thedon42
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I apologize in advance ...
When y'all refer to trailer length, are you referring to advertised length or actual length ? ( Ie I looked at a 26 foot trailer that was really 27.5 feet )....
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clearnetedm
Alberta
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It is very subjective and you will see both advertised. Normally the vendor brochure will show the length of just the trailer portion. Sometimes the model number includes that length but mostly it's not correct. I usually only care about the true length from bumper to hitch as this is important for booking sites, etc. As an example my trailer is model 2601S and is advertised as 26'. It's about 31' from bumper to hitch.
2008 Ford Expy EL
2012 Rockwood 2601S
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thedon42
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Well , that makes sense. So when they say that I should only tow only a certain amount of length based on wheel length, then I should look at actual length ?....
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clearnetedm
Alberta
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Others may disagree but the length isn't really relevant when it comes to "what I can tow". It's all about the weights. A 23' and 30' trailer could both weight the same so why worry about length. I would start with weight, then practicality of use. I know there are so called rules about wheel base can only tow X length but I think thats garbage in most setups. I've never seen a length restriction on a vehicle for towing, only weights. IMO anyways.
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thedon42
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Thank you . I have been researching for weeks and the more I learn, the less I know ....
The trailer that we are looking at is definitely within our weight ranges . We have dropped the weights on trailers substantially after reading up on things.
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clearnetedm
Alberta
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Thats great. If you are at all unsure about the weights there are a lot of guy folks here how can provide some insight. A big theme I've seen is folks buying trailers based on max tow limits of vehicles and dry weights of trailers, which is a recipe for disaster.
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Jayco-noslide
Galesburg,Il., USA
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Not at all a silly question to us. Length is very important to us because we park our 5th wheel in our drive-way and I can't handle even a foot or 2 longer than the 26 footer we have. Consequently, I carry a tape when I'm looking and measure from rear bumper to the very front of the hitch. You used to be able to tell length pretty closely by the model number on the trailer; ie, a 246 model would be close to 24 ft. Not anymore. A 27 model could be as long as 30 ft.(bumper to hitch). Don't go by what a salesman tells you. I think the brochures which list "specifications" are pretty accurate and refer to bumper to hitch length but don't count on it.
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thedon42
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We are looking at a lightweight 23 foot Passport that actually is closer to 25 ..
And thats a little longer than I wanted but in order to accomodate us, 2 kids and the dogs, I can't find anything else even close !
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JIMNLIN
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I use the manufacturers number such as my 28' RK model so as not to confuse others. It actually measures 32' long.
Just happens there is a same brand 32' 5er that is 2800 lbs heavier.
Now when I built my trailer shed I used the trailers OAL.
"good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment" ............ Will Rogers
'03 2500 QC Dodge/Cummins HO 3.73 6 speed manual Jacobs Westach
'97 Park Avanue 28' 5er 11200 gvwr two slides
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F105
Keller Texas
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thedon42 wrote:I apologize in advance ...
When y'all refer to trailer length, are you referring to advertised length or actual length ? ( Ie I looked at a 26 foot trailer that was really 27.5 feet )....
Good question and one I had myself. So I asked a Forest River rep. I have a Sikverback 29 rk and the spec sheet says it is 33.5 feet long. I was also told that in the FR numbering world, the numbers are the lenght and in my case the letters stand for Rear Kitchen.
When I asked about the difference between 29 and the actual lenght of the unit, I was told that in my case the 29 refers to the lenght of the frame. So in my case, I have a FW and the extra lenght comes from the lenght of the front bedroom as the actual frame stops where the stairs to the bedroom begin.
That is how I am understanding it and can't speak for other manufacturers.
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