Quad Bunkhouse TT w/ No Slide

[notamos]

My family is running into a brick wall in our search for a TT. We have 4 kids under 7 and my wife/me. We are looking for 4 bunks, something where we don't have to use the couch/table for beds and no slide (preferably).

We are towing with a Ford Expedition EL, 4WD, etc. Probably 6500lbs max.

The only thing I've found so far that comes close is a Prowler Lynx 30 LX. It would be perfect if it didn't have the slide.

Thoughts?

[notamos]

Well, after quite a bit of reading, I think I will have to live with a slide. So be it. At least that gives me some options.

[JiminDenver]

Welcome to the forum.

We have a 25 ft no slide bunk house that does well on the back roads and we pull it with Expeditions. Thing is it's only two bunks and we have no kids. lol
Some models have a double bunk with a single above it. You could modify the upper single bunk to the same size as the double below it and sleep the four kids.
Another possibility would be buying a toy hauler and putting the bunks in the garage.

Good luck.

[SprinklerMan]

You will regret not getting the slide out , I thought the same way with my first camper , I am now on my second , quad bunks and a slide . i will deal with thingh that break when it happens .

[Lantley]

notamos wrote:
The more research we put into this, the harder it is. We want something with quad bunks and something that is built tough (Northwood, Outdoor RV, etc.). Problem is, aside from the Outdoor 31kqbs, they don't have anything with 4 bunks.

Are most people not camping with their kids anymore? Are most people using the table/couch for sleeping? We don't care so much about foofoo features, more functional. Nash has a 23 or 25 with 2 bunks in the rear. If it only had 4, I would buy it today! Northwood doesn't do custom orders, do they?

People are camping with there kids, however they are using bunk house models with slides.
While I respect your opinion on slides I think your ideas are somewhat out of date. Initially 10-15 years ago or more when slides where first introduce they may have been problematic.

However the current generation of slides are no longer problematic. One of the reasons you are having a hard time is that the trends and demands are for more sides not less. TT are up to 3 slides on lots of units and fivers are up to 5. Opposing slides in living rooms and bedrooms are very popular

I agree that each penetration adds the potential for a leak. However that does not have to translate into a no slide,no window RV.

4 kids and 2 adults in a no slide RV get cramped in a hurry. You would could have a difficult time just passing each other. Slides have become basic features and are not fluff and foo foo.

Good luck with your search. I don't know enough to say it does not exist however as you are finding there aren't many no slide bunkhouse floor plans available

[mister_d]

I did a search on rvwholesalers site for a TT with bunks but they only have 2 and 3 bunk models without a slide. They have quite a selection so you may be out of luck.

[Mike_Up]

notamos wrote:
Thanks for the opinions so far. My concerns about a slide:

-leaks
-weaker frame (we will be taking this on some rough roads and I worry about it flexing, like logging roads...)
-some places we take it will not have the width to open it
-maintenance
-not being able to close it if it were to break while we are in the middle of no-where in CO.

Not sure if these concerns are valid or not. This TT will be our first.

As for our Exp, it is a 2012 w/ the 5.4 and the HD towing package.

Also, any opinions on brands and quality? I want something that will last. I prefer longevity over lighter and easier to pull.

I agree with you. I didn't want a slide because of leak issues that seem to come up here and other forum, alignment issues, motor troubles, and the need for an optional slide out awning. That keeps the roof clear of limbs and debris so that the seals don't tear while sliding it in.

I don't think you are going to find a 4 single bunk model without a slide. My model is the closest you're going to find and for '13, it offers a top double size bunk bed, minus the wardrobe. For smaller kids that top double size bunk bed is OK but it would be really cramped for a bigger kid that's sleeping by the wall. That top double bunk bed would be so confining, I'd go into a panic attack if I had to sleep on the inside.

I don't really think you are going to find anything without a slide that has 4 single bunks.

While being more expensive as hybrids are, another option besides a 2 double size bunk model TT is a 3 bunkend model. For both, you could have the kids use sleeping bags to separate their side of the bed.

While there was only 3 of kids, when I was young, we shared a 17' Shasta that had a double bed size sofa pull out and an accordian style foldup double size bunk bed above. Us boys slept on the bottome while our sister slep on the top. Our parents slept on the dinette converted to a bed.

Another option is to have the kids sleep in a tent. That's what most do, but make sure to tie it down properly and seam seal it. Also get a good brand as Eureka, Kelty or the such so that they can be sealed properly and won't fall apart.

BTW, I like Jayco. I have no reason to go anywhere else. They have excellent quality, a ton of floorplans, and are reasonably priced.

[Terryallan]

notamos wrote:
The more research we put into this, the harder it is. We want something with quad bunks and something that is built tough (Northwood, Outdoor RV, etc.). Problem is, aside from the Outdoor 31kqbs, they don't have anything with 4 bunks.

Are most people not camping with their kids anymore? Are most people using the table/couch for sleeping? We don't care so much about foofoo features, more functional. Nash has a 23 or 25 with 2 bunks in the rear. If it only had 4, I would buy it today! Northwood doesn't do custom orders, do they?

Yes people are camping with their children. But they are camping. When camping every small child does not have to have their own private bed. It's ok for kids to share a bed. Last summer we had 10 people in out TT. 6 adults, and 4 children. We had 3 girls, 4, and 6, years old in one bed. They had plenty of room. Yes we used the table bed, and the sofa bed. But we were 10. When the kids go with out their parents there is 4 of them, and they can sleep in the bunks, There is no problem with sharing a bed.
It's going to be hard for you to find what you want in a small camper. Few TTs have 6 private beds, and no slides.

[notamos]

The more research we put into this, the harder it is. We want something with quad bunks and something that is built tough (Northwood, Outdoor RV, etc.). Problem is, aside from the Outdoor 31kqbs, they don't have anything with 4 bunks.

Are most people not camping with their kids anymore? Are most people using the table/couch for sleeping? We don't care so much about foofoo features, more functional. Nash has a 23 or 25 with 2 bunks in the rear. If it only had 4, I would buy it today! Northwood doesn't do custom orders, do they?

[jerem0621]

We bought one without a slide. Although it was not a bunkhouse. Our floor plan is very roomy for what it is and we weigh about 6500-7000 lbs loaded.

Don't worry too much about the structural integrity of the slide models, they are just as bad without slides as they are with (slight exaggeration, but slide technology has come a long way in the 25 years that they have been making them.

We have two sons and there are times when we are stepping all over each other. On of the reasons we didn't get a bunkhouse model is because we found that without a slide out there was very little living room in the trailer.

When we buy another trailer it will have ar least a sofa slide out, more than likely it will be a superslide in the living room and a slide in the bunkhouse room.... Maybe two.

As far as quad bunk houses without slides. They made several models like that from around 2000- 2008 ish. There are several nice examples on the used market.

Good luck

[Terryallan]

notamos wrote:
Thanks for the opinions so far. My concerns about a slide:

-leaks
-weaker frame (we will be taking this on some rough roads and I worry about it flexing, like logging roads...)
-some places we take it will not have the width to open it
-maintenance
-not being able to close it if it were to break while we are in the middle of no-where in CO.

Not sure if these concerns are valid or not. This TT will be our first.

As for our Exp, it is a 2012 w/ the 5.4 and the HD towing package.

Also, any opinions on brands and quality? I want something that will last. I prefer longevity over lighter and easier to pull.

Don't confuse lite weight with flimsy. Many new TT are lighter, and stonger. Many new TT are built using Azdel, instead of lamanated wood. It is stronger, lighter, and will never rot. My new TT is 4 feet longer, and 100lb LIGHTER than my old one. It has a caged aluminum framed Roof, and floor. Has a slide, which you can leave in if there is not room to put it out. It does not cut off the TT. You can use it like a TT without a slide. A great option. And IF it refuses to run in, You disconnet it from the gears, and push it in.

I had ALL the concernes you do about slides. That is why we bought a TT that we don't have to slide out if we don't want to. Many places we camp are also tight, and have no room for slides, because of trees, and such. But it does make lots of room.

Go here ..... http://www.trailerlife.com/category/reviews/trailer-reviews/ ..... or simply google trailerlife click revews, and you will see my TT, and what they have to say about it. It is the 288BHS Apex. Sleeps 10 more if the kids are small. One of the great things about it, is the bathroom. It has it's own door to the outside, so that you, or the kids don't have to walk thru the entire TT to wsh your hands, or whatever. Last year at the beach, we hosed the kids off, and set them in the bathroom. It's great.

[Dtaylor]

notamos wrote:
My family is running into a brick wall in our search for a TT. We have 4 kids under 7 and my wife/me. We are looking for 4 bunks, something where we don't have to use the couch/table for beds and no slide (preferably).

We are towing with a Ford Expedition EL, 4WD, etc. Probably 6500lbs max.

The only thing I've found so far that comes close is a Prowler Lynx 30 LX. It would be perfect if it didn't have the slide.

Thoughts?

A couple of thoughts: 1)Run the vin on your Expedition at a dealer or thru an online database to verify which tow package you have. If you have the HD tow package (not the standard) your max capacity may be around 8900. You would do well to leave yourself a little room on that. 2) With a family the size of yours, I would re-consider the slide. They have been around for a long time and are generally trouble free. There are ways to manually retract them in an emergency and that varies by manufacturer. 3) There are some with the floor plan you are looking for, hopefully in the size and weight you need. Here is one that may be close:
http://heartlandrvs.com/index.php?p=35&c=lightweight&sc=NTTT&i=NT+31QBS&view=floorplans&fcmd=showfplan

[bfourman]

New or used? We have a 2006 Aerolite 26QS with quad bunks and rear queen bed slide. It slides straight out the back, no width issues. The GVWR is 6000 lbs.

Click for Pics

[mister_d]

I would suggest you try to keep it under 30' too. We had an Expedition and our current TT wagged the dog although it pulled the weight (8k loaded) just fine.

[notamos]

Thanks for the opinions so far. My concerns about a slide:

-leaks
-weaker frame (we will be taking this on some rough roads and I worry about it flexing, like logging roads...)
-some places we take it will not have the width to open it
-maintenance
-not being able to close it if it were to break while we are in the middle of no-where in CO.

Not sure if these concerns are valid or not. This TT will be our first.

As for our Exp, it is a 2012 w/ the 5.4 and the HD towing package.

Also, any opinions on brands and quality? I want something that will last. I prefer longevity over lighter and easier to pull.

[dodge_guy]

With that many people you need a slide! otherwise you will be bumping into each other trying to move around!

A slide you will want!