curt hitch

How Easy is Towing a Small Travel Trailer for the First Time?

I had no absolutely no experience towing a small travel trailer when our Scamp 13’ was dropped off at our home by the factory delivery driver.  After a quick review of some of the Scamp’s features and signing the paperwork (and handing over a check), the driver left and the Scamp was now in our garage ready to be taken on adventures.

I really liked the idea of all the possible trips we could take by having a small travel trailer and the probable fun we would have.  Small travel trailers are a golden ticket into places most cannot spend the night (at least not comfortably), like State and National Parks.  In the past, we would stay at a hotel if we wanted to visit scenic outdoor locations.  And, hotels at these types of places are typically not cheap!  In contrast, most nightly campground rates at State and National Parks are generally very reasonable (often less than $40 / night).  For example, a full hookup spot (meaning electricity, water, and sewer are provided at your campsite) at Furnace Creek Campground in Death Valley National Park is currently only $36 / night.  In comparison, a room at the Inn At Death Valley starts at around $350 / night in January.  In addition, you can prepare all your meals in your small travel trailer, but would likely have a much higher meal cost at the hotel.

Given all the positives, we decided we would just have to learn how to tow the small travel trailer and hoped it wouldn’t be that difficult.  The first challenge came up pretty soon after delivery.  In order to register the trailer, we needed to tow it to the local AAA as an in-person inspection is required!  With no prior experience, and after a bit of research, we hooked up our Scamp and drove it to AAA.  It actually was a very easy first drive experience.  The Scamp just follows the tow vehicle and, unless you make sharp turns, change lanes too fast, or go over bumps too quickly, it really isn’t a big deal to tow.  It is important to allow for wide turns so the trailer following you can clear whatever you are turning around.  The only stress initially was changing lanes, but even that has now become as easy as driving without the Scamp attached.  You just have to take it slowly and make extra sure the lane is clear before you change lanes.

Advanced research and preparation seem to be the keys for first time towing success.  Just like studying for a test, if you prepare in advance you will stand a higher chance for a positive outcome.  First, it’s important you select the right tow vehicle before you buy your small travel trailer.  Although I did chat with someone who told me he tows his Scamp 13’ travel trailer with a Toyota Prius, I wouldn’t recommend that for anyone.  Instead, choose a vehicle that is rated to tow (meaning the transmission and brakes, etc. were designed for towing) and can easily handle the weight of your trailer as well as the hitch (tongue) weight your small travel trailer puts on your tow vehicle’s hitch ball (to be conservative, having at least 30% more vehicle capacity than the weight and tongue weight of the trailer may be a good starting point).  In most cases, a decently powered SUV will do the job for towing a small travel trailer (but check the specs on your trailer and desired tow vehicle).   In our case, we chose the Volvo XC40 with the T5 AWD engine and factory installed tow package (248 hp, tow rating = 3,500 lbs if trailer has brakes / tongue weight rating = 350 lbs).  Scamp lists the approximate weight of the standard 13’ model between 1200 and 1500 lbs. and the tongue weight at 100 lbs.  So, in this case, the Volvo XC40 is easily rated to tow the Scamp.  The extra tow and tongue capacity allows for potentially higher weights due to carrying gear in the Scamp as well as provides power for steep mountain passes.  The tow vehicle should be ordered with a factory tow package if available and the small travel trailer should be ordered with electronic brakes.

We have found the Volvo XC40 to be an exceptional tow vehicle in many ways.  First, since it’s only a four cylinder turbo, it gets relatively good gas mileage — we routinely get 20MPG when towing.  It also feels incredibly stable to drive and the weight of our Scamp 13’ is not noticeable (even going up steep grades).  And, since it is all wheel drive (AWD), it always feels sure footed even on the bumpy sloped dirt surfaces one is likely to encounter at some campgrounds.  We picked up the vehicle in Sweden through Volvo’s Oversees Delivery Program (which is a fantastic experience in itself).  This allowed us to drive the car around Sweden for a couple of weeks and get to know the vehicle and the country.

Once you have your very capable tow vehicle, it is time to order a capable hitch to plug into your vehicle’s hitch receptacle.  We purchased this heavy duty hitch (2 x 2” shank with 2” ball) which is rated to tow 7,500lbs gross trailer weight and 750lbs tongue weight!  So, this hitch can easily accommodate a 13’ Scamp weighing 1,500lbs with a 100lb tongue weight!  It has a 2” drop, but can also be flipped to give a ¾” rise (note: it’s best to go to an automotive shop that uses pneumatic tools to properly torque the nut if it’s flipped).  We started with the 2” drop, but found that the Scamp 13’ was not level with our tow vehicle (slight drop in center, see images) which resulted in the tongue jack plate sometimes scraping driveways and noisy towing (hitch ball rattling).  Once we flipped the hitch, the trailer became level with our tow vehicle resulting in no more scraping and a smoother quieter towing experience!

Having both a capable tow vehicle and hitch set up will mean that you are much less likely to encounter towing problems on the road.  Of course, it’s always important to plug in your trailer to the tow vehicle so your trailer’s lights and emergency brakes are communicating with the tow vehicle (and check the trailer lights before leaving).  In addition, it’s imperative that safety chains be used whenever towing (see images).  Getting the ball on your tow vehicle properly aligned with your trailer coupler takes some practice, but gets easier with experience.  I taped a ribbon on the tow coupler so it hangs straight down – this lets me see the ball hit the ribbon, which indicates just an inch or so more and the tow coupler is right over the ball.  The step of locking the coupler onto the ball is critical.  After locking, I recommend pulling up on the travel trailer coupler a couple times to watch the tow vehicle rear end go up and down to make sure the ball is really securely locked into place in the coupler (none or barely any of the bottom of the ball should be visible if looking at it from the side).  In addition, I recommend using a coupler lock, not only as a theft security device, but also to help prevent the coupler latch from popping open while driving.  I also like to use a hitch lock to securely hold the hitch in place and prevent someone from walking off with it.

The hardest thing about towing a small travel trailer isn’t the towing.  I’ve found the biggest challenge is backing up the small travel trailer so that it goes where you want it to.  In this regard, it’s always good to have a helper if available so they can stand outside the vehicle and direct you (either with walkie talkies, cell phones, or shouting).  Our Scamp 13’ is very responsive when backing up and it takes practice getting comfortable to what type of wheel movements are required to control the trailer.  One trick that really helps when backing up is to hold the steering wheel at the bottom and then turn it in the direction you want the trailer to travel.  Don’t let the trailer go anywhere close to a 90 degree position with the tow vehicle when backing up as this can cause damage.  It’s always better to take your time and straighten out as many times as you need to get your approach angle right.  After a few trips, you will find backing up to be pretty easy.  Note:  I no longer use our trailer dolly in our garage because I’m used to backing our Scamp into the exact position I want in tight spaces (and you will be too after some experience).

In summary, I’m really glad we decided to purchase the Scamp 13’ even though we lacked towing experience and had concerns about the possible challenges of towing.  Ultimately, towing a small travel trailer turns out not to be such a big deal.  Towing your small travel trailer should be easy as long as you are prepared and get the proper tow vehicle and equipment (and follow checklists when leaving).  If you do this, towing your small travel trailer will not be that much more difficult than driving your car.  Initially, it may be stressful, but after towing for a trip or two you will be glad you made the purchase and likely will enjoy your trailer and all the experiences it will offer for many years to come.

Disclaimer:  You will get the same great Amazon price by clicking on the links here compared to buying directly on Amazon, but by buying here you will also be supporting the continuation of this website as we get a small commission from each sale.  These are products and procedures we use for our own Scamp that we selected and developed from our own research and experiences.  However, we do not endorse any specific product and cannot guarantee that the products we use are exemplary and the procedures we use are complete, accurate, detail the correct recommended procedures, or apply to your model small travel trailer.  It’s always best to double check with your manufacturer or operation manuals to ensure you are doing everything correctly.