Going back to TC from Class A? What do you think?

[Kidoo]

Travelling with a Class A for over a year and around 12,000 miles, I am looking back at a truck camper.

I use to have a Bigfoot 10.5 no extension and tought it was a bit small when camping for longer period especially sitting at the square table. I am retired now and have more time to spend in one location, like one month at a time. With the TC, I was mostly traveling and not staying more than a week at the same place, like going around USA and to Alaska twice. I don't know if I would like to stay in a TC for a month period, especially when it's raining or cold outside.

I certainly would go for a slide out and bigger than what I had at least to be able to spend a few days inside, and it needs to be winter proof.

I found the Class A to be very nice to travel and the floor space is undeniable. Since it is a 34 ft. it is not too bad to park in a parking lot and I found space available without to much problem so far. But it is not near the same as a TC as you can park anywhere there is a spot available.

The Class A is much more money to maintain and much harder to find a repair shop. I already had the radiator replace, $3000, tire replaced, $4000, and a few other breakdown. In my area I find all I want but while traveling, it is hard to find a shop that will do the repairs. Some big rig shops do some work but not everything, sometimes you have to go to an RV shop, then you talk big $$$$$$, and weeks waiting for parts or an available spot as I found out a couple of times this year. Or you do it yourself like I had to do for the ABS sensors and the Alternator.

One of my biggest concern now is the windshield chipping from road rocks. Where I live, they have gravel on the road in the winter months, for this winter only, while going and back from Florida, I had four chips on my windshield, two last year. One side of the windshield is around $1400, I cannot afford to replace windshield every year. I got a few rocks on the truck before, but they seem to fly by, not as direct as a Class A flat windshield.

The problem is to sell the RV, find a new TC, find a dually to fit a bigger camper, mine is a F350 single wheel.

Bad move?? Good move??

[mkasner]

Just get the largest truck camper you can get on your truck. Host Mammoth might get you going 🙂

[tmartin000]

I would think the Class C would be better for you. Much easier to get repairs and a ton more room.

[jimh406]

It looks like you own both a TC and Class A. There are some TCs that are larger, but they are still small compared to a Class A.

We had a Class A and have a TC. I think it all depends on what kind of camping you do.

[Tom_Anderson]

My wife and I owned a 36' diesel pusher for eight years and tens of thousands of miles before we sold it and bought the current truck camper. About the only thing I miss from the motorhome is the "real" shower. Everything else being smaller doesn't bother me a bit.

[timmac]

If I was to leave a class A for something smaller than I would go with a class B or C, you don't have to get out of truck and walk around and pull down a ladder to climb up just to use the bathroom, why not check out these type, they to can be small and get around as easy as a TC..

[billtex]

We have owned 5 different RV's. Love the flexibility of the TC. It's all we want/need as we value mobility and function over a lot of interior space. We have Single slide (much more space than our non-slide) large tanks, and all the comfort of home. If we were buying now we would look at one of the TC's with recliners...that is about the only thing we don't have.
Good luck, Bill

[kohldad]

From the way you talk, I don't think you would be very happy with a TC. As you know from past experience, they are great for traveling or towing, not great sitting for a while.

I think you would be happier with a 30-32' FW which you could pull with your current truck. Then when you get set up some place, you have the truck to run around in for sight seeing. Since you are retired and have the time to spend a week or two here and there, it wouldn't be like trying to drive around with it all time.

I plan on retiring in a few more years and we have already decided that for the first year or two, we will take two to four month long trips with the TC while we explore the country but not staying in a single place for more than a few days because we want to see "everything". After we have seen most "everything", we will be ready to start going back and really explore our favorites place. Then we will probably have a small 8' TC and pull a 30' TT giving us the best of both worlds.

The TT will be to give us our space during bad weather, room for extra gear, and used as a base camp. But we will have the TC for taking one or two nights out in the boonies where the TT won't be able to go. Also give us all the amenities while we are out exploring for the day.

[Sandia_Man]

Sounds good to me, but I don't tell people how to spend their hard earned dollars. Bad move or good move is all in the eye of the beholder and that will be your choice to make, you could let us know down the road if whatever you decide worked out for the good or bad. You have a capable truck maybe a compromise and pick something in-between a TC and a Class A, either way it's your call. Have fun camping in your retirement!!!

[2lazy4U]

I would take a TC over a Class A any day. The mobility, cost, and ease of upkeep are all major considerations, and I'm not into big luxurious homes on wheels, just simplicity and some comfort and the ability to go where I want. Go for the TC.