Coleman cte 184

[Spankhurst]

Hey there people, just bought myself a used Coleman cte 184. It's a 2011. Now I planned on towing it with a GMC ACADIA SLT. Does anyone else have this hybrid trailer? Is it a easily towable trailer? Please help and give any advice. Thanks!

[PamW]

What's the towing capacity of your Acadia? What's the weight of the trailer? A quick glance from me shows the trailer at almost 3600# empty (no water, no propane, no dishes, no blankets, no personal hygiene products, etc.) A Google search of Acadia towing capacity brought up 1k-4k#.

Even if you have an Acadia with the 4k# capacity you are already very tight, and once you add people and stuff to the mix you'll likely be over weight.

I'm one that stretches limits, having a CTS16FB and towing with a minivan. But I also have taken some measures that make me more comfortable with my decision.

A weight distribution hitch is a must. Mine also has anti-sway bars which I also deem absolutely necessary.

I added a towing package to my van which includes a brake controller, also a must.

I tow dry when possible.

I only pack what's absolutely necessary. My dishes are "picnic basket weight". I use 2-in-1 shampoo as I need conditioner but didn't want yet another bottle. (every pound does count). My trailer only has stabilizers in the back, but I don't want to add them to the front because of their weight. It really is exhausting, I had a full spreadsheet of weights created before pulling the trigger on the trailer.

I will be in the market for a better tow vehicle in a year or two. Until then I drive with a tender foot, starting my stops long before you typically would and judging speed not by the speedometer but by the tach.

Above all the numbers is safety. Control of your rig is your responsibility and could affect the safety of not only yourself, but others on the road as well.

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[Spankhurst]

Thanks for your feedback. The towing capacity is supposed to be 5200. Trailer weight is suppose to be around 3500. Had a brake controller already installed this week. The rv place is throwing in an equalizer hitch, which I believe has the sway bars?.i do have warranty on the Acadia. Hope I don't have to use it. New to owning trailers and definitely new to the forums as well. Thanks for taking the time to respond. Open to any more tips or advice as well thanks.

[PamW]

Originally Posted by Spankhurst

Thanks for your feedback. The towing capacity is supposed to be 5200. Trailer weight is suppose to be around 3500. Had a brake controller already installed this week. The rv place is throwing in an equalizer hitch, which I believe has the sway bars?.i do have warranty on the Acadia. Hope I don't have to use it. New to owning trailers and definitely new to the forums as well. Thanks for taking the time to respond. Open to any more tips or advice as well thanks.

Well that's awesome then!

I had never owned a trailer before either (camping or otherwise).

First thing I did after driving it off the lot was take it to a large empty parking lot and pull it around and back it up and attempt (and fail many times) to turn into a parking spot while backing. This was one of my biggest fears, honestly. Not hitting anything necessarily, but looking like a "typical" female driver that doesn't know what she's doing! I took it out a few more times to a different empty lot for practice and now have lots more confidence. I can park it in my back-in only storage spot without help now! (go me!)

Just new to trailers ... or new to RVs in general?

Lots of folks around here are SUPER helpful and there is a lot of information available already, just use that search bar. I don't want to think about how many hours I've spent simply browsing! If you can't find your answer, post ... or feel free to message me.

Also ... YouTube has been great as well. Helped me create that "I need" list before my first trip.