The Right Travel Trailer

thanks...

 

So more stable with the taco, eh?

 

Came down 395 near Mamouth, and it started to sway real badly. Scared the crap out of me. Grabed the trailer brake controler, and slowed the trailer down. I traded the 4runner in for a 07 Tundra, that pulled it nicely, but that truck was in the shop 8 times in 6 months.

The Tacoma does ok, i would like a v8. It actually got better MPG.

 

Check it out here www.forestriverinc.com/nd/default22...2304S&choice=rk&nav=rec&name=5&series=7WideTT

I am looking at a greywolf 22bh for my family. Great value with this brand. Check it out here www.forestriverinc.com/nd/default22...BH&choice=cher&nav=rec&name=3&series=GreyWolf

You could be close enough to pick up a rockwood here http://www.rvwholesalers.com/design/Rockwood_7/Rockwood_7.php?floorplan=2304S

Great prices in their parts department as well.

 

That greywolf 22bh is a nice comfortable looking trailer.

However, the GVWR rating of that trailer is 1,000 pounds over the tow rating of the Tacoma even with the tow package. The greywolf is in the Cherokee line from Forest River and is not one of those listed as an ultra-light.

Just in case you hadn't noticed....

 

heavy

 

Guys,
Well I will be at the Sacremento RV show this weekend and will report back with my findings.
Thanks to everyone

 

My Dad bought a camper. The brand is "Scamp" and the thing is super lightweight. Their campers are made of fiberglass and weigh a heck of a lot less than the one they had before.They bought a 19 footer and the guy they bought theirs from delivered it with a Ford Ranger. Dad loves it. Its very easy to tow. The other cool thing is that since it all one molded body, there's no chance that the thing will spring leaks. The other thing is that smaller campers keep their value much better than larger ones that drop their values like rocks as soon as they roll off the lot.

http://www.scamptrailers.com/Showroom/19FifthWheelTrailers.aspx

 

After much research and dealer visits I purchased a FunFinder X 189 FBS from Happy Daze RV in Sacramento ( these were the best people to deal with ). I will be picking it up on Monday. Thanks to Maverick I have it set up with proper brake controller,WD hitch and dual cam sway system. Can hardly wait to get on the road

 

I know the GVWR is high but I like that. Even their smallest models like the 17bh have a 7500 pound axles. Do I need 3000lb of cargo room "no" but I am glad that it is their and that the brakes are built to stop that much weight.

The trailer as it sits with all options is 4550 (sticker on trailer as it went over the scales at the end of production). This is a bit more that I wanted to pull but I am confident that it will be OK.

 

Congratulations o the purchase. Funfinder makes a great RV but they were a bit out of my league to buy new. There is a chat group for funfinder owners on yahoo that you might be interested in.

 

+1 for the Fun Finder X camper trailors. Jayco is also very good/matched for this truck!

 

pull a 24ft trailer at 4500lbs, no problem to pull, I do have a WD hitch and sway bar control. Its a Jayco 213, its 4200lbs dry.

 

Its my best friends cottage and we live closer so camp there for free often.
Yeah after I posted the pic I noticed the date . It was last fall. I will have to update my camera.

 

Forest river has two brands called Rockwood Mini lite and another called micro lite. Both types have a 23ft bunk house with a queen bed on one end and bunks on the other that weighs 3200# empty. Almost bought one but went with a 26ft wildwood x-lite at 4200#. Same company just different brand. Really glad I went with the bigger one especially with a family of four. Was a hard choice at the time especially with the weight.
Hope this is helpful.

 

Thanks for the posts,
I purchased a 2603 Rockwood trailer, dry weight about 4,600 lbs. I spend May-Sept on the road, just back. Travelled over 7,000 miles up the tallest mountains in the country, 8,800 feet at the Grand Canyon North Rim without any problems.
harr0007

 

Don't believe what manufactures tell you is the dry weight. Ask someone who has one and has driven over a scale loaded up with all the 'stuff' that 4 people would bring along; clothes, food, beer etc. It adds up very quickly. Personally I would never tow close to the limit on this truck (6500lbs.) I pull a 17' fiberglass trailer often that weighs 3500lbs loaded (water full). The truck does fine but labours on steep climbs. Another 2500lbs. (+ , -) ???? No thanks.
There aren't too many flat areas we camp or holiday in. It's either up hill or down to get there.

 

Ofrd4fun, As part of my trip I spend 7 days in vancouver, great city. We stayed in Burnaby Cariboo RV Park. I got the exact dry wieght prior to purchasing the trailer. It was as stampted on the trailer. My trailer is an 09, new law mandates each trailer to be individually weighed prior to shipping. I tow with no water, and everything I put inside is lite wieght. With just two people loaded I was aobut 5,500 lbs. I had no trailer sway what so ever, on level ground I got 13 MPG, in the mountains about 10 MPG. I kept my speed at 60 or 55 MPH. It got very slow up the steep climbs. I just tucked myself in with the big rigs and kept my RPMs under 3,000 usually about 2,600. Had not a single problem of any kind towing this trailer.
harr0007

 

Hi all & thanks for being here!

We've got about 15,000 mi. behind us towing a 28' Keystone Passport Ultralite all over the western states. So far our Taco hasn't complained a bit. No speed demon for sure but @ 55 - 60 we average 11 mpg. We even made the rather challenging climb from US 395 up to the Bristlecone Pines in the Carson range. About a 8000 ft. pull in 13 mi. One of the rangers commented that we must have "more guts than Dick Tracy!"

I change all the fluids about twice as oftern as recommended and try to keep the Rs up around 3k. Check EVERYTHING at gas stops, use only 91 octane or better and just try to remember not to get in a hurry.

My question (after all the rambling) is if anyone has tried "aired down" beach towing with any success? We're considering a trip to Padre Island National Seashore in TX and it will involve about 100 mi. of beach driving... allowed by TX law.

Thanks in advance for any insight.

 

I just finished my first trip with my new trailer.

All I installed was a brake controller and tranny cooler, already had the reciever hitch.

round trip was around 170 miles, lots of it up and down hill.

dry weight for the trailer is 4200 as outfitted (has some options) with the kayaks and gear I was probably around 4500 total.

I had no issues, at all, truck didn't seem to be struggling any even on hills. I could maintain my speed on the hills in 4th, but to accelerate up them I had to hit 3rd. I don't even want to know my gas mileage.

I will probably add a air lift kit
http://www.suspensionconnection.com/cgi-bin/suscon/59561-tacoma-air-springs.html

just to level it out. But Ive decided not to get a Weight distribution hitch, I don't feel its needed at all. Truck handles like a charm, even in moderate wind.