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Pulling Travel Trailer

Discussion in 'Travel' started by jbgordon76, Jan 21, 2022.

  1. Jan 21, 2022 at 12:46 PM
    #1
    jbgordon76

    jbgordon76 [OP] Member

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    Hello All!
    Curious about suggestions from those with experience towing travel trailer with a 3rd Gen TRD OR Stock. GVWs, Length, etc...
    Looking at pulling the trigger on something for 2 adults and a couple of dogs. Not needing anything for off road adventuring. Or, maybe some very minor off road.
    Thanks!
     
  2. Jan 21, 2022 at 12:54 PM
    #2
    LiquidArrogance

    LiquidArrogance Well-Known Member

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    Consult the Book of Armaments!

    And Saint Attila raised the Towing Bible up on high, saying, "O Lord, bless this Thy Towing Bible that, with it, Thou mayest tow all the things without damage in Thy mercy."

    https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-tacoma-towing-bible.4031/
     
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  3. Jan 21, 2022 at 12:59 PM
    #3
    jbgordon76

    jbgordon76 [OP] Member

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    This is a great resource. Thank you for sharing. I'll hang tight for the update for the Gen 3s.
     
  4. Jan 27, 2022 at 4:57 PM
    #4
    mic_sierra

    mic_sierra Toshiba HDDVD is the future

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    I am at the end of several months of research and trips all over the mid-west looking at trailers. Here are the main differences I have seen with RVs...
    • No Solar, Solar Ready, or Solar Included... this will be crucial for you if you are looking to boondock out in the wilderness or on the beach
    • Cassette Toilet vs Black Tank... since you are not looking at hard-core off road rigs you may not see many cassette toilets
    • 3 vs 4 season - if you are looking for true, four season camping your tanks will need to be enclosed with warm air circulating around them (very few manufacturers make true 4 season rigs)
    • Build Quality - I looked at a few, entry level trailers from a major American manufacturer and I was amazed at how haphazardly some of the hardware was mounted and how the screws were stripped. And this was on a $25k trailer!
    I recommend you watch the video series I linked below so you can see how a high-end, 4 season, off-road trailer is made. From there figure out the features that are important to you and the wife then go onto RVtrader, input your budget, GVWR, and other filters then see what manufacturers pop up. Feel free to DM me if you'd like to talk trailers or research as I have been spending several hours a day for the last 6 months looking into everything travel trailer related.

    • I was seriously considering an OBi Dweller or a Black Series HQ12 but ultimately stepped down to a GVWR or 3,500 max rather than deal with 5k GVWR. I was looking at off-road trailers that could go anywhere my Taco could tow it so these brands are probably not what you are looking for. I am picking up a Vorsheer XOC next month from B&B, RV in Denver. I looked at the Black Bean, Teton X, RKS Purpose Built, OBi Dweller, Taxa Cricket, Bruder, Kimberly Caravan, and the OPUS OP13. Many badass caravans you will find on YouTube come from Australia and are not available in the states. Yes I did reach out to Bruder and Kimberly Caravans - they make amazing products that are truly capable but damn, those build sheets and prices will shock you!
    • I recommend you look at...
      • Ember (they are new - co-founder is the daughter of an Exec in the RV business and is looking to create a brand in the adventure segment)
      • Cassita Travel Trailers - these little travel trailers are capable and have a cult like following
      • Lance makes true 4 season campers and I have hear of Taco owners towing up to a Lance 1675 but consider the width of the Lance and that you have to have the slide out on some models to access the bathroom
      • AirStream's BaseCamp 16(X) & 21(X) line is popular for full time digital nomads like YT's Tales of Wanderlust and the Caravel and Bambi lines are certainly within the capability of the Taco.
    • Be wary of the language sales people use... they'll say "Check out these off-road tires!" and "Look at this off-road themed trailer!" they are very careful with their language because some manufacturers do not warranty ANY off road related damages (even Forest River's IBEX line). This is probably not an issue for you since it doesn't sound like you will be doing anything serious (gravel road, hard pack dirt, and pavement). This isn't to poo poo Forest River or any other manufacturer - it is just something to be aware of. Sales staff in many YouTube videos call many trailers "Off Road" when they were not engineered for that purpose and are not warrantied for that use. If you want to really know what is off-road check what the manufacturer is willing to cover in their warranty documentation (again nothing against Forest River - they have a variety of models across a bunch of different segments that may be perfect for you.. just something to think about). Source document.
    FRWarranty.jpg


    Check out the ROA (RVs of America) multi-part series walking through the Imperial Outdoors (Nelson Industries) factory where they show you a X-22 being built. You said you aren't into off road so an X-22 or XR-22 is definitely not for you but what you will see is how one of the best American made off road trailers are made. You will learn about frames, thermal transfer, and what to look for so you'll be able to spot box on frame trailers, box on frame with gussets, and other configurations.

     
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  5. Aug 21, 2022 at 6:46 AM
    #5
    lynyrd3

    lynyrd3 STRENGTH DETERMINATION MERCILESS FOREVER

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    Bilstein 6112s top setting ,Total Chaos UCAs ,1/4" top plate spacer driver side ,SS extended brake lines ,Old Man Emu Medium Duty Dakar leaf springs with AAL,OME carrier bearing shim , Bilstein 5125s for 2-3” of lift in rear ,Timbren SES bump stops , SS extended brake lines rear , Toytec dif drop , Hayden high performance transmission fluid cooler,aFe pro dry air filter .Baja amber driving combo ditch lights , Devil horns by Andres ,Weathertecs floor protector, American Racing wheels Baja 17x8,4.5 BS , 285/70 Falken Wildpeaks AT/3W .Body Armor rear bumper . Extra D rings in bed ,Blue sea fuse block and 100amp breaker ,HomerTaco custom grill in Super White , TRD radiator cap ,Birddawg Industries rear view mirror riser bracket ,Coverking NeoSupreme Mossy Oak seat covers , Paranoid Fabrications fuse /relay holder Painted pinch weld.Shorty antenna ,HVAC knob mod ,LED dome and map lights , Tri Fold bed cover ,UltraGauge ,Morimoto XB LED fog lights ,Energy Suspension poly body bushings and sway bar bushings ! Geartech Customs splash guards ,Salex center console organizer . Mobtown tailgate cap ,tailgate anti theft mod .X-Mat sound deadening/insulation cab floor . Mobtown weld on rock sliders 0* with kickout Raptor lined . ,NEW frame courtesy of Toyota !
    Most travel trailers if not all are poorly designed and built in my opinion . I’m on my second one now and wish I had the money for a different one .
     
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  6. Aug 21, 2022 at 6:56 AM
    #6
    WoodsGhost

    WoodsGhost Well-Known Member

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    Very happy with the Jayco 154BH. Weight is around 3000lb fully loaded. IMO I wouldn’t go any heavier.

    8D022529-C21E-4F90-9E21-5EA4CC29CD5E.jpg
     
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  7. Aug 21, 2022 at 7:32 AM
    #7
    Rock Lobster

    Rock Lobster Thread Derailer

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    I went the opposite route than most. I bought mine, discovered it was poorly built, talked to other folks in the campsite and discovered theirs is poorly built also, and then I doubled down in stubbornness: I started fixing mine up.

    After the second year of ownership most of the trim and cabinetry had been reinforced, the wiring was redone correctly, and I actually had one whole weekend that didn't involve a repair.

    Now I'm on year six and I'm pretty happy with my POS. Everything works, and it's now a rare day where I'm forced to do either a roadside or even a post-trip fix. Most fastener tightening activity is reduced to being part of the annual maintenance. That's a welcome break from the first year of pitching camp, finding a couple of screws on the floor, and playing a game of "where did that come from."

    I also converted to portable solar and 5 days worth of LiFePO4 battery - I discovered very early on that boondocking is way more fun than having a 20x30 bay in a state park. I will say that a true boondocking trailer needs two things that most people don't think of: a good monitor system that can predict battery charge based on watts (not voltage), and cutoff switches for everything. At night my only unswitched parasite is my CO alarm, and I'm good with that.


    :cookiemonster:

    TLDR: Cheap trailers are viable if you treat them like an incomplete hobby project and DIY it as you go. If you want a turnkey camper, you'll want a boutique hand-built. :spending::spending::spending:
     
    WoodsGhost and lynyrd3[QUOTED] like this.
  8. Aug 21, 2022 at 12:43 PM
    #8
    lynyrd3

    lynyrd3 STRENGTH DETERMINATION MERCILESS FOREVER

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    Bilstein 6112s top setting ,Total Chaos UCAs ,1/4" top plate spacer driver side ,SS extended brake lines ,Old Man Emu Medium Duty Dakar leaf springs with AAL,OME carrier bearing shim , Bilstein 5125s for 2-3” of lift in rear ,Timbren SES bump stops , SS extended brake lines rear , Toytec dif drop , Hayden high performance transmission fluid cooler,aFe pro dry air filter .Baja amber driving combo ditch lights , Devil horns by Andres ,Weathertecs floor protector, American Racing wheels Baja 17x8,4.5 BS , 285/70 Falken Wildpeaks AT/3W .Body Armor rear bumper . Extra D rings in bed ,Blue sea fuse block and 100amp breaker ,HomerTaco custom grill in Super White , TRD radiator cap ,Birddawg Industries rear view mirror riser bracket ,Coverking NeoSupreme Mossy Oak seat covers , Paranoid Fabrications fuse /relay holder Painted pinch weld.Shorty antenna ,HVAC knob mod ,LED dome and map lights , Tri Fold bed cover ,UltraGauge ,Morimoto XB LED fog lights ,Energy Suspension poly body bushings and sway bar bushings ! Geartech Customs splash guards ,Salex center console organizer . Mobtown tailgate cap ,tailgate anti theft mod .X-Mat sound deadening/insulation cab floor . Mobtown weld on rock sliders 0* with kickout Raptor lined . ,NEW frame courtesy of Toyota !
    If you don’t mind me asking ……. What did it cost to convert to solar ? I know those batteries are expensive. What are the actual items purchased ? I’m trying to figure this out to possibly go the solar route :notsure:
    I do have a 100 watt solar panel that plugs in to the trailer 7 pin for keeping the 12V charged but that’s it .
     
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  9. Aug 21, 2022 at 1:16 PM
    #9
    Rock Lobster

    Rock Lobster Thread Derailer

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    Here's my list of what I upgraded to run the full system:

    120W Eco Worthy folding solar briefcase and controller: $170
    - I chose portable panels because I occasionally park under the trees and it's easy to run an extension cord to a sunny patch. Plus it's easier all-around to wire, clean, and store. :anonymous: A full day of 120W charging seems to replenish three days of moderate consumption. One of these days I'm going to upgrade it to a 200W panel, because they rapidly degrade under shade or cloud cover.
    PXL_20220417_231434772~2.jpg





    Lynx 120Ah LiFePO4 battery with built in management: $750.
    -shockingly expensive, but considering that it reduced my tongue weight from 110 pounds of battery bank down to 20, it was so worth it.
    20210506_215349.jpg




    AiLi Monitor: $70
    -I originally started with a $15 Mictuning but quickly discovered that you get what you pay for. This Renogy clone does a much better job at calculating capacity.
    20210930_173619~2.jpg




    Progressive Dynamics 30A power center: $130
    -This is optional and has nothing to do with solar, but I felt that if I was still going to occasionally hook up to AC shore power, then I wanted a volt converter/charger that was lithium friendly.
    20210506_201722.jpg

     
    Last edited: Aug 21, 2022
    lynyrd3[QUOTED] likes this.
  10. Aug 21, 2022 at 2:17 PM
    #10
    lynyrd3

    lynyrd3 STRENGTH DETERMINATION MERCILESS FOREVER

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    Bilstein 6112s top setting ,Total Chaos UCAs ,1/4" top plate spacer driver side ,SS extended brake lines ,Old Man Emu Medium Duty Dakar leaf springs with AAL,OME carrier bearing shim , Bilstein 5125s for 2-3” of lift in rear ,Timbren SES bump stops , SS extended brake lines rear , Toytec dif drop , Hayden high performance transmission fluid cooler,aFe pro dry air filter .Baja amber driving combo ditch lights , Devil horns by Andres ,Weathertecs floor protector, American Racing wheels Baja 17x8,4.5 BS , 285/70 Falken Wildpeaks AT/3W .Body Armor rear bumper . Extra D rings in bed ,Blue sea fuse block and 100amp breaker ,HomerTaco custom grill in Super White , TRD radiator cap ,Birddawg Industries rear view mirror riser bracket ,Coverking NeoSupreme Mossy Oak seat covers , Paranoid Fabrications fuse /relay holder Painted pinch weld.Shorty antenna ,HVAC knob mod ,LED dome and map lights , Tri Fold bed cover ,UltraGauge ,Morimoto XB LED fog lights ,Energy Suspension poly body bushings and sway bar bushings ! Geartech Customs splash guards ,Salex center console organizer . Mobtown tailgate cap ,tailgate anti theft mod .X-Mat sound deadening/insulation cab floor . Mobtown weld on rock sliders 0* with kickout Raptor lined . ,NEW frame courtesy of Toyota !
    Thanks for the info . That’s not bad - under $1500 . I would have to replace my 110 fridge with a 12V I’m assuming. This is all new to me . My next question :anonymous: that set up will NOT run the AC correct :notsure: ?
     
  11. Aug 21, 2022 at 2:35 PM
    #11
    Rock Lobster

    Rock Lobster Thread Derailer

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    Correct on both. I have a 3-way fridge and almost exclusively run it on propane. I want to say that on batteries it eats 180W, it would kill my battery in a day if I let it. On propane I've run it for a solid week and it didn't even make a dent in the tank. Only reason to even run battery is when I'm hooked to the truck; running at 70 mph tends to extinguish the pilot light.:D


    The power center will convert shore power to DC, but will not invert battery power to AC. I could add an inverter to the system, but my only two AC appliances are the Air-con and a cheap coffeemaker. Everything else is DC. (And I prefer my stovetop percolator to my Mr. coffee anyway.)
     
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  12. Aug 21, 2022 at 2:45 PM
    #12
    lynyrd3

    lynyrd3 STRENGTH DETERMINATION MERCILESS FOREVER

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    Bilstein 6112s top setting ,Total Chaos UCAs ,1/4" top plate spacer driver side ,SS extended brake lines ,Old Man Emu Medium Duty Dakar leaf springs with AAL,OME carrier bearing shim , Bilstein 5125s for 2-3” of lift in rear ,Timbren SES bump stops , SS extended brake lines rear , Toytec dif drop , Hayden high performance transmission fluid cooler,aFe pro dry air filter .Baja amber driving combo ditch lights , Devil horns by Andres ,Weathertecs floor protector, American Racing wheels Baja 17x8,4.5 BS , 285/70 Falken Wildpeaks AT/3W .Body Armor rear bumper . Extra D rings in bed ,Blue sea fuse block and 100amp breaker ,HomerTaco custom grill in Super White , TRD radiator cap ,Birddawg Industries rear view mirror riser bracket ,Coverking NeoSupreme Mossy Oak seat covers , Paranoid Fabrications fuse /relay holder Painted pinch weld.Shorty antenna ,HVAC knob mod ,LED dome and map lights , Tri Fold bed cover ,UltraGauge ,Morimoto XB LED fog lights ,Energy Suspension poly body bushings and sway bar bushings ! Geartech Customs splash guards ,Salex center console organizer . Mobtown tailgate cap ,tailgate anti theft mod .X-Mat sound deadening/insulation cab floor . Mobtown weld on rock sliders 0* with kickout Raptor lined . ,NEW frame courtesy of Toyota !
    :thumbsup: We like our percolator coffee also :fistbump:
     
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  13. Aug 21, 2022 at 7:27 PM
    #13
    Ahoogadog

    Ahoogadog New Member

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    I purchased a 3,500 lb (GVWR) hybrid tt in February. Have taken it out a half dozen times with my stock '21 TRD OR. As long as you pay close attention to payload (you'll go way over payload before tow capacity) and get yourself a good brake controller and weight distribution hitch, you'll be good.
     
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