7 Feet wide for easier towing?

k.darwin · 04-22-2018, 08:21 PM

My Drop is 6.5' wide. The Micro we're considering is 7. Most trailers are 8. Does the narrowness of the Micro make any appreciable difference in towability?

blueridge-fl · 04-23-2018, 06:09 AM

The only difference that I have noticed is that I can still use the standard stock mirrors on my Tundra with the Micro. With an eight foot wide trailer, I would need the extended mirrors. The biggest difference with the 7 foot wide trailer is the walk around bed is more of a squeeze around bed. Prior to, I think, 2016 The Micros were 7.5 feet wide and people seem to cherish those because of the extra space around the bed.

k.darwin · 04-23-2018, 07:27 PM

Thanks. I'm not sure that anyone would have done any real research / measurement to see how a 7% reduction in frontal area would impact towing ... but it was worth a shot

powercat_ras · 04-23-2018, 09:49 PM

The main reason for RV makers making them less than the standard 8 foot width is to save weight, they can use a lighter frame and less materials. The narrower width has a slight advantage in reduced wind resistance, too.

I had a 7' 6" width Heartland Edge M21 23' with 1 slide TT that weighed only 3300 pounds without cargo. I pulled it with a Volkswagen Touareg SUV that was 6' 3" wide. Even with towing mirrors I had a huge blind spot behind the TT.

That said, now you can add a rear view camera at reasonable cost to mount on the back of a TT that gives you a view back there the blind spot IMHO is no longer a reason to buy a narrower TT. The other primary reason - light weight - still applies.

LarryW · 05-16-2018, 06:08 PM

“Prior to, I think, 2016 The Micros were 7.5 feet wide and people seem to cherish those because of the extra space around the bed.”

Yes, the 2015 2101 DS and FBS are/we’re 7 1/2 feet wide...7 feet 9 inches with awning.

LarryW · 05-19-2018, 07:55 AM

I bought my 2015 2191DS partly because it was 7.5 feet wide. While I wouldn’t want it narrower, I’d get an 8 foot wide TT if buying again. No issues anticipated in my boondocking camping.

BobC · 05-19-2018, 09:18 AM

Having owned two 8' wide TTs, a 22' and a 25', both without slide outs, I wouldn't give up an inch of width for towability. I just don't see that there would be that big a difference, length, yes, width, no. IMHO the livability of that extra 6" - 12" in width wins every time.

I have found that going from an 8' wide trailer to an 8 1/2' wide motorhome does seem to make a difference on narrower roads, however, I'm still new to the motorhome.

nrg2brn · 06-20-2018, 08:12 PM

the big bonus to narrow campers comes with the typical mid size truck the customers have - they tend to fit the aerodynamics of a narrower truck. and there is the mirror thing, but thats minimal

LarryW · 06-20-2018, 08:56 PM

Nrg, good points.

Tucsontoy · 06-20-2018, 09:43 PM

The trailer width is secondary. It it based on the tow vehicle..I tow an enclosed 8.5'x26' trailer weighing 9,000 pounds on a weekly basis. It is what you get used to. Yes, I tow with a 3500 Chevy diesel. I have also pulled a 8.5x42" 5th wheel wheighing 16,500 with this truck from Arizona to Texas. If you want a bigger trailer, get a bigger truck. Just be safe.

nrg2brn · 06-21-2018, 07:08 AM

it all came down to marketing to a specific group, really. there is an expanding group of people (younger / working) who want to move up from a pup to a TT, but will not buy a full size truck, so these campers are for them. its a bit odd in my opinion to see a little teardrop being towed by a full size truck. you dont see it much.

aligning the coach to the width of the vehicle makes a difference in towing, ive measured that in rpms @ 65mph. I was surprised. also might be the sloped roof. the weight was about the same.

keeping the wheels outside makes the ride as stable as a wider trailer.

I can back up much easier and see around it better - again, my truck is narrower than a full size, so our old tt felt like a WALL behind us. this does NOT.

old_engineer · 06-22-2018, 08:44 AM

One other area where the smaller trailer width and lengths help are some of the older campgrounds. Many were built at a time when trailers and vehicles were smaller so don't have as wide and long of sites as newer ones do.

LarryW · 06-22-2018, 09:26 AM

California has lots of these old state parks. I had to beg at Big Basin Redwood SP to get into a spot. They said "won't fit" but I said "it will if I'm careful." I was, it did...barely.

mileshuff · 06-28-2018, 08:20 AM

In all my years of towing I have found that frontal area is FAR more critical to towability than weight. A trailer with a much lower frontal area and overall wind drag will generally tow easier than a trailer weighing less but otherwise the same.

In my case, I went from a hybrid trailer weighing 5,000lbs loaded to a 5th wheel weighing 10,000lbs loaded. Gas mpg dropped slightly with the 5th wheel. Why? Because the 5th wheel has a lower frontal area and less wind drag than my old trailer. Weight just doesn't seem to matter much although you still need to keep under the trucks limits.

W 69947 · 07-04-2018, 03:42 PM

We have had some large units and found many places we could not use because of size. After owning Winnebago products for the past 33 years, we are going back to places we missed out on with larger rigs. Now in a 17' long 7' wide camper. True not as luxurious as our Journey with two slides, but sure having fun with little camper. Just what melts your butter.