[ihc] RE: Trailering

["Jim Grammer" <jgrammer@xxxxxxxxxx>]

>Date: Thu, 5 Aug 2004 12:23:36 -0500
>From: "Jeff Randolph @ Bigscout79" <Bigscout79@domain.elided>
>Subject: [ihc] Trailering weight..

>Gents,
>I'm looking into new vehicles and I'm interested in getting something that
is
>able to pull the scout on a suitably sized braked trailer.
>I'm curious what you suggest the laden weight of a trailer (likely dual
axle
>with surge brakes or electric - not sure necessarily which would be the
most
>appropriate braking), with the soft-topped scout on it would be.  I'm
thinking
>around 6k, but any guesses, knowledge are welcomed.

My trailer is a *very* typical 7k# GVW Carson 18' car hauler, wood deck.
16-1700# tare. Chain box, chains, binders that ride with it at all times
easily add several hundred to that. Call it 2k# ready to roll. Curb weight
of a typical SII is in the neighborhood of 4500-5k# depending on equipment
and 'stuff'. I would be inclined to round up to 7k# for planning purposes.

Electric brakes are a must.

>Also, if a vehicle is capable of towing 7k, that probably doesn't mean you
>want to tow 7k with it often right? Whats the magic percentage of where its
>usually comfortable? 50%, 60% ?

Just depends on how fast you wanna wear stuff out. Seriously. Towing at GCW
is *hard* on stuff. Talk to someone who's worn out the rear axle on their 1
ton dually in a couple of years(or less) towing a 15k# 5th wheel.

>Oddly enough right now I'm very interested in the Touareg's They tow
something
>like 7700 and are built like tanks. Any knowledge good or bad is more than
>welcomed here too - I wish I could swing the v10, but the v8 is the likely
>route.

The vehicle's so new, and so few people are likely using them to tow with
that I expect you won't find a lot of data yet. Do you trust VW to have done
their homework?

My 1210 Travelall is *fairly* comfortable with 7k# in tow. That's a 6k#
truck with a 119"WB. My wife's Excursion is *real* comfortable with that
much back. That's a 7k# truck on something like a 137"WB. As TM will tell
you, 'WB is the deal' ;)

Jim