Spend my money on a new trailer!

[Dave Pelletier]

cudo's to you for not trying to go too big (i.e the maximum advertised tow rating of the 4r).

I don't have any experience with any of these small trailers but I'd go with the rove-light as it appears to be better built as Bneukam mentioned and it's the best to tow behind your Toyota.

Dave

[YGoHom]

Thanks. We already had a nightmare with our last Class A. Too short a wheelbase, too much rear overhang, all the weight behind the rear axle = an absolute nightmare to drive. I was able to make it safe and comfortable, but it wasn’t easy.

I’m in the camp of “It’s not the destination, it’s the journey that counts.”
A stressful drive kills that all together!

I don’t want to step into a similar situation with a trailer. Whichever we choose will be replaced with something bigger in a few years, but in the meantime I was hoping to hear they’re all similar enough, don’t worry about it.

I’d love #3 for comfort, tanks, bathroom, 2 awnings, but I’m thinking I will regret the extra frontal area on the highway.
I actually really like #1, but the tank size and small wet bath are hard to get over. I might rather have a little more wind drag in exchange for dry bath and bigger tanks.

I know that a good shape, but heavy rig can be towed easier than a lighter box. I just don’t know at what point a good shape starts turning into a “drag.”

[Rexlion]

Originally Posted by YGoHom

Even though option #1 is the lightest at 2500 wet, should I cross it off because of NOT being able to use a sway/WD hitch? Or would it even need one at that size?

I've towed trailers in the 16'-18' length range for about a quarter million miles without any anti-sway device, and with short wheelbase SUVs to boot. Nary a wiggle. BUT, I make sure I have 10% or more of the trailer's weight on the hitch. You can have any trailer start to sway uncontrollably if you load it wrong; I learned this when I was in my 20s when my improperly loaded 4'x8' utility trailer almost jackknifed! I had negative hitch weight on the ball at the time (the tongue would've pulled off the ball if I'd unlatched it). So, don't cross it off for that reason, and you shouldn't need WD if you weigh your trailer and tongue (the tongue weight of that unit probably can be checked with a bathroom scale). But if you have any sway anxieties you might be able to add a simple friction sway bar.

[Rexlion]

Originally Posted by Backcountry1

As far as towing only opinion goes, #1 would be the best to tow with your 4R, with #3 being the next best to tow. The surface area (which equals the wind resistance and drag) is a lot less with 1 compared to 2 and 3, making it easier to tow.

As far as actual camping comfortability goes, #2 is what I believe is the most complete and comfortable to camp in.

My feeling is that #1 will be easiest, #2 second easiest. The rounded front end of #3 isn't enough of a factor to make up for its (roughly 19%) greater frontal area.

[YGoHom]

Originally Posted by Rexlion

You can have any trailer start to sway uncontrollably if you load it wrong; I learned this when I was in my 20s when my improperly loaded 4'x8' utility trailer almost jackknifed! I had negative hitch weight on the ball at the time (the tongue would've pulled off the ball if I'd unlatched it).

I had a similar experience with my LandCruiser FJ60 on a tow dolly behind a 1/2 ton Chevy truck. On a downhill stretch of highway, the Cruiser tried to pass me. So bad that I had to move to the #2 lane while traffic stopped behind me watching me take up 3 lanes. Thought for sure we were all gonna end up on our sides. Let off the gas, a tiny bit brake, and a whole lotta of luck got us on the shoulder to change my shorts!

[kdauto]

Originally Posted by YGoHom

Thanks. We already had a nightmare with our last Class A. Too short a wheelbase, too much rear overhang, all the weight behind the rear axle = an absolute nightmare to drive. I was able to make it safe and comfortable, but it wasn’t easy.

I’m in the camp of “It’s not the destination, it’s the journey that counts.”
A stressful drive kills that all together!

I don’t want to step into a similar situation with a trailer. Whichever we choose will be replaced with something bigger in a few years, but in the meantime I was hoping to hear they’re all similar enough, don’t worry about it.

I’d love #3 for comfort, tanks, bathroom, 2 awnings, but I’m thinking I will regret the extra frontal area on the highway.
I actually really like #1, but the tank size and small wet bath are hard to get over. I might rather have a little more wind drag in exchange for dry bath and bigger tanks.

I know that a good shape, but heavy rig can be towed easier than a lighter box. I just don’t know at what point a good shape starts turning into a “drag.”

Just my personal experience, but wind drag and buffeting really determine fuel consumption and not weight. This applies to RVs and other tall boxes.

Hauling a 5500-6000lb TT with poor aerodynamics of the underbelly and lots of buffeting between pickup and TT, it took as much fuel to haul as our current 13 000lb much taller 5th wheel. The underbelly of the 5er is covered in corroplast, no frame crossbars visible and spare is tucked in. I don't feel buffeting with the 5er hardly ever, and it really shows at highway speeds.

Might be worth a look underneath the trailers before buying, if at least to compare.

[Redfour5]

Originally Posted by YGoHom

Hi all,

"I’ve had several motor homes and just sold my Class A a few months ago while we downsized our life. I bought a new v6 Toyota 4Runner thinking there wasn’t going to be any camping for a few years. Guess what? We miss it too much and are now surprisingly in the market for a small lightweight trailer.

We’ve got it narrowed down to 4, but are not going to include the Casita due to price and availability.

There are pros and cons for each, and I KNOW there WILL BE quality issues on anything I buy. I have plenty of experience to fix what the lazy, unsupervised factory workers mess up."

We have a Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk 3.6 V6 Tow Package with similar specs. I ran across a Winnebago Hike 100 at a dealership and was intrigued. It has multiple floorplans surprising specs including axle and water... https://www.winnebago.com/models/pro...fications=true

The R-pod 153 is a possibility also in the 25K to 27K range. https://forestriverinc.com/rvs/trave...od/RP-153/5914

[Backcountry1]

Originally Posted by Redfour5

We have a Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk 3.6 V6 Tow Package with similar specs. I ran across a Winnebago Hike 100 at a dealership and was intrigued. It has multiple floorplans surprising specs including axle and water... https://www.winnebago.com/models/pro...fications=true

The R-pod 153 is a possibility also in the 25K to 27K range. https://forestriverinc.com/rvs/trave...od/RP-153/5914

Holy cow is the Winnebago very nose heavy!! A dry hitch weight of 460+?!?!

And it’s massively big for its size/footprint.

[Race Rover]

I have a Rove Lite 14FL. I've taken it 5000miles in the past 18 months. It tows very well on my GMC Terrain. I'm pulling about 2200 lbs with no problems in the mountains nor have I experience any excessive sway. Generally the rig gets 16 mpg. I have been quite pleased

[Dave Pelletier]

Originally Posted by YGoHom

Even though option #1 is the lightest at 2500 wet, should I cross it off because of NOT being able to use a sway/WD hitch? Or would it even need one at that size?

typically neither trailer brakes nor WD hitches are used on trailers under 3500 lbs.

Dave

[LTRDavid]

Originally Posted by Race Rover

I have a Rove Lite 14FL. I've taken it 5000miles…I have been quite pleased

That’s great to hear Race Rover. I’m looking to get a 14FL. What kind of brake controller and sway control, if any are you using?

Thanks for sharing!