Know Before You Tow: Bring Your Truck Numbers to the 2026 Myrtle Beach RV Expo
The prettiest floorplan on the lot is a bad buy if your truck cannot pull it safely.
That is the whole point of know before you tow. Bring your truck information to the Myrtle Beach RV Expo. Payload. Tow rating. Hitch setup. Vehicle configuration. Those four numbers do more to narrow the field than an hour of scrolling photos at the kitchen table.
Then use the Myrtle Beach RV Show to compare the campers that actually fit your vehicle.
The 2nd Annual Fall Edition runs October 21–25, 2026 at Recreation USA, 5031 Dick Pond Road, Myrtle Beach, SC 29588. Admission is free. Parking is free. Food is free every day from 11 AM to 2 PM. Official details live at www.myrtlebeachrvexpo.com.
Quick answers if you searched “can my truck tow this camper?”
What should I bring to the Myrtle Beach RV Expo?
A photo of your door-jamb sticker, your truck’s year/make/model/trim, cab style, bed length, axle ratio if you know it, and a note on the hitch you already own.
What is the difference between tow rating and payload?
Tow rating is how much the vehicle can pull. Payload is how much weight it can carry, including people, cargo, the hitch, and tongue or pin weight. Payload is the limit most Grand Strand shoppers hit first.
Where is the 2026 Fall Myrtle Beach RV Show?
Recreation USA at 5031 Dick Pond Rd, Myrtle Beach, SC 29588, in the Socastee / South Myrtle Beach area. About 7 miles from Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR), easy from Conway, Longs, North Myrtle Beach, Murrells Inlet, and Georgetown.
When is it, and what does it cost?
October 21–25, 2026. Wednesday–Saturday 9:00 AM–6:00 PM. Sunday 10:00 AM–5:00 PM. Free admission, free parking, free lunch 11 AM–2 PM.
Do I have to buy that day?
No. Knowing your numbers just keeps you from falling in love with a fifth wheel your half-ton cannot legally carry.
Before you drive over, run your vehicle through the Recreation USA tow guide and read the 2026 towing and payload guide. Dates, hours, and the full visitor overview are in the Fall Expo guide.
Why the Expo is the right place to check your tow math
Online listings show dry weight. Dry weight is the camper as it left the factory, before batteries, propane, water, food, chairs, and the dog’s crate. Real trips out of Myrtle Beach, Longs, and Conway do not look like that.
At the Expo you can stand next to the actual unit, open the yellow weight sticker on the door, and match it to the sticker in your truck. Factory representatives will be on site to talk construction and published weights. The Recreation USA team can talk hitch setup, local campground reality, and which in-stock floorplan fits the truck in your driveway.
That combination is hard to get from a website and harder to get at a ticketed convention-center show where you are still paying to park.
This Expo is hosted on the Recreation USA lot. It is not the separate ticketed RV show at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center on Oak Street the same weekend. Different location. Different dealers. Different cost to walk in.
The four numbers to bring
Write these down or photograph them. Do not trust the brochure number from when the truck was new.
1. Payload
Payload is the weight your truck or SUV can carry. Passengers, coolers, the hitch, and tongue weight all come out of payload.
On most half-tons and family SUVs, payload runs out before the advertised tow rating does. A travel trailer with a 700-pound tongue weight plus four adults and a bed full of beach gear can put a “7,000-pound tow rating” truck over the line.
Look for the Tire and Loading Information sticker on the driver’s door jamb. It lists occupants and cargo combined. That is the number that matters.
2. Tow rating
Tow rating is the maximum the vehicle can pull when it is properly equipped. “Properly equipped” usually means the tow package, the right axle ratio, the right cooling, and sometimes a specific cab and bed.
A base-model half-ton and a max-tow half-ton are not the same truck. An SUV with a factory tow package and an SUV with a dealer hitch bolted on later are not the same either.
If you only remember one marketing number, remember this: the brochure tow rating assumes a light truck. Add people and tongue weight and the real number drops.
3. Hitch setup
The hitch you already own decides which campers you can even hook up.
- Bumper pull / conventional hitch: travel trailers and most toy hauler travel trailers. Weight-distribution and sway control are the smart setup once tongue weight gets serious. Recreation USA recommends a weight-distribution hitch on trailers over about 3,000 pounds. Service can install weight-distribution systems, fifth-wheel hitches, and goosenecks. Call service at (843) 716-0013 or start with the FAQ.
- Fifth-wheel hitch in the bed: required for fifth wheels. Needs a compatible bed, enough cab-to-trailer clearance, and payload left after the hitch and pin weight.
- Gooseneck: some toy haulers and specialty trailers. Not the same as a fifth-wheel hitch.
Bring a photo of the receiver, the ball size, and the hitch brand if you already have one.
4. Vehicle configuration
Year, make, model, trim, 2WD or 4WD, cab style, bed length, engine, and axle ratio. A crew cab short bed with the family and a toolbox does not tow like an extended cab long bed with an empty bed.
Configuration also decides fifth-wheel fit. Short beds often need a slider hitch so the trailer nose clears the cab in a turn.
How to read the camper sticker once you are on the lot
Every unit at the Expo has a weight label. Two numbers do most of the work.
- UVW (unloaded vehicle weight): the camper empty, as built. Useful for comparing floorplans. Not the number to tow by.
- GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating): the most the camper is rated to weigh when loaded. Shop against GVWR if you want a margin.
Tongue weight on a travel trailer is often about 10–15% of trailer weight. Pin weight on a fifth wheel is often about 15–25%. That pin weight sits in the truck bed and comes straight out of payload.
A quick field check: take GVWR, move the decimal one place left, and you are in the neighborhood of 10% tongue weight. Then add people, cargo, and the hitch. If that total is close to payload, keep looking.
More of that math is in the Recreation USA towing and payload guide.
Match the camper style to the vehicle you actually drive
The Expo is a towable show. That is good news, because the right category depends on the truck.
Midsize SUVs and crossovers
Look at lightweight and ultra-lite travel trailers, including compact units such as the Modern Buggy Hopper 1 and Hopper 2 on display at the Expo. Many modern SUVs tow in the 3,500–5,000 pound range. Stay inside that, and stay inside payload.
Browse current travel trailers in Myrtle Beach and Longs before you arrive so you are not starting from zero.
Half-ton trucks
This is the biggest group walking the Dick Pond Road lot. Half-tons can handle a lot of family travel trailers and some lighter fifth wheels. Payload, not the TV commercial, is the gate. A bunkhouse with a heavy tongue and a full cab of kids is a different problem than a couples’ rear-kitchen trailer.
Three-quarter-ton and one-ton trucks
This is fifth-wheel and toy-hauler territory. Pin weight, garage cargo, and a full fresh tank change the math fast. If you are shopping a toy hauler, ask what the ramp is rated for and what happens to pin weight when the garage is loaded. ATVs, golf carts, and a CFMOTO do not weigh nothing.
Already own a fifth-wheel hitch
Skip the travel-trailer rows first and walk fifth wheels. Recreation USA stocks Forest River, Keystone, Dutchmen, Axiom, and more on the South Myrtle Beach lot. Axiom shoppers can also look at the No. 1 independent Axiom volume dealer story before show week.
What you can compare in person October 21–25
Hundreds of new and used towables will be on the lot, plus a limited number of used motorhomes and CFMOTO powersports displays.
- Travel trailers, including bunkhouses and lightweight weekend units
- Fifth wheels, from family bunks to rear-living residential floorplans
- Toy haulers with garages for ATVs, boards, or a patio
- Destination trailers for seasonal stays at Grand Strand resorts
- Compact campers for SUV owners
- Outdoor exhibits and campground partners
Brands shoppers typically compare here include Forest River, Keystone, Coachmen, Dutchmen, CrossRoads, Jayco, Highland Ridge, Thor, Axiom, and Modern Buggy. Confirm the unit you want is on the lot by checking RV search the day you leave the house. Inventory moves.
If you are still deciding new versus used, the weight sticker rules do not change. Read what Myrtle Beach buyers are asking in 2026 and then verify the actual unit.
Campers bought here often end up at Grand Strand parks. Pair the tow check with the beach camping guide and the earlier campground Expo roundup so you are also thinking about site length, not just highway speed.
Event snapshot
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Event | 2nd Annual Myrtle Beach RV Expo – Fall Show 2026 |
| Dates | October 21–25, 2026 |
| Host | Recreation USA |
| Address | 5031 Dick Pond Rd, Myrtle Beach, SC 29588 |
| Hours | Wed–Sat 9 AM–6 PM; Sun 10 AM–5 PM |
| Admission | Free |
| Parking | Free on site |
| Food | Free lunch daily, 11 AM–2 PM |
| Bring | Payload, tow rating, hitch photos, vehicle configuration |
| Official site | www.myrtlebeachrvexpo.com |
| Tow match tool | RVs I can tow |
Last year’s Expo drew shoppers from Charleston, Columbia, Greenville, Spartanburg, Charlotte, Raleigh, Wilmington, Fayetteville, and Savannah, plus Grand Strand locals. The Fall 2026 show is built for that same drive-in crowd.
A simple order of operations on the lot
- Check your numbers at home with the tow guide.
- Shortlist two or three floorplans in RV search.
- Walk those units before you talk payment.
- Match the door sticker on the camper to the door sticker on your truck.
- Ask a factory rep about published weights and model-year changes.
- Ask Recreation USA about hitch install, out-the-door price, and delivery.
- Eat. Free lunch is 11 AM–2 PM. Use it to compare notes.
Pricing at Recreation USA is built to include freight, prep, detail, and a walk-through. Tax and registration still apply. The why buy page spells out the no-bogus-fee model. If you already own a camper, start a trade-in evaluation before show week so equity is not a surprise.
Nationwide delivery is available if you do not want to tow a new unit home from Myrtle Beach.
Day plans by where you are driving from
Myrtle Beach, Socastee, Forestbrook, Surfside: Come Wednesday or Thursday. Lighter crowds, more time to talk hitch setup, home before dinner.
Conway, Longs, North Myrtle Beach, Little River, Calabash: Park once at Dick Pond Road. If a lighter unit you like is at the Longs store, the team can point you to 1801 Highway 9 West.
Charleston, Georgetown, Pawleys Island: Day trip. Doors open at 9. Walk before lunch. Leave before beach traffic stacks up on US-17.
Charlotte, Columbia, Greenville, Wilmington, Fayetteville: Give it a full day or an overnight. The lot is close to US-17, SC-544, and MYR. Bring the truck if you can. Photos of the sticker work if you cannot.
Wear walking shoes. The lot covers multiple acres.
Two stores cover the market:
- South Myrtle Beach (Expo location): 5031 Dick Pond Rd, Myrtle Beach, SC 29588 | 843-215-1800
- Longs / North Myrtle Beach: 1801 Hwy 9 W, Longs, SC 29568 | 843-756-1072
Real mismatches the Expo is good at catching
A Wilmington couple likes a bunkhouse listed at a friendly dry weight. Four people, a cooler, and a 650-pound tongue weight put the SUV over payload. They move one model lighter and still sleep the kids.
A Columbia family wants a toy hauler for a CFMOTO. The garage looks huge. Loaded pin weight and ramp rating change the shortlist before anyone talks monthly payment.
A half-ton owner from Conway has been eyeing a fifth wheel because the neighbor has one. Pin weight plus a fifth-wheel hitch plus a crew cab of people does not fit. A travel trailer with a weight-distribution hitch does.
None of those conversations happen if you leave the door sticker at home.
Frequently asked questions
What truck info should I bring to the Myrtle Beach RV Expo?
Payload from the door sticker, tow rating for your exact configuration, hitch type and rating, and year/make/model/trim. Photos are enough.
Can I tow a travel trailer with an SUV?
Often, yes, if you stay inside tow rating and payload. Many SUVs land in the 3,500–5,000 pound range. The Expo has lightweight units built for that. Check the FAQ and the tow guide.
Is dry weight the number I should tow by?
No. Use GVWR for a safety margin, then estimate tongue or pin weight and subtract it from payload along with people and cargo.
Do I need a weight-distribution hitch?
For most travel trailers over about 3,000 pounds, yes. It moves tongue weight forward, levels the truck, and works with sway control. Recreation USA service can install it.
Can a half-ton pull a fifth wheel?
Some lighter fifth wheels, sometimes. Payload is usually the stop sign. Bring the numbers and let the team show you units that fit instead of units that almost fit.
Is the Myrtle Beach RV Expo free?
Yes. Free admission, free parking, and free food from 11 AM to 2 PM every day, October 21–25, 2026.
What if my truck cannot tow the camper I want?
You can still buy it. Recreation USA offers nationwide delivery, and you can keep the camper at a Grand Strand park if towing home is the problem. Or shop a lighter floorplan that your truck can pull every weekend.
Do this before October 21
- Photograph the door-jamb sticker.
- Run the truck through RVs I can tow.
- Read the towing and payload guide.
- Shortlist floorplans on recreationusa.com.
- Put October 21–25 on the calendar.
Come with the numbers. Leave with a camper that fits.
The Myrtle Beach RV Expo is the easiest week of the year to compare travel trailers, fifth wheels, and toy haulers in one place, with factory reps on site and no ticket at the gate. It only works if you know what your truck can do.
Know before you tow. Bring payload, tow rating, hitch setup, and vehicle configuration. Then walk the lot and cross off anything that does not fit.
Myrtle Beach RV Expo
October 21–25, 2026
Recreation USA, 5031 Dick Pond Road, Myrtle Beach, SC 29588
Free admission. Free parking. Free food 11 AM–2 PM every day.
Official event site: www.myrtlebeachrvexpo.com
Show details: www.recreationusa.com/myrtle-beach-rv-show
Tow match: www.recreationusa.com/tow-guide-search
South Myrtle Beach: 843-215-1800
Longs: 843-756-1072
Refer a friend and earn money. Then bring the truck sticker and shop the campers that make sense for the vehicle you already own.