Hey guys, i'm new to the RV world. My girlfriend and I are traveling nurses and we are headed to San Deigo for our next assignment and then up to alaska for some contract work. We have decided we wanted to try something different and live in an RV. We will be traveling to our destination of work, parking the trailer for 3 months at a time at an RV park and then heading out after the 3 months to our next contract. We are both 6' tall and we have a 40lb dog with us. We want to spend less than 20K on the trailer. We are located in northern california. Any suggestions? We need to find something in the next week. We will be using this trailer exclusively as our home for the next year or 1.5 years. I dont want a 5th wheel as i need the bed of my truck for my motorcycle. I'll be pulling this with a 2014 F150 3.5L ecoboost. One local place has directed me towards this unit. Do you guys have any experience or any suggestions for us? Only requirements i have is big enough for us to be fairly comfortable in (we understand we are living in a trailer though...) and it must have a shower. http://www.demartinirv.com/vehicles/detail/186http://www.demartinirv.com/vehicles/detail/186Thanks for any help, i really appreciate it! Dan

F 150 with a bike in the bed? Depending on the bikes weight you likely have no weight room left for any trailer.

Couldn't get the clicky to work for me, so did a paste. Is the one the dealer is recommending the Surveyor? They do make a good trailer. Actually the 264 is my favorite floorplan of all, but it is too heavy for our F150 with an 8000# max. Before you get too involved, triple check the towing capacity of your vehicle...you may be in the same boat. Remember that you need about 1000# wiggle room and having that trailer and a bike in the back may have you overweight before you pack the potato chips.You mentioned Alaska and I would think you'd want something in a 4-seasons trailer. I'm not too familiar with them, but others have mentioned several brands and believe they're manufactured on the west coast. Someone will likely give you better direction, but I'm not at all sure the Surveyor is going to work well in AK. Sounds like an interesting year coming up. Best to you and enjoy!

donn0128 wrote:F 150 with a bike in the bed? Depending on the bikes weight you likely have no weight room left for any trailer.My motorcycle weighs 400lbs. Yeah, so my vehicle is the 3.5 3.3` electronic lock axle. 7200# GVWR package. What weight category does this put me for the size of the trailer i can tow?

On the Airstream forum there are several 25ft Airstreams from the early 1990s. All around $20 to $25 grand. That is about as long as you want to pull with your truck.

What is the gross weigh of the trailer?What can it tow. with the 145 WB it looks like a max of 2000 lbshttp://www.fordf150.net/2014/2014-f150-tech-specs.pdfSEE page 4

Newbie looking to live on the road for a year! suggestions?

danv1317
Explorer
Dec 15, 2014
yeah it looks like 7,100/7,400*, 7400 being the max. It also says in my towing manual that i shouldn't tow over 5,000lbs if i'm towing with, or by, bumper only. Does that mean if i have just a ball installed in the bumper? I have the full sized trailer hitch factory installed and also the integrated trailer brake.

A bit confused here.
goducks10
Explorer
Dec 15, 2014
I would look at a toy hauler as an option. You can put your MC in it and maybe keep the truck from being over loaded. Maybe something like this.http://www.forestriverinc.com/ToyHaulerTravelTrailers/GreyWolf/default.aspx?model=greywolf&page=floorplandetails&floorplanid=5457&RVType=THT
darsben
Explorer II
Dec 15, 2014
What is the gross weigh of the trailer?
What can it tow. with the 145 WB it looks like a max of 2000 lbs
http://www.fordf150.net/2014/2014-f150-tech-specs.pdf

SEE page 4
bgum
Explorer
Dec 15, 2014
On the Airstream forum there are several 25ft Airstreams from the early 1990s. All around $20 to $25 grand. That is about as long as you want to pull with your truck.
danv1317
Explorer
Dec 15, 2014
donn0128 wrote:
F 150 with a bike in the bed? Depending on the bikes weight you likely have no weight room left for any trailer.

My motorcycle weighs 400lbs.

Yeah, so my vehicle is the 3.5 3.3` electronic lock axle. 7200# GVWR package.

What weight category does this put me for the size of the trailer i can tow?
dadmomh
Explorer
Dec 15, 2014
Couldn't get the clicky to work for me, so did a paste. Is the one the dealer is recommending the Surveyor? They do make a good trailer. Actually the 264 is my favorite floorplan of all, but it is too heavy for our F150 with an 8000# max. Before you get too involved, triple check the towing capacity of your vehicle...you may be in the same boat. Remember that you need about 1000# wiggle room and having that trailer and a bike in the back may have you overweight before you pack the potato chips.

You mentioned Alaska and I would think you'd want something in a 4-seasons trailer. I'm not too familiar with them, but others have mentioned several brands and believe they're manufactured on the west coast. Someone will likely give you better direction, but I'm not at all sure the Surveyor is going to work well in AK. Sounds like an interesting year coming up. Best to you and enjoy!
donn0128
Explorer II
Dec 15, 2014
F 150 with a bike in the bed? Depending on the bikes weight you likely have no weight room left for any trailer.

Forum Discussion

Newbie looking to live on the road for a year! suggestions?

About Travel Trailer Group

Related Content

Newbie Looking for Advice

Newbie looking for manufacturer recommendations

Newbie here Looking for a light weight TT for 5 suggestions?

Newbie looking for advice

Looking for our first RV and suggestions ...