XLS 23BHS...new camper owners...any advice or tips would be AWESOME!

**Chief T** · 04-28-2020, 08:38 AM

When you pickup the TT, they should give you a weight sheet. This will show the actual UVW and tongue weight, plus a few others; not the fictional dry weights. Your High Country should pull it fine. After you pickup the TT, load up your required gear in the front bay, add a few items to the TT, then go hit a CAT scale with a full tank of gas AND your entire family in the truck. Weight TT and truck together first. Pull of scale, disconnect TT and weight the truck only. Based on the weight tickets you'll be able to check to see if you are in limits for GCVWR (TT+Truck), GVWR, and determine tongue weight. Will also show weight on the front/rear axels. This should give you a good base line on how much more you can add to the TT and truck. You'll want the tongue weight between 10-15%.

Congrats and let us know how everything goes.

Safe and happy travels.

**Unlimitedmatt** · 04-28-2020, 08:39 AM

Originally Posted by sargentjosh

Thank you all for the fantastic information.

Payload on my pickup is 1770 lbs. 2 adults, 2 kids. We are big people, so I'm estimating 900 lbs of just humans.

I will have to go and find a CAT scale just to be sure on all of these numbers. I don't want to be one of those RVers that just loads up and goes without understanding how my equipment works and what it can withstand (comes with the job, I'm a safety professional for a large equipment company). My in-law are also buying a camper soon, so we are planning on getting out as often as possible.

I'd like to purchase a generator as well. I know my camper is 30AMP, any advice on brand or type of generator? Will I need two?

I use 2 honda 2200's, one 2200i and a 2200 companion. The companion is nice as it has a 30 amp plug on it. You can also link them together, and in my case, I can run everything I need. They weight less that 60 pounds each (if I remember correctly).

I used to have a Yamaha EF3000iSEB. I replaced it because it was so heavy.

**TyeeMan** · 04-28-2020, 08:41 AM

Just an FYI on the generator thing. A generator will be fine if you're out boondocking someplace where there are fewer or no people. Most if not all campgrounds will frown on the use of a generator, surely at night. If you have a quiet generator you may be able to use it during the day. This of course depends if you are staying in a campground that does not have electricity.

I'm not all up on generators but I think you would want the "on demand" type that idle down on low demand, and then ramp up when demand calls for it. I'm guessing Honda and Yamaha are some of the better, quieter generators.

I have a 7500 Kw Generac generator that I have for emergency back up at home. I think if I were to fire that up in a campground every person camping there would band together and run me out of there.

**Hitsman3** · 04-28-2020, 11:06 AM

I wouldn’t worry about a generator right now unless you are going to be dry camping. I would highly recommend, as it was one of our first purchases, a Progressive Industries 30amp EMS. You plug it in at the campground and plug your trailer into it and it protects from surges, over & under voltage, open neutral and reverse polarity. At some campgrounds you never know who wired the pedestal and if they knew what they were doing. Any of these can cause damage to your AC, Fridge and or microwave and cost you a thousand bucks or more to replace. It’s pretty cheap insurance and they come with a life time warranty for a few hundred bucks.

**Dwelce** · 04-29-2020, 10:48 PM

Agree your truck will be plenty fine for that trailer. I had a 2017 Ram 1500 with the 5.7L
hemi and towed a trailer similar to the Imagine XLS 23bhe. Although I did sell the Ram and now plan to tow with a 2015 Land Rover LR4. I’ve done some test runs already and it did great.

For the generator question...I have a Champion generator, 3100 watt starting/2800 watt running. I love it. It starts on the first pull every time and will easily run the A/C even at altitude. I did have a friend who had the Predator brand from Harbor Freight...I was actually surprised at how quiet it was.

**Ynot4me2** · 04-30-2020, 12:50 PM

My 3000+W 6 year old Champion still starts on the first sometimes second pull. Amazingly reliable for the price that I paid but noisy. Got it on special for $300 CAD. Now we got a Firman 3000 inverter that has the RV 30amp connection and super quiet when in eco mode. Same model as the Etrailler one. It also has the remote for start stop. I still kept my Champion at home as a backup for the garage along with the 20KW Generac.

**MBtraveller** · 05-07-2020, 08:47 AM

We have a similar package to you. Chevy Silverado 1500 5.3 with towing package and an XLS 19RLE. We have towed abot 17 000 kms so far with ease. Of course we have the equalizer hitch and spring bars for extra safety. Although we haven't had to use it much, we have a Champion 3100 W inverter generator for dry camping. Easily powers up the camper and has no difficulty with the A/C.

Happy camping!

**Tbarnwell** · 10-20-2021, 07:29 AM

New to the forum. How has your 2015 LR been doing for towing? I have one also and was wondering if you did anything to help it tow a little better. AT tires?
Been towing around 4000+# Hybrid but purchasing Imagine 22MLE

**Dwelce** · 10-20-2021, 08:35 AM

Originally Posted by Tbarnwell

New to the forum. How has your 2015 LR been doing for towing? I have one also and was wondering if you did anything to help it tow a little better. AT tires?
Been towing around 4000+# Hybrid but purchasing Imagine 22MLE

I actually don't tow with it any more. I ended getting a 2021 GMC AT4. It was just easier with being able to put the generator in the bed, firewood, bikes, etc. We have kids so end up with more crap than we really need.

However, the LR4 tows pretty well. Although I was over on my rear axle weight rating on the LR4. My 23BHE has a bit higher tongue weight than your 22MLE so you may be ok. I had thought about getting an Anderson weight distribution setup but never did. I had also thought about getting a Rhino hitch, but again, never did. On steep mountain grades you do notice the power a bit but it will make it up. I did get some towing mirrors and I use a Curt Echo trailer break controller (which I'm selling) and is one of the best trailer break controllers I've used.

I recently did purchase some AT tires, went with a Toyo Open Country AT3, in one size bigger 255/60-R19. These tires are much better for towing than the previous Deltine's the past owner put on. One thing I also noticed is that since the trailer uses LED exterior lights, there wasn't enough of a current draw for the LR4 to sense the trailer when I plugged in the 7 way plug. I'm the type of person who wants to use all features of whatever toy I'm using. And for the LR4, I wanted to make sure that things like the trailer sway control was enabled or anything like different shifting patters by plugging in the trailer. So, I added some resistors on one of the trailer rear light wires. I was able to use the manual to figure out which color was for say the right turn signal/break light and just clipped on a resistor on that wire. I forget how big they were but I needed two of them. I put them on the wire located closer toward the tongue of the trailer. There is a little silver looking box down there and thats where I found the wire and added the resistors. They get hot so having them there by the steel frame was better. I'm sure I can find some pics of what I did if you need them.

I still always thing about towing with the LR4, we just love that rig so much. I also contemplate getting a new Discovery or Defender since they have more power but I think the rear axle weight rating still may be an issue. Happy to chat more about it if you like.

Pic of the new setup.