Does an extra 6 inches matter?

It won't make any difference except maybe slightly when using the mirrors on the TV since it will be 3 more inches to see around. I would take the wider unit any time.

Bill

No

flash82 wrote:
...get your mind out of the gutter..... Am talking about the areodynamics and towing characteristics of a 7.5 foot compared to an 8 foot wide. With things equal like frontal shape and height would there be much of a difference? Just a few inches more to stick outside the tow vehicle. It was a conversation we had earlier....just curious.

It definitely matters in the gutter and if you are talking about a 30 foot long trailer, it means 15 additional square feet which you will notice. I would think the aerodynamics would be less important than the fact that that extra 6 inches makes the rig about 8% larger, and probably about 8% heavier, not insignificant. Personally, I would go with the larger, because square footage is always at a premium in an RV.

A lot of manuals tell what the max frontal area of a trailer can be. If the box is 8 ft high, 1/2 ft would only add 4 square ft to that area.

No difference

I went from an 8 foot wide to an 8 foot 6 inch wide camper. I've not noticed any difference at all. Except the new one is longer and naturally heavier since it also has slides and the old one (shorter by 4 feet and no slides) was not as heavy. No difference on the road though. I never done a comparison of the actual trailer frame to figure out if the wheels are actually farther apart between the two trailers. It's possible the same frame width may be the same, and the tires may be the same width, I do't know, never measured it, never thought about it until just right now. But I do know, as far as wind resistance, ... nada! Enjoy the larger camper!

My wife doesn't think so.

The title of your question caught my eye, so had to check it out but I really have no idea if that 6 inches would make a difference or not.

Yes it makes a difference but, it depends upon how you travel. For me, traveling back roads and often gravel roads, width makes a big difference on tight turns and in tight spaces. For me, towing with a HD F150 I wouldn't want the extra weight. For me on a limited budget, the extra square footage of air resistance and impact on gas mileage makes a big difference over long distances. For others who travel interstates and main highways and are satisfied with the other small sacrifices of the extra size, perhaps they would see no issue.