buy it from my sister and convince her she would rather have a newer model? LOL)<br>I will most likely be staying at those places where you can set up for 2 weeks, then have to move elsewhere. If I plan it right, I would only be putting up and taking down in decent weather. A'course, being Utah, if the forecast says 20% chance of rain, it'll be sunny for 2 hours, suddenly DOWNPOUR, then be sunny for another 2 hours..&nbsp;&nbsp; oh, and winter. Oiy... 20F in the middle of the day! Maybe I should move to Florida instead <img src="/images/boards/smilies/wink.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"> <br><br>

 

[Gravediggerjason]

Finding a trucks tow capacity isn't terribly hard just google search the Year make model followed by tow capacity IE "1996 ram 1500 sport 5.9 4x4 tow capacity" and there's your answer 7600 lbs. &nbsp;Now that's the max and in prefect conditions best to try and keep it as light as possible.&nbsp;<div><br></div><div>Now trailers are more difficult because there are so many options to each one that googling doesn't usually help. But most have their GVW stamped on the Vin plate or on the title you could always ask the seller. Hope that helps good luck.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Oh and with my dodge even with a brand new engine and trans air bags lockers and all the bells n whistles I try to stay around half the max... Saves my old trucks life <img src="/images/boards/smilies/wink.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"> J</div>

 

[akrvbob]

Like others have said, I am not a fan of the Pop-ups for people who are full-timing. I went with a cargo 6x10 aluminum cargo trailer instead. It weighs 1300 lbs empty, I estimate building the interior and adding my stuff brought it up to around 2500 lbs. However, it is TOUGH! I've pulled it through some dense manzanita and pine forests here in the Sierras that&nbsp; nobody in their right mind would pull a Casita or any other Trailer through. <br><br>If you have someone able to help you build the interior, that would be my recomendation. However, if you want a water system or all the other comforts of an RV, then you should get a real RV. Adding all that to a cargo trailer will cost more than just buying an RV. Bob<br>