Well you have certainly done your homework, and are now probably just as misguided by all of our good intentioned opinionated advice as the rest of us. The majority of posters on this site agree on taking a cautious approach to towing, they recommend:

1. de-rating the manufactures towing capacity estimates to about 80% to have a margin of safety,
2. use an appropriate weight distribution hitch with anti-sway capability,
3. use a quality brake controller (ones with a decellorometer are the best),
4. realize that the additional "stuff" you carry also counts against your TV's load capacity (stuff like: you, fresh water, waste water, LP, gasoline, food, chairs, wine, beer, rover, etc.)
5. keep your brakes and tires in good condition (inflation is critical)
6. drive conservatively, knowing your rig's capabilities
7. watch out for the other guy, they are driving tired, way overloaded and often driving faster than they ought to be!

Your TV/Hi-Lo is not so different than the ones towed by myself and other posters ... good luck and enjoy RVing.

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John

2007-22T TowLite 50th Anniversary, Valley Towing Equalizer Hitch
2008 Nissan Frontier SE 4X4 Crew Cab, Snug Top & McKesh Mirrors
Cooper AT3 LT265/70R16 AT w Slotted Rotors, Ride-Rite Air Springs

Thank you so much. Reassuring and helpful. I am the researcher of the house and my husband will be the one setting it all up and driving so I will definitely make sure he reads this sound advice.

Rolff,

Do you know what size axle you have? I have the 3.55 axle and I compared our trucks on Dodge.com and if you have the 3.55 you have a slightly lower tow capacity than I have and if you have the 3.92 then you have a higher tow capacity than I do.

I’m asking because I found a hi-lo that is very similar to yours in weight and it would be reassuring to know that since you’re able to tow yours nicely, I would be able to tow something similar. If you have the larger axle though, I can’t compare my truck to yours.

Thanks so much!

Cheryl

Well, I have two Hi-Los to go and look at tomorrow. One is a friend of a friend's that was supposed to be an '89 21ft funlite but turns out is an '89 22ft Funchaser. That extra foot is about an extra 800lbs! I know it isn't really the one extra foot that is adding that, but you know what I mean. The dry weight is 3560 and the max weight is 5000. I figure if we can keep the cargo at 700ish lbs, that will keep me right at 85% max towing capacity. I know it is pushing it and I had wanted to stay at 80% but the price is right and it will fit my family.

Is this crazy? Am I allowing enough lbs when I say 700 lbs of cargo. I feel like I am being generous but cargo (especially with two little ones, bikes, etc.) does add up.

The other one I can't get a straight answer from the guy on the size. He is saying it is an '89 11 ft Funlite. That's right; he says it is eleven feet long. I told him the smallest I've heard of is 17 feet and he said he measured it and it is 11 feet. Any thoughts??? Maybe he should be taking into account the hitch or something? It has a double bunk and the dining table turns into a bed as well. Could that even be a 17 foot? Anyway, I'm waiting on a call back from him so we can set something up for tomorrow.

Inthepink,

Hi-Lo measured their trailers from the hitch to the back bumper. So, our 21ft towlite actually had living space of approximately 17 feet (the box). I suspect that the funlite measured at 11ft is actually the living space and not the true size of the trailer. It is probably a 15 or 17 ft trailer. If the trailer is 19 ft or less, it has one axle. If it is larger than 19ft, it will have dual axles.

One way to keep your weight down in the trailer is to tow it dry. By dry, I mean to tow it without water in the tanks and make sure the holding tanks are empty. Water and waste will add a lot of weight in a hurry.

We personally prefer to tow a dual axle trailer.

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Les

2006 22ft towlite (replaces 97 21TL)
2006 Toyota tacoma pre-runner 4.0 L V-6 quad cab
w/ 98 chevy Powervision towing mirrors

Les, why do you prefer to tow dual axle? Is it easier to tow?

We find that the dual axle tows with less sway and it doesn't bounce around as much.

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Les

2006 22ft towlite (replaces 97 21TL)
2006 Toyota tacoma pre-runner 4.0 L V-6 quad cab
w/ 98 chevy Powervision towing mirrors

Good to know. Thanks.

And, you don't immediately drop on to a wheel rim if there is a tire failure when there are dual axles.

It is also MUCH easier to change a tire/grease bearings/adjust brakes, etc if you have dual axles. All you have to do is drive the wheel you're not working on up onto some kind of "platform" (they make plastic ones for this) and the other wheel is suspended in the air. AND, there is an "expanding" chock that goes between the wheels on dual axles that will prevent rolling.

I REALLY WISH my trailer had dual axles, but the ones below 19 ft all came with single axles.

- Jack

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Hi-Lo 1707T
2005 F150 4x4 KR SCrew