I love TC camping
As a CPA, camping season starts after April 15th so we took off Friday by picking our daughter up at school at 3:25 and went to Memoloose State Park, near The Dalles, Oregon. Here is to a great 2013 camping season. 2 nights down, 58 more to go by Christmas:)
I love TC camping, that is all :)
RE: Why does the market demand Diesel??
What is your definition of towing heavy? And what is your version of ''it tows it just fine up the hills''? I've seen people crawling up hills in 5.3 liter GM motors being passed by semi's but they are not in a hurry and will say its doing great.
My truck camper is about 5,500 pounds ready to camp. My trailer ends up being about 8K depending on the toys we take. So this is like hauling a 14,000 pound trailer.
Ford has a decent gas motor with the 6.2s. For Ram I would never consider anything but the Cummins motor for my needs. I believe the Ram Diesel motor take option is super high compared to the other HD brands, like 80% or something.
I went diesel years ago and will never go back as long as I can camp and ride.
RE: Why does the market demand Diesel??
I'll never give up on a diesel for me and my toy hauling needs. Gas just won't cut it. The right tool for the job. FOR ME.
Not to say that those who choose smaller trailers and gas trucks aren't having fun, because they certainly are.
I live in Keizer, OR. Everywhere we go camping involves hills, usually with corners in the middle of them. Diesel is the only way to go for US.
RE: Truck camper pricing
Just shop shop shop around. We went to RV shows for a couple seasons. We also looked at all the online web inventory pricing we could for local dealers. This will give you an idea of the 20%++ off they can usually do. For Arctic Fox, certainly call Apache in Tacoma, Portland and Everet. They did well for us. When we had narrowed it down to an AF 1150 and a Lance 1191 the Lance was 10K more plus the dealer, 2 miles from my house was a jerk to us. Made the final decision easier. Don't be afraid of driving 500 miles to save some $$$$.
RE: I could really use some advice
Have you not looked at the tent trailers? I only say this to save you the $$$ and to make sure you really can afford the time to camp a lot. How many nights a year do you know for sure you'll be camping? Your Suburban could tow a larger tent trailer...
Before we bought our current setup we bought a used tent trailer for $2K and used it for three summers while we dreamed, shopped, looked, etc...then sold it for $2K.
Just for people in general I always mention going cheap to make sure you really like it and too, that you have the time to really use the truck/trailer that your going to break the bank on.
Craigslist is full of ads of barely used Campers, TT, etc...that barely got used.
RE: Lance 1172 is at the Chicago RV Show
The other big plus besides having a pickup, Pickups/F450 plus TC over a B/B+ is the large towing ability and 4*4 ability.
Even with a B/B+ or class c, I would still need a pickup for yard stuff, homeowner stuff and towing my enclosed trailer with quads, RZR and my offroad truck. Likely it would not be a dually but it would still be a Ram 3500 diesel.
If you only stay on pavement and don't tow much then a B would be great.
RE: BC Canada and truck weight ratings
Take the tag off the door and be done with it.
Ha ha, love it. But they might think the truck was stolen and your removing the VIN codes....
RE: BC Canada and truck weight ratings
With that said most states do not pull RV's over and weigh them, so most people get away with being overloaded but if they decided to enforce the laws a lot of people would be parked along the side of the road with over weight tickets and waiting for the tow
truck.
If states/BC were to enforce vehicle weight laws for our RVs the vehicles manufacturers GVWR does not determine a overloaded truck in any state or even BC.
In this case were talking about BC laws. See my reply above that is a copy and paste from BC motor vehicle regulation website which says;
"" (4) The gross weight of any vehicle or combination of vehicles shall be the sum of the individual gross axle weights of all the axles of the vehicle or combination of vehicles.""
Example;
The OP has a 2500 Dodge Mega Cab that has a 6010 RAWR and a 5200?? FAWR = 11210 GVW or his gross weight.
That is great, because I am under the axle ratings but slightly over the GVW.
RE: 5th wheel vs truck camper
I'd love both a monster toyhauler fifth wheel and a truck camper. Had to choose one so went with a large TC. Toys go in an enclosed trailer when we are camping/riding.
I basically could pick a really great brand new large Lance or AF for $35K ish. The really nice fifth wheel toy haulers seem to start at $60K (brand new).
RE: Never towed a bumper pull TT before
Agree the whole 1500 verse 3500 gets kind of old after a while. In walking around campgrounds I see a lot of very happy people with 1/2 ton trucks and smaller TT. Camping is fun no matter if you have a $2 million diesel pusher or a $1500 tent trailer:)
RE: Never towed a bumper pull TT before
Since you are going to a LIGHTER, SMALLER trailer. You better go ahead and get a Kenworth to tow it with. After all we all know you can't tow a tag along with any thing less than a road tractor.. :S That you are being told you need a 350 for such a lite TT is just beyond me.
Reality. You will be good with nearly any 1500, or 150 series truck, as long as iot has the tow package and an 5.4 or more, or Eco boost. The TT you are looking at is well within the capacity of those trucks. Yes you will need a WDH, and sway control. The built in Sway control will help, but you still need conventional sway control as well.
My TT is a 2013, weighes 4800 dry. Around 6K wet. It's 31' long. My 2004 F150, 5.4, 3.55, gears. Tows it like a dream. It has a 7200lb GVWR. Even IF it ever were to get close to that. I would still be in good shape. You should have no problems with the Tt you are looking at
We are not being weight police, we are all just saying what is wrong with his current Ford.
For three summers I towed a 12' Jayco Tent Trailer with my 2005 Ram 3500 Dually:) because I already had the truck and the tent trailer was an affordable cash purchase for trying out the RV/camping lifestyle before we went all in on our truck camper.
RE: Is 2 axles enough?
Yeah, it has 7k axles. They rate the carrying capacity at 3,204, for a total weight of 16,500. I guess they are assuming at least 2,500 will be on the pin.
On the issue of triple axles being more trouble...is it going to kill parts when I have to make a tight turn backing in and out of my sideyard?
I'd personally step up to a triple axle trailer. The larger two axle ones with the pin weight assumption is cutting it to close in my mind in many cases. RV trailer makers are the worst at giving you the least barely able to handle it tires, rims, and axles. I'd certainly be asking the weight capacity of the triple axles setups and asking for a CAT scale reciept before signing. I'd also rather have 1/6 of my trailer tires go flat then 1/4:)
And find out where the tanks are at for adding weight when loading. If you dry camp and ride ATVs you will be fully loaded and these toy haulers often end up overloaded in these cases.
RE: Considering toy hauler please advise
Hello,
I am new to thenforum, been reading for a couple weeks and have been looking at several toyhaulers. Not honed in on a model yet, althoug I like the XLR and the cyclone.
Now before I post requirements, can someone help me make sense of the math? Unless i purchase a lightly used model, it looks like a toy hauler with the requirements i have will cost me aprox. 65k. Now based onthe used units I seen on lots, a 10 year old unit probably will not fetch 10k. Do these units even last that long? So what i am strugling isnthe 55k or so i will not reccoup. If i divided that in yearly vacations with familly, I would have 5k a year to vacation with. With current prices of diesel, it woukd be cheaper to fly, rent a cheap car then it would to probably haul the toy hauler anywhere. So with that said the 5k a year would be strictly for lodging, i think i can take several vacations a year with that kind of cash.
So my question is, how do you guys justify the purchase? In my case i have a car hauler 20 footer. So i could always take my toys out somewhere and still have 5k to spend in lodging per year. Please note i am not chritizising, just triyin to justify purchase. The only thing i could do with toyhauler that i curently can't do is going to secluded areas to ride, places that are far from hotels.
Now with that out the way, if I was to purchase a toy hauler i need a large one, but i am concerned that it migt be too heavy for my srw f-350. I know people doit often but i do not want to endanger my familly, wich by the way consits of three kids, wife and a yorkie. I have two kids that just started college and a 13 year old. I would like a unit with the winter package and an extra 1/2 bath is a must. What units should i consider? My budget is 60k, would entertain a two to three year old unit.
Plese pardon the bad grammar posting from tablet without spellchecker.
Thanks
RV math is never good. You buy a toy hauler if you like the RV lifestyle PLUS taking your toys. I camped 45 nights last year and looking towards 55 nights or so in 2013. We take our TC and enclosed trailer with toys because we love to ride and camp. I ride ATVs with guys that go almost every weekend, for the weekend.
Do not spend 50K on a toyhauler unless you know for sure how much you are going to use it, even if diesel/gas is $5 or $6 a gallon. RV math sucks, it never works. It has just been are choose to go camping and riding instead of flying places or doing things like cruises or renting vacation homes.
RE: What size of Torklift hitch extensions
Does that supertruss slide in and out of the receiver pretty easily or do you have to loosen the bolts? Those "clamps" seem like they might make it bind.
I have the 48'' Extension. Its on the heavy side but very doable. In two years I had to loosen up the bolts to get it on and then retighten it. I believe the bolts had loosened a little and shifted just a hair...no problems since. And really even that was a 60 second operation. And after our first time towing where I only tighten the chains by hand I now use a wrench or screwdriver to tighten them up pretty tight. They don't loosen up anymore and the hitch does not move even with a 6K trailer attached.
Bottom line tighten the chains very well and that eliminates the issues.
RE: Pacific Northwest Spring Rally. April 12, 13, 14, 2013
Sounds like fun, to bad I'm a CPA working for the April 15th deadline or I'd for sure be there.
All my CPA friends are chained to their desks from now till tax time. Lots of extensions. I feel for you but you'll be making good QE3 dollars. We're trying to decide if we'll be going to the Rhody Festival in Florence this year. It's a fun weekend but done it many times and there is other stuff to see and do.
Have fun with the taxes... :E
Chained is a great way to discribe it. Last used the camper in december, have gone ATV riding once in January and just went on Saturday. All the fun is on hold now. Yep tax season is crazy busy but it allows us to camp ALOT during the spring/summer/fall. Already have the best site at Memaloose (sp?) up in the Gorge booked for April 19th weekend:)
