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RE: Towing w/a Toyota Tacoma
Here's another "Towing with the Tacoma" thread that will give you some brands/floorplans to start your research:
http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/21559545/srt/pa/pging/1/page/1
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havedreamwilltravel
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07/04/08 10:20am |
Towing
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RE: Our TT is too big! What to do?? Sell on own/Trade??
Ours is 29' overall and the reason we bought it was that it has the bunks and is big enough for the 4 of us and when the kids are done camping we'll turn the bunkhouse area into a nice big closet so it's small enough for the two of us.
27' is not that big - that means the box size is about 24' - i'm thinking that's about perfect for two!
I say keep it. You'll lose your shirt on it right now.
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havedreamwilltravel
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07/03/08 11:49pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Decorating your TT how much is too much?
We keep ours stuff very simple! I don't like clutter so the basics work awesome for me. It took a year to add an awning mat for pete's sake! LOL
We have the outside table for the outside coleman stove, camping chairs, awning mat and another very small table. Welcome type mat (helps keep dirt out of the TT) and that's it. Usually don't even pull down the awning very much (we typically camp where it can get windy). That's it.
Now the inside is the same - just the basics. I changed out the "loud" bedspread and put a down blanket w/coordinating duvet cover on both bunks and queen bed. That's all I did.
Will eventually hang our family pics i've taken wherever we camp inside the TT - 4x6 small frames - but am still looking for a good place that won't look cluttered.
Yes, I know. I'm OCD. :B
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havedreamwilltravel
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07/03/08 10:18pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Hensley Hitch
I also think Hensley and Pullrite make a great hitch. We use the Equalizer and it works well for us but have not ruled out one day getting a Hensley.
I do have to say though that when I watched the DVD it did not sell me either - for the price of the hitch you'd think they'd update their video a little bit.
when the lady started to cry....I just went "Oh brother!" and turned it off. That did not sell me on the hitch.
Eventually we'll get one though 'cause I know they're the best hitch around!
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havedreamwilltravel
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07/03/08 10:12pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: New Jayco need tips!
I did the shopping then shot my local dealer an opportunity to match the lower price which he did. $9800. off sounded like a good deal to me! Pays to compare. This would be my first camper and I hope I am going in the right direction. I have some concerns about toungue weight 1100?
I guess when you shot him - they figured you were pretty serious about making a deal.
sorry....I couldn't resist :B :B :B
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havedreamwilltravel
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07/03/08 10:08pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: So how many have done this.
Nope sorry never did it. Probably because I am a LEO and as soon as any of our registrations come for up renewal we write a check and send em in. Then as soon as the new cards and stickers come in. It's off to the 5er or MC trailer to put it on.
See when you have to schedule vacation picks in October for the following year like I do. You DO NOT allow an oversight like that to ruin your plans.
By the way. The LEO that did that was being VERY generous. You should thank him for cutting you a break.
We do the same - and none of us are a LEO.
We just find it easier to do it right away then it doesn't get forgotten.
Ours is yearly.
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havedreamwilltravel
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07/03/08 09:22pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Jayco 23B
Looked up your car - '06 Eddie Bauer.
Wheelbase - 113.7
HP - 292
Torque - 300 ft-lbs.
Cargo Capacity - 1510 lbs.
Listed tow capacity - 7130 lbs.
It is my opinion (and that's all it is) that as long as you stay around the 24' and don't go any bigger with that car you'll probably do just fine. You have the V8 as opposed to the V6 so pulling it up hills or grades won't be as bad. Torque is pretty decent as is the horsepower.
Get yourself the Prodigy Brake Controller and mate it with the proper WDH - and take care to set it up properly (DO NOT depend on the dealer to do this for you!). Weigh it when loaded and make sure to keep the tongue around 13% of the loaded weight and you will probably have a great little combo. Look into a good WDH with integrated sway control. We use the Equalizer and love it - it's easy to set up and hitch/unhitch and works great. The Reese Dual Cam is similar and has a loyal following as well. Both are superior hitches to basic sway control with friction bar. Get the right lb. weight hitch for your setup.
Just a word - don't expect it to tow like the pop up! A hybrid is a full hard side trailer - it will be similar to pushing a large piece of plywood through a windstorm by yourself!
Enjoy. You will love your Jayco!
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havedreamwilltravel
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07/03/08 09:07pm |
Towing
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RE: Jayco 23B
Let's see the specs.
The 23B is a 24' hybrid. It's dry brochure weight is 4060 with a GVWR of 4950 lbs. The dry weight on your exact trailer should be on the sticker but do you realize that you only have around 890 lbs of weight that you can add? It will be a couple of hundred less with propane, tanks and batts.
What year is your Ford Explorer?
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havedreamwilltravel
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07/03/08 06:44pm |
Towing
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RE: question about camping...What do you think???
Had this happens - twice - at different campgrounds.
First time was our first time out. a couple of kids kept cutting through our campsite to get to the restroom. We finally got a bit fed up when they started riding their bikes through too. We said something to the kids - got a dirty look and scowling from them but they stopped.
The other time we had a disabled campsite so it was nicely paved and very wide(before anyone says anything - yes, I am permanently disabled). literally 2ft East of our campsite was the walkway to the restrooms but people kept cutting through our campsite anyway. It was getting irritating so after we had come back from a sightseeing tour we parked our nice big SUV at the top of the trailer going the opposite way. We kind of enjoyed the looks of confusion when they walked (while talking) through our site to find that they were blocked in. Only ways out were to crawl over the hood, crawl up and over the trailer tongue around the propane tanks or turnaround and walk out the way they came in. I conveniently happened to come out of our trailer at that point and said nicely - the path to the restroom is not through our campsite but right over there (while pointing to it).
For the rest of the week, no matter how we parked our SUV - no one walked through the campsite any longer (though we typically found the blocking very purposeful and sent a good message).
Now, whenever we camp, wherever we camp we make sure to park our tow vehicle in such a manner that it makes it hard to use our campsite as a thorough-fare to point B.
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havedreamwilltravel
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07/03/08 06:20pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: I'm apprenhensive to even broach this subject
Let's see here... vision problems on the road with a 35 foot 5er??? Please tell me it ain't so.....
Now I understand why Ontario is asking for an annual drivers test after age 65 if you tow over 4,500kg......and why other states & provinces are following their lead.....
In another of her posts on this thread....
I do all the driving.
THANKS havedreamwilltravel...
GRUFFY: You think we're that stupid?
Ladymc53: Don't be too hard of Gruffy :B The fact that your the one driving is lost amongst all the posts here and you mentioned in one of your replies and it was even hard for me to locate it but I knew that I had read it somewhere on this thread. It wasn't in your original post that you do the driving and there were a couple of posts that mention his stroke and failing eyesight with one tiny sentence that you do all the driving.
And yes, people are that stupid - I live in Southern California - you should see some of the idiots that are allowed to have a license! Or the young crowd (and i'm not old) that feels it's okay to fly by going 90+ dragging a toyhauler, or the lady in the Costco parking lot trying to back out and talk on her cell phone at the same time (apparently she doesn't care about the new law or the fact that she can't multi-task well :R)
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havedreamwilltravel
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07/03/08 02:34pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: I'm apprenhensive to even broach this subject
I also forgot to mention - we have a TT and used to rent Moho's before we bought our own RV.
Set up, leveling etc is about the same.
It's all the other stuff that takes time - which it sounds like is more the issue than the actual set up itself.
We do an awning carpet 2 tables, 4 chairs, welcome mat at foot of stairs, bbq and coleman stove. That's it for the outside. It takes me no time at all to set those up 'cause I just toss it all out the door and make the kids do it all :p
Seriously, it's all the "stuff" that maybe your thinking that takes all the time - but you know what? Who cares. If he's happy - then that's all the matters. One day your gonna wish for all that little "piddling" when you camp when he's gone.
No matter how hard we try, we can't change our mates so for our own well being we need to learn to let it go. I'm pointing at myself too 'cause I do the same thing - let things drive me crazy when I should just let them go!
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havedreamwilltravel
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07/03/08 02:27pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: glass shower doors
You know.. One product just came to mind.. I know it removes bugs from windshields (And other stuff) like almost nothing else.. Somewhat corrosive to metal and paint though.
Coca-Cola
Just be sure to do a good detergent and water wash after
Funny! We just watched Mythbusters do a whole thing on this coca-cola myth.
Only thing it did not bust that actually worked was the cleaning a penny and rust off the bumper. Everything else didn't work. And no, it did not rot away a tooth that sat in it for over 24 hours. It didn't dissolve steak either (however, it did tenderize it). :B
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havedreamwilltravel
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07/03/08 02:20pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: I'm apprenhensive to even broach this subject
Let's see here... vision problems on the road with a 35 foot 5er??? Please tell me it ain't so.....
Now I understand why Ontario is asking for an annual drivers test after age 65 if you tow over 4,500kg......and why other states & provinces are following their lead.....
In another of her posts on this thread....
I do all the driving.
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havedreamwilltravel
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07/03/08 12:35pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: I'm apprenhensive to even broach this subject
We don't own a fiver but thought i'd weigh in with some ideas to help with a specific situation you brought up.
When you say that certain things are hard for him to remember since the stroke (levers that go down instead of up etc) I have an idea that might help.
First you need to get a permanent marker and some duct/electrical or some kind of very sticky tape that won't fall off.
On each lever or handle you put a piece of tape with a number. This number is for the step. If it's step 2 - it would have a 2. Then write the direction that it goes in - left, right, up or down. That way if he starts out heading to something and it says "3 down" and he hasn't done step one or two - then he'll know not to do that yet.
Strokes have the effect that you need to re-train the brain for some simple funtions - depending on what was affected. By doing this your helping your husband "train" that part of his brain to remember and hopefully after several times of him "reading" the tape to see what to do, he'll remember.
As far as taking days to set up. It does sound like he likes to piddle with a lot of stuff and probably won't be happy being limited to only setting out a chair and table. Let him piddle. That's how some people relax - that may be his way. Sit back with a cold drink in your hand after set up and read a book whilst he piddles away.
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havedreamwilltravel
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07/03/08 10:49am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: New Jayco need tips!
Our on going problem with our Jayco is the trim around the blinds. There cheaply screwed into the paneling. We have one nail/screw head sticking up in the floor, not thru the lino yet. The roof has been great, no leaks. Microwave door discolored slightly yellow. Converter failed about 6 months out of warranty, not all was bad tho I bought a better quality converter with a charge wizard and enough amps to operate the slide out with a dead battery. Stabilizing jacks were screwed to the frame with sheet metal screws, Two screw heads fell off when we got it home from the dealer brand new, some welding fixed this problem. Sawdust collected in the lights for the 1st year or so, from drilling the holes for wire I suspect. The new odor took almost two years to go away, lotsa luck sleeping in it with the windows closed the 1st couple of years. The steps and slideout was never greased. Amazing how much easier things work with some lube. Painted wheels are now beginning to rust. The screws in the steps on the roof ladder needed to be replaced. I used stainless steel screws, like to see them rust. Front marker lights lenses keep blowing off, was fixed a few times by the dealer. would I buy another Jayco.....yes. Would I buy from the same dealer, NO. If it sounds like I am nit picking, I will admit to that. The most important thing, a leak free interior has been dry.
And we've had nothing go wrong with our Jayco whatsoever. Okay, 2 things - the fuse cover had 2 broken tabs so it wouldn't stay on and the wrong table was put in our model so the blinds wouldn't close all the way - call to dealer, they ordered new parts, picked them up and put them in.
Other than those two completely stupid and non-issue items we have found that everything is solid on ours - screws, lambriquins - everything. Well over 6000 miles on ours in the 1 1/2 years we've owned and some rough roads too.
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havedreamwilltravel
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07/02/08 09:33pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Name my Rig
J.J. or JayJay for "Jayco Jay Flight"? We've names all 7 of our Jayco's, usually the theme is something to do with the letter "J" or the Jayco Blue Jay theme. The Jayco mascot is a big blue jay named "JJ". ;)
That's one's taken by us :W
Actually, camp in it a couple of times and the name will just come to you. We started calling ours "Jay Jay" for one reason - it's a Jayco - but because my son started calling it that and it just stuck.
We name our stuff too. Our 2007 Yukon is Cornelius (after the character Yukon Cornelius in Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer) and our new to us Suburban got a name really quick - I drove it home from the dealer and parked it in the driveway - SO said "It's so big, it's so RED" and I said "It's Clifford!" (after the cartoon dog) and that was it.
Your trailer will get a name all it's own to match it's "personality" eventually - and it will just come to you!
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havedreamwilltravel
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07/02/08 07:34pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: New Jayco need tips!
You could also do a search in this section with "Jayco" as the search term and you'll get about 2 weeks' worth of reading!
Overall, Jayco's are one of the better made trailers with top notch customer service. LOTS of happy Jayco owners on this site - and we're one of those!
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havedreamwilltravel
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07/02/08 07:28pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Is a Hensley or similar hitch a must for newbie?
If marginal or overloaded, get the right truck. All the add on after market junk will not raise your GVWR.
Ummm....did you read his post or just the title before posting your answer? I'm gonna guess you read the title only.
He's got a Dodge Ram 2500 Diesel pulling a Jayco 24rks and says so clearly in his post.
If that's not enough truck - then I don't know what is.
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havedreamwilltravel
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07/02/08 06:28pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Is a Hensley or similar hitch a must for newbie?
You really can't compare any of the hitches with integrated sway control to a friction unit in all honesty.
Wasn't trying to. Just remembered after you said you don't take your sway bars off where I'd heard that you did - and I looked up the thread and it was a friction sway.
The integrated one's are MUCH better and way easier anyway. I think the OP would be happy with either the Reese Dual Cam or the Equalizer with his setup.
BTW: I enjoy your posts. Very common sense and I agree with most everything you say! :W :B
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havedreamwilltravel
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07/02/08 02:24pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Equal-i-zer Setup Assistance Required
Edit #2: first off I need to read and re-read before I post :p The wiggling in high winds is fairly normal - what you should have felt with the wiggling was the whole unit as one wiggling and not necessarily just the trailer alone. We've driven through some gusty winds ourselves and the whole unit will get a bit wiggly, not bad but when it's windy your in effect pulling a huge box against it and the forces the wind puts on the TT whilst pulling through it are enormous and. You can't pull through gusty winds without feeling something to some degree. I found the wiggling stops when you drop your speed a bit.
Regular towing - without inclement weather - does it feel solid or still wiggling?
On the way back the tanks were all empty and the wind was minimal and it felt pretty good. It is hard to describe the wiggling, I would feel the trailer wiggle and then found myself correcting with the steering wheel. A drop in speed would probably help things also.
The steering does feel a bit light to me so maybe I do need to put more tension on the bars.
If the sockets arms where the sway bars go into swing VERY freely they might need to be re-torqued. this is a maintenance thing and we check ours every 2-3 trips depending on mileage (as well as the rest of the hitch and bolts and tighten as needed).
What you felt could have just been the wind gusts and if the whole set-up - truck and trailer moved together - i.e. being pushed by the wind and one unit - then slow your speed in these conditions. However, if you noticed the back end of the just the trailer moving left and right i.e. - slight sway - then some adjustments might need to be made.
Important though to get a tongue weight and trailer weight beforehand. You might need more tongue weight and it would be a simple fix. I'd start there.
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havedreamwilltravel
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07/02/08 02:22pm |
Towing
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