S.K.
Broadview Heights, OH
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Joined: 05/06/2006
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I am in the process of evaluating several candidate TTs between 25 to 33 ft in length and weights of about 1500 lbs within one another. My TV appears to have the sufficent weight capacity and wheel base to handle anyone of these.
I often read that it is easier to back a longer TT than a shorter one and that it doesn't make too much difference in gas mileage because the frontal areas and the rolling resistance are about the same between longer and shorter TTs. These factors seem to encourage me to get a longer TT so that we could have more space as long as all the weight limits are OK.
One item that I have not heard too much about, however, is how the length of the TT impacts the towing performance on the highway. Using the same TV (again assuming all weight limits are OK, the wheel base is adequate, and the proper WDH set up is in place), is there a difference between the towing experience of a longer and shorter TV? Specifically, is there a noticeable difference between a longer and shorter TV from the sucking and pushing actions from passing large semis or cross winds?
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mkirsch
Rochester, NY
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Joined: 04/09/2004
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Assuming proper setup, as you say, it should make no difference. If you're getting more of a push-pull with a larger trailer, then you need to do something about your setup.
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Bumpyroad
Virginia
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Joined: 12/01/2005
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I would get the shortest unit that is long enough to suit all of my needs. and yes, a short tongue or distance from hitch ball to axles is a bear to back up, reacts way too quickly, but I don't know if the axle location under those trailers would actually be 8 ft further back?
bumpy
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samsontdog
Sac. Ca summer, Yuma Az winter
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I went from a 22 ft to a 26 ft to a 34 ft and I could not tell any difference going down the road. The 34 ft is harder to get in and out of Service Stations than a 22 ft but a lot more room. I would never go smaller. The 34 ft is easy to back into a site as long as there is room to get it in the site. With a LWB TV and a long TT you need room, lots of room. I would go as big as I felt comfortably towing
samsontdog 
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Kampfirekid
Northern Illinois
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After pulling our new 33 foot North Trail 31BHD with the wide track axles this weekend, the difference is so remarkable over our 27 foot Jay Feather that I wish I wouldn't have been so worried about the North Trail 32QBSS at 35+ feet. The balance, response, and smoothness of the Heartland is truly unbelievable so far that it has given me a whole new outlook towing with my 2008 F-150 Supercrew. We'll see when finally are fully loaded, but we don't have 500 pound of stuff left to put in, so I doubt we'll see much difference.
2009 North Trail 31BHD
2008 Ford F-150 King Ranch Supercrew
Equalizer & Prodigy
Me, the DW, and the Two Rugrats
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BurbMan
Long Island, NY
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Joined: 09/20/2001
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Well.....some qualification is in order....
Regarding the easier backing, you are correct it is easier to back a longer trailer because it is slower to react to steering input and easiert o guide smoothly. However, it also takes more room to back a longer trailer, so if you are in tight quarters, it will NOT be easier to back it in!
Regarding hiway driving, a properly balanced trailer will drive nicely regardless of size, BUT, the bigger the trailer, the more lateral surface area it has to catch wind gusts. Picture the difference between carrying a 4x4 piece of plywood on a windy day vs, a 4x8 piece of plywood.
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S.K.
Broadview Heights, OH
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Burbman wrote:Regarding hiway driving, a properly balanced trailer will drive nicely regardless of size, BUT, the bigger the trailer, the more lateral surface area it has to catch wind gusts.
That's what I figured and am concerned about. However, most of the responses so far have not borne this out though. Interesting.
* This post was
edited 10/06/08 04:48pm by S.K. *
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Ductape
On the Road
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Joined: 11/15/2005
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Suspension, weight distribution, center of gravity etc. mean more than a few feet difference in length.
Surveyor SV-234 >Equalizer> H3
Previously a fiver crew.
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skipnchar
Topeka Kansas USA
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Joined: 12/17/2003
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Other than the greater weight AND the higher profile, I notice no difference from towing my 25 footer (40,000 miles) and my 34 footer (just over 40,000 miles now). Gas mileage went down (weight, higher wind resistance, more drag due to length) but that's about it.
2004 F-150 HD 3,050 lb. payload
Rockwood 8314SS 34' travel trailer
We have enough YOUTH...how about a fountain of SMART
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fla-gypsy
North Florida
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I have towed a 28' and a 32'. The 32' was more stable once properly set up
05 Super Duty XLT CC 5.4/3.73 5 sp auto Torqshift
06 Keystone Hornet 29 RLS/(The"Cracker Cabana")
Reese HP Dual Cam
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