Forum Discussion

urbex's avatar
urbex
Explorer
May 17, 2017

Carry Samurai with small 'hauler? Front beds?

I just recently completed the 1st half of a 4500 mile road trip, in my Chevrolet Volt, sleeping in the back of the car. I also learned that my claustrophobia has gotten MUCH worse, to the point that I had to sleep without the air mattress in the back (and it was still iffy at that point).

While I haven't yet tried it, I suspect this will also be an issue in the cab over section of my two truck campers, so I'm looking at other potential options.

Right now I'm considering extending the flatbed of my truck, and making it so I can put my Suzuki Samurai up there along with getting a small bumper pull travel trailer. Or, getting a small toy hauler, something around say a 24 footer, and putting the Samurai in the TH instead.

That said, do those smaller ones typically handle a 2500lb load in the back/on the ramp gate? Also, seems like the few I've seen on Craigslist so far have all been rear bed models, in that the toy(s) would have to be unloaded to go to sleep. Is that the common way, or should I be able to find a front bed model as well?
  • If you want a front bed toy hauler, you may have to step up from the smallest size. A Jayco 222 Octane Super Lite might work.
  • I'm not necessarily stuck on the smallest things I can get, but it will be just me traveling for the forseeable future. I'm a single guy with no kids, so I don't have a need for a house on wheels. Rather just a place to sleep, and make dinner inside if needed. I also don't want to end up with a super heavy trailer if I can avoid it. I'm sure the truck will handle it just fine, but why lug all that extra weight around if I don't need to?

    The front bed desire was because when I'm traveling, I typically drive until I get tired, then look for a place to stop and sleep for a while, which often will be well beyond closing time of most camp grounds, so I stop off a random Forest Road somewhere. At that point, I just want to walk into the camper, and go to sleep without unloading the rear or other major set up. In days gone by, when I would be sleeping in the bed of the truck, I always made sure to have the sleeping area open so I could just climb in the back and go to sleep.

    So all that said, I'd rather step up a size class or two if that's what it takes, I just don't want to end up with some kind of 39 foot multiple slide monster of a trailer, lol.
  • The smallest toy haulers have a dual-purpose rear space. The Jayco 222 I mentioned has a front bed, then sofas in the back that fold up for hauling or down for sleeping. So if you are by yourself you could easily just use the front bed. Dry weight is 5270, 26'5" long.

    I'm looking at small toy haulers because sometimes I expect to travel by myself, and could use the front bed--and at other times may have 3-4 grandchildren with me, and would have plenty of sleeping space in the back.
  • With a 2500 lb. toy and water, propane, food and other camping gear, you will need a camper with a CCC (cargo carrying capacity) of 3500 lbs. or more. Also your toy is 11'-3" long and 5' wide. You will probably be looking at something like a Work and Play to get that kind of CCC. They have 4400 lb. and 5200 lb. axles instead of the 3500 lb. axles most others have. With more CCC comes more weight to provide the strength in the frame. The W&P campers are heavy with a heavy tongue and require a HD truck.