Everyone, thanks for all the great information and advice.
Birchyboy, I can't thank you enough for the time you took to get this information. It is really helpful. The hitch that came with the TT and is a HD load leveling hitch (2-5/16" ball) and two steel bar & chain levelers. It also has a friction-type stabilyzer bar (type with a small ball hitch on each end and a hand screw to adjust the tension/resistance. Getting the tension set properly and tight enough on the chains made a huge difference in the ride.
This is our first rodeo with a camper (im sure that now that by now) and we have really taken a liking to it, so our hope is to go as often as we can. We realize that more frequent local trips is going to be more doable and maybe one or two longer trips during the year. I work full time for Game & Fish but have a really flexible schedule. We live in the Ozarks of N.C. Arkansas, so there's no shortage of beautiful RV sites, but it does require driving through hills at times. Thursday-Sunday we'll head to the Ozark Sylamore National Forest which is only about 40' miles away and hang out there for 3 or 4 days of hunting and fishing, then head back. Home.
I've been checking Craigslist and found a couple of options that would give me about 9,200 lbs of towing capacity.
http://springfield.craigslist.org/ctd/4666486205.html
http://jonesboro.craigslist.org/cto/4646539803.html
the problem is that I'd probably have to sell the Yukon to have make financial sense, which breaks my heart. but, having the TT sit in the yard, or only local trips is worse option to me.
I now that I've given way more info than you probably care to read, but though that some idea of how we'll be using the camper and where we're comin from may give a clearer picture.
Thanks again, and please keep the opinions coming.
---------- Post added at 11:59 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:46 PM ----------
Where does one typically find a scale?-interstate weigh stations are the only ones I now of. Do truck stops, such as Flying J or Pilot sometimes have them. Even so, I'm probably 1-1/2 hours from one. I'm afraid that if I got in line at an interstate weigh station that the commercial truckers would hang me for tying them up while I weigh two axils, TV, a trailer and tongue weight (if the scale master would even let me do it). I know these are niave questions but I'm new to all of this, I appreciate your patience.