[weazletoe]

  Four weeks till I'm Idaho bound. I heard it's state law there you have to have a camper. So, I got a STEAL on a 21ft Prowler. Only 1500$. It's in great shape. Thing is, i'm wondering if either of my trucks are up to lugging it up the Rockies. I have a 97' Silverado with a 4.3, and Holly has a 08' Trailblazer with a V6. I'm not really worried about tearing the bumper out of them, I'm more concerned if the motor / transmission will be up to it. What do ya'll think? I'd sure had to kill the Weaze-mobile somewhere in Wyoming.


Here she is boys. Will be pulling with the Trailblazer though. Not my truck.

[babalu87]

Truck should be more than capable.
You should have a weight distribution hitch AND DEFINATELY a brake controller (The Tekonsha Prodigy is a great one)

http://www.etrailer.com/p-90185.html

WD hitches arent cheap.
http://www.etrailer.com/dept-pg-Weight_Distribution-sf-WD_With_Sway_Control.aspx

Also, check the tires on the trailer as they might need replacing, cant just look at the tire as trailer tires wear different. The treads dont go the sidewalls do because of the forces put on the in turns.

Lots of good info at the RV.net forums.
Your a travel trailer , thats where you want to hang out

Sorry to be so honest but that is a LONG TOW, safety first.
I tow our camper around all Summer, 24 foot Nomad

[MrNate]

Tranny cooler?

[dhacker]

Truck should be fine . . Gas mileage should be crap.

[babalu87]

Tranny cooler?

Yeah, thats a good thought too.
My truck has a tow package. Tranny coolers are pretty easy to install Weaz, should be able to tie it in right in front of your radiator.

Gas mileage, yeah that'll drop through the floor.
I get 18 on the highway with my truck, towing the trailer it goes down to around 10.

Hope we havent talked you out of anything yet Weaz, just getting you some info

[narvin]

Tranny cooler?

Hey now... this is a family forum.

[bluesman]

A 21' trailer is on the small side. What does it weigh?

Check your tow capacity on your vehicles.

As babalu has said...a brake controller would be needed to alleviate the srain on the tow vehicles brake system.

It shouldn't be a problem as long as you have it rigged properly.

[MrNate]

Tranny cooler?

Hey now... this is a family forum.

Oh, keep an open mind, wouldja? Would you rather have a hot tranny? 

[pinnah]

lugging it up the Rockies.

 , luckily with your probable route, there ain't much lugging up the Rockies involved.
Lots of lonesome country tho, the flats of Wyoming.

Man, you are gonna have some fun.  Hell of a deal on a camper.
You don't just latch on to it with a bumber ball do you?  Seems like you would need a receiver hitch?

[tubercle]

lugging it up the Rockies.

 , luckily with your probable route, there ain't much lugging up the Rockies involved.
Lots of lonesome country tho, the flats of Wyoming.

Man, you are gonna have some fun.  Hell of a deal on a camper.
You don't just latch on to it with a bumber ball do you?  Seems like you would need a receiver hitch?

I recommend the frame mounted receiver hitch. At some point you may have to turn around and try to find your bumper...and your trailer.

[weazletoe]

  I have reciever hitches on both trucks. The one on my Silverado (Allie as I like to call her) is major beefy. You could pull a house with it. The camper has e-brakes, so I would just need to put a controller on my truck. the tires on the trailer are brand new also. A tranny cooler seems like a good idea. Should be pretty easy to install to. Basically just mount the small radiator up front, and and tap in the tranny lines into trucks radiator, right?

[babalu87]

  I have reciever hitches on both trucks. The one on my Silverado (Allie as I like to call her) is major beefy. You could pull a house with it. The camper has e-brakes, so I would just need to put a controller on my truck. the tires on the trailer are brand new also. A tranny cooler seems like a good idea. Should be pretty easy to install to. Basically just mount the small radiator up front, and and tap in the tranny lines into trucks radiator, right?

Yeah

Get the Prodigy, its a great controller and an easy install/setup

[SwashBuckling Drunk]

Weez- you should have weight distribution hitch, anti sway bar and brake controller.  I assume your trailer doesn't have a slideout (which adds a ton of weight) so you should be fine w/ your tow rig.  You probably don't NEED the tranny cooler, but the weight dist hitch and anti-sway bar make a HUGE difference.  You're gonna dig it in Idaho.

[bluesman]

  I have reciever hitches on both trucks. The one on my Silverado (Allie as I like to call her) is major beefy. You could pull a house with it. The camper has e-brakes, so I would just need to put a controller on my truck. the tires on the trailer are brand new also. A tranny cooler seems like a good idea. Should be pretty easy to install to. Basically just mount the small radiator up front, and and tap in the tranny lines into trucks radiator, right?

Yeah

Get the Prodigy, its a great controller and an easy install/setup

+1

That's a great system. I've used the prodigy when I had my travel trailer. Worked well in the mountains too.

[hamiltont]

A good question was asked earlier.  How much does it weigh?  I had an older 24' Prowler & that thing weighed a ton!  6500 lbs. IIRC  We towed it short distances with an Astro Van with a 4.3 HO & 4:10 gears.  Definitely needed a load balancing hitch, sway control, tranny cooler and electric brakes even for those short trips. I would never have taken it cross country.