Can you have your cake and eat it too?

[Dennis58]

Hi everyone

New forum member here with a odd ball can you have your cake and eat it too question? I'm about 3 years out from retirement and in the planning stages of putting together a rig that can meet all my needs.

Some background on me I have owned a couple Class A RV's over the years for both full time and part time use as well as tent camping in my younger years. My next camping adventures will combine ATV's on a occasional basis and several trips to the South/Mid West.

I'm drawn to TC's for their simplicity and compactness but the truck payload weight limits gets eaten up quickly going up in size than adding cargo. I'm not looking to drag 30' plus foot of equipment behind my truck so trailers, 5'ers and Toy Haulers are a non starter with me. Everything seems to start in the 27' range for entry level RV's that seem to me anyway to be cheaply built.

So I said if you can't find it just build it. How about a custom built 22' (floor length) trailer with a 5th wheel hookup. I can place a 10-11' TC on the front and have 11' left on the back for a ATV or Side by Side or Golf Cart. I know the Rock Crawler guys do this with 40' equipment trailers so it should be doable.

I'm not talking something thrown together but a well thought out project that is custom built around a TC I choose. The smaller footprint trailer still gives me access to a lot of campgrounds and I have more flexibility for dry camping.

My tow vehicle is a 2019 Silverado Dully Duramax.

What are your thought on that setup?

Thanks
Dennis

[discovery4us]

Kayteg1 wrote:
Than with RV you don't pay all the taxes commercial trailers cost.

CA the trailer would be PTI tags which are only $50 for five years, or $10 a year. One reason many of the off roaders go this route.

Also provides a nice deck up off the desert dirt.

It is hard to find a nice goose neck flatbed,new or used,at a decent price. If I already had the trailer I wouldn't hesitate to go this route.

[jaycocreek]

Wouldn't it be way cheaper, way safer and way more comfortable to just buy TT in that length?

This is snot about that length,the picture was an example..The op stated in the link he posted that he wants a longer one so the answer is no..They don't make a travel trailer with a rear deck long enough and rated enough for a vehicle as was shown in Brads link.

As I said again,it's not for everyone just as an enclosed trailer would not work for me and what I need a trailer to do..This goose neck setup would..

[jaycocreek]

Except how do you unload the hauled vehicle behind the camper?

Ramps,just like you would with an ATV trailer..Unloaded from the truck you would have to support the rear to stabilize it..

Once you back in and are level side to side(front to rear with the tongue jack),unhook and your gone in your empty truck..

[Kayteg1]

jaycocreek wrote:


I like it..I have seen the same thing with a bumper pull but as you,I would want it longer..

Wouldn't it be way cheaper, way safer and way more comfortable to just buy TT in that length?
Than with RV you don't pay all the taxes commercial trailers cost.
Not even talking how high COG creates sways on this combo.

[Ski_Pro_3]

jaycocreek wrote:

Advantage of the camper on the trailer... I really can’t think of any!

Back in and your done with an empty pickup, for one...

Except how do you unload the hauled vehicle behind the camper? You would have to unload that first, before backing in.
Now you've got THREE things to park;
1. The truck
2. The trailer with the camper on it
3. The hauled vehicle that was loaded on the trailer.

Most camp spots won't have room for all three. Most camp spots charge extra for extra vehicles. Gonna be a crowded spot in my opinion.

[jaycocreek]

Dennis58 wrote:
TC on a Gooseneck

Check out the above link, that is a mini me version of what I had in mind.

The owner of that already had the TC, didn't want a TT and could not find a 25' 5'er. Wanted to get to where he was going, drop the trailer and have his truck to use.

I like it..I have seen the same thing with a bumper pull but as you,I would want it longer..

[Kayteg1]

Bedlam wrote:

Put a big camper like mine on any Class 3 DRW and you are approaching rear axle capacity. Whether you use an extended truck receiver or trailer tongue to make the connection, there may not be enough reserve to tow what you want. On the other hand, a gooseneck trailer loaded down to 15,000 lbs would possible even with a SRW.

Add CDL required and if in CA, annual >$600 weight fee.
Just becouse you can do it - doesn't mean you want to do it.
The low-boy goosneck in last link is nice, but did you check how much they are selling for?
It might come that from whole combo - most of the value is in trailer.
That beside the fact that low-boys have limited length, so getting one that fits TC and Jeep might be in question.

[Dennis58]

TC on a Gooseneck

Check out the above link, that is a mini me version of what I had in mind.

The owner of that already had the TC, didn't want a TT and could not find a 25' 5'er. Wanted to get to where he was going, drop the trailer and have his truck to use.

[trail-explorer]

I prefer a big ole Costco Pumpkin pie instead of cake.

[Bedlam]

burningman wrote:
But this guy has a new Duramax dually.

But about the weight, adding a gooseneck trailer supporting the camper adds to the total weight of the whole package. You haven’t gained any capacity you’ve lost capacity.

Put a big camper like mine on any Class 3 DRW and you are approaching rear axle capacity. Whether you use an extended truck receiver or trailer tongue to make the connection, there may not be enough reserve to tow what you want. On the other hand, a gooseneck trailer loaded down to 15,000 lbs would possible even with a SRW.

[jaycocreek]

Advantage of the camper on the trailer... I really can’t think of any!

Back in and your done with an empty pickup, for one..This really boils down to a small travel trailer that will also carry your toys plus wood or whatever and a nice deck.

Like I said before,it all depends on how a person uses a TC and what for..For some this would be ideal and for others,not so much..The empty car hauler type trailer is far more useful to carry things than an enclosed trailer..

[burningman]

But this guy has a new Duramax dually.

But about the weight, adding a gooseneck trailer supporting the camper adds to the total weight of the whole package. You haven’t gained any capacity you’ve lost capacity.

[Bedlam]

Some of the guys do not have sufficient truck to tow heavy toys and haul a camper at the same time. Putting all the weight on the trailer and just dealing with the pin weight may be their only option if that is case.

[trail-explorer]

midnightsadie wrote:
I,d go TC ,and a pull trailer for toys.

Ditto. I nice 20'-24' enclosed cargo trailer can double as extra space when camping.

[Kayteg1]

burningman wrote:


Advantage of the camper on the trailer... I really can’t think of any!

How about 2-minutes hookup and safety check?
But on other hand, some of those goosneck trailers look like more than 10k GVW.
We start talking CDL requirements.