Overnight stay

[Vacation_Bound]

We have Rv'd and camped for many years, but this is the first Hybrid trailer we have had. FOr an overnight stay can you put the bunk out with the tow vehicle still attached? We measured and it looks like it would just be enough room between the trailer and the tow vechicle. We are towing this with a 2015 Toyota 4Runner.

Also, how long did it take to learn how to back this up. At this point, I think we can only go forward and use all pull thrus.

ANy tidbits of info will be appreciated.

Thanks

[poppin_fresh]

wing_zealot wrote:

poppin_fresh wrote:
As the potential "guy next to you", I don't "appreciate" anyone waking me up in the middle of the night, even if it is just for a couple minutes while you drive away.

Do you get to tell your neighbor at home what time he can leave also? I think that the fact that I try and be considerate and minimize the disturbance is the best you can get. Hence, I don't unhook.

At home, in the country, my neighbors are spaced out enough to be barely visible. At a CG, that is typically NOT the case.

For the record, I'm fine with you waking me up at 3AM as long as you are OK with my two kids running wild around the CG, waking you up from your nap at 3PM! Same thing in my book. 🙂

[Wavesprite]

We've done this when we've had to leave early for somewhere. Our front bunk JUST clears the back of our tow vehicle. We get everything packed up the night before, just have to pull the beds to the middle with the bedding, fold the ends in, crank up the corner thingies (can't remember the name) and go.

Oh, and I'd rather have someone pull out at 3am that has hooked up and leaves with minimal noise, then the person who got a late start and is attemping to back into their spot (over and over again) at 10pm.

[wing_zealot]

poppin_fresh wrote:
As the potential "guy next to you", I don't "appreciate" anyone waking me up in the middle of the night, even if it is just for a couple minutes while you drive away.

Do you get to tell your neighbor at home what time he can leave also? I think that the fact that I try and be considerate and minimize the disturbance is the best you can get. Hence, I don't unhook.

[SoundGuy]

poppin_fresh wrote:
I am not getting up at 3AM to leave anywhere.

No one is asking you to, in fact no one cares whether you do or don't. I don't particularly like getting up really early either but the reality sometimes is that in order to get where we're going that day we may have to get an early start and 'though it may not be as early as 3am it is often well before campground "quiet hours" are over. The less we have to do to get out of there, including hitching up, the less noise we're going to make ... there's no law against it and in fact because some us do make our best efforts to be as quiet as we can during this process it's YOU should be thanking US! :S

[poppin_fresh]

I guess that is where you and I differ.

I am not getting up at 3AM to leave anywhere. At that time of night, regardless of how little work have to do, you are bound to disturb someones sleep at the CG.

As the potential "guy next to you", I don't "appreciate" anyone waking me up in the middle of the night, even if it is just for a couple minutes while you drive away.

[wing_zealot]

poppin_fresh wrote:
No trying to start and argument, but I guess I'm confused as to why people are so concerned about unhooking for a short stay?

Crank the trailer off the ball, unhook the chains, unhook the power cord and pull straight forward two feet. To leave, just reverse the process. Total time = 2 minutes.

I'm confused, why would you want to unhook for a overnight stay if you don't have to? For short overnight stops, I typically leave at 3:00 a.m.; the less noise I have to make (not to mention time), the more the guy next to me will appreciate it. Push the power cord back in, start the truck and I'm gone.

[Vacation_Bound]

Maybe after we have used this we won't be concerned about hooking and unhooking from the tow vehicle. We do have the weight distribution system. As I said we have RV'd and camped for a long time but this is our first travel trailer, so all of this is new to us. We have not used this unit yet and won't until July. Just trying to get some info from experienced people. I didn't know if it would hurt anything to put out the bunk with the tow vehicle still hooked up. We do like to leave in the early morning hours so this would help in not disturbing other people.

Again, thanks for the helpful comments

[SoundGuy]

poppin_fresh wrote:
No trying to start and argument, but I guess I'm confused as to why people are so concerned about unhooking for a short stay?

Crank the trailer off the ball, unhook the chains, unhook the power cord and pull straight forward two feet. To leave, just reverse the process. Total time = 2 minutes.

Hardly ... the OP should be towing this hybrid with weight distribution so unhitching / hitching will take much longer than just "2 minutes". Why would you if you don't have to? :h

FWIW, when long distance traveling with our own hybrid a few years ago we'd often turtle and I'd leave the trailer hitched to the TV, with minimal external hookup - no water hose, only a power cable connected, nothing else. That way our departure early next morning would be quick and quiet so as to not disturb anyone else ... remaining hitched to the TV made this all possible.

[poppin_fresh]

No trying to start and argument, but I guess I'm confused as to why people are so concerned about unhooking for a short stay?

Crank the trailer off the ball, unhook the chains, unhook the power cord and pull straight forward two feet. To leave, just reverse the process. Total time = 2 minutes.

[scottsnider]

I am new to a hybrid and have not used it yet but with a pick up I am sure I could unfold while connected, just remember to undue the electrical if not hooked to a box, don't want to drain your car battery. If you were to stay in a truck stop or walmart it would not be right to unfold for the night. As for backing up practice practice and have a helper.

[Vacation_Bound]

Thanks to everyone for their helpful information. I'm sure we will get the hang of backing and what will work for us on the overnight stays.

[All_I_could_aff]

My tiny hybrid I can just barely fold down the front bed with my explorer attached but only if I am perfectly straight. When we make a quick overnight stop we usually stay hooked up and open the rear bed and use the dinette area. Keep in mind even if there is room to open the front bed it will be much harder to set up with the car so close. Also remember to get anything you need out of the back of the truck before you fold down the bed!

[LEMII]

We tow a 2007 Jayco 23B with a 2008 T4R, I have dropped the front bunk while hooked up but only for inspection purposes - it is very tight. If I were going to drop a bunk for a one night stay, I'd use the rear bunk. Typically we just drop the dinette down into a bed before we take off that way when it comes time to hit the sack, the sack is already made.

[All_I_could_aff]

My tiny hybrid I can just barely fold down the front bed with my explorer attached but only if I am perfectly straight. When we make a quick overnight stop we usually stay hooked up and open the rear bed and use the dinette area. Keep in mind even if there is room to open the front bed it will be much harder to set up with the car so close. Also remember to get anything you need out of the back of the truck before you fold down the bed!