Choosing between 19ft Travel Trailers

We've been looking at a few different travel trailers this fall, so far we are choosing between these two;

2010 Jayco JayFlight 19BH
$12,500- 19.5ft, bought new in 2012, camped in 4 times, shower never used, super clean, dual 6v battery, hitch and sways included;

Sticker weight; 4000lbs, Hitch; 435lbs, GVWR 6000lbs, Dry 3750lbs.

2011 Keystone Hideout 19FLB
$13500- 19ft, bought new in 2012, camped 7 times, CD/DVD/TV, Fantastic Fan added, dual 6v battery, hitch and sway included;

Sticker weight; 4080lbs, Hitch; 405lbs, GVWR 6800lbs, Dry 4172lbs.

The Hideout feels like a more solid, bigger trailer, fit+finish inside were nicer and higher spec. We both noticed getting in that it felt roomier/more open than the JayFlight. My only concern is that it's GVWR is over our Tacomas 6500lbs limit. Hideout price is pretty firm, they've lowered it already and have it on consignment lot at the RV dealer priced at $16k.. decisions decisions..

 

I'd go with the Jayco, it's heavy enough and those few hundred extra pounds add up quick when you start loading stuff in.

 

The hideout is built better and has a better closet for hanging items. The jayflight has a shirt wardjobe over the bed, bad design.Try climbing out in the middle of the night and knocking yourself out.

 

The GVWR is the max you can load in the trailer, that shouldn't have a bearing on your choice unless you're concerned about how much stuff you're going to put in it and overload the trailer.

It is more important to make sure the trailer dry weight, plus all your supplies don't exceed the Tacoma's tow rating, and probably more importantly the Tacoma's GVWR.

There's a spec for the Tacoma that lists the max weight of the vehicle including anything towed. You don't want to exceed that, and if you do some math you'll probably approach that limit pretty quick once the trailer has some camping gear in it, and the weight of you and your passengers in the truck.

What is the terrain that you intend to travel on? I had a fairly miserable experience towing a 3800lb(dry) 22' trailer in the mountains. I made sure all the tanks were empty before traveling, water gets heavy quick!

 

The Jayco has 15" tires vs 14" on the Keystone, which I would prefer. I do like the floor plan of the Keystone. It would be interesting to know the actual weights. Typically, dry weight understate the actual weight with empty tanks.

 

Actual weights according to the 'yellow sticker';
Jayco- 4000lbs
Hideout- 4080lbs

 

The yellow stickers do not reflect any added options at the dealer. The trailers will almost always weigh more. It doesn't reflect propane, batteries, etc. IMO, trailer manufactures should provide an actual scaled weight of each unit.

 

smd3,

What specific problems did you have? Where were you towing? What elevations and grades? What year Tacoma and engine did you have? I am considering a 2013 Tacoma 4.0L automatic w/tow pkg to tow a 24 foot travel trailer, 3500# as built plus stuff. Prbably 4500# with added stuff, people in truck, etc. Terrain will be Colorado mountains. Your comments?

Charlie

 

We are right in the middle of BC, and plan on camping locally as well as trips across the province to the Kootenays, or over to Vancouver Island.
There are two passes on either side of us; Rogers Pass; 1330m(4363ft) and the Coquihalla; 1210m(3969ft) we live at 650m(2132ft) already. There are also valley highways we can use as alternate routes.

 

My route was from Layton, 30 or so miles north of Salt Lake, to Salida.

I took I15 to 191 to 70, then I took US50 from Grand Junction to Salida.

The portion of I70 east was pretty grueling, with temps in the 90's. I spent a lot of time in 3rd gear on the rolling hills. I'd usually slow to about 50 in third to keep the RPMs reasonable.

The worst of it was Monarch pass just before Salida. I'd say he grade were 10% or greater. Luckily it was fairly early and temps were low, in the 50's. altitude climbed to about 13k if I remember correctly, I'm sure you could look it up.

I climbed most of that in 2nd around 35mph. The speed wasn't too bad because limits are pretty low on the pass.

I would shift to 3rd manually most of the time when the truck couldn't maintain 50mph with about 1/2 to 3/4 throttle. If the truck was allowed to shift to 3rd on its own I usually couldn't get it to shift back to fourth until I hit about 65, which is pretty high rpm in third.

 

My truck's a '13 DCSB/OR. Factory tow package. Wheeler's HD leaf springs with a leaf removed making it a 4-pack. Icon c/o's in the front and Icon VS2's in the rear.

About 2500miles on the truck when I made the trip.

We rented the trailer from the base, they say the weight was 3800.

22' Nomad Skyline. It's a bunkhouse model.

 

Vicali - I live about 4 hours north of you and just did a trip your way through Chase, Salmon arm down into Kelowna and back with a 23 Nash on the back ( 6000 lbs loaded). I did add a extra trans cooler other than that im all stock and she pulls it like a champ. Myself personal I would go with the Keystone, better quality.

 

The only hill that would make me wonder is the snow shed hill on the coke, that is one long mother of a hill, don't get me wrong the truck would do it but you will be 2nd gear and around 50 km/h all the way up. would make for a long slow trip up the hill.

 

Thanks everyone, we went with the Hideout; Fit and finish inside was nicer, Trailer was a year newer, plus the Jayflight was a bunk house model so the main bed in the back was quite a bit narrower than the Hideout.

Here we go;

 

So how did it pull?

 

lol, it wasn't very far, but it pulled great.
Got up to highway speed and cruising in 4th was fine, 3rd for the big hills..
I'm looking around today to find what my upper temps on coolant and transmission should be..

Adjust the brake controller was easy, and the P2 worked great. I need to modify the tow mirror attachment points a bit so they don't push the regular mirrors out of line. Nothing major though.

 

Nice looking rig!

 

Hi!

Reviving an old thread but exactly what I'm doing now. About the same weight trailer and really curious how it went with this setup. I live down on the coast (Langley) and would travel to the interior and Kootenays. Lots of hills! Did you add the Ride-rites? Impressions of the ride? etc... thanks!