Community Forums

bmsma · 01-28-2019, 09:13 PM

I will try to keep this short but im a tad long winded. First off howdy from oklahoma.

us: mid 50 couple, 3 small dogs, 2 cats.

tow vehicle: 2012 Ram 1500 4x4, 5.7 hemi with 3.92 gears, tow rate of 10k

situation: we currently in north central oklahoma. There is a good chance i will get a chance at a job in SW Missouri, this is where we hope to retire in 10 more and find a few acres and just relax.

if the job comes thru ill be relocating untill we can get our house sold and find a place we like, we have discussed buying a cheaper small bumper pull for me to live in until we can get the wife, 3 dogs, 2 cats relocated to missouri. We have also discussed uping the outlay and buying a larger bumper pull and us living in it and taking our time finding a place to buy. and then using the trailer as a guest room.

we will probably move it once to a park then hopefully to a place in the country and use it until we get a house bought or remodeled etc

we will be more interested in build quality than fancy.

i know this is long winded, and vague,

should we worry about a light weight vs regular since we arent towing it alot ??

and what do we look for in a used rig?? common problem areas ??

thanks all, im sure there will many more questions as we go along.
We are hoping to go look this coming weekend.

Troy & Andrea

bamaboy473 · 01-28-2019, 09:21 PM

light weight is achieved by making everything lighter, framing is smaller, the number of fasteners is less, a 3-hinge door gets 2 hinges, less insulation, thinner roofing system.

A "regular" TT will last longer.

The #1 issue will always be water leaks. Get several tubes of self-leveling caulk and visit the roof regularly.

Bob_C · 01-28-2019, 09:35 PM

A 'Light' depends on who built it.....this one has held together for 80,000 miles and 9 years....no roof leaks ever, minor repairs.....so, if you're as lucky as one hopes, they are out there..

Motor7 · 01-29-2019, 07:27 AM

So you will be living in it for maybe a year? If so, I think a lightweight would be fine, then if you decide to keep it you can tow it anywhere. Re-sale might be better too.

I'd be looking for something with a big living-room slide since that is where you spend most of your time. If your wife cooks, then look hard at counter space, many campers have postage stamp counter tops which are useless to one who really 'cooks'. A kitchen island is a really nice addition in that regard.

Get a bed you can walk around for sure!

tuffr2 · 01-29-2019, 07:49 AM

It is a general comment that Artic Fox, Outdoor RV (ORV) and Lance build the best trailers. Artic Fox and ORV build heavy solid trailers. They focus on solid more than weight. You can buy these trailer west of the Mississippi River easier than we fan buy them here in the East as they are manufactured in Oregon and California.

Lance focus is on weight but also quality. They use Azdel walls to keep their trailers light. Probably Lance puts their trailers together with more automation then others so the parts fit together much better. If you look at a Lance you will not see trim pieces that cover up typical gaps in other trailers.

IMHO the next two trailers are Grand Design and Winnebago Mini Plus.

With your Ram 1500 you need to look at the door jam's yellow cargo capacity sticker. That number is a lot more important than towing capacity. Your Ram can to, for example, 10,000lbs of bricks on a flatbed trailer with the bricks over the axles of the trailer. That means the trailer is carrying the weight and not your truck. A flatbed trailer will not catch as much wind as a travel trailer either.

Towing a travel trailer is different than towing a boat or flatbed trailer. A travel trailer puts weight on the truck plus will catch any wind from mother nature or a passing semi truck.

Look at the 'occupant / cargo capacity sticker for your truck. Having 3.92 gears is a good thing for towing. I would be interested if you would post your cargo capacity.

RoadDogYVR · 01-29-2019, 09:08 AM

As Tuffr2 says above, you have more than enough truck to pull a reasonable sized travel trailer, now let's see what she will carry.

I'm an Outdoors RV travel trailer owner - my 2016 F150 is rated at 7600 lbs towing but without water in the trailer I'm at the very limit of my rear axle weight ratio, even though I'm about 2500 lbs under towing capaity. Once I add water to the onboard tanks, the weight shifts enough to the trailer axles that weight actually comes off my truck and goes where it belongs... on the trailer tandems.

Outdoors RVs are notoriously tongue heavy. Don't believe the sales material or sale staff when you buy.

Cumminsfan · 01-29-2019, 10:00 AM

Since you may be living in it for a long period of time I'd make sure it's as close to 4 seasons insulated as possible. You don't want a stick and tin unit with R-7 for the walls and R-13 for the floors and ceiling.
I'd look for a larger heavy TT like this used one.
https://www.rvtrader.com/listing/201...LTS-5002524665

tuffr2 · 01-29-2019, 10:34 AM

Cumminsfan gives you an example of a great travel trailer to live in. The front closet and 3 slides on this trailer really make a nice living space. The bedroom slide is as key feature. I am not 100% sure if this trailer will have a washer / dryer hookup or not. I know the newer 2018 / 2019 Grand Design Reflection 315 RLTS has those hook-ups.

If I only had a 1/2 ton truck I am not sure I would tow this huge travel trailer. But you could pay for someone to move it for you. Someone with a 3/4 ton truck could move it.

I really like the Grand Design Reflection travel trailers.

bneukam · 01-29-2019, 12:00 PM

Owned RV’s all my adult life. Class A DP, class C, and 5er/TT. Not sure I would want to live in any of them. Especially if you can’t move it to a more relaxed climate.

rte1985 · 01-29-2019, 02:45 PM

If I were to even consider living in it then a true 4 season trailer would be at the top of my list. Anything from northwood or orv. I would throw in bigfoot and oliver also if you can handle no slide and possibly a wet bath. But you could also get just about anything from any brand and modify it to make it more capable of 4 seasons. I think winnebago and rockwood you can option thermal windows too

tuffr2 · 01-29-2019, 03:53 PM

I am a bit opposite from bneukam as I could live full time in a nice travel trailer easy. They are comfortable, almost like a house. My 5th wheel had two comfortable easy chairs and the cat fit in my lap. You can not get much more comfortable.

I used to live in Ohio but would go to Florida in the winter for 4 then 5 then 6 months. If you can do 6 months then you can do full-time.

Agree with above posts about getting one with good insulation. Dual pane windows would high on my list.

ricndot · 01-30-2019, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cumminsfan

Since you may be living in it for a long period of time I'd make sure it's as close to 4 seasons insulated as possible. You don't want a stick and tin unit with R-7 for the walls and R-13 for the floors and ceiling.
I'd look for a larger heavy TT like this used one.
https://www.rvtrader.com/listing/201...LTS-5002524665

that is WAY too much trailer for his 1/2 ton @ 37’ long and 11,000lbs gvwr! even the hitch weight is beyond what his receiver is rated for. paying a mover would work if you never wanted to move it again i guess.

bmsma · 01-30-2019, 09:51 PM

thanks all very good info, and once i get a second ill get the truck weights listed.

we are going to a RV show this weekend and looking around.

since we are going to "park " almost exclusively we are looking at 5th wheels as well and have someone move it for us.

just so many options out there. so much to learn so little time

is there a section to ask about a certain dealer pros and cons ??

Troy

Dropthejacks · 01-31-2019, 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmsma

is there a section to ask about a certain dealer pros and cons ??

Troy

I can tell you who to avoid real easily. Stay away from Camping World!!! They will love you during the sale, treat you like you are the most important person on earth. But after the sale, when you need things fixed under warranty, they won't give you the time of day, or they will let your RV sit out on some back lot for weeks while they work on paying customers RVs. They will lie to your face and will not return your calls. At least that's my real world experience. Try and find a local dealer who has good reviews and is concerned about their reputation.