First Time renting/towing

[patchelect]

My wife and I have our hearts set on trying camping with a travel trailer. No pop-ups, no 5ths, just a plain old camping trailer. I originally had an '01 Dodge Dakota V6 Sport 4WD that we were going to use, but in a weak moment we sold it and got a '14 RAM Crew 4X4 with a Hemi and a 3.21 rear. I am not asking for it's shortcomings nor for "you shouldas", just some advise to get my feet wet.

Initially we are renting and I realize my options are extremely limited but I have to start somewhere. The truck has the factory receiver and brake controller and whatever factory options that would have come with the "towing package". We are however at the mercy of where we go to rent and the "advice" they may offer for equipment. I am aware there are places to deal with individuals who rent through a group (RV.net) but I was thinking "Joe's Trailer Rental" might be an easier first time since I am not really versed in what I need to buy/add to the truck as a start. We have no visions of big rigs and can be quite happy in the 16-18' range without any problems especially as a first timer. We reside in Western Massachusetts so we have some hills and mountains to navigate but there are also a goodly number of places we can go for a weekend or a week without hiking to Ohio!

I've spent a huge amount of time in the last 14-16 moths reading this site and others about towing and "first timers" but haven't quite seen a good starting point advice, more "now you have this, try that".

We used to boat for decades in a 36' twin screw cabin cruiser in the ocean and bays of the East Coast so this would only be a transition from that lifestyle. If I were getting back into boating there would be no questions, but camping is not quite the same once you introduce a tow vehicle and the necessary connections you need to be able to actually drag the trailer across the earth!

[afidel]

AAA RV rider is only available is some parts of the country, if it's available from your local branch then it's probably worth getting if you're staying local.

[rbpru]

Our rental place is about 40 miles away. We decided what size we wanted, what it would cost or rental, insurance etc, then simply backed up our truck, watched while they showed us how to hitch and unhitch, took a test ride around the block so they could show me how to set the brake controller. We spent time reviewing the inside features and off we went for 10 days.

For a fee that also offered to dump the tanks when we got back.

[kcfissel]

AAA has an RV membership. It might be worthwhile to look into it to see if it has anything to offer you.

[patchelect]

Yeah, they actually DO have a roadside assistance arrangement. I believe the owner is VERY concerned about his unit and doesn't need problems. 24/7 by coachnet. Plus I have AAA for whatever that might be worth.

[2DHoop]

patchelect wrote:
Thanks to all who input in such a quick amount of time!

In the meantime I actually found a private rental available through "Outdoorsy.com" that is about 4 miles from me. They specifically say in their comments that they will supply and connect the necessary hitch and sway control as well as needed side view mirrors. I believe I will be paying them a visit in the near future to make some early springtime plans! The individuals have favorable ratings from those who rented from them so that is a plus. It's a 25' Forest River and they even offer weights and tongue weights.

Be sure to ask if they have a policy for roadside assistance (hopefully not needed) or what happens if the trailer needs emergency repairs.

[naturist]

Sounds to me like you are going about it the right way. Go get 'em tiger, and have fun. That's what it's all about.

[patchelect]

Thanks to all who input in such a quick amount of time!

In the meantime I actually found a private rental available through "Outdoorsy.com" that is about 4 miles from me. They specifically say in their comments that they will supply and connect the necessary hitch and sway control as well as needed side view mirrors. I believe I will be paying them a visit in the near future to make some early springtime plans! The individuals have favorable ratings from those who rented from them so that is a plus. It's a 25' Forest River and they even offer weights and tongue weights.

[rbpru]

Our first RV rental was 25 foot TT similar to the ones we were looking to buy.

I had an F-150 with a towing package and enough cargo capacity.

What I did not know was the previous owner had ordered it with a low emissions package which translated to a 200 hp. motor. We went from IN to the Ozarks for 10 days.

The braking was fine, the parking was okay, the wind and truck buffets were a surprise but not bad, however, the acceleration was very poor.

The transmission was always trying to down shift so I had to play the gas and speed to keep the motor rpm down. The end result was a top speed of 62 mph on the flat and 50 to 55 mph in the hills.

Being from the old school where you drive what you have and take notes, we learned that we would need more horse power, and a different
Floor plan than what we thought we wanted.

We stayed with the 25 ft TT length, but bought a 356 hp E-boost F-150 4x4.

Renting allowed us to determine what we really wanted in a TT and TV.

Good luck.

[Lwiddis]

Your 3.21 rear end isn’t ideal but is near my Tahoe’s 3.42. No problems pulling my Winnie at 5,100 pounds wet/loaded on a heavy day up and down the Sierras. Stay in that ball park and you’ll be fine. Have fun!

[Ron3rd]

Actually you picked a nice tow vehicle for a decent sized trailer. Hitch up and go camping!

[DesertTracker]

About 10 years ago, I sold my Lance overhead in order to transition to a TT. I spent most of the summer shopping for the trailer, so I rented a TT twice, once from a local RV repair shop and once from the Navy base close to me. The RV repair shop offered an equalizer at additional charge (don't remember how much), but the base didn't offer one. Both trailers were around 18 ft. and I had a 3500 dually so I didn't use the equalizer. The two places were quite different, the RV shop looked at the truck, had a list of things you may need, and was relatively helpful with my questions, where the Navy base person I dealt with did not seem to be as well versed in towing or camping, but they were cheaper and had brand new trailers; also they just asked if I had a hitch, proper ball and brake controller. It may be worth renting an extra day up front to just hook up and tow the trailer around to see how things operate and handle before jumping out on the road for a trip.
When I bought my first RV many years ago, I packed it, filled it with water and supplies and camped about 50 miles away just to see what I didn't know. I didn't know a lot: water heater lighting, generator operation, and worst of all, I didn't have a wine opener for my wife, etc.
When you settle on a place to rent, you may want to visit them and get an idea of what is supplied or what extras you can rent. When I sold the Lance, I stored all the stuff I took out of it in the big Rubbermaid bins, so I just loaded the bins into the rentals. Use a list off the internet or generate your own of essentials, or the rental place may have a suggested list you could use as a start.
At a minimum, check tire pressures and set to max on tires, lug nut torque, and lights before you drive away.
Good luck on your future adventures!

[Mortimer_Brewst]

Here’s a FAQ page from a RV dealer in Illinois that also rents RVs. The FAQs should give you some ideas for questions to ask. When they say they provide hoses they are talking about both fresh water and waste. I didn’t see wheel chocks listed, so you should ask about those as well. I would think most RV dealers would provide you with the basics.

[westend]

Get the reasonably sized trailer and drag it to a nice spot. It will give you the basics of camping and towing on the first trip. You want a trailer umbilical connection on rear of the truck and maybe a weight distributing hitch with some sway control.

Good luck on the maiden voyage!