Community Forums

ktn1966 · 03-27-2018, 09:42 AM

Next winter we are talking about heading to Mexico, either Baja or Rocky Point. I am wondering about max lengths on TT. We have an ORV 280RKS that is 34 feet in length and the tow vehicle is a F250 crew cab. Will the length of the trailer and truck together be a problem?

Parks · 03-27-2018, 10:13 PM

Not sure I see the reward of going down to Mexico for the amount of risk involved. Lots of life safety risk but also the terrible rough and narrow roads that can hammer your trailer. Not to mention the potential of there have been off road race teams that have had their toy haulers and trailers hijacked in Baja. If you want to see Mexico fly down to a resort area and take your chances there. No sense in dragging $100K in equipment to a 3rd world country to go sightseeing. Just my opinion, though.

Cumminsfan · 03-27-2018, 11:21 PM

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...=.0708db485fbd

60sumtin · 03-28-2018, 04:53 AM

If any of those instances define a 3rd world country then sadly one would have to include the US and Canada as well.

ktn1966 · 03-28-2018, 08:38 AM

Parks, you obviously did not read the forum question. If you did not read the question how are you able to answer? The question is, what length of truck and travel trailer is too long for the road system. If you knew me and my background you would obviously have less concern for my "so called safety". Rough roads on the Alcan have also hammered my vehicle causing damage and costing money, yet that did not stop me, nor did I get doom and gloom messages from other forum members about travel to Alaska. Please, in the future, use your knowledge and experience to answer reasonable questions, not your opinion.

Cumminsfan, I am hoping that you were trying to show Parks that death awaits us in no matter what decision we make. Senseless deaths like this only prove it. I worked personally on several missions with a person who took a shower and died due to neglect in installing a shower unit. He had survived several close contacts only to lose his life to bad wiring and a rain storm.

Once again, the question was concerning, length of trailer and truck on Baja or Rocky Point roads. Any experience or first hand knowledge would be greatly appreciated.

Cliffy · 03-28-2018, 02:09 PM

We have towed our 22 ft TT to both places.
Rocky Point is quite doable in your long TT but caution must be exercised.
Once you cross the border parking to go back to the Customs House to buy your visa will be difficult. Some paid parking on the US side though. Be careful going through both towns you drive through. STOP completely at all stop signs even if the locals don't. Stop at all RR crossings also. The locals don't but you will get a ticket if you don't. All speed signs are in KMs.
Parking anywhere but your RV park will be a challenge. Just getting off the main road to stop will be difficult due to the deep gutters.
RV park power is usually pretty good in RP.

Now BAJA- Baja is for the adventurous! Don't begin to think driving in Baja is anything like USA roads. The main highway is narrow in many places (1 ft either side of your rig) AND there is no shoulder. It drops off as much as 6 feet down, straight down.
The main road has numerous areas with big pot holes. Never get anywhere near the right edge as you'll bang into a sharp curb sticking into the road in many places.
Depending on which way you enter Baja, each has its own challenges crossing and the road down.
All towns have TOPES (speed bumps) into and out of the city, BIG ones. There are also VADOS (dips) also big ones.
This tour MAY not be the best for a 30 ft rig. Its done but I wouldn't in your rig. In fact, I won't do it again in mine.
Get Church's RV Baja book.
Don't even think of 50 amp service. 30 amp is usually not available.
Don't even think of hooking up in Baja without an RV surge protector between your rig and the power pole.

Safety, although Mexico has seen an upsurge in violence lately, it is mostly (almost exclusively) confined to drug wars. if you don't do drugs you won't be affected. We kill more in Chicago every year than they do in all of Baja.
Now theft may be a different story. Never leave anything unlocked and unattended in Baja or Mexico. Never leave anything unattended out in the boonies. Just common sense.

If your main goal is to see the tip and Cabo- FLY DOWN and enjoy your time.
You won't find many tourists (not near as many as 10 or 12 years ago).

Hope this helps

ktn1966 · 03-28-2018, 02:18 PM

Thank you for the reply, we are currently looking at a trip next winter with friends who did out in there class c. He says it is no problem with his Four Winds pulling a small motorcycle trailer, but my size is a little bigger. We are looking at going to Bahia de Los Angeles on the Baja, but I threw our Rocky Point as a back up since that trip is shorter.

Cliffy · 03-28-2018, 05:46 PM

Been to BOLA many times. TTs and class Cs. Don't know where you are going into Baja but all 3 ways have their good points and bad points.
Look up bajanomads and talk with them. They have lots of info available.

JaguarAZ · 03-28-2018, 05:50 PM

I've traveled to Rocky Point every year for the last 30 years. Roads are good and you can take pretty much any size trailer down there. Currently, I take my 34 ft. motorhome pulling a toad but there are plenty of bigger rigs. No need for a visa to go to Rocky Point or even to go in northern Baja.

I have not RVed in Baja but have ridden the roads extensively by motorcycle. Again, roads are generally good although narrow and our trailer will not be a problem as long as you stay alert. There are some rough spots and lots of construction usually going on throughout. Like a previous poster said, watch out for speed bumps and stop signs. Make sure you have Mexican auto insurance as your US liability policy will not be valid. There are not nearly as many RV parks as in the US although many motels have a few sites and/or will let you park for a small fee.

In 30 years I've found the Mexicans to be helpful and kind. If I were to have to depend on the kindness of strangers in a pinch, I would rather be in Mexico than most anywhere. I've been stopped a few times by La Policia for an infraction, but generally, after a bit of gentle negotiation, have settled on a small fine, paid in cash on the spot. Just remember that your wealth, compared to the people there, is on display but being polite works pretty good in any situation.

Parks · 03-28-2018, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ktn1966

Parks, you obviously did not read the forum question. If you did not read the question how are you able to answer? The question is, what length of truck and travel trailer is too long for the road system. If you knew me and my background you would obviously have less concern for my "so called safety". Rough roads on the Alcan have also hammered my vehicle causing damage and costing money, yet that did not stop me, nor did I get doom and gloom messages from other forum members about travel to Alaska. Please, in the future, use your knowledge and experience to answer reasonable questions, not your opinion.

Cumminsfan, I am hoping that you were trying to show Parks that death awaits us in no matter what decision we make. Senseless deaths like this only prove it. I worked personally on several missions with a person who took a shower and died due to neglect in installing a shower unit. He had survived several close contacts only to lose his life to bad wiring and a rain storm.

Once again, the question was concerning, length of trailer and truck on Baja or Rocky Point roads. Any experience or first hand knowledge would be greatly appreciated.

Don't get your panties in a bunch. You are on a public forum on the internet. I answered your question with facts and opinion. In fact several other members said the same thing I did about the roads. I'm glad you are capable of taking care of you own safety. Seeing as how you live in the PNW I wasn't sure how much experience you have with Mexico these days. I live about 90 miles from the boarder and we tend to get a fair amount of unpleasant news from the other side on the local news. Have fun, be safe and don't trash your junk too much.

ktn1966 · 03-29-2018, 08:21 AM

"Don't get your panties in a bunch", what a passive aggressive thing to say. Seeing that you live in California I can see how you see yourself as the guardian of all that is opinionated, but that is just my opinion (tongue and cheek since I have been a California resident several times).

If you would like to answer questions regarding RV travel, buy a travel trailer, travel, then come back on to the forum to answer questions. This way we can know that the advice you are giving is based upon on experience. This will give your opinion weight since it is backed up with knowledge learned through experience when answering a question. Do not be a "Barracks Lawyer" who spews advice because "you read something somewhere once" or "you heard it from somebody that something happened ".

I hate to be involved in a flame of anything but I can not understand, when some one asks a questions, that people can't answer with a simple answer. Be like Cliffy and JaguarAZ who answered the question with practical first hand experience.

Parks · 03-29-2018, 10:35 PM

Ohhh,Ok, so yo're one of the "you don't get to talk about it unless you've done it" kind of guys. Gotcha. Unlike yourself, I've driven in Mexico and everything I mentioned about holds true. Roads are very narrow in most areas, can be rough as hell, and can be a safety hazard to you and your equipment. Ohhh, yeah, and one of the worst things you can do is drive the "highways" at night. But you probably already know about all this. Have a great day, Champ.

painterbill · 03-30-2018, 09:13 AM

Its been about 10-15 years but have driven all over the Baja Peninsula in a F350 CC DRW towing an ~30-35' race trailer and also driven a Freightliner Columbia(and later Concordia) Super C with a stacker trailer throughout the peninsula. As others have said alot of the main roads are narrow, ~20', and when they put a culvert across the road they used to use a single 20' culvert and put a concrete retainer on each end effectively reducing the road width to ~18'. It seemed that I would always meet a truck coming in the opposite direction at one of these culverts and I knew that we would slap mirrors at that point. It never happened but I always turned my head away from the window waiting on the mirror to come into the cab. All that said the hardest place to maneuver was at border crossings, especially if they moved you over into an inspection area on a busy crossing day. But it is certainly doable. Also traveled out of Alaska towing a Lance TT in May 2011, probably a little easier on the Alcan but Baja has no frost heaves and certainly warmer, although we did have snow one race when we were over next to San Felipe.