4evrnewb
where ever i may roam
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Joined: 04/23/2012
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Hey folks been lurking for a while and this would be my first post. Want to shoot some plans buy you folks and see if you think there a good Idea, I am a 31 year old. With a wife and a 17 month old son I had a bone marrow transplant for leuikimea back in september and have been doing well so well there is a high likelyhood that my diasbilty will end in december and I will go back to work so, it looks like my best chance for a healthy summer with my family (future could bring a relapse of th Cancer) would be this summer. I own a 2008 jeep liberty with the tow package it can tow 5300 or 5500 lbs I belive off hand.. I have been a tent camper for years and years and I am a avid outdoorsmen. But would like to take this opertunity to see parts of the country I have never seen (national parks, niagra falls, blue ridge mountains) or just get outa the house..and just some local areas as well (live in new england) from what I have read I want a travel trailer under 20 feet proubly along the ultra light type from the the recomendations of stay under 80% of your fully loaded weight. On this sight I am still physically strong just dorn't have a immune systen that is that solid need to avoid crowds. So this seems like a great option there seems to be no shortage of small travel ttailers under 20 feet under 8k in my area hell alot even under 5k I am not a fan of pop ups and tents are out my wife dosent have the best back..and me sleeping on the ground not recomended by the doc... so I guess my questions are you folks have alot more experince with this stuff then I do. I would love a motor home but my budget wont allow it...so does this even seem like a good idead or am i going to run into a ton of stresses (the travel trailers seem fairly worry free) are 5 to6 hour trips (max) in the set up I have mentioned (jeep and light wieght trailer) seem dooable? (My son loves car rides) alot of the trips. Will be just 30 miles away at a campground the inlaws are at almost every weekend.. so is this a crazy idea I got here or the makings of a great summer in your opinion you don't even need to back up why one way or the other if you don't have the energy..if you think its a great idea any particular brand you would recomend or one I should avoid for the trailer again its the two of us and my toddler that's all no dogs teenagers anyone else who might stop buy can sleep in a tent.. I would like to strap my canoe on top of my jeep while towing if that was not a issue.. so any advis. You folks may have on my planned summer adventure would be greatly apreciated also things like what to look for if I am buying say a 2004 jayco camper or something of that nature thank you folks very much!
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the bear II
Torrance CA.
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Joined: 02/14/2008
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Everything you mention is possible provided you find a comfortable trailer for your family that the Liberty can handle. Try to get something that is way below the Jeep's capacity. For two reasons:
Safety- the lighter the load the easier it will be to handle emergency situations like panic stops or dodging idiots.
Wear and Tear- I spent the day yesterday with my nephew. He had a Jeep Liberty and had to have the engine replaced twice. He's a little rough on vehicles so I'm using this to show that the Liberty may not stand up to towing at near capacity.
A travel trailer is hard work depending on terrain or the setup of the campground. Be sure to get as many automatic features as possible. Electric tongue jack, leveling jacks and awning will help to lessen the work.
I don't know if your bones are frail but setting up a TT at a campsite can be hard. Especially if the ground is soft, uneven or rocky. You're working with thousands of pounds and it's easy for the weight to shift quickly if something gives way.
Also you may want to check with your DR. There are some strange virus problems unique to many areas and with your reduced immune system, it may cause a problem. For example in the desert in California, Arizona and Nevada there is a type of Valley Fever which causes flu like symptoms that can last for months. There are new diseases popping up all over the US because we have become such a travelling society. Stuff gets carried from one area to the next quicker than ever before.
I don't want to be a nay sayer for your plans just point out some of the considerations. I use because I take my 93 year old dad along with us & I want him to be as safe as possible.
I think everyone should spend as much time in the outdoors as possible.
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APT
SE Michigan
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Joined: 06/09/2010
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Find a nice popup camper and enjoy the healthy time you have with your family.
A & A parents of DD 2005, DS1 2007, DS2 2009
2011 Suburban 2500 6.0L 3.73 pulling 2011 Heartland North Trail 28BRS
2012 VW Passat TDI
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donn0128
Pronounced Ore-gun
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Joined: 04/21/2005
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Hi and welcome. Lots of opinions here so please take most of them with a grain of salt.
Sadly IMHO your Liberty is way too small to tow a regular hard wall trailer. Wind resistance is going to kill you. You would be far better off getting a tent trailer or maybe even a Class C motor home. Decent tent trailers can be had for far less than 5K. DD and SIL just bought a nice 98 Coleman for $3200. They tow with a Toyota Tacome double cab. I think the Tacoma is far more capable tow vehicle than your Jeep, but still that tent trailer is going to be taxing their taco in the mountains.
Donn,Lorri,Max (The Rescued Lab)
Resident Know It All 
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4evrnewb
where ever i may roam
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Joined: 04/23/2012
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I was thinking of the pop up trailer just hate the setting up and drying out part alot and mold and my alergies are not my friend the liberty was resdeigned back in 08 and has 20 more hp and 30 more ft of tourque then tacoma its tow rating from the factory is also rated a bit higher now wind resistance I am not sure of and is something I will need to research and learn about I am fimliar with towing boats not trailers and as I said before my immune system is not as strong as it was I think I could still bench press 200 pounds my bones are as strong as any 30 year old guy bone marrow transplants have to do with blood not actual bone...however I have Never set one up and will defintly have to see how its done....when folks here cancer patint they often think frail and thin I am 5 10 and 200 pounds and can still change the tire on a your avrege american car with the siccior jack in under 10 minutes start to finish however my wife is not exactly the usefull type so the majority would be have to be done alone well with little help from her I had assumed setting up the travel trailers were realtivly simple defintly something I need to research and watch be done thanks for all the help! Keep the info coming! Got a coupple months before I make my purchase. An 08 liberty has 210 hp. 235 lb feet of tourque and a 5000 pound towing capcity (with atuo transmsion and tow pakage) witch after paging over all the pictures on this forum for you folks with small trailers I have a bit more power. And looking to tow something around 18 feet (however i stilldo not have alot I realize that) thanks for all the help and 90% of may towing will be flat land.
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LakeN
North Carolina
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Joined: 05/02/2003
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How bout something like an A liner or Chalet? Check local Craigslist for listings. A liners seem to setup almost instantly; faster than a pop up. Add a screen room or. Ez up awning & you'd be set.
'08 Toyota Tundra 5.7L with tow package/Prodigy
'12 Evergreen EverLite 31 RLS Compositek construction
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LakeN
North Carolina
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Joined: 05/02/2003
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Sorry....edited double post.....
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Gene&Ginny
North Kingstown, RI
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A TT sounds like a great idea. I am sure there are units you can tow with the Jeep. As long as the unit is clean (or you have it cleaned) you can limit exposure that would stress the immune system. You don't need the damp and mildew of a wet tent or wet sides of a popup. There is a little more stress towing a TT over towing a popup but it is not really a bad stress. After years in a tent and then a popup I find the TT much easier once I pull into a site. I have been in many good campgrounds that were so level I hardly needed more than one small board to level side to side. It is also easier to stop along the way and grab a meal out of the fridge and sit in your TT to eat vs potential exposure in some "greasy spoon" type place and you have your own private bathroom.
Go for it and enjoy the outdoors. 
Gene and DW Ginny
2008 Toyota 4Runner 4.7L V8 w/factory towing option
2002 Sunline Solaris Lite T2363
Reese Dual Cam Straight Line HP Sway Control
Proud member of the Sunline Club
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4evrnewb
where ever i may roam
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Joined: 04/23/2012
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Thanks for the replys the chalets were something I had not considered and gene&ginny just the reply I was hoping for!
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usmc616
Orange County, New York
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Joined: 09/29/2009
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I once had a 1994 Coachmen Catalina Lite 241FK. It had a dry weight of 3200lbs. It had a fullsize corner bed in the rear. Your Jeep should be able to handle that I think.
SEMPER FI
Joe,Joyce 4 kids & 3 dogs
2004 Ford Excursion LTD 4x4 V-10 3.73 Gears, Hellwig Swaybar, Bilstein Shocks & Steering Stabilizer, Roadmaster Active Suspension, Super Duty Tow Mirrors
Reese Dual Cam & Prodigy Brake Controller
2010 Jayco G2 32BHDS.
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