Class A vs. travel trailer - driving/operating/parking?

grey2112 wrote:
I used to own a 31 foot travel trailer (total length from hitch end about 34 feet)that I towed with a 2004 2500 Suburban.

Am I correct in assuming that driving a 37 foot Class A MH (especially when not towing a vehicle behind it) would be a lot easier, more maneuverable, and easier to back in and park than my original SUV/TT setup?

I think so and can easily back in most anywhere. Not so with a toad behind you, though and even though I've done so for a few feet with caution and a spotter, I can't recommend it and why tow bars that easily disconnect you, are the norm.

qtla9111 wrote:

Bruce Brown wrote:

qtla9111 wrote:
I boondock with 40 gallons of fresh water. Two of us can go for 7 to 10 and that includes bathing, not long showers, but getting clean everyday.

The big difference between a TT and a Class A is about $100,000. With that in mind it's worth it for me to get out and level and chock.

OTOH, TTs now come with electric levelers as well. Depends on your priorities.

On the bold, to a point yes, to a point no - it all depends on the level of equipment. A nice TT these days is $30-40k. High end 5th wheels are over $100k. A nice PROPER truck to pull it is $50-80k. A PROPER hitch arraignment is $1-3k.

If buying new today you're looking at $80-175k to pull a trailer. That kind of $$$ buys a pretty decent Class A.

It all depends on what is important to YOU. There is no wrong answer as we all have different wants and needs.

You're right. That said, I drive a 2005 Dodge Durango with 350,000 kms and the travel trailer cost me $8000 new on a bankruptcy return to the factory.

Maybe I'm cheap or just a good consumer.

Absolutely. Our first camper of any type was a 1980 Itasca Class A, a little 22'er, 2 owner, we paid $5,500 for - it was AWESOME! We simply outgrew it.

Our second on was the MH from hell. We spend so much $$$ fixing that darn thing it made us reexamine our budget, at which time we decided we enjoyed the camping part enough and maybe "new" was within reach. That fall we ordered our first new MH and have never looked back. For us new has worked out great.

With that said, I fully believe the one we're driving today will be the last new one we ever own, if not the last one we ever own. It does everything we want it to do and it's paid for. Those are 2 **really** nice features. :B

mama.sylvia wrote:
I am a confirmed motorhome fan because it is all self-contained. It was heaven when the kids were little; we drove from Wyoming to Texas most years to visit grandparents, and I could fix meals without stopping, the kids had the dinette to read/play games/watch videos, and no need for bathroom stops! Really let us eat up the miles.

Now, with my physical limitations, the MH is the only way to travel. Climbing the stairs to get in is a challenge, but once I am in, everything I need is right there. I tend to bookdock overnight while travelling so I don't even have to get out to plug in. I just find a safe parking space (WM, rest area, or truck stop), park, start the gen if I need it, and hit the hay. I tend to only sleep a few hours at a time so whenever I wake up, I can hit the road even if I'm not fully dressed. ;)

I lived in a TT years ago. It was great to live in but miserable to move. Sounds like you are much more used to pulling a trailer than I ever was.

I've never pulled a toad with a MH. When we were mostly driving to family, it wasn't needed. Vacationing, we just accepted that not having a car would limit our options somewhat and had a great time anyway. The only time I can recall that a toad would have made a difference was one road in Yellowstone that I looked straight up and chickened out of trying it with the class C. lol But generally I've been fine driving on even narrow roads with a MH.

:) I always knew a MH was in our future. I was in a CO RV park in Cripple Creek that was dirt and gravel, and I was outside in an unanticipated snow storm in my tennis shoes standing in freezing water trying to install my pin box tripod and set up my portable dish when a big ol Fleetwood MH pulled in next to me. I watched him get out of his drivers seat walk to the back and saw jacks come out and level, slides come out and expand, Dish antenna go up and seek, and I watched him and his wife enjoying cocktails and the football game on his 40" flatscreen from the lounge chairs and never get out of his coach. He was gone by 6AM. I told my wife.......someday :)

Bruce Brown wrote:

qtla9111 wrote:
I boondock with 40 gallons of fresh water. Two of us can go for 7 to 10 and that includes bathing, not long showers, but getting clean everyday.

The big difference between a TT and a Class A is about $100,000. With that in mind it's worth it for me to get out and level and chock.

OTOH, TTs now come with electric levelers as well. Depends on your priorities.

On the bold, to a point yes, to a point no - it all depends on the level of equipment. A nice TT these days is $30-40k. High end 5th wheels are over $100k. A nice PROPER truck to pull it is $50-80k. A PROPER hitch arraignment is $1-3k.

If buying new today you're looking at $80-175k to pull a trailer. That kind of $$$ buys a pretty decent Class A.

It all depends on what is important to YOU. There is no wrong answer as we all have different wants and needs.

You're right. That said, I drive a 2005 Dodge Durango with 350,000 kms and the travel trailer cost me $8000 new on a bankruptcy return to the factory.

Maybe I'm cheap or just a good consumer.

I am a confirmed motorhome fan because it is all self-contained. It was heaven when the kids were little; we drove from Wyoming to Texas most years to visit grandparents, and I could fix meals without stopping, the kids had the dinette to read/play games/watch videos, and no need for bathroom stops! Really let us eat up the miles.

Now, with my physical limitations, the MH is the only way to travel. Climbing the stairs to get in is a challenge, but once I am in, everything I need is right there. I tend to bookdock overnight while travelling so I don't even have to get out to plug in. I just find a safe parking space (WM, rest area, or truck stop), park, start the gen if I need it, and hit the hay. I tend to only sleep a few hours at a time so whenever I wake up, I can hit the road even if I'm not fully dressed. ;)

I lived in a TT years ago. It was great to live in but miserable to move. Sounds like you are much more used to pulling a trailer than I ever was.

I've never pulled a toad with a MH. When we were mostly driving to family, it wasn't needed. Vacationing, we just accepted that not having a car would limit our options somewhat and had a great time anyway. The only time I can recall that a toad would have made a difference was one road in Yellowstone that I looked straight up and chickened out of trying it with the class C. lol But generally I've been fine driving on even narrow roads with a MH.

Big Katuna wrote:
For those who have driven both a newer gas class A and a newer pu & trailer, which one rides better on rough interstate roads?

A properly set up TT pulls fine but we went 5th wheel and on the road, it's really no different than driving the truck by itself in terms of difficulty or effort. If anything the ride is better as the springs are designed for a load and they tend to be smoother with some weight on them.

4x4van wrote:

valhalla360 wrote:

You can get automatic levelers for pull behinds, so after you get out to unhook the toad, you already had to go outside and ate up any time savings.

Except that you don't "need" to unhook the toad right away. You can wait till morning or till the weather breaks to go outside to do anything. That's not the case with a TT.

e.

If you are using a level pull thru site, that's true for the MH but not for a back in site.

If you are using a level pull thru site (again, like for like), other than that horribly long walk back to the trailer, you can just drop the levelers and use it hooked up for the night same as a MH and do the rest of the setup in the morning.

PS: The funny thing is the expensive tricked out Class A MH's are typically owned by retirees who more often than not have the option not to travel on bad weather days.

PPS: HUGE DIFFERENCE between a lower end Class A and a top of the line diesel pusher Class A. Of course top of the line DP might run $300-500k. A top of the line 1 ton dually with high end 5th wheel of similar size might push $130-150k.

I have had every different camping rv type and the motor home is the easiest on the back and mind. I would say the truck camper is the most maneuverable.

We sold a 2014 F350 Dually and 17,500 lb 5th wheel in favor of our 43.5 ft pusher. Had a 30ft TT/3/4 ton truck years back

5er/truck -

• Nice quiet ride
• Heaves in the road would lift you out of your seat sometimes
• One of the hardest of the 3 rig types to back in and park
• Trailer suspension was cheap and took a beating
• When not towing, truck was a miserable ride and pain to park, miserable daily driver.

Class A -

• Rattles on rough road
• Extremely easy to park
• Smooth ride, easy on the back
• Easiest set up
• Can't back up when towing 4 down toad

TT/truck -

• Nice quiet ride
• needed sway control
• tough in the wind
• fairly easy to back in
• trailer suspension was cheap and took a beating
• when not towing, the 3/4 ton truck was a nice daily driver.

The Class A that I had with air bags rode great with the right air pressure and good shocks. Stock pickup shocks aren't great. Bilsteins are much better.

For traveling comfort, it's really hard to beat a Class A especially pulling into a rest area for a break. Fwiw, I've owned a TT, Class A, and TC. Of course, the TC is the most maneuverable and easiest to park, but not anywhere near as comfortable as the Class A was for traveling although I can't complain about the Lariat Crew Cab interior ... for a truck.