Light weight TTs: how do they hold up when boondocking?

[mcsandman]

I'm going to buy a 2015 Ford F150 with 3.5 eco boost and go full-time RVing, while towing a lightweight trailer of 30 ft. or so. I'm worried, though, that trailering in the boon docks will be too much for a light weight. What do you think?

[windpusher]

If you are going with the 150, make sure you do wait for the 2015.
Ford is using composite body and reinforced frame. It should have a higher payload rating. As a matter of fact its payload will be close to the 3/4 ton Chevy and Dodge. Also, if you are going to do off the grid camping I would recommend to stay closer to 26' trailer.

[jaycocreek]

mcsandman wrote:
I'm going to buy a 2015 Ford F150 with 3.5 eco boost and go full-time RVing, while towing a lightweight trailer of 30 ft. or so. I'm worried, though, that trailering in the boon docks will be too much for a light weight. What do you think?

Not at all. 99% of my rving/camping is done on gravel/wash boardy back country roads in my 30ft tongue to bumper trailer pulled with the F-150. No campgrounds/no hookups just pull over for totally free camping.

Long term needs extra water/propane and a means to dump although the use of a porta-potti takes care of the latter.I have two 25 gallon propane tanks that replace the two 7 lb bottles on the trailer and a 10 gallon I use strictly for my catalytic heater that requires know battery to run/I also have several water containers from 6 gallons to 50 gallons for the extra water and ofcourse generators (plural) for different needs of power and two extra batteries I use on an inverter separate of the trailer batteries.

Long term boondocking takes two trips/one with the travel trailer and the other with the ATV trailer loaded with the Rhino and all the extra water/gas and propane and sometimes a small freezer for really long stays without having to go to town for a long time.

I can easily go a month without ever needing to go back to town and then it's only to pay bills then return. My job required long stays off the grid far from a town or store for long periods of time. I loved it then and love it now.

[Bumpyroad]

IndyCamp wrote:

Bumpyroad wrote:
I'd never buy a 150 to full time with.
bumpy

Well, that's YOU.

What if your rig is an Aliner?

My parents are full-timing (for half the year at least) in an Aliner and their TV is a Sienna.

half a year is not full-timing as IMHO full-timing is a commitment for several years, not just camping in the back yard when the house is being remodeled. Let us know if they are still married at the end of 6 months. the last A-liner I saw was woefully lacking in storage for a one week trip.
bumpy

[bcsslc]

I wish I could figure out how to post some pics from my phone to show you some of the places that I have taken my rig (276bhsl Kodiak ). It's bumper to bumper 31' ish. Sure it's way different then my previous Fletwood E2 ...... but we still can get up and in it. Most of the roads we travel are 15 - 20 miles of washboard or dirt. We will make camp for 4 to 10 days at a time. After day 6 tanks are not great but I bring a spare #2 bucket and 35 gallon tank of fresh to get us by . I use the gray to put out the fire at night. The black is the only down side. All of my equipment has stood up to all of the rough conditions with out any major problems . However my buddy that heads out with us has had some minor issues. Like W/H , and frig not running 100%. His is a Evo something ...... I believe that it boils down to experience and common sense of how your rig works and it's limitation.

[IndyCamp]

Bumpyroad wrote:
I'd never buy a 150 to full time with.
bumpy

Well, that's YOU.

What if your rig is an Aliner?

My parents are full-timing (for half the year at least) in an Aliner and their TV is a Sienna.

[profdant139]

A 30 footer is real long for the twisty and narrow forest roads out west -- maybe conditions are easier when boondocking elsewhere back east?? A lightweight trailer is ok for boondocking -- just take it slow on rough roads. If you are interested, maybe check out my blog links in my signature -- we do a lot of very rough camping with a small ultralight. But this is not rock-hopping -- we travel at 5 or 10 mph on really bad roads, and we roll very slowly over big rocks and potholes.

If you really want to charge into the back country, a TC is better. We prefer a trailer because we can leave it at the campsite quickly and easily, but there are disadvantages in rough terrain.

[Lynnmor]

Glad you chimed in Gil. As you know we had ultra-light trailers that couldn't handle any type of highway. The OP needs to insure that any unit he buys has a real frame. There are few makes that will be able to handle less than perfect roads.

[myredracer]

Pay VERY close attention to the frame. Other than the BAL Ultraframe, there are two basic types out there. One has forged I-beams and one does not. One is significantly stronger than the other. And when it comes to the "better" one, some of them are stronger because they have re-enforcing of the frame around the spring hangers (gussets, for ex.) A weak frame can cause you all sorts of problems.

Their units won't be light exactly, but Nash and Outdoors RV make their own in-house heavy duty off-road frame. Might be interesting to go check one out to see what the frames are like. The Ultraframe is on a few ultra-lites. I think the Jayco Whitehawk does IIRC. It's a nice looking frame.

I would agree with going to a 3/4 ton.

[rfryer]

I’m a little unsure what you mean by boondocking. For the most part, that implies out in the boonies on primitive, rough roads. And I can think of very few places where one could get a 30’ TT on that sort of road. The exception would be roads to popular areas, like lakes and such that are wide, graded and graveled. But then they’re not so rough a lightweight should be a problem. Or said another way, I think you’re unlikely to get that big a rig on a road that would be too hard on a lightweight.

That said, for fulltiming you want something on the large side and well made to stand up to the full time use. So if I were looking I’d lean toward the heavier constructed unit and weight would be secondary. And then something bigger than a ½ ton TV might be a better choice. Good luck.

[2oldman]

It's easy to correlate longevity and strength with weight, since coaches made for full-time living are heavy.

I suppose it's possible to get a light coach made for full time and boondocking rigors (rough roads and dirt) but you'll have to be a very careful shoppper. Lots of folks complain of staples popping out and generally poor workmanship in cheaper, lighter units.

[BubbaChris]

F150 and 30-foot trailer will not likely work as a combo. You'll run out of payload with tongue-weight plus all your stuff for full-timing.

Maintenance will also play a big factor into how the TT holds up. If you're handy and stay on top of things, anything will last longer than a neglected big-bucks unit.

[Bumpyroad]

Terryallan wrote:

Bumpyroad wrote:
I'd never buy a 150 to full time with.
bumpy

But now. they are not even putting real motors in 250s so it is a mute point.

if the motors, brakes, suspension, tranny coolers, etc. are the same, then get a 350.
bumpy

[Terryallan]

Bumpyroad wrote:
I'd never buy a 150 to full time with.
bumpy

But now. they are not even putting real motors in 250s so it is a mute point.

[JiminDenver]

donn0128 wrote:
I understand boondocking. I understand full timing. I understand trying to keep cost down. What I dont understand is how your going to boondock for more than a coyple of days without more. Water propane and waste disposal are three major questions you need to addtess to yourself

.
We boondock for up to two weeks at a time and then have to move. While on the move we dump and refill.