Poll: Did you go larger?

[bmanning]

I was reading a current "F250 or F350?" thread and whenever those type of threads come up there are always posters who advise to get enough truck for your next RV (implication is that it's inevitable to go larger on your next unit)...

It made me curious as roughly what percentage "went larger," after how long, and the reasons for doing so.

Therefore:

Was the last RV you purchased larger & heavier than it's predecessor?

How long before you got the itch to go bigger?

Reasons for doing so? (family expanded, more elbow room, style of camping changed?)

Anyone downsize or stay the same?

Going larger seems to be a foregone conclusion in my years haunting this forum. I plan to sell or trade my 5.4L F250 this year in favor of a 1-ton diesel (Ram or GM unless I find a crazy deal on a 7.3L lol) and my initial thought was a 24-26ft TT but since I'll have plenty of truck I'm starting to question if I should just "go large" off the bat; we have a 2nd kiddo on the way and fast-forward a few years and they're going to want to bring friends...

[chr_]

Tent camped for years, then a popup, got sick of setup and takedown, and no place to store anything, so got a vintage GMC motorhome. Refurbishing that became the hobby, not camping and going to events, so I now have a 24ft Nomad I pull with my V8 Sport Trac. The GMC is still in my fleet, but The TT is much easier to use.

Kids are grown, but I do occasionally hike with the scout troop, so those times I sleep on the ground...

[mrkoje]

elknutz wrote:
Just the opposite, went from 3/4 ton, chev and ford over the last 25 years to a Toyota Tundra. The Tundra pulls maximum loads ;.} with no problems at all. By far the most powerful of all of my tow rigs but did require modificaitons to the suspension by adding cab controlled air bags.

Look out Big 3, Toyota is on your donkey!!

You're right I seen it pulling the space shuttle! :R

[carpetguy2]

I went from a tent to a 24ft tt to a 34ft tt no slide to a 39 ft Fifth wheel.

[BenK]

Yes, all of my trucks have gotten larger as I grew older

Camping with buddies family. Hid dad was also my tech teacher in high school
Mercury station wagon and guessing 1950's and an old trailer

Next drove the family Ford station wagon (Pink 1954 with a 318 V8 and four barrel)
Tent camping

Next my MGB and just a sleeping bag and luxury when had room for that pup tent

Next my 240Z (2 seater) and sleeping bag or a pup tent

Next my FJ40 and tent camping

Next my K5 and tent camping...got married and started borrowing Popups/trailers

Inbetween the previous, drove up there and hiked in to spend a few
days to a couple weeks living off the land...always had those cans
of Spam and once into the first one...time to go back....

Next my C10 Silverado and tent camped/borrowed trailers/popups

Next my Suburban and tent camp/borrow trailers or just sleep in the Sub. Towed
a 28foot boat that could sleep a few

Now change plans to a toy hauler and not going to make another K5 but ATV's

[jbc28]

24' 5K TT with 1/2 ton, to same trailer with 3/4 ton, plus two more 3/4 ton's over the next few years, to 28' 9K 5'er with 3/4 ton, to 40' triple slide TH'er with same 3/4 ton, then very quickly to same TH'er with a dually. I should have bought a dually istead of the last 3/4 ton.

[ng2951]

Went larger.

I agree with the advice to buy for your next trailer. I changed trucks twice before I learned that lesson.

If I were to downside, having too much truck would not be a problem. My MPG might not be as good, but the rest of the performance would not be a problem. It should handle the trailer even better.

[thomasgunnar]

Went from a tent with the kids. Vehicle was a trans am. Picture that.

Our first trailer was a 17' which we pulled with the wife's Explorer then a Chevy p/u. We got the truck knowing we were going to go bigger as we were going to spend half a year living on the road.

That turned out to be a 24 1/2' 5th wheel. That Chevy half ton turned into a F250 Superduty with a 5.4.

Saw an add on the internet which turned into a 30' 5th wheel. I told my wife I will need a bigger truck. I ended up getting an F350 with the 6.0

Our current unit is 33' and a few inches. Was not intending to purchase, it just kind of happened, and I actually wanted to go a couple feet shorter. I had no concerns about my tow vehicle as it is moadequateddiquate to pull the new one.

[john_bet]

We went from van conversion and tent to van and tt to 1/2ton tv and 27'tt to 3/4 ton tv and 27tt to current set up.

[milo]

Back in the late 70's DW & I started with a 78 E150 Ford Econoline Conversion van... when the 2nd kido came along we added a 85 Jayco Popup & pulled it with the van and then several years later moved up to a 91 26ft Dutchman TT, pulled with a 91 F-250 460 CI SC and then with an 04 F-250 CC 6.0 PSD & now are empty nesters & the owners of a 07 294RLS Cougar TT pulled by a 13 F-150 XLT Srew Eco HD 4x4 & lovin ever minute of it.

[bmanning]

lbrjet wrote:
You put the new gears into your F250 and are going to trade it to pull a 26ft trailer?

We went from a 4500lb 22ft to an 8500lb 34ft travel trailer after I traded my SUV for my truck.

Yes, it may seem weird on the surface, but I have an odd relationship with my 5.4L F250; I like it...but I don't love it...and my thinking evolved into "if I'm going to drive a big honkin' truck, I may as well go the full nine and go back to diesel (and this time a 1-ton and perhaps even DRW)." To complement the TT, I am thinking of buying a used TC for 1-night and/or solo trips also, and my F250's 2464lb of payload would be extremely limiting for those purposes.

Not fully decided on trailer size, which was part of my interest in starting this thread; there are obvious advantages to going larger and obvious advantages to keeping it compact, and I figured the thread would provide a lot of "food for thought," which it has.

[lbrjet]

You put the new gears into your F250 and are going to trade it to pull a 26ft trailer?

We went from a 4500lb 22ft to an 8500lb 34ft travel trailer after I traded my SUV for my truck.

[Bedlam]

Camping: Tent > Scamp TT > Coleman PUP > Weekend Warrior TH > Arctic Fox TC

Tow Vehicles: Renault R10 1.3 L4 > Mazda B2200 2.2 Diesel > Mazda B2600i 4x4 2.6 L4 & Ford Bronco II 4x4 3.0 V6 > VW Jetta 1.9 Diesel & Ford F-250 4x4 6.0 Diesel

[hoopers]

The general direction of the RV industry is bigger larger campers that are lighter (relative speaking), while the direction of the truck industry is more HP and bigger tow capacities. So it is only natural that us consumers would end up with bigger trailers and bigger trucks.

Some might call it a "chicken and egg" situation. Who decided this direction? Customers or the manufacturers?

[MikeSD]

Yep.

F150 to F250 gas to F250 7.3 to F350 DRW 7.3.

I got the 250 gas when we got our TT, and I didn't like how it towed. Traded it for the 250 7.3. It towed great, but it was an extended cab, and my kids grew out of the rear jump seat. I needed a crew cab, so I traded it on the 350 7.3 dually, which I found in a larger cities' market for less than a similar 250 with crew cab.

Just got tired of buying trucks, so I went with the dually.

Very happy now. 😉

[Colorado_Dave]

elknutz wrote:
Just the opposite, went from 3/4 ton, chev and ford over the last 25 years to a Toyota Tundra. The Tundra pulls maximum loads ;.} with no problems at all. By far the most powerful of all of my tow rigs but did require modificaitons to the suspension by adding cab controlled air bags.

Look out Big 3, Toyota is on your donkey!!

Ha! April Fools joke I presume?