# Just Barely An Outbacker



## Jay r

alright I'm new here, so I'll do the proper thing and say hello here!

I had a new bullet premier 31bhpr on order and they are so behind on their orders because of design changes and problems, I went to cancel my order and the rep had an hour long conversation with me on the phone on why I would want that trailer. I guess the weight was the big thing to begin with and the floorplan. Even though we originally looked at the laredo and Outbacks we were really interested in the bullet premier.

Long story short.. we found out many of the benefits of the outback vs. the non-proven competition (bullet premier line) We walked through the 312 bh and the Laredo 303tg and really were very impressed with the way the 312bh features/floorplan and how well it was built.

So we are now proud owners of the 312bh.. A little worried after reading some posts here in the forum about our tow vehicle, but it towed fine on the way home (one hour and 1/2)

Look forward to chatting soon!


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## SLO250RS

Welcome to the site from another N.E. ohio member,you will find a wealth of information here.


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## mikenkristipa

Welcome, Enjoy!!!

Mike


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## daslobo777

Jay r -

Congrats on the new 310BH. That is a sweet setup. Enjoy this site - there are lots a friendly floks here!

I agree with you on your TV - too lite for the 310BH. Better to realize this now as opposed to being too sorry later. Remember, the salesman doesn't care on how safe you tow - as long as you tow the TT out of his parking lot. Not sure on the specs of your TV - but the F150 max tow capacity is 8000-9500 depending on your setup. The "wet" tow weight of the 310BH (dry~7500 + capacity~1500) equals near 9000 lbs. You can see the math issue here. You may not think that you will pull at near TT capacity max but alot of folks do. Only way to tell is to weight on the scales "trip ready". You stated that the 310BH seemed to tow OK on the way home. You can tow it OK, but did the 1.5 hour drive cover all you will see in the future, up-hills, down-hills, wind, hard braking? All I can suggest to to read, study-up, and make the right decision for you. Good luck!!


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## fshr4life

Congrats and welcome! This site has really helped me out as well. The amount of cumulative knowledge here is huge, and everybody is great. I was in your same shoes with a 1/2 ton pick-up when I bought my 270BH a little over a year ago. My truck did great on the level and on most small and moderate hills, so I wasn't worried at first. But after pulling some bigger mountains in the Appalachians during the heat of the summer and thinking my transmission was going to fry, I bit the bullet and bought a 3/4 ton diesel. I couldn't be happier now. We're taking our Outback out for ten days in a little under two weeks. We can't wait! Good luck and have fun!

JD


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## rsm7

Congrats and hello from Lagrange OH! If your already worried about your TV dont hang out with these guys. You've been warned!


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## Jay r

Hey there guys.

i have been doing some research for months about different TV's.. The rating on mine is 9600, but after reading some info on here, with a 147inch wheelbase, (according to the specs) i should only be towing a 30foot trailer? does 5 feet really matter?

Glad to be a part of this!


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## daslobo777

Jay r said:


> Does 5 feet really matter?


Only you can answer this question. The problem is, all may be fine until you are in that one situation ....... To me, white knukled towing is to be avoided at all costs.







BTW - In case you could not tell - I am an engineer and tend to be conservative (my DW has "other" words for my description).


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## Jay r

i certainly appreciate the input. Problem being, everyone has an opinion.. i passed 2 or 3 semis on the freeway going 60mph and while there was a slight sway, still no problems at all. vehicle seemed solid, plenty of power. Any reccomendations on sway/hitch set ups. I have an Elite Ez on their now, which was given to me from the last dealership for my last rv.. I would much rather have the best set-up on there as possible.


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## daslobo777

Jay r -

Most poeple on this site either have the Reese Dual Cam or the Equal-I-Zer Hitch. Both groups swear by there brand. I have the Equal-I-Zer and swear by the performance. Zero Sway all the time. My setup is a Nissan Armada and I have the EQ Hitch tuned in real nice and have a very easy towing setup with a 23RS.


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## luverofpeanuts

Jay r said:


> Hey there guys.
> 
> i have been doing some research for months about different TV's.. The rating on mine is 9600, but after reading some info on here, with a 147inch wheelbase, (according to the specs) i should only be towing a 30foot trailer? does 5 feet really matter?
> 
> Glad to be a part of this!


What cab configuration do you have? Aside from the sheer weight of the trailer, the hitch weight of your trailer will count against the payload capacity of your tow vehicle. There should be a little sticker on the driver side door jamb...on the door or on the pillar that will tell you how much weight can be added to the truck. If you have a regular cab or super cab, you'll probably be ok. The super crew in the Platinum may have you flirting close to the limit. Just another thing to be aware of.

The good thing is that you're feeling safe and secure for the first few tows. That's got to feel good. Check your weights all around, then if you're still within spec, you just have to determine if it feels good enough to stick with for a while. No use ditching your vehicle if you are within specs, drive safely, and feel in control of your load.

Having said all that ;-) I ended up with a 3/4 ton as many others have done. In my case, I had an opportunity to move up. I did and am very happy with the significantly better towing performance of my crew cab F250 diesel, versus my old '97 Expedition.


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## ember

I would suggest reading this read before towing "okay" Skip reading the last half dozen posts as a couple of the "boys" should have settled down before they posted or perhaps just walked away! Sometimes pictures make a better point. Consider your saftey as well a the others sharing the road!!
My .02.
Welcome to Outbackers!!
Ember


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## swanny

Welcome, Only you can tell if you feel your truck is up to the task or not. Be open minded while towing, write down ALL the pros and cons. Be honest with yourself for your families sake and others. Your truck will need to be in top working condition always.

Good luck& have fun,
kevin


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## Nathan

Jay r said:


> Hey there guys.
> 
> i have been doing some research for months about different TV's.. The rating on mine is 9600, but after reading some info on here, with a 147inch wheelbase, (according to the specs) i should only be towing a 30foot trailer? does 5 feet really matter?
> 
> Glad to be a part of this!


Be careful with it. I had some negative experiences with a 06 F150 and a 30' OB. Now the 2010 F150s are better trucks, but still be careful. The best sway control will prevent sway, but in my experience, the wind could push me off the road. I think it was a combination of weight, suspension and tires. I considered adding airbags and LT tires to beef things up. In the end, I upgraded trucks, which was a night and day difference.... but that's another story......









Now, if it tows well, then we'll all be happy fo ryou, but never let your guard down with something that big.


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## Jay r

Interesting.

it is a super crew platinum.. says 1051 capacity on cargo (wow) didnt realize it was that low..


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## luverofpeanuts

Jay r said:


> Interesting.
> it is a super crew platinum.. says 1051 capacity on cargo (wow) didnt realize it was that low..


Yeah...I hear ya. It's sobering to consider all these figures.

So, if your camper is 7400 dry...let's assume that you have 10% weight on the tongue. And, lets assume that you'll have 600 pounds in cargo (cloths, food, propane, water, gear) inside the camper. That's 800 pounds on the hitch. That needs to be subtracted from the payload capacity of your truck. That leaves you with 251 pounds of cargo "room" leftover in your truck. Now, say you weigh 201 pounds (instead of the 150 assumed for the driver.... lat leaves 200 pounds left for your family and *any* gear you put inside the truck.

Really...even if you consider no cargo in the trailer, IMHO you're really close to the limits on and don't have a lot of wiggle room for cargo and people.


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## rdvholtwood

Welcome to the Outbackers - and enjoy that new Outback!!


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## crunchman12002

rdvholtwood said:


> Welcome to the Outbackers - and enjoy that new Outback!!


Welcome to Outbackers from Bainbridge, Ohio. Congrats on that Outback.
crunchman


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## snickers

Welcome!


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