Mechanical stuff...

[BobbieLee]

Hi. First post here so thanks in advance for reading. We are a family of 4 from Michigan considering our first TT purchase.

We love the layout of the FR Cherokee 264DBH. But what we are struggling with is the good, better, best on siding, frames, slide technology, window construction etc. Is the Cherokee going to hold up given our intended usage? Would we be better off paying $5-10k more and getting a similar layout with fiberglass and a better floor, frame, etc? We’re not planning on using this thing more than 21 days per year but would like it to last for 10 years.

And what construction musts do you recommend?

We’ll be towing with a Chevy Silvarado.

UPDATE: THANKS for all the advice. The Silverado is a 5.3L with the 3.08 RA. The 2510BH Highlabd Ridge is looking more like what we need. Something 5000 poundsish with sturdier axles.

[bikendan]

First, the Cherokee line is an entry level line.
It's stick and tin construction and many things that higher level trailer lines have as Standard, are options or not available. Like a spare tire or cable tv wiring.

Just because you read 9500lbs towing capacity, doesn't mean that your truck has that capability. That is a max capacity based on how it's equipped.

[drsteve]

With a half ton truck the first limit you reach when towing a travel trailer is the truck's cargo capacity, which is shown on the door sticker. It will say something like " Weight of passengers and cargo cannot exceed xxxx lb". That includes you, your family, all the stuff in the truck, the weight of the WD hitch, AND the loaded (not dry) tongue weight of the trailer.

If you do the math, you'll likely find that this trailer is too much for your truck.

[coolmom42]

Lynnmor wrote:
With the GVWR being 7885 lbs and the hitch weight being 885 lbs, leads me to think they cheaped out and installed those skinny 3500 lb axles. If that is what you find, run from it regardless if you have enough truck.

Excellent point. The axles are almost overloaded at the GVWR.

[Lynnmor]

With the GVWR being 7885 lbs and the hitch weight being 885 lbs, leads me to think they cheaped out and installed those skinny 3500 lb axles. If that is what you find, run from it regardless if you have enough truck.

[midnightsadie]

go buy a used rv till you feel you know how to take care of it. p.s. your trucks to small.

[Grit_dog]

BobbieLee wrote:
We have been confused about this for the past week. Chevy manual says it can tow 9600. But combined 12000. So combined at full weight is a concern. However it’s a lease and we will be trading it in in 2020. We called the Chevy dealer, the hitch place and the RV dealer and they all give thumbs up. Our first season of travel will be local. We will not be transporting fluids. But I personally would prefer not to be nearing the max. So your feedback echos my own concerns.

It’s a large trailer for a 1/2 ton but not out of the norm. Differnet topic and thread.....
Regarding quality, longevity, regardless of what you buy, dry storage or at a minimum covered when not in use, since you won’t be using it a lot, will pay off far greater than any nominal upgrade in materials or features. Simply covering it and taking care of it, it will look like it does today 10 years from now. Minus a new set of tires or 2 !

[BobbieLee]

General RV and Chelsea lost us as customers within 20 min of being there. It is really hard to see things at General RV and they were too busy for us. I also felt like they did not take us seriously as buyers. Salesman never even followed up. Chelsea had minimal inventory and fed us a lot of bull **** from the time we walked in until the moment we left.

We liked Dewitt. Lots of inventory and they let us spend alone time with the trailers we liked. Low pressure sales guy. We are heading to Haylett next. But you are right...they just want to sell stuff.

SidecarFlip wrote:
Good luck with any FR product. Like 'Ollie' says, build 'em cheap, stack 'em deep'.....

Get a 3/4 ton truck and don't look back.

Don't matter if you carry 'fluids' or not. You will be carrying 'stuff' and stuff weighs something and that includes you and your occupants.

Being in Brighton I figure it's either the dealer in Chelsea or General RV. Neither will tell you the truth, they both want to sell a unit and remember, once you buy it and leave with it, it's all about you (and not them).

[Tyler0215]

Check your lease. Some don't allow towing.

[SoundGuy]

BobbieLee wrote:
We have been confused about this for the past week. Chevy manual says it can tow 9600. But combined 12000. So combined at full weight is a concern. However it’s a lease and we will be trading it in in 2020. We called the Chevy dealer, the hitch place and the RV dealer and they all give thumbs up. Our first season of travel will be local. We will not be transporting fluids. But I personally would prefer not to be nearing the max. So your feedback echos my own concerns.

As I said earlier, here we go again. :E Sorry, not trying to be abrupt but none of these people really know what they're talking about. You'd need to supply specific numbers for your particular truck so those of us who have been at this for awhile can offer useful information that's in fact accurate. However, as one who has been towing with GM's 5.3L platform for a dozen years now I can absolutely assure you that this trailer you have in mind is just way too heavy for a 1/2 ton Silvy with a 5.3L engine. Most of us would prefer that the trailer's GVW fully loaded & ready to camp to about 6000 lbs max, which in turn means it's UVW (dry weight) should be no more than 5000 lbs. You want to also be aware that the actual UVW of any trailer as shown on the required sticker affixed to the front street side of the trailer will be several hundred pounds more than it's brochure listed UVW because of any options or accessories that may have been added to that particular unit. Some might be willing to push that fully loaded limit somewhat beyond 6000 lbs but that will only make the situation even worse, particularly when it comes to payload capacity, or more correctly lack thereof, which is the Achilles Heel of most 1/2 ton trucks. Before you go any further I'd suggest you delve into this issue of what your truck can actually safely tow, paying particular attention to payload capacity, otherwise you could easily end up as many before you have - with a trailer you just can't safely tow.

[bob213]

I have to agree with SoundGuy....that's a lot of trailer for a 1/2 ton. Do some more research on what you can safely tow and then decide on your trailer.
How much can I tow?
That's also a lot of trailer for the price...I still go buy the old saying of "You get what you pay for" especially if you plan on keeping it for 10 years.
Take your time...research some more.
I like fiberglass. Non hydraulic slides. Aluminum construction. A slide without a refrigerator in it. 15" tires. just to name a few.
Again, I have no proof that "my likes" are better, they are just my preferences. And regardless of what others say FR does make some good products. Every manufacturer has their bottom line, mid lines and top lines. You will find problems with all of them.

[SidecarFlip]

SoundGuy wrote:

BobbieLee wrote:
We love the layout of the FR Cherokee 264DBH. But what we are struggling with is the good, better, best on siding, frames, slide technology, window construction etc. Is the Cherokee going to hold up given our intended usage? Would we be better off paying $5-10k more and getting a similar layout with fiberglass and a better floor, frame, etc? We’re not planning on using this thing more than 21 days per year but would like it to last for 10 years.

And what construction musts do you recommend?

We’ll be towing with a Chevy Silvarado.

Uh Oh, here we go again .... :W


You haven't indicated at all just what model of Silverado you have but if it's a conventional 1/2 ton with a 5.3L engine that Cherokee 264DBH is WAY too much trailer for that size of truck and with a GVWR of almost 8000 lbs is clearly in 3/4 ton territory. I know you didn't ask but all this other stuff you're asking about means little if you can't safely tow the darned thing. 😉

I call it drinking the new RV kool aide.

[SidecarFlip]

Good luck with any FR product. Like 'Ollie' says, build 'em cheap, stack 'em deep'.....

Get a 3/4 ton truck and don't look back.

Don't matter if you carry 'fluids' or not. You will be carrying 'stuff' and stuff weighs something and that includes you and your occupants.

Being in Brighton I figure it's either the dealer in Chelsea or General RV. Neither will tell you the truth, they both want to sell a unit and remember, once you buy it and leave with it, it's all about you (and not them).

[coolmom42]

Look at the listed "dry weight" of the RV. You will probably add about 1000 lb to that if you travel light and 1500 if you take tons of stuff. You will have clothes, food, bedding, etc. Also, the dry weight doesn't usually include propane tanks and battery. Pick 1200 lb as a number added to the dry weight.

10-15% of the loaded weight of the trailer has to be transferred to the tongue and thus the hitch. This becomes part of the cargo of your trailer. So pick 12% for a good intermediate number.

Calculate 12% of the loaded weight. Add about 60 lb for the weight of a good sway control/weight distribution hitch system. Add that to the weight of the passengers, their stuff, and whatever else will be in the truck. All that is the cargo weight of the truck. Add the curb weight of the truck, and see if you are over the gross weight (not combined weight) of the truck. Quite often, cargo weight is the limiting factor on a 1/2 ton truck.

My advice is to buy a lighter, cheaper, smaller RV for a starter unit. Find a used one if you can. Quite often people sell them in the fall on Craigslist. Keep it at least until you are ready to trade up in truck. Then trade the truck up for something that will comfortably tow the RV you want.

[BobbieLee]

We have been confused about this for the past week. Chevy manual says it can tow 9600. But combined 12000. So combined at full weight is a concern. However it’s a lease and we will be trading it in in 2020. We called the Chevy dealer, the hitch place and the RV dealer and they all give thumbs up. Our first season of travel will be local. We will not be transporting fluids. But I personally would prefer not to be nearing the max. So your feedback echos my own concerns.

[donn0128]

Wood framing with corrogated aluminum siding was used for years and years with great success. No matter what construction is used water leaks is, has, and always be the biggest killer of any RV. Pick a floor plan within your budget you like and go. After sale YOU as the owner need to learn how and be meticilous about maintenance. You simply cannot leave it sitting without taking care of it. Doing so will ensure many years of enjoyment.