47 ft travel trailers

[Ecker]

The RVIA just approved the building of 400 sq ft. travel trailers which at 8 1/2 wide means a 47 ft length. ANSI standards only allow 320 sq ft so it will be several years before the 16 states that require travel trailers sold in their states conform to ANSI will allow them.

[Ecker]

The RVIA just approved the building of 400 sq ft. travel trailers which at 8 1/2 wide means a 47 ft length. ANSI standards only allow 320 sq ft so it will be several years before the 16 states that require travel trailers sold in their states conform to ANSI will allow them.

[RustyJC]

Actually, I believe the 400 sq ft limitation is with slideouts extended. I suspect that any 400 sq ft travel trailers will take advantage of slideouts rather than going to that length (pun intended) to reach 400 sq ft.

Rusty

[Ecker]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by RustyJC:
Actually, I believe the 400 sq ft limitation is with slideouts extended. I suspect that any 400 sq ft travel trailers will take advantage of slideouts rather than going to that length (pun intended) to reach 400 sq ft.

Rusty </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yeah - your probably right but it would fun to see asomeone drag one of those behind an SUV

Actually, I should get serious and say that its hard to reconcile today's issues with fuel and green pressures with the RVIA at this instant choosing to adopt a standard that will increase weight and require much bigger tow vehicle/increased fuel, etc. They have been stymied by the Park home crowd in getting a change in Federal regs to increase 5th wheels above 400 but they are committed to getting that change as well. I hope it doesn't start a ground swell of PC folks using it as an example of why much more attention must be paid to RV's in general. I'd like to see us stay under the radar.

[TXiceman]

Wow, I can't wait to see one of those 47' beast hitched up to a 3/4 ton short bed....you know it will happen.

I have a hard time imaging a trailer that big. Seems it should be called a mobile home.

Ken

[Ray,IN]

Ken, I suspect that would look like a rig I saw last year nearby on the highway. A Ford f150 towing a 30' high-profile 5er. When I saw this oncoming tragedy, I nearly ran off the road myself- staring in amazement. He wasn't going very fast, the small grade had slowed the rig considerably.
Ecker, I agree, I desire to stay "under the radar" also. Didn't ChiefJohn post about this a short while back? At that time the subject had been dropped(his article).

[ChiefJohn]

Ray,
In my previous post the RVIA had dropped it's initiative on 5th wheels due to the opposition by RV park owners/managers and the manufactured housing industries. Seems the RVIA continues to tweak the increase in square footage for TT and 5th wheels only to retreat when the battle heats up. Most of the opposition is based on perceptions of monster RV trailers being hauled by novices with under-rated TVs destroying RV parks and endangering the life and limb of all around.

IMO, the RVIA could limit the length to 40' for 5th wheels and let the industry be creative in exceeding the 400 sq.ft. limitation -- full wall slide-outs, end extensions, etc.

Just the ramblings of an old **** enjoying the RV lifestyle.

[RustyJC]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by TXiceman:
Wow, I can't wait to see one of those 47' beast hitched up to a 3/4 ton short bed....you know it will happen. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Ken,

Better yet, hitch it to a long bed crew cab. Let's see, 47 feet of box + 4 feet of tongue + 20 feet of truck = at least 71 feet long. Can anyone say "overlength"??

Rusty

[Two Bit]

Of course to complete the train you would need to attach the ski boat to the rear of the trailer! Lucy...I'm Home! ("The Long Long Trailer" playing in the background as the sun sets)

[Ecker]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by ChiefJohn:
Ray,
In my previous post the RVIA had dropped it's initiative on 5th wheels due to the opposition by RV park owners/managers and the manufactured housing industries. Seems the RVIA continues to tweak the increase in square footage for TT and 5th wheels only to retreat when the battle heats up. Most of the opposition is based on perceptions of monster RV trailers being hauled by novices with under-rated TVs destroying RV parks and endangering the life and limb of all around.

IMO, the RVIA could limit the length to 40' for 5th wheels and let the industry be creative in exceeding the 400 sq.ft. limitation -- full wall slide-outs, end extensions, etc.

Just the ramblings of an old **** enjoying the RV lifestyle. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

400 sq ft is a federal law i.e. they must be built to conform to HUD regs if above 400 so that's a show stopper. It's the infighting among the parties that have scared off any legislators from proposing the changes necessary to go bigger..

[Every Miles A Memory]

I bet it has to do with the new slide options. At the Hershey show, there are RV's with 5 slides and in another thread, some are even coming with roof top pop-ups!

We were in a campground when a coach pulled up beside our 25' Sunline TT, and his slide was bigger than our camper

I even joked with him about it and he just laughed saying he would kill his wife in the first day if they were stuck in a camper our size...LOL

Pat

[Blue74]

Would have to do like the trucking industry did of old... come out with a cab over pickup truck.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by RustyJC:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by TXiceman:
Wow, I can't wait to see one of those 47' beast hitched up to a 3/4 ton short bed....you know it will happen. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Ken,

Better yet, hitch it to a long bed crew cab. Let's see, 47 feet of box + 4 feet of tongue + 20 feet of truck = at least 71 feet long. Can anyone say "overlength"??

Rusty </div></BLOCKQUOTE>