Little background...I am an off-road enduro racer. I try to travel as much as I can, for race events, dual sports, or just exotic rides with friends. I have a small 22' travel trailer that sleeps 4. This is just enough for me and few buddies to sleep overnight in decent comfort. Right now we load the bikes into the truck bed and then connect the trailer. It is working OK, but the only downside is security and having the bikes visible in the truck bed during transport. Originally, when I bought my trailer, I liked the idea of a toy hauler, but wanted the nicer interior, amenities, and the lower cost of a travel trailer.So I am back in the market and are re-thinking toy haulers. The one thing that concerns me greatly, is the smell of gas and oil inside the trailer. I am sure everyone tries to be careful as possible, but accidents happen. I can see over time the toy hauler (especially as small one), smelling like gas and oil and not being able to get rid of the smell, especially the more it gets used. There is NO WAY I could tolerate and sleep with even a hint of that odor. Maybe this is not an issue for large 5th wheel mult-room trailer, but I would be getting a small 20-26ft one room trailer. I just think about where bikes get stored...my garage smells like gas and oil, the dealer showroom floor smells like oil and tire rubber. Anywhere I have seen bikes/quad stored, they have odors. How do you all deal with this in your living environment? Am I overreacting, or does it become overpowering at times? Please be honest. I don't have an issue putting the bikes in the bed, but a toy hauler would be nice also, but not at the cost of sleeping with gas smell.

The only time I have any issue with odors is when I load the bikes while they are still hot. Engine heat cooks the gas tank and it pushes vapors out of the breather. Load them after they have cooled.Turn off the petcock (if you have one). Drain the bowl, or at least run it briefly. If your toy leaks anything, fix it first. We hauled 4 bikes to Moab; 3 in the trailer and the gooey 2 stroke that is seeping something from somewhere had to ride in the bed of the truck. 2.5 days of riding, and on the half day we showered and changed, loaded the bikes in the trailer at the very last (to allow them to cool), and there wasn't a smell 5hrs later when we got home. I travel with the roof vents open, and store it with them cracked. Shoot, I lived in my trailer for 2yrs on a job away from home, and used the trailer as a garage for both my street bike and dirt bike during the summer. The "load it when cool" rule is the only thing I had to worry about. Load one hot and 30min later it would stink of gas.

When I had a TH, I never had an issue with the odors once the toys were removed and any spills cleaned up. Even now I have an enclosed trailer with a couple drop down beds that the boys (son and friends) sleep in and never an issue with smells.

That big ramp door really provides a ton of ventilation. By the time everything is unloaded and set up, all smells are gone. We've even had bikes tip over during the years, but the gas smell never really lingers. My wife has a very sensitive nose, and she would be the first to complain if there were actually a problem.The RV itself can get stuffy. We live in So Cal where it gets pretty hot in the storage yard. Once we get to camp, we set up a big scented candle in a jar to freshen it up a little. Ditto in the bathroom.

I bought a small TH for myself to trailer to events (dual sports); As long as you are not leaking anything and load the bike when it;s cold then you should be okay; My TH has never smelled of any fluids - I keep the bike outside (locked); I usually share the TH with 3 other buddies and as long as you keep the gas cans outside - then you should be okay. The rear ramp door also helps eliminate any odors which may have accumulated.

I have had several Toy Haulers. A 20' and two 24' Campmaster's (they don't make them anymore), a 28' Work and Play and a 30' Work and Play. And now a 30' Coleman 300tq (all bumper pulls), over the last 15 years and they all had one thing in common, a separate garage. An enclosed separate garage will get the motorcycles out of the living area. You can get drop down beds jackknife sofas in the garage which makes it a nice space for your buddies and you still bet the bed up front.The only time I could smell by bike was when I put it in hot. Vents on the sides of the garage that can be opened when towing or dropping the ramp door can vent smells out.One thing to keep in mind if you want a bumper pull toy hauler with a separate at least 10' garage and a walk around bed up front your going to be looking at at least 30' long....

Toy Hauler gas, oil and tire odors?? | Good Sam Community

17 Replies

95jersey
Explorer
Dec 07, 2017
Thanks for all the responses! I am not worried about a short term smell, just how that effects the camper in the long term. It seems most recommend a hauler with a separate garage, which I can not afford.

Let me pose this question. If all you could afford is a single room toy hauler (20-25ft), would you get the toy hauler or just buy a travel trailer and put the bikes in the bed of the pickup? I will never have anything larger than dirt bikes. I know some folks have quads, buggies and other toys that would never fit in the back of a pickup. But if you could fit your toys in the bed of a pickup, would you still consider a toy hauler??
jamesroadking
Explorer
Dec 07, 2017
My 30 foot Work and Play trailer has sliding glass doors between the garage and the kitchen, living, bedroom area. Also has a separate roof and side wall vents.
1L243
Explorer II
Dec 07, 2017
I have had several Toy Haulers. A 20' and two 24' Campmaster's (they don't make them anymore), a 28' Work and Play and a 30' Work and Play. And now a 30' Coleman 300tq (all bumper pulls), over the last 15 years and they all had one thing in common, a separate garage. An enclosed separate garage will get the motorcycles out of the living area.

You can get drop down beds jackknife sofas in the garage which makes it a nice space for your buddies and you still bet the bed up front.

The only time I could smell by bike was when I put it in hot.

Vents on the sides of the garage that can be opened when towing or dropping the ramp door can vent smells out.

One thing to keep in mind if you want a bumper pull toy hauler with a separate at least 10' garage and a walk around bed up front your going to be looking at at least 30' long....
fitznj
Explorer
Dec 06, 2017
I bought a small TH for myself to trailer to events (dual sports); As long as you are not leaking anything and load the bike when it;s cold then you should be okay;

My TH has never smelled of any fluids - I keep the bike outside (locked); I usually share the TH with 3 other buddies and as long as you keep the gas cans outside - then you should be okay.

The rear ramp door also helps eliminate any odors which may have accumulated.
dedmiston
Moderator
Dec 06, 2017
That big ramp door really provides a ton of ventilation. By the time everything is unloaded and set up, all smells are gone. We've even had bikes tip over during the years, but the gas smell never really lingers. My wife has a very sensitive nose, and she would be the first to complain if there were actually a problem.

The RV itself can get stuffy. We live in So Cal where it gets pretty hot in the storage yard. Once we get to camp, we set up a big scented candle in a jar to freshen it up a little. Ditto in the bathroom.
Blackdiamond
Explorer
Dec 06, 2017
When I had a TH, I never had an issue with the odors once the toys were removed and any spills cleaned up. Even now I have an enclosed trailer with a couple drop down beds that the boys (son and friends) sleep in and never an issue with smells.
boogie_4wheel
Explorer
Dec 06, 2017
The only time I have any issue with odors is when I load the bikes while they are still hot. Engine heat cooks the gas tank and it pushes vapors out of the breather. Load them after they have cooled.

Turn off the petcock (if you have one). Drain the bowl, or at least run it briefly.

If your toy leaks anything, fix it first. We hauled 4 bikes to Moab; 3 in the trailer and the gooey 2 stroke that is seeping something from somewhere had to ride in the bed of the truck. 2.5 days of riding, and on the half day we showered and changed, loaded the bikes in the trailer at the very last (to allow them to cool), and there wasn't a smell 5hrs later when we got home.

I travel with the roof vents open, and store it with them cracked.

Shoot, I lived in my trailer for 2yrs on a job away from home, and used the trailer as a garage for both my street bike and dirt bike during the summer. The "load it when cool" rule is the only thing I had to worry about. Load one hot and 30min later it would stink of gas.

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Toy Hauler gas, oil and tire odors??

17 Replies

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