Trailers?

[wdisneyaholic]

Does anyone have any info on purchasing a trailer. Hubby and I decided we want to purchase a trailer, but have no clue as to where to start.

For any of you experts out there, any info would help greatly.

Thanks:confused:

[Disney Campers]

head over to www.irv2.com they have a good discussion forum that should be very helpful to you, Welcome to the camping board we look forward to hearing from you:D :D :D

[loriandmatt]

www.popuptimes.com is a nice site if you are interested in a pop up camper. (otherwise known as a tent trailer)

- lori

[TinkerbellRules]

Also, go to lots of RV shows in your area to get an idea what you'd like.

The first thing you want to do is find out how much your tow vehicle will pull. That's the most important first step. What do you have? I think I have a book around here if you need to find out. YOu have to know the axle rating, engine size and technical stuff like. Use caution when talking with dealers on both sides if you're looking at purchasing a vehicle or TT. we had a Ford salesman telling us our F150 supercab, shortbed could pull anything (not!!) and a RV dealer tell us the same (not). They just want to sell! Not all of them are like that, but be careful. We ended up trading the truck in for a custom van ( for comfort in traveling as well).

We looked for almost one year and finally decided on purchasing a two yr old TT that hadn't been used much. Saved about $4 - $5,000.

[Kermit]

In addition to the tips posted above, you can look at floorplans online. Most of the manufacturers don't post suggested prices, but you can get an idea of what's available, how much they weigh, what features they come with, and that type of thing. Many RV websites have links to the manufacturers; you can try www.rv.net to get started.

When you find out the tow capacity of your vehicle, keep in mind that you need to be able to tow extra weight because you have to pack. You may think that you don't pack a lot of weight, but by the time you add in an air conditioner, a tank of propane, possibly a generator, a tank of water, and a canopy, the trailer will be much heavier.

[wdisneyaholic]

Tinkerbellrules,

We have a ford explorer, so I am not sure how much we can tow. Where do you find that information?

We are planning on buying a used travel trailer within the next year and a half, so I am starting my research now. I have no clue on what size is best or anything like that. Is one brand better than the other? That is why I am trying to do as much research as possible.

Thanks for the info:p :p :p

[loriandmatt]

I could be mistaken, but I think you can find info on your vehicles towing capabilities in your owners manual. If not try contacting a Ford dealership and speaking with someone in service. (or if you have a good relationship with the salesperson who sold you your Explorer that may be a route as well.)

As far as "Is one brand better than another?" I asked the same questions on the RV boards when I started my search last year and boy did it spark some flames. :mad: Everybody has their favorite and I have found that no one likes having anything negative said about what they chose. That being said, I think there are lemons in every line and every line has had problems that they have generally worked through. Two big deciding factor that will sell you on a particular brand are the "goodies" and floorplan. They can differ greatly from brand to brand. (I personally don't care for the ones with the table in front of the bed, and looked for a model that had the dinette off to one side.....example of personal preference.)

Once you look at some new units and get an idea on what size and what layout you would prefer, then you can start looking into the used campers that fit that criteria. We made the mistake of doing the "what size and layout do we want" phase by looking at used models. But by the time we saw a variety and made up our minds most of the units we looked at and liked were already sold. A good buy moves quick, at least in our area.

First thing first....open up the camper and take a sniff. A musty moldy smell is a no no. ( one we sniffed smelled way too much like moth balls and upon investigation we found not only mildew, but a urinal cake used to mask the mildew smell) Mildew and campers do not mix!

Some other things to look for {for pop ups in particular}............damp spots in cabinets, in storage spaces, all the nooks and crannies.....mildew, mold or tears on the canvas anywhere....cabinets, or doors that just don't seem to sit strait (possible bent frame)....you have the right to watch them put it up and down, this should go relatively smoothly, otherwise there could be problems with the lift system......try out the lights, gas and water.......

good luck and happy hunting.

- lori

[Kermit]

Explorers are notorious for having low towing capacities. All car manufacturers exagerate the tow capacity, so you should plan on towing about 85% of the listed capacity. That includes the weight of the passengers in the car and everything you pack.

With an Explorer, you need to look for a pop-up that isn't as heavy as they come. We tried towing our Coleman Niagra with an Explorer, and it just didn't work. We traded it in the next day. We had electric brakes and a sway bar (which you have to get with the Explorer), but it wasn't enough. We traded it in for a Dodge Durango with a V8. You should get a pop-up that does not include a shower and maybe not a slideout to keep the weight down.

[motheroftwo]

Just some more info to keep in mind....

We were trying to decide what model pop up we wanted. And everytime we saw a class C motorhome drive down the road my husband would drive by oggling and drooling and saying "someday..." to himself. (his folks had one when he grew up - talks of it all the time)

WEll, after a little economic research (being the accountant that I am) I realized the price of a new tow vehicle (because the mini van we have is getting on in years) and the price of the pop up big enough for our not so petite family we were going to spend close to $30K -minimum. So we checked out the motorhomes at a few shows and were surprised at how affordable they really are.

You do need a good size down payment (10-15% we were told) but with careful planning and saving ( even while saving for a Dsiney trip) we were able to do that.
So now we are just waiting for the RV show in September to get our RV.......

The TAX benefits make this very attractive - I mentioned I was the accountant right..... The interest you pay on the motorhome will be tax deductable because since it has a kitchen and bath all contained it is considered a second home..... (or so we were told) .

just something to consider...........

[TinkerbellRules]

We were told the same thing about the "tax break" and used it on our taxes this year.

I'll look for the book with the towing capacities. Are you looking for a TT or popup?

[wdisneyaholic]

Tinkerbellrules,

We are looking for a travel trailer. Not quite sure the size or anything like that. Any inof you can give would be helpful.

Thanks

[TinkerbellRules]

Give me the year of the vehicle, engine size and cyclinder (V6, V8) and I'll try to look it up. I may not be able to until we get back from camping this w/e.

We purchased a '98 Wilderness Lite which weighs 4,300lb. I forget the total weight it can have loaded. I think 6,300lb. I'll have to look. It was two bunks and double bed.

[TinkerbellRules]

I just looked. It can be anywhere from a really low 2,000 to 6,700 lbs. It depends on the vehicle. Looks like the older ones can pull more weight. I really need all the info I asked for above. This info comes from the Trailer Life Towing Guide.

[Kermit]

You can deduct the interest on your taxes like a mortgage for any RV that has sleeping, cooking, and bathing facilities, which means any travel trailer, motor home, or popup with an inside shower. We deduct the interest for our popup.

What kind of RV is best for your family varies widely depending on your habits and what you enjoy. We chose a popup because my parents had motor homes and travel trailers the whole time I was growing up. With the motor home, it seemed like something was always breaking. The travel trailer was nice, but way too big to store in our garage. We keep our popup in storage, but we plan on getting a 3-car garage the next time we buy a house, so we'll keep it at home then.

[TinkerbellRules]

Kermit: You're right about thinking about the storage as well (and the MH's potential problems). We purchased our TT thinking we could store it on our property. Our home owners association said as long as it was on cement, it was fine. We had several RV (includes boats as well) stored in people's drives. Well, one neighbor got a letter from the city stating it had to be behind the front part of the house. Our property line is right at 8' so that makes it almost impossible to do that. Plus, I think they look ugly in the backyard! Anyway, seems the HOA and the city's ordinances didn't match! City stated that was an oversight when they approved the covenants! We are in one of the fastest growing areas in the nation and I think the cities can't keep up with all the building (actually, they can't!). He called and complained that others had RV's in their drive. City said they wouldn't do anything about those unless someone complained. It was unreal. The ordinance states ANY RV, ie boats, TT, MH, Skido's, etc. We also live near a lake where lots of people have boats. Anyway, he found a place to store the TT for $100/yr which was excellent. We store it there now too. I really didn't like the TT in front of the house in the drive anyway. We keep it here just long enough to get ready for a trip and clean up afterwards.

Just another thing to consider...

[wdisneyaholic]

Tinkerbellrules,

we have a 1998 for explorer, V6 engine. I am not sure what size TT we can get.

Can you help?

[TinkerbellRules]

This is what the book states:

1998 Explorer

Vehicle Tow Codes *see bottom
2Dr SOHC 4.0 V6 5080 a,d,h
2Dr (4WD) 4860 a,d,e,h

4Dr SOHC 4.0 v6 5860 a,d,e,h
4Dr (4WD) 5640 a,d,e,h

a - requires 3.9:1 axle ratio
d - requires 3.5/3.9:1 axle ratio
e - requires 4.09/4.10:1 axle ratio
h - towing not recommended with 3.21:1 axle ratio

You need to find out what the axle ratio is on your vehicle. When we had our F150, we found out we didn't have the appropriate axle ratio. I believe you can call a Ford dealer and give them your VIN# and they should be able to tell you the axle ratio. I hope this helps you. And, I hope you don't have "h". That would be a bummer.

I'd stick with the "lite" campers like we did. I believe there is a Bobcat that has a slideout. We looked at them but they were too $$$. I'd start going to some RV dealers in your area to get an idea of what you want. Do you have kids? Do you want a bunk unit? Lots to think about, but finding out what you can tow is the beginning.

[wdisneyaholic]

Thanks for the infor Tinkerbellrules, we do have 3 small kids. We are looking for a reasonably sized TT. Possibly with a slide out, gives you more living space. Worse case scenirio we have to wait until we can get a larger vehicle or a van. Hopefully we will be able to get a TT with our explorer. We are planning on getting a used one so we will just start looking and see what we like.

Thanks for your help.:p :p :p :p

[TinkerbellRules]

Your welcome! Keep us updated on what you decide on.

[mamastephanie]

I hate to tell you this but. . . We pulled a 24 ft. trailer, no slide, with our V8 1999 Explorer. And it would pull it, but not very well. We couldn't get over 55 miles per hour and we had a very bad problem with sway. The Explorer's wheel base is just not long enough or wide enough to handle something that big. If you can find a lite weight trailer around 22 feet, you may be able to pull it. And a slide adds a lot of extra weight to a trailer, with a V6 you are not going to have much room for added weight.

The Explorer would probably pull something like a pop-up really well. We ended up buying a truck!

[TinkerbellRules]

Mama...: I'm curious, did you have a swag bar as well? We have one on ours. They do make Lite models with slides out. We looked at a Bobcat that had a dining table slide. That would have been perfect for us, but the price was $16K! We bought our used 24' Nomad Lite for around $9,000 (98). Also, I hope she's not on those Firestone tires. I hear Ford is even in more trouble now for putting on even worse tires as a replacement. What were they thinking? Saw a crash test of the new Ford F150 (we had a 97) on tv the other day. They said it was the worse crash test they had EVER seen. It was bad. THey recommended NOT purchasing one. That's really too bad because they are cool trucks. WE loved ours.

[mamastephanie]

Sorry it has taken me so long to reply, our computers have been messed up and we haven't been able to get on the internet! I am having withdrawals.

Yes we did have a sway bar. I thought we could use two! Our trailer's weight was like 4200 pounds and I thought that would be fine but the Explorer was just not big enough. Now if you don't mind going down the interstate and 55 (max) and being pushed all over the road anytime a 18-wheeler passed you, then you would be ok.

And yes, I saw that stuff about the truck. And of course we bought an F-150 but ours is a four wheel drive, so we are hoping since it sits up higher that will help. I love our truck. In fact I like it better than the Explorer. Why can't they do these test before they put them out there for people to buy!

We did get our tires changed but I have just heard rumors about the other tires, nobody has actually showed any proof of this. Apparently one of our US representatives spoke out of turn of this. I haven't heard anything since then.

[TinkerbellRules]

I noticed I put "swag" bar instead of sway. Gee, no wonder a curtain holder won't work ;)

What year of truck did you get? Ours was a red supercab, flareside, 4X4 with off-road package. It was awesome! We miss it, but the big custom van is so much more comfortable for our daughter (9). Ours didn't have headrests for her in the back seats. I think the new ones do. I didn't like the idea of her head hitting the back window if we stopped suddenly.

I, too, was surprised by that crash test. I believe it wasn't a 4x4 or a supercab, so I don't know if that would make a difference.

[mamastephanie]

We have a 1999 4x4 flareside, but its grey. The head rest thing is not a problem for us because our daughter is only 4, and she still sits in her high back booster. I will probably make her sit in it while we are riding in the truck until she out grows it.

[TinkerbellRules]

I love the flaresides. Sounds like you have the same style we did. My favorite. Course, my DH came home with the bright red one ;) It was sharp. It was kind of strange. We were trying to decide about which TT to get and I wanted to see if my DD could use a pillow to make her more comfortable on long trips. When she got in the back of the truck, I realized her head was just reaching the window. It was at that moment we knew we really needed a new vehicle. I don't know why they didn't/don't make headrests for the back. DD was 7.5 when we discovered this and is a bit taller than most of her friends. When we traded the truck, my DD and I cried. I couldn't believe I cried! I love the custom van for comfort, but I hate driving it. It's not as cool as the truck ;) Actually, it's more the size of it. My DH insists it's not much bigger than the Ford. I'm used to driving a minivan though.

[TinkerbellRules]

Bump