First timer looking for TT...so confused
Hello all, My wife and I have been long time tent campers, occasionally going with friends in TT and pop-ups. We decided we wanted a TT. I have a truck that has a trailer capacity of about 6000 lbs....
Forum Discussion
SoundGuy wrote:Terryallan wrote:
How long it will last depends entirely on you. It will last for decades if you take proper care of it.
I'm not sure that's true but don't have anything but observation on which to base that opinion as we've never kept one that long. With only the odd exception any travel trailer I've seen that's been 15+ yrs old has been pretty well beat. In contrast, it's not that difficult to find a used 15 - 20 yr old popup that's in mint condition, especially those that have been stored indoors when not in use. Keeping anything out of the elements, be it a trailer, motorcycle, boat, whatever, does make a big difference, but unfortunately most travel trailers aren't and the result shows.
The last TT I had was 10 years old when we sold it. It looked like new inside, and out. Because I took care of it. It was regularly waxed, and maintained. It did sit outside. But didn't fade because of the wax. However. You are correct. A TT not taken care of will look like trash in just a few years. Our friends had one just like ours, NEVER waxed it, and used Black Streak remover to clean it. It was chalke looking in 2 years. He kept asking why mine wasn't. I told him about waxing. He said that was to much trouble.
My current TT lives under a shed. It was out side for a couple years, long enough for the sun to draw the skylight up. I had to screw it back down. It is now 6 years old, and it too looks like new. I keep it waxed as well. Only broke one thing. DW didin't look before running the slide out, and a cooler caught the corner decrative facing, and broke it. I fixed it with my handy dandy screw driver.
Other than flipping the axles, replacing the door open holders, and replacing the rubber molding in the seam tracks. Haven't had to do much to it. Oh wait. I did replace one axle. The dog ate the wires to the brakes, and when they were rewireing it, Found a problem with the hub that was easier, and cheaper to replace than rebuild.
I HATE that dog. I had to build a fence around the TT inside the fence it was already in, just to keep the dog away from it. she took the wires off twice. And I got her to keep the squirrels, and chipmonks away. Don't think they would have done as much damage.
BTW. the dog pictured is NOT the dog that bothers the camper. That is Rudy. I miss him a lot.
