# New Outbackers New 31rqs Le



## SrFish (Mar 3, 2008)

Just brought our new Sydney 31rqs LE home







. We upgraded from a 25rss as we really needed the room. This site has been a savior. My fiance had never camped before last year. Yes I was a single mom proudly towing and parking my 25rss.......lol. Now he has read every forum on here and is teaching me things. The only problem







we may have is with our TV. It is an 02 Cadillac Escalade that he swears he will never trade in







loves it like his Harley, Escalade will be modified soon with K & N airflow kit, computer chip, and dual exhaust. So hopefully it will tow with no problems after these mods. We had no problems with the hour long drive home but he thinks the extra horsepower will help. thinking of going to the norhteast rally in New Hampshire but depends on mods to the tow vehical first and how it tows before the rally hope to hear from you fellow outbackers talk soon

Thanks for all your great ideas! We're thinking about going to the Northeast Rally!


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## johnp (Mar 15, 2004)

Welcome to the Nimitz class Outbackers

Stop thinking about the rally and book it.

Good luck with the new 31

I hate to be the one to say it but you may want to look into a 3/4 ton Suburban to pull it.

John


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## 3athlete (May 14, 2006)

First, welcome to Outbackers and Congrats on the new TT.

Second...

```
thinking of going to the norhteast rally in New Hampshire
```
 JUST DO IT! It is sure to be a blast!

Good luck with the TV...hope it works out. Many people here will be able to help you with whether or not it is a sufficient TV, I have no clue...we tow with a Ford Excursion Diesel...we could pull the QE2 with no problems.


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## Sayonara (Jul 23, 2007)

CONGRATULATIONS !!! ENJOY THE NEW 31RQS !!!

About your tow vehicle. I had the same theory when I bought our 32BHDS and we had an F150 CrewCab with HD towing. I thought i could just mod my way into making it a suitable TV. the fact it those mods dont increase your safety. they may give you a FEW mor ehp but wont make the ride or safety any better. The important thing to know is what your limitations are. Not necessarily how you feel about the towing/power but how you feel about avoiding a disaster. The suspension of your TV is most likely not suited for a TT the size and weight of a 31RQS. I dont know for sure but you need to check on your:
Gross weight of your trailer - NOT THE DRY WEIGHT ADVERTISED BY KEYSTON !!! My 32BHDS weighted about 1400 lbs more than the advertised weight once we got the propane tanks, propane, batteries, gear, supplies, etc.
Max Trailer Weight
Max Tongue Weight
GVWR - Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (the weight of the vehicle with people, gear and the TT tongue weight)
GCVWR - Gross Combined Vehicle Weight Rating (the TOTAL weight of the combined TV, TT, people, gear in the TV, gear in the TT gas fuel etc.)
RAWR - Rear axle Weight Rating 
FAWR - Front Axle Weight Rating

Also check these sites for a TON of info: 
RV Towing Weights

RV Safety

RV Towing Tips - THIS IS A REALLY GOOD ONE !! REad all the sections on the left !!

Most of these vehicle specific numbers can be found on a label the B-Pillar of the drivers door when opened.
A trip to a set of scales should be your next step. FIll the fuel tank of the TV, load up the TT and go to a Cat scale, Pilot, TA, ext and expect to spen a 1/2 hour or so getting somw weight numbers. Weigh the TV alone (remember to add in the weight of gear), Weigh the TT loaded - even fill the water tank if possible. Then weigh the whole setup.

I have a pretty good feeling that you will find your Escalade will be short of providing a safe towing experience. And 1 more thing to remember: if you were to be in an accident, your insurance most likely WILL NOT cover the claim if you did not do your due dilligence in using a safe tow vehicle that was designed to tow your TT.

Good luck and ask any questions here that you might have !.








ENJOY and BE SAFE !!


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## Ghosty (Jan 17, 2005)

Welcome to outbackers...

Sorry for not sugar coating this -- but there is simply no way that you can safely tow that with a 02 Cadillac Escalade. I mean just doing some simply number crunching - you are already well into the red zone on most of the categories...

Even if you get the extra few HP.. your brakes and transmission is inadequate for a trailer of that size and weight...

Sayonara makes some excellent points that need to be heeded ...SAFETY is your greatest concern... and yes -- most insurance companies NOW will no longer cover accidents (even if it wasn't your fault) if they can determine that your trailer was over the weight requirements of your TV...

The actual act of towing is not where most people have problems -- heck my riding lawnmower can tow my outback -- its the STOPPING that gets most folks in trouble...

When you are trying to stop all that trailer after some idiot jumps in front of you on a downhill grade -- thats when you are going to be thankful that you had a truck that had properly designed brakes to do the job... I love the Escalade -- just not for towing...

Let your fiance keep his 02 Cadillac Escalade but you need to get yourself a 2500HD/250 for a trailer that size...the good news is that the Automobile industry is having its worse year in over a decade so you should start seeing truck prices plummet ...

Ghosty


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

Welcome...Welcome...Welcome.

Glad you found us.









Congrats on the new Outback. You're going to LOVE it.
















When I first saw the 31RQS I told my wife to get ready to sell our 28RSS. The 31RQS is a GREAT Outback! Just ask anyone of the PNW Rally members how I was drooling over the one that showed up.

Now to the bad news...did my research and even my Suburban 2500 (6.0 engine / 4WD) can't safely tow the 31RQS. I was about 700lbs shy of the RATED limits. I know for sure I pack a TON of stuff when camping so I was closer to around 1300-1500 under the limit.

I love my Suburban...so we still have the 28RSS. Safety of my family comes first...as well as everyone else on the road.

Sorry you're getting all this bad news about your TV....but we simply want you to hear the truth, not what the dealer told you in order to sell you a new Outback.


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## ember (Jan 17, 2008)

Srfsh, our TT is smaller than yours, and we tow with a 3/4 ton! These NE hills require ALOT of stopping power!! You'll enjoy the camping experience even more, if you haven't white knukled it for the last 100 miles!!


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## egregg57 (Feb 13, 2006)

SrFish,

We spend most of our time in the White Mountains. Driving to Chocorua Camping Village isn't bad if you take 95N to RT 16N.

DO NOT take 93N to RT 104 to RT 3 to RT 25N through New Hampton, Meredith etc. It may be a an easier/shorter route BUT once you go through Meredith and head into Center Harbor on RT 25, you'll be in trouble with the hill that is there. It is steep and long. I am not exaggerating. Maybe you're familiar with it.

If you'd like to go to the rally and are worried about having enough horsepower for hills, the way in and out will be easier to handle on RT 16. AND Most of us will be heading up that way and back they way so if you do have a problem there will be a bunch of us there. We try to leave as a group. Imagine a dozen or more Outbacks in line!!

I lost my serpentine belt on the way back from one of our rallies and I had 90% of the rally attendees on the side of the road with me under my hood! Sure felt good to have all that help!

Before Posting this I went to check the specs for the 2002 Escalade. The max towing capacity for the escalade is 8000 lbs. Once anything more than the driver and fuel is added to your truck the pounds start coming off your tow capacity. Additionally your wheel base is short too.

At 7,300 to start, you still have to add to the 31RQS clothes, equipment, food, propane and all that good stuff. In short you are not going to be in good shape and well over you're tow capacity.

I think all of us would love to have you come join us at the Rally but I am very concerned about you towing the 31RQS with that truck.

Please look at the towing guide that is here on this site and find you're GCVWR (Gross Combined Vehicle Weight Rating) on the inside of the drivers door jam. Crunch the numbers.

I am speaking from experience in making the poor choice of towing a 31RQS with an Expedition. The Expedition had an 8800lb capacity.

If I can help, give me a shout.

Eric


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## mv945 (Jul 18, 2006)

I just want to chime and say I agree with all the above information about towing a 31RQS with an Escalade. We also have an Escalade, and I would never dream of pulling our 31RQS with it.


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## SrFish (Mar 3, 2008)

Whell it sounds like I am just going to tow it with the Harley







................lol no jk REALY !!! THANK YOU ALL for youre responses to this problem have a great new weight distrubution system with 2 sway control arms







and are going to keep the camping experience local for a while and mybe invest in a bigger tow vehical for long trips in the future becuse this TT is beautiful and we are keeping this one for a while till the kids grow and dont want to hang with their parents anymore







once again thanks for the help have a great camping season all from Kel Kim and Kids


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## Sayonara (Jul 23, 2007)

Srfish said:


> Whell it sounds like I am just going to tow it with the Harley
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Travel Safe and Enjoy !!


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## HootBob (Apr 26, 2004)

Welcome to the Outback Family
And congrats on the 31RQS

Don


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