Class A or not from a truck camper guy

[serpa4]

I've been mostly a Truck Camper guy for about 10 years. My tow vehicle is a 2007 GMC 1T dually duramax (paid in full).
I've had a 8' truck camper, 10' TC, 21' 5th wheel, 11.5 TC, 11.5 TC w/slide, 35' Toy Hauler travel trailer, and currently back to a 9.5 TC with slide. I'd really like a couch!!! and hate sitting at the table to watch TV.

I keep going back to a TC because I have a 21' pontoon boat and 4 ATV that I equally use. I'm not a rich guy at all, I just get one thing at a time. I'm looking at used stuff to keep the price down and none of those 200,000 RVs. Maybe somewhere in the $60,000 to $80,000 range and maybe more depending on what the deal is.

I've been itching for a little more room lately. Nothing huge by any means.

My main needs are: 1 a vehicle to launch my pontoon boat and get around town when not towing. I don't like the idea of tearing up camp to launch my boat or drive into town almost daily. I don't leave my boat in the water or in a slip while camping. I also don't often camp right where i ride my ATV, so the truck without the camper has been convenient to get the boat to the ramps, ATV to the parks, and tootling around town while camping. It meets all my needs except it not convenient "sometimes" in small towns and lack of space in a truck camper.

I was walking around the RV park here in Key West and saw a 40' Toy Hauler Class A. That got me thinking....

I can put a small 4x4 in the rear; like a Suzuki Samurai from the mid 1990s. They will fit in a 12' garage and only weigh about 2100 lbs. Thus, I would be under the weight capacity of the class A toy hauler and fit in a garage. I'd use the Samurai to launch and retrieve the boat. I would not be used to go more than .5 miles to the camp site boat ramps and probably never leave 2nd gear. 4x4 would help on slippery ramps. Then I could also use the Samurai to get around town. I.e. my dually doesn't fit down the streets in Key West and 12mpg isn't great either.

From all my readings so far, only one Class A works, the Gulf Stream Bounty Hunter. The other two I found, Newmar Canyon Star and Thor Outlaw garages are too small.

I believe the v10 gas will be under powered for the 24,000 lbs GVWR. I'm currently in South Carolina, but will be going back to the Rockies in Colorado Springs next year! I don't think a V10 gas with a 2,100 lb car in the back and towing either a 2,000 lb pontoon or 2,500 lbs of ATV will work.

I currently get about 11-12 mpg in my truck with a trailer (boat/atv) and 14 with just the truck camper. Seems most class A with the v10 in a 25-35' Class get about 6-9 mpg. When towing, they are at about 7. I'll be towing and in a 40' Class A also, so I'm expecting about 6-7mpg.

What do you think about the v10:
1) 6-7 mpg sound about right?
2) Will it have sufficient power for 24,000 lbs and 2,000-2,500 lb trailer in the mountains?

Any other way to tow a boat or ATV, and have a vehicle to get around and launch a boat? Either a Class A TH or a truck camper is all I can think of.

P.S. I'm looking to get a double slide truck camper that is anther foot longer, would have a couch and one more slide than I currently have. Plus, the floor of the camper is raised so it will have a 8' wide floor vs. my current one with a 5' floor width.

I need to decide which way best meets my needs. I drive A LOT.

[serpa4]

After looking at some dollar figures, a class a will be a ton more money also. I'd have to buy the class a, buy a samurai, sell my wife's daily driver PT cruiser and buy a daily tow vehicle for atv trailer and day trips to the lake since a samurai will not tow a pontoon more than a few miles. I don't want to buy 3 vehicles just for a little extra room when a larger TC will work. My current TC is 9.5 L x 5 foot floor for 45 square feet plus 1 slide. The TC I like is 10.5L x 8 foot wide floor at 84 square feet plus 2 slides and has a couch.

[WyoTraveler]

serpa4 wrote:
Good point. I'm still working and in my 40s. Most camping, less vacations, is still weekends.
I'm leaning towards a larger TC... Host Cascade double slide with dinette and couch.

Yup, I am in my mid 70s. The only boonie camping we do anymore is in Quartzsite where you can drive a MH out in the desert and camp for a few weeks. Otherwise it is RV parks and traveling the country. Things change as years go by and kids grow up.

[Golden_HVAC]

That V10 will make plenty of power. Just plan on taking it to 4,400 RPM on the long grades if you are determined to run up them quickly. The tiny pistons and short stroke can handle the higher RPM's than you could take a pushrod V8 of the 70's design to. Trying to push it to more than 4,200 RPM, and the fuel mileage will drop off significantly.

I would suggest looking at class C, in the 23 - 25' long range. It will have about the same or a little more interior space compared to the camper, probably more water storage, and get much better mileage than the class A with it's significant more weight, and wind resistance. The drawback of moving the RV to launch the boat is only a minor problem for me. With electric awnings, leveling jacks, and other easy to set up camp items, and not taking out a lot of items that have to be stored before moving, I can break camp in a few minutes to move a boat to the marina.

Fred.

[serpa4]

mena661 wrote:
I'd get a big Eagle Cap triple slide and a F550 and call it a day if i were doing it all over again. I'll be honest, if I knew Host and Eagle Cap existed last year, I would've bought one of those instead of my MH. Don't get me wrong, we LOVE our MH, I'd just prefer a TC (none suited us at the time...who knew you could get a 80 gal fresh water tank in a TC).

I know what you're saying. When I purchased my 3500 dually in 2007, it could haul the largest TC on the market. I'd love a tripple slide, even a freaking 4 slide TC, but they will crush my 1 ton. My truck was purchased new and is paid for, so swapping trucks isn't an option I'm willing to consider.

[mena661]

I'd get a big Eagle Cap triple slide and a F550 and call it a day if i were doing it all over again. I'll be honest, if I knew Host and Eagle Cap existed last year, I would've bought one of those instead of my MH. Don't get me wrong, we LOVE our MH, I'd just prefer a TC (none suited us at the time...who knew you could get a 80 gal fresh water tank in a TC).

[glamisorbust]

I had a 33' 5th wheel toyhauler(no garage) that I used to haul my '88 samurai in all the time. I was pulling it with my 07 chevy classic LBZ duramax. It was a pretty good setup, and with the samurai only weighing about 1900#, fit like a glove. It was a little difficult to get out when inside, because I couldn't get the doors open enough. Sometimes I had to climb out the back. Not a big deal. The samurai's are massively popular and have a huge following. There is tons of aftermarket support for them, just google it. I have had mine for about 4 years, it has never let me down, not once. I replaced the stock carb. with an empi carb(about $500), but was worth every penny. It was a little underpowered with the stock carb., but not now. It boosted the power about 30%. They are only 65hp stock, and mine probably has about 80hp now, LOL. You can't get stuck in it, unless you are an idiot. Very fun vehicle to take on the backroads and trails. Some of them even came with factory a/c! I have been at the dunes a few times with it and it was fun. I pulled out several stuck F350's on huge tires, a toyota 2wd pulling a trailer full of quads, and several other people. You can pick them up cheap, I only paid $1000 for mine 4 years ago, and probably put another $1500 in it for tires, new top, tune-up, new radio etc. You'll love the samurai.

[MrMuffin]

I just went from a TC to a DP with Jeep toad. Great when I get someplace and I am set up, but I really miss being able to stop about anyplace. We don't usually go and stay someplace for a week, but a few days here and then off again. Not sure the change has been good for us.

[serpa4]

Good point. I'm still working and in my 40s. Most camping, less vacations, is still weekends.
I'm leaning towards a larger TC... Host Cascade double slide with dinette and couch.

[WyoTraveler]

Since you have had more than 1 RV you realize it is all a trade off. When I was working I loved a TC. You can go anywhere. Bought a MH and became limited. I was sorry I bought my first MH when I was still working & camping on weekends. MHs are great for retired old people staying in RV parks. Not so much for get away weekends in the boonies. I buried my MH in loose soil in the boonies. Lesson learned. Go to your favorite camping spot. See any MHs? If so buy one. Orherwise stick with the TC. If I was in my 30s or 40s again it would be a crew cab dually 4WD TC. JMHO

[serpa4]

A jeep is just too long. Mine pretty good with cars and can probably fix anything with a Suzuki... Assuming up arts are available.

[popeye766]

On Suzuki..their great and not so great,,,,I towed one ..about 1800 lbs ..Allegro didn't even know it was there.....HARD TO GET PARTS reasonably.......
because they are rare now...expensive....Lots of feed back carb problems....and no real power......how about a striped jeep....