TruckeeTahoe
Member
- Joined
- Dec 7, 2019
- Messages
- 9
- Reaction score
- 5
So here is the long/ short story. We travel a lot with dirt bikes and mountain bikes around the country. In fact we are currently planning a 4-6 month trip around the US and Canada (so not just a few miles down the street to a campsite). As we are on mtn and dirt bikes we tend to be in high elevations 5-10k high and fairly steep passes from California, Idaho, Utah, Colorado, Arizona etc aka not flat plains states. Our current Jeep Grand Cherokee Eco-Diesel has 420 lb of torque, the 5.7 hemi has slightly less but is a heavier vehicle with a trailer that is twice what we have had. Despite the known Eco-Diesel issues we have loved in, in fact we have two. We have towed a Lance 1685 with it around the country and more recently a Jayco 12 HFD popup with 2 dirt bikes on the front deck. However, we are spending more time in the TT and need something a little larger as we work from the road. So we bought a Rebel on Dec 18th (almost). Turns out it was a dealer trade and they send a driver down to pick it up and it was sold. So we ordered one Dec 23rd, I have a VIN but no build date. Our concern is weight and payload. Nobody can tell me what it will be on vehicle or trailer. I am guessing low 1,300 lbs. We sold our Jayco and ordered a Nobo 19.1 toy hauler. It's claimed 4,700 empty with a tongue hitch of 720 so without batteries, propane water, dirt bikes and gear . Gross vehicle of TT is 7600 as it can fit a UTV. However we will only have 2 dirtbikes. I start adding up a tongue weight of about 800 (best guess), 70 lb hitch, 2 people, 30 lb dog, 3 mtn bikes, a few 5 gallon gas jugs and our payload including the tongue weight is likely closer to 1500 lbs or a few hundred pound over. I believe the total loaded trailer weight will be under 7k. Are we stupid, should we get a 2500, are we pushing it too much. We like the size and look of Rebel, huge backseat, tons of features, comfort driving etc but am a little worried about being maxed out, not on towing capacity, but payload and power. I know it can do it but are we pushing it for a 10,000 mile trip through the mountains. Sorry for the long post but this is keeping me up all night every night! I have read through all the towing threads but most of not Rebel related so payload is a bit higher. We really want the rebel but don't want temps of 275 and taxing tranny, brakes and motor. I don't want a tow vehicle with leaf springs and a super stiff ride. So now wife and I are trying to figure out if we need to bit the bullet and go 2500. It's only 5 inches longer but it's mass is huge. It only has a 6 speed tranny but 850 lbs of torque so more than double power of the Rebel. Plus it's a heaver vehicle. We live at 6,000 feet so the 395 hp hemi is probably already down at least 20% from sea level power.
