Looking for first TT - Suggestions

[jcg5885]

Hello,

I am in the beginning stages of looking for a travel trailer. I have started looking around on Craigslist and looked briefly at an RV dealer.

We have camped in tents up to this point and would like to move up to a travel trailer.

Must Haves:
Sleep AT LEAST 5 people
Under 27' TOTAL (driveway is 26' 11" from the garage to the sidewalk)
1/2 ton towable (TV specs below)

Wish List:
Triple or Quad bunks (I know quad bunks is a stretch in this size)
Separate main bed area



I don't really want to have to fold down the table for a bed. Ideally, I'd like to have a bed for everybody in our family of 5 and convert the table to a bed for guests, if needed.

Family: Me, Wife, 3 kids (6, 2 1/2, one on the way), 2 medium sized dogs (Min-pin / Beagle mix)

Tow Vehicle:
2006 F-150 SuperCab Lariat 2WD, 5.4L V8, 3.55 open rear axle
GCWR: 14,000
GVWR: 7050
Payload: 1695


We will probably be using the F-150, but would also like to have the option of using our 2006 Expedition Eddie Bauer.

I am willing to look at any price range, but cheaper models would be favorable.


Any suggestions on trailers that have my must-haves and wish list items would be much appreciated.

Also, if there is anything I missed, or features I should look for, please let me know.

Thanks

[jcg5885]

APT wrote:
Under 6000 pounds dry should be fine for you. That will be about 900 pounds of loaded TW and plenty of payload left for family and gear.

Buy a hybrid because you like to sleep under canvas. Thee are solutions in similar weight ranges for travel trailers.

The Solaire that I was looking at is under 6000 dry (5390), but the dry hitch weight is 800. It would be well over 1000 on the hitch once loaded, I think.

I'm having a hard time understanding why this particular one is so heavy on the hitch.

I really didn't expect to be looking for a 3/4 ton truck to tow a 24' trailer.

[APT]

Under 6000 pounds dry should be fine for you. That will be about 900 pounds of loaded TW and plenty of payload left for family and gear.

Buy a hybrid because you like to sleep under canvas. Thee are solutions in similar weight ranges for travel trailers.

[michigansandzil]

It sounds like there is no prefect solution. I suggest you get the solid bunkhouse you want and store the tt off site.
Ours is 30 feet, 5700#, has quad bunks in the bunkhouse, and we tow it with either our F150 or our Expedition.
We keep it at a family member's house and it's not the end of the world to pick up and drop off.
I've done the couch and table conversion and that got old so fast that we bought a new tt in a year.

[real4u2c]

Partner We owned a 233s Rockwood Roo, for space and lightweight tow, it was real nice. But it was a tight fit with more than 5 adults.

Now as for looking to buy, aluminium framed 16" on centre studs, lightweight and super strong. Kitchen, restroom,dining area over the axles. You want the weight over the centre of gravity (axles). I prefer smooth fiberglass, less air friction, helps on fuel costs. If you live near a manufacturing facility, go take a tour. Power tongue jack, is a must. Led lighting is great. Awning over the slides. Ask,ask,ask every and anything Rv on here, wealth of knowledge on here. Good weight distribution hitch, I have an eq2, and have put it through the ringer, and it is strong like the mountain.

[shihtzumoma]

Hello
I just was in your place a few months ago. Please do your research. I was at a dealership and saw a man there that had bought a TT on craigslist. It looked beautiful , but had a leak in it. He was was trying to trade it in at the dealership. I was at a used RV dealership. Found what I thought was a great trailer until I checked out a very large fver and climbed up the stairs turned around and saw the roof of the trailer I liked. A Mess, Needed a total reroof job. So be very careful. Do your research on what to look for. Read the forums. Please take a picky person with you. Do not sign off on the rig or give them money until you do the walk through. Thank you.
Jeanine
F150
2004 31 ft Keystone Springdale with Quad bunk .

[jcg5885]

The 1,698 payload is on the door sticker. If the trailer is going to eat up 1,000 lbs. of that, I guess I'll have to look for a bigger truck, unless I want to go camping by myself.

That's a shame. I really like my F-150 and planned on getting another one. Not sure if I want to move up to a 3/4 ton or not.


As far as the length goes, the Solaire 239 DSBH says "travel length" is 27' 1". I'm assuming that that is the total from bumper to tongue.

The manufacturer at the show told me that the Keystone Passport 2400BH was 27', but upon further research I found that it is 27' 10".

I guess the only way to know for sure is to grab a big tape measure and go to the dealer.

[handye9]

jcg5885 wrote:

Why is the hitch weight so much more on the Solaires?

A few possibilities could be construction materials, the extra slide out, and axle location. Axles farther back on the trailer would increase tongue weight.

Will I be able to tow that Solaire 239 DSBH safely with my current TV?

Difficult for us to answer that question. We don't know how much weight you are already carrying. Your payload gets eaten up buy everything and everybody, in or on the truck. IE: your family's weight, a bed cap, tool box, step bars, weight distribution (about 100 lbs)hitch, etc.

The trailer will need 900 to 1000 lbs of your payload.

Note: Earlier, you mentioned a 27 foot limit to fit your driveway. Some broschure maesurements, are only the size of the box, tongue not included. That trailer could be 30 feet, tip to tip. If that would be an issue, you may want to verify the dimensions.

[Second_Chance]

OP - you don't say whether your 1,695# payload is what's left over after you've scaled the truck with all passengers, pets, fuel and gear or what you're getting off the sticker or other printed material. If it's not what's left after you've scaled your truck, you may not have enough tow vehicle. All tongue weights stated by the manufacturers are "dry" - you will easily add several hundred pounds more with propane, cargo in the "basement" and front of the trailer, etc. This also does not include anything extra you'll load in the truck bed. Forget about what an RV dealer will tell you - trust only the door sticker on your tow vehicle and your calculations after weighing your truck loaded. Figure on about 13% of the gross vehicle weight rating of the travel trailer for tongue weight - not anything based on published or dry tongue weights (and you have to add in the weight of an equalizer hitch - which can be 100 lbs or more). It's not just a question of whether or not the truck can pull it, but whether it can pull it without wearing out the transmission prematurely and, most importantly, whether or not it can stop the rig (at fully-loaded gross weight) safely. You don't want to put your family at risk. PM me and I can help you with calculations if you like.

Rob

[jcg5885]

Well, we went to the camper show, in Novi, yesterday.

What an experience that was!

We saw a couple of campers that we liked.

I had never really considered an expandable, but we liked the Palomino Solaire 213 X. It's got 3 slides, each with a queen size bed.

Anybody have any opinions on expandables? I'm a little apprehensive about them just because of the fact that if it gets wet, I'll have to open it all up and let it dry out when we get home.

The one we really liked at the show was the Keystone Passport 2400BH. It is a good length and I should have no problem pulling it with my current truck. It's got a double over double bunk in the back and a private master bed up front.

I also found the Keystone Bullet 243BHS after we got home. It looks to be almost identical to the 2400BH.

Does anybody know the difference between the Passport and the Bullet, besides the name?

While looking over the Solaire brochure, I noticed the 239 DSBH. We like this one the best out of all of them. The length is right where we need to be, and the layout is the same as the Keystones. The Solaire has the added bonus of a dedicated entry door for the bathroom. The only thing I'm worried about with the Solaire is that the hitch weight is 800 lbs.! That seems pretty high. The Keystone Passport and Keystone Bullet had hitch weights of 515 lbs. and 555 lbs.
The Solaire does have an extra slide-out, but I didn't expect it to be that much heavier on the tongue.
I looked up the hitch weight on the Solaire expandable and it is 605 lbs. This seems odd to me for a trailer that is smaller than the Keystones. Why is the hitch weight so much more on the Solaires?

Will I be able to tow that Solaire 239 DSBH safely with my current TV?

Here's the specs:

Tow Vehicle:
2006 F-150 2WD Lariat SuperCab, 144" WB, 5.4L V8, 3.55 open rear axle
GCWR 14,000
GVWR 7,050
Payload 1,698

Travel Trailer:
Palomino Solaire 239 DSBH
Hitch Dry Weight: 800 lbs.
Dry Axle Weight: 4590 lbs.
Total Dry Weight: 5390 lbs.
GVWR: 7800 lbs.

[jcg5885]

APT wrote:
School is starting and the camping season is over for many people. Take your time this winter and find what you like. There will be two RV shows in Novi, October and February.

Thanks for the tip.

Might have to check out the RV show.

Baby is due in October, so we may just wait until February to go.

[APT]

School is starting and the camping season is over for many people. Take your time this winter and find what you like. There will be two RV shows in Novi, October and February.

[fallsrider]

What little advice I can offer is to be patient. Do your homework and really think through what you want/need/can afford/can tow, etc. You will figure out what will work best for you.

[FrankShore]

Find a RV Show near you and go start looking at the available models, you'll find something - guaranteed!

[jcg5885]

Was just looking at this one: http://www.generalrv.com/product/used-2008-skyline-malibu-2110-135906-29

I've never heard of Skyline Malibu before.

This is a similar layout to the Keystone 230RS, minus the toy hauler ability.


Anybody have any experience with this layout or brand?