mena661 wrote:
I've been wanting a TC myself but I think the DW likes the space in our current rig. Can't say I don't disagree but I'd like to do more boondocking and a class A limits you somewhat.
There is not a big diff between an 8.5ft (with slide out) and an 11 ft (no slide) for space, but our original 2003 Snowbird 8.5ft TC with slide in 2003 with this same truck cost over $30K with all mod cons. Also it was too heavy for the 2500HD. We swapped to the 5er to get more space and to get under the weight limits.
This 11 ft 1981 Frontier TC cost $1500 and has just as much room as the 8.5 with slide-out but weighs less so the truck can do it (just barely). People are selling old TCs for almost nothing around here. For scrap or redo, all over the map for prices.
Now that I am a gen-you-ine Tech Issues grad, I am able to make this 1981 as good as the fancy 2003 we had for $29K less money :)
The big thing is you can live outside more to get more space if you get a gazebo tent-like thing and bring a dog fence to make a patio for you and the animules (ok maybe not horses).
My latest triumph is the old black tank I got from a guy from his old 1979 TC he scrapped to be the grey tank in ours. Ours has no grey tank. They used to just pour it out into a ditch from a hose connection on the cap.
So now I have this second black tank suspended from my truck towing hitch with a motor-cycle carrier basket thing I got that is all under the camper's black tank hanging under the overhanging 3 feet that sticks out from the back of the truck.
Ta Da! I have a grey tank with a sani-dump plus the original black tank with its sani-dump. Just run a short garden hose into the shortened vent pipe of the old black tank (now grey) instead of to a ditch. The old toilet flange has been replaced by a sani-dump fitting with a cap that has a hose connection, so that hose opening in the cap is the new vent! I am so proud of this! I should be in the TC Hall of Fame! :)
