Rant - looking for a travel trailer

[johnsoax]

I wish some manufacturer made the trailer I was looking for. I have 4 children, and I use a SUV to carry the family. And from all the threads I constantly see here, and on other sites, I'm not the only one looking.

Right now I use a popup to fit everyone and still be able to carry all the gear we need. And for the type of camping we do, it is annoying to have to setup and tear down every day as we travel to our destination. Then when we are at our destination, we have to do a smaller setup and tear down everyday to convert tables and couches to beds to fit everyone.

Someone should be able to design a trailer that will give me 3 or 4 individual beds for the kids and a larger bed for my wife and I while still letting us have our gear for less than 550 lbs of tongue weight.

My vehicle is a pretty typical SUV that has a 550lb tongue weight and a towing capacity of 7700. Once I put all the gear in a trailer, I can pull the weight, but everything that has a floor plan we can use has a tongue weight that requires a 2500 or 3500 truck to pull it, before the gear is even in the trailer.

Why can't someone make something for larger families that fits the smaller vehicles that most people drive nowadays.

I know there are Hybrid trailers. If I wanted to deal with tenting issues, I would stay with the popup.

We want to be able to have a nice base camp for destination camping and be able to stop at places on the way there to make lunch/use the bathroom/ and sleep in the camper without deploying everything (stealth road camping).

Airstream used to build something like this, but they have gone $$$ high end, and super heavy. I can find much older trailers that might work, if I could actually find one for sale...

Anyone have any ideas?

[Stovepipe]

This thread just got very confusing very fast...

[SkiMore]

OP: If tongue weight should be 10-15% of trailer weight that means that your RV should be between 3666 lbs and 5500 lbs fully loaded and probably less just to be safe. Asking for 4 small beds, a big bed, kitchen, bathroom, not a hybrid and not claustrophobic might not be possible.

[dodge_guy]

tbred wrote:
Congrats on the new hybrid,glad you were able to find something suitable!

I don't think he ever found what he was looking for?! And he didn't want a hybrid because he already had a PuP.

[patperry2766]

Reflectix

Also, you can get some of this to cut for the bunk ends. Cut them to size for the inside zippered windows.

With PUGS and Reflectix, it will significantly take the edge off camping in the heat.

[johnsoax]

patperry2766 wrote:
PUGS

Since you came from a pop-up, you might be aware of these. If not, they are a worthy investment.

I've seen them mentioned before, but hadn't researched. Thanks.

[patperry2766]

PUGS

Since you came from a pop-up, you might be aware of these. If not, they are a worthy investment.

[johnsoax]

tbred wrote:
Congrats on the new hybrid,glad you were able to find something suitable!

Thanks!

[johnsoax]

Uploaded my pictures to Flickr really quick..

Eating Lunch at the Lincoln Memorial

Catastrophic tire blowout

Catastrophic Tire blowout

[tbred]

Congrats on the new hybrid,glad you were able to find something suitable!

[RayJayco]

Too many pages of 'whatever' to read them all, however some options come to mind. Please excuse if someone has previously mentioned, for the above reason...

Could you have your wife drive her vehicle with some kids/gear in it to lower the weight for your vehicle and trailer?

How about a small toyhauler and you build 2 sets of bunk beds for the back?

Perhaps the same could be done for an old livestock trailer such as horse trailer that has a bed and bathroom...

Not sure of your children's ages, except all are under 10, however sleeping together for a temporary basis should not be a problem until they start hitting puberty...

Just about everything in life requires compromising...

Claustrophobic is going to be a problem with any small trailer as will space... To get the space, you need to go larger... Your current tow vehicle has limitations...
Getting an old (inexpensive-beater type) tow vehicle may be needed to accommodate your family and needs. The DW and kids ride in style and you bite the bullet for them and pull the trailer with the beater...

You could also check into renting a proper sized tow vehicle for your excursions... Ryder, U-Haul, Enterprise as some examples of commercial choices, or perhaps you know someone with a truck that would allow you to use it, you use their truck and they use yours...


If there is a will, there is a way, it just depends upon what you will settle or compromise for...

Good luck with your search and travels.

[cbshoestring]

SoundGuy wrote:

qtla9111 wrote:
Human beings are negative by nature, an inbred trait.

So anyone who has offered an opinion that the OP is on the wrong track is "inbred"?! :E With a crude comment like that, directed at others you don't even know, you might want to look in the mirror. 😛

This is the OP's 3rd post..

Dakota98 wrote:

Sounds as though you have done the research, found nothing, & that in itself answers the question.


Pretty much...

It is really disappointing to find a new RV manufacturer, find a floor plan that looks like it would work great, and then see the tongue weight is 790lbs....



Sounds to me like they already had the answer to their question. What I have seen over the past 22 pages is some sincere efforts to suggest ways in which the OP could compromise and find a BEST CASE scenerio. The OP has continually shot down every effort to help them, by insisting that their DEMANDS are unvaiverable, and the entire TV & TT industries should be whipped with a wet noodle because they do not make what they want.

Those that have suggested altenatives to what the OP already knows does not exist are being "INBRED" :h NAY, I say the "ME" attitude presented by the OP is at fault, not those who have tried to help :S

[michigansandzil]

22 pages of responses? Yikes!! I didn't read a single one.
It's not impossible to get everything you want!

Here's my two cents.

We have a quad bunkhouse with 4 permanent beds in the bunk, a permanent master, (oh and it also has an outside kitchen. LOVE that thing!) and pulled it with an Expedition (seats 8). Our Shadow Cruiser is very lightweight at 5500lbs. In fact, it was the lightest TT we could find. We pulled it with our Expedition until we recently purchased an F150.
While I like the way the F150 pulls the TT better than the Expedition, the only real problem I ever had with the Expedition was while driving through Tennessee in the mountains. We couldn't pass anyone going up the mountain. So what? We just drove in the slow lane.

It can be done. Just keep looking!

[cbshoestring]

Twenty-two pages of....

ME.....ME.......ME.......ME......ME........ME.........MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.


Man am I glad I am a baby-boomer (barely-- '63). Knew what my TV would handle, compromised to find what suited us/it best. Really wanted a 40' 5er, but the 1999 Dodge Dakota wouldn't handle it. Now have a RAM, but still happy with that compromised 19' KZ Sportsmen 170. Might get a bigger one in a year or two, still won't be a 5er with a 1500.

Must stink thinking the whole world just doesn't get what ME wants, what ME needs, what ME won't accept unless it has everything ME wants. OH... and the entire industry should change and start making it for ME because there are a lot of other MEs out there.

EDIT: If I buy another DAKOTA...can someone help me find a 40' fiver? I won't be willing to change my TV, and I insist the TT have dual recliners that face the television (don't want to look sideways), a fire place, 1 & 1/2 bath, walk around queen, etc.......and the paint scheme should match that new DAKOTA too:B

[qtla9111]

toedtoes wrote:
No one has said his SUV won't tow anything. There have been plenty of suggestions as to what it will tow. Folks are saying the OP is going to need to compromise in one form or another because finding a TT with 5 dedicated beds (or 4 dedicated and 1 convertible) that is not "claustrophobic" AND that has a low enough hitch weight is going to be pretty much impossible. In the beginning of this thread, the OP was unwilling to compromise on the beds, then the options were too claustrophobic, so folks started addressing the hitch weight consideration.

I get wanting to get exactly what you want and not being able to find it. I have the same issue with buying a new truck. But, at some point, you either have to accept the compromise or do with what you already have until things change with the manufacturers.

I understand the OPs post. My point was not being made about the SUV, it was being made about the naysayers who have commented he should give up the search because he will never find what he wants.

Human beings are negative by nature, an inbred trait.

[toedtoes]

No one has said his SUV won't tow anything. There have been plenty of suggestions as to what it will tow. Folks are saying the OP is going to need to compromise in one form or another because finding a TT with 5 dedicated beds (or 4 dedicated and 1 convertible) that is not "claustrophobic" AND that has a low enough hitch weight is going to be pretty much impossible. In the beginning of this thread, the OP was unwilling to compromise on the beds, then the options were too claustrophobic, so folks started addressing the hitch weight consideration.

I get wanting to get exactly what you want and not being able to find it. I have the same issue with buying a new truck. But, at some point, you either have to accept the compromise or do with what you already have until things change with the manufacturers.