The Airstream was a 30' floorplan Classic at 7,600 pounds. I've since moved 33 Classics to 8,700 pounds. Truck is rated to tow 8,800. The 33' floorplan Forrest River Wildcat Maxx had 3 slides and weighed 9,086 and the boat about 9k with a bedload of four rims and tires plus tools. CVW on the last two if memory serves me were 15,800 & 15,600. Max CVWR on the 4th gen is 15,950. Also day to day tows are normally like 6k.
They all went out of state and over 6 percent grades. I used a WDH with built in sway control on the two TTs and all loads benefited from axle to frame air bag set ups for suspension control & dampening (not sag relief) plus a tune with engine/turbo brake compliments of the tune and factory trailer brake controller. Well and 31.9" XL load tires & a free flowing Tradesman grill. Using CAT scales to set up your load to replace your unloaded steer weight and get your tongue weight close as you can to 12 percent is best for the safest most stable tow with full braking traction. Max drive axle weight was only slightly exceeded as was GVW. They were all heavy but trailed well with no wind, braking, or issues of any kind except that climb speed needed to be limited to 50-55 to keep cool in the south Cali heat. Well in some of these cases it wouldn't climb any faster than that either.
Axle and tongue weights are key. I have helped people take much lesser loads from the proverbial "white knuckle rides" to safe stable and in Mfg spec without removing any weight just weight redistribution from hitch and loading. After which they were stable and would only move more as one unit instead of pushed and sucked into a wiggle and sway by the bow wave of a close passing semi.
People talk about aftermarket rims tires sway bars bump stops springs brochure or static tongue weights payload stickers and all of those things can help incrementally. But the best most important thing is getting your axle and tongue weights in spec. The CAT scale is the only way to do this concretely. It sees what eyes and measurements can't always see. Plus CVW combined vehicle weight, GVW gross vehicle weight, actual seen after WDH tongue weight etc. CAT has a free app & GPS locator for your phone. Cost is usually about $12 and $2 per additional weigh. If you want to tow your family safely and or maximize the safe reliable use of your equipment stop guessing and use a scale.
