Advice for semi-newbie on used TTs

[ItsJustUs]

Hi everyone,

I camped a lot growing up, and my husband and I camped (tent and pop-up) when we were younger with fewer children. Our children are older now (teens, pre-teen) and we want to start camping again.

In your opinion, what is the smallest TT we could get by with for our family of 5? I'm normally a less-is-more kind of person, and the 30-ft TTs I see look huge to me. I think I'd rather have something shorter to fit into state and national park sites. I've looked at many trailers and I'm more drawn to the shorter ones with slides, but I know even slides can be a problem at state parks, so I'm not sure if that's best, either.

Ideally, I'd like shorter, with at least two bunks so we won't have to keep setting up and tearing down for all three kids (they can do it themselves, so I'm not worried about the work required as much as the stress/wear and tear on the couch or table).

We have a Ford Expedition that's rated at 8500 lbs (I think... have to double-check with my husband, but it's somewhere around that), but we need to trade in on another vehicle soon, so we can get whatever we need. Right now, I just need some guidance so I can focus on what's really workable for our family.

Also, we're planning to buy used instead of new. I know quality sometimes changes from year to year among the manufacturers, so if you could share your opinions on manufacturers who produce consistently good TTs, I'd appreciate it. (Should I avoid certain TTs manufactured by XYZ after 2008, for example.)

I know this is a lot to ask, but I'd appreciate any wisdom you have time to share.

[MFOX]

We are a family of 5 - two teenagers and one 9 year old. We had a pop-up until this year and moved up to a KZ Frontier which has a rear slide for the bed. To be honest we haven't camped yet - it is still in our driveway, we only purchased it a few weeks ago. But we did a lot of looking. Moving up from the pop-up it didn't work for me to do the hybrid. Ours has 4 bunks in the front and a queen in the back. We don't fill our water because we usually have at least water hook up, so that helps with the weight. But the weight of the trailer isn't bad - 5380 dry weight. Good luck with it and I will let you know how ours goes. First campout is Memorial Day unfortunately- wish it could be sooner!!

[ItsJustUs]

I want to thank everyone again for all the wisdom you've shared. It's given me a lot to think about. I have another question I'll ask in a separate post, but wanted you to know how much I appreciate your thorough answers to my questions.

[rfryer]

Where and how you want to camp will be a big factor in your decision. Room and comfort and access tend to be mutually exclusive. We started out with 3 kids in a tent, then a smaller Coleman PU. Then many years later we went to a 16’ TT and there were usually 2 kids with us. Mine has a side bath, a bunk we used for storage and a gaucho in back that converts to a bed. The kids used it and we used the dinette table. If it’s just the two of us the gaucho remains down. Neither one has suffered any undue wear in 23 years of use, i.e., I’ve never had to do a repair. And we’ve never felt like we were in a closet or bothered with the conversion.

That said, for lack of a better term, we’re hard core campers. We like to get well back in the national forests and away from the easy access campgrounds. Most activity is outdoors and we don’t carry a tv. So we don’t “live” in it like we do at home. An added plus is I can get in anywhere so I can wander at will without having to make reservations to ensure I have a site. So if someone wanted to do that sort of camping I’d say stay below 20’, likely not an attractive option for you. If I were willing to give up that type of camping and tried to balance off as much access as possible with room, I’d say stay at 25’ max. That’s real length, not model number length which is always understated. But even that is too restrictive for me; I really couldn’t get far enough back in to suit me.

Slides are nice in that they give you some extra room without the length. But it’s a “weak” point that will require maintenance and repair at some point, so another decision of what is more important to you. I think for the most part you shouldn’t have a problem extending the slides; you’d have to be in some really tight quarters.

As far as brands go, I’m a Northwood fan. They’re built for off pavement travel and are pretty sturdy. But they are also heavy units. Lance seems to be a good one, too, and I’m sure there are others out there; I just haven’t kept up with the market.

So you have to decide what the best compromise of size and access is that works for YOU. Then you can look at a TV that will do the job well. Forget the tow ratings, though, you’ll run out of payload before you get near it. And if you want to drive the mountains a lot, the more excess payload you have left the better. Good luck in your search.

[Campfire_Time]

I know you said you don't want to keep setting up and tearing down for all three kids. But since you are used to tenting, have you considered a hybrid? A hybrid is the best of the expandability of a PUP, with all the convenience of a TT. Because of the beds folding into the walls of the trailer, a hybrid has a lot more floor space available than a similar sized TT.

You can get hybrids with 3 beds. It really only takes a few minutes to setup and "make" the beds, and of course the kids can do the "make" part. The Jayco X23F is a good example and is within your ability to tow also.

Hybrids aren't for everyone, but we're on our second one. We had the first for 10 years.

Getting a tent for the kids is another great option! Thanks rbpru!

[rbpru]

With five kids that means you are going to haul a lot of stuff. The towing capacity of your vehicle will be second to your max cargo rating.

Find out what the family and their stuff weights in the TV and I suspect you will be close to your vehicles Max Cargo capacity before you drop on an additional 500 lbs. or so of tongue weight.

Basically, you can pull a heavier trailer at the expense of the cargo you can carry in the TV.

Our grandkids were canoe camping before their first birthdays; after age 8, they preferred their own tent next to the camper.

[Tystevens]

Bunks are a 'must-have' for us (we have 4 kids). It is so nice to have dedicated space for each kid, and to not have to tear down and set up beds, tables, etc. every morning and night. Plus, the kids really like sleeping in their bunk.

Our TT comes in between 6k and 6500 lbs depending on how long we are going for. We get by towing it with our Suburban. It has no slides and is just under 30' long overall. It is a very basic model, and probably costs little more than a fully optioned popup. We camp a lot in national forest, park, and state campgrounds, and have never had an issue with length (but only just barely -- there have been a few instances where we would have had a hard time finding a spot if we were a couple feet longer).

To me, it all depends what you want to do with the trailer. We usually take shorter (1-3 night) trips. We don't spend much time inside the TT at all -- most of our camping is destination oriented, and we are out doing things all day when we go camping. There is no television (we had the dealer keep it), and we do all our cooking outside. So, we are only in the TT to sleep, maybe for breakfast on a chilly morning or the odd rain storm. So it works great for our needs. We know others who seem to spend most of their time camping inside the trailer; ours would not work for us if that is what we did!

[Drum]

Do a Google search for Skyline Nomad 186. We had one of those for a couple of years. It weighs less than 3,000 lbs, has hard sides, bathroom, ref, stove, microwave, a queen bed (if you want to call it that), two bunks, and a dinette that converts to a bed. I will say that if any of you are 6' 3" tall like I am, then your head will brush the ceiling as you walk through. No slides either, so it's a little tight walking past someone else if they're standing. It's a great little camper, though.

[rainy029]

We just upgraded from a PUP to a 25ft TT. My son stopped going camping with us around 15-16 yrs old. So we are now a family of 4 and 2 large dogs. We mainly do state parks in our own state. The PUP was just to small for 2 teenage girls and 2 dogs. Not to mention, us parents getting older and having to set up and tear down. The TT we bought I found on Craigslist. Older but what we could afford without making payments on it. It has bunks, no slide, and a one-sided kitchen table. For us, it works fine. The only thing I don't like is not being able to walk around our bed on both sides. I still have to crawl over top of him to get up. We spend most of our time outside, including eating. But the one thing I did take notice of is... the reservation page on the state park website says that we can't get on alot of the sites we use to be able to...but since we go to the same parks all the time, we know what size campers we have seen on these sites over the years. And the reservation page is not always correct.

[donn0128]

When our girls got to around 10 they no longer wanted to sleep in the trailer, so we got them pup tents. You might consider that option for the older kids.

[fla-gypsy]

With a family of 5 including pre teens and teens you will struggle with a smaller unit especially if the children include girls due to privacy concerns. I don't think any of us can really advise what is right for your family not knowing your families dynamics. Do take time to consider all the issues. Bathroom size, holding tank size, sleeping arrangement privacy, dining arrangements, space for seating and entertainment options inside during inclement weather, etc. When you have completely evaluated your needs you can make a good decision and I suspect you will be looking at a larger trailer with slideouts. Good luck on the decision and camping with the family will create wonderful memories for you.

[Tvov]

Our 21ft Forest River (2004, hard to believe it is that old now!) has bunks in the back - one person up top, two people below. The U-shaped dinette in front drops down to make a queen size bed, and it sits 6 people when set up.

We've never found it an issue to drop down and put up the dinette, and being able to sit that many people has come in handy more than a few times during rainstorms. I am over 6ft tall and barely fit on the lower bunk... the queen size (well, basically queen size) bed is wonderful for me.

Search every inch of a used TT for water leaks. Especially if you are looking at 10 years old or more. Also check condition of rubber roof and how well the caulking on the roof is applied.

[APT]

You'll want something closer to 5k dry, maybe 6k. What year is your Expedition? They will be payload or receiver limited with a travel trailer. Towing an 8500 pound RV with a family of 5 will put an Expy well over some of its other ratings.

Pick your length based on what campsites you want to fit in. Some people travel in 45' motorhomes full time across the country. There are plenty of sites for them, just maybe not where you want. Length is not necessarily relative to weight. There are 25' TTS that will weigh 5000 pounds loaded and 10k loaded.

RVs all use the same 2-3 brands of parts, appliances, water heaters, slides. I personally would not care if the brand is not longer made. For shopping used, the condition and how it was maintained is far more important than brand. Water intrusion is the single most costly issue. So look under/behind everything for evidence of leaks.

One benefit of buying used is the cost is low if you decide you don't like RVing, or the exact model/floorplan you like. Keeping it for one season will depreciate maybe $1000.

There are only so many ways to fit 3 beds, a kitchen, living, and bathroom into 200 square feet of living space. Find the one that works for you best. Role play as you shop. Do your knees hit the wall/door when you sit on the toilet? Can someone walk by when cooking? Can you kneel to bath your toddlers? Do your feet and head simultaneously touch walls lying on the bed? Is there space for a weeks worth of clothes, food, cookware, dishes? I recommend browsing an RV show where many types of floorplans are without too much hassle fro ma salesman. Once you find a floorplan, we can help you find a used model with that variation.

[2012Coleman]

If your planning on buying used, take a look at your local CraigsList ads. Dealers in my area also carry used TT's. Quality varies, but Lance is a good brand with bunkhouse models, although usually, they don't have ducted A/C. Check prices on NADA - just Google it.

Things to think about used TTs include how long has it been sitting? Does it need new tires? Don't think so? How old are they? Do the wheel bearings need service? Do all the outside lights work including brake and turn signals? Deploy the awning - is is full of mildew or nice and clean? Does it/did it have a roof leak? Does all the appliances work - water heater, A/C, furnace - don't take a sellers word for it. If it has slides, do they work? Get up on top and inspect the roof and the caulking - the caulk may need to be redone. The roof should be in good shape - ask if it will support the weight of an adult. Check inside for mold/mildew and pet/cigarette oder. Look inside drawers and cabinets. Can your husband do these types of repairs, or do you have a dealer close by for service? Try not to get something more than a few years old.

As far as towing is concerned, what the TV can tow is not as important as how much available payload it has. Since you have a big family, you will be taking a lot of stuff - and payload is always used up before you reach towing capacity. A consideration in making a TV choice is that this may not be your last TT. You may want to go bigger in the future. People have often advised on here to look at used 3/4 ton vans for big families pulling TTs. Hopefully, with a large family, your not even considering a 1500 series TV.

[S_more_campers]

We've got 2 little ones and ourselves in a 20' trailer. Snug at best during meal times indoors, but we love the layout. Layout is everything, find what you like and shop from there. Consider the recession if your thinking of buying a trailer 2007 or older, is the manufacturer still in business? Can you get parts etc?