BeckyDixon34
Illinois
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My husband and I just bought a 1983 Holiday Rambler Aluma Lite. Neither of us know anything about Trailers or RV's. We are now trying to redo it considering it isn't in the best shape. We also are looking into a vehicle to pull it. From what I have gathered so far, it may or may not weight 4000lbs. I think we will be purchasing an anti sway bar to help ease the towing. Does anybody know how much one of these actually weighs, and if a smaller vehicle can pull it, such as an SUV, minivan, or smaller truck?
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powderman426
ohio
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Joined: 06/28/2010
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If you don't have the manuals which I assume is the case, look around the outside of the trailer for a metal tag that will have all the info as to how much it weighs both empty and full. It could be on the tongue, but is probably on the outer skin.
Also if you tell us the length, we can probably come up with a close approximation of the capacity and whether it is towable by a smaller vehicle.
Ron & Charlotte
WD8CBT since 1976
28' Prowler & 05 Ram QC LB
I started with nothing and I still have most of it left
I never fail, I just succeed in finding out what doesn't work
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BeckyDixon34
Illinois
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Oh yes, the length would be helpful! At first the person we bought it from said that it was a 22ft. trailer, but then said that it was 23ft from back to tongue. I'm not really sure which that means ours really is. 23ft. I'm guessing?
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Taurus18
Winfield, KS
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Joined: 01/22/2012
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Your best bet will be to weigh it on a public scale after you're done with the repairs as that may change the weight, but I would guess you are close. As for a tow vehicle, I would look for something that is rated for at least 5,000# rated. Sway control is a good idea and don't forget brakes!!
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QuietWater
Kansas City, MO
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Joined: 10/15/2009
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Does it look anything like this?
Daniel Miller
1984 Holiday Rambler Imperial
1982 Tioga Arrow Class C
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BeckyDixon34
Illinois
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Exactly like that! Is everything in there original? We are removing all of the appliances and toilet. We are just leaving the shower. Is there any information I should know that you might be able to pass along about this trailer? Like I said before my husband and I know nothing about travel trailers and we are just kind of navigating through this process blindly. There is a water holding tank under the bench in the front. Is that for the toilet and shower? There is also a gray, metal box under the dinette bench nearest to the door. What is that for?
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QuietWater
Kansas City, MO
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I can't tell you anything about this trailer. I just found it on Google images. However, I do own a 1984 Holiday Rambler motorhome. I'm guessing the holding tank under the bench is your fresh water tank for sink, toilet, shower, and water heater. There should be a black water holding tank under the trailer for toilet discharge. There should also be a grey water holding tank under the trailer for all other waste water. I betting the gray metal box is the electrical converter/battery charger. Are there wires going to it? If it is, it is probably noisy and inefficient and should be replaced with a new solid state unit (~$150)
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BeckyDixon34
Illinois
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Thank you that is very helpful! When a person is at campgrounds an hooks their trailer or motorhome up to the city water there is the holding tank necessary anymore? Does the city water hook up supply all the water for the trailer then if your holding tank is empty or doesn't exist?
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McDaddy
Saugus, Ma
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Becky, typically there are two inlets for water. One inlet is to fill up the fresh water tank. This opening is usually large enough for a water hose to fit inside. The fresh water tank is used when you are camping and do not have access to city water. You would fill up the water tank and water would be pumped out of it (via a 12 volt pump that is in your camper) and into your campers water lines. This means you have a limited supply of water (maybe 30 gallons) which limits the amount of time you can stay. The second type inlet goes directly into the water lines inside the camper (it bypasses the fresh water tank. This is used when you have access to city water and has a hose connection on it so that your shower, sink, toilet will work just like at home. Here you have an unlimited supply of water.
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BeckyDixon34
Illinois
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Thank you! That is how I thought it worked, but my husband for some reason thought that if you were hooked up to city water and didn't have a water tank that you could use your sink but not your bathroom. That didn't make sense to me though. We are trying to redo the floors by putting down vinyl planks, but it seems like there is so much in the way. We are going to have to remove a lot of stuff to get the flooring down, and then I'm hoping we will be able to put it all back together again! We are also toying with the idea of taking the air conditioner out and possibly replacing the ceiling. The previous owners said that it doesn't leak and it rained yesterday and I didn't see anything leaking. Right by the air conditioner in the ceiling though their are some dark spots and I'm wondering if its maybe just from condensation from the unit. Is that also the heater?
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