Ultra light trailers

[ClemsonFanSuzy]

We are long time RVers who need to downsize to something our Toyota Oddysey can tow (MAX 3500 GVTW). Looking for reviews, comments on ultra light trailers.

We are looking most closely at Starcraft AR-One (18-20') and a Jay Flight Swift SLX 185 RB, but are open to any manufacturer. We are sure that we want weight under 3500, solid sides, no slides, not a pod or teardrop. Mostly want info on durability and any other recommendations. Thanks a ton!

[soren]

profdant139 wrote:
Whatever trailer you get, make sure that your vehicle can safely stop the trailer without overheating the brakes, especially in hilly country. A van will have no trouble pulling a trailer. But the braking is a different issue.

Talk about a wrong concept that just won't die. I can't count how many times this misinformation gets posted, here and all over the place. If you are relying on ANY tow vehicle to provide braking duties for any trailer over a very modest weight (1500lbs in many states) you are not only breaking the law, you are exceeding the capacities of the tow vehicle, and you are endangering yourself and others. That's not much of a problem, however, since the trailer is equipped with it's own brakes, and stops itself, assuming that the operator is smart enough to use a properly functioning brake controller.

Posts, numbering in the hundreds over the years here, have all made the same ridiculous claim. " Well you might be able to pull the thing, but can you stop it with those obviously inadequate brakes on your ( pick one...... SUV, van, pick-up, etc....) Unbelievable.

[ClemsonFanSuzy]

Thanks so much for all the helpful tips. As a result, we bought a new Sportsman Classic 190 today from Campers Inn of Kings Mountain NC! We think it will suit our current needs very well.

We've been traveling for 3 months each summer in a 2002 24' Winnebago Minnie. We LOVED it! But it had aged out and was costing too much to maintain. Meanwhile, we will be welcoming our first grandchild in May (Whoo-hoo!), so we don't plan on taking so many very long trips for a while. All that added up to not wanting to spend so much in taxes, insurance and storage fees for something we won't be using as much.

When I realized that our new unit has as much living space as our Minnie did, plus we get the benefit of riding in our comfy Odyssey AND having a local vehicle once we park, I am finally at peace. We've been trying to decide what to do for months. And, by the way, we paid the same amount as we received for our much-loved and much-used Minnie!


THANK YOU for the input. It really made a difference!

[Pat_in_Speedway]

This chap has a website with a huge amount of links to various small trailers. http://smalltrailerenthusiast.com/manufacturers-2/

[Rmack1]

We have a Forrest River Rockwood Mini-Lite 23'. It's 3400 pounds dry. We tow it with our Nissan XTerra, 4WD with a supercharger, which has 5000 pound tow limit, but we installed a transmission cooler, so that's probably higher.

Ours is a 2013 model, which has no slide outs, but has a 'Murphy bed'. This folds up at the head against the front wall of the trailer, and a full-sized couch folds out under it, opening up a lot of floor space. We love it.

The new ones have slide outs, and it looks like the Murphy bed is an option you have to order. I don't like the floor plans nearly as much as ours, and I bet with the slide outs, they weigh more.

[Bumpyroad]

that summerland appears to have almost the exact same floor plan as my Ascend 17RD. but my Ascend has a roof air.
bumpy

[wrvond]

This is our 2016 Summerland Mini. It's 17 feet long with a rear 'U' shaped dining area with large windows.
One thing you'll run into with this level of camper is the window type air conditioner. I thought they were a good idea because they don't penetrate the roof and can be replaced for $150.00. However, they will leak water all over the inside of your camper and should be avoided.



You can see the floorplan in my signature.

[wrenchbender]

I have a Bigfoot 17g very light,comfortable,durable, roomy and no leaks.

[bobndot]

I would install a Tranny temp gauge if you don't already have one.
I would then add a tranny cooler or maybe an additional one if need be.
Find out what the tranny experts say safe tranny op. temps are.

I found interesting specs to compare 2 Honda vehicles,3500 vs 5000#'s .
Most all FWD mini vans since they first were developed have 3500 tow ratings and I wonder why ? It seems by now, the mfg.'s would increase those ratings due to horsepower/torque improvements .

Honda Odyssey
Towing Capacity - 3500
Displacement (cc) - 3471
Horsepower @ rpm - 244 @ 5750
Torque @ rpm - 240 @ 5000
Curb Weight - 4384
Wheelbase - 118.1
Length - 201.0
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) - 5952
Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR) - 8410


Honda Ridgeline
Towing Capacity - 5000
Displacement (cc) - 3471
Horsepower @ rpm - 247 @ 5750
Torque @ rpm - 245 @ 4500
Curb Weight - 4500
Wheelbase - 122.0
Length - 206.8
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) - 6050
Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR) - 10085

Honda Odyssey
Ratios:
1st gear 2.697
2nd gear 1.606
3rd gear 1.071
4th gear 0.766
5th gear 0.538
Final Drive Ratio (Front Differential) 4.312

Brake Diameter mm
Front 296
Rear 313

Honda Ridgeline
Ratios:
1st gear 2.693
2nd gear 1.566
3rd gear 1.023
4th gear 0.729
5th gear 0.531
Final Drive Ratio (Front Differential) 4.533
Transfer Case 0.537
Rear Differential Ratio 3.384



copied this from one owner who tows with a Honda O .
***

***I tow a Fleetwood Sun Valley/Allegiance with our Odyssey quite happily. But I do it well equipped with a Reese350 miniWDH, Prodigy brake controller and fairly light total load of gear. Based on estimated empty van weight of 4,500# (with options and gas) and having weighed the family, gear and options on the camper, my total weight is about 7,800#.

Haven't been to any REAL mountains yet, but I had no trouble holding speed on about a mile long 5% grade near Devil's Lake SP in Wisconsin. Of course the speed I chose to hold was about 50 mph in D3. No need to push it, we're on vacation.

Make sure to use premium when towing (read the manual). It does make a difference.
Brake Diameter mm
Front 320

[2112]

+1 for the KZ Sportsmen Classic
The 190 has larger tanks than the 2 you mentioned plus a separate bathroom sink.

[camperforlife]

Don't take the trailer trash comment too seriously. You originally posted in the class A motor home section so the poster commented comically that it should be moved because trailer trash didn't belong there (trailer posts belong in the trailer section). I'm sure that if you camped next to the very same class A poster you would get along fabulously.

When you post in an open forum, you can't take life so seriously.

[ClemsonFanSuzy]

Thanks to you who responded to my request for info. Comments related to your experiences are very helpful, whether your experience has been good or not so good.
Silly typo re: tow vehicle. Our car is a 2014 Honda Odyssey, has a very comfortable ride, and the book says it can tow 3500 pounds, so we're using that as our upper limit.

On a civility note, did I understand one of the responders to refer to me or my post as "trailer trash" that didn't belong on the forum? I hope I misunderstood, because in over forty years of camping in all manner of RVs, I have always found fellow travelers to be most agreeable. If that is what you meant, I will simply chalk it up to your having a bad day or something. I clearly labeled my post, so you didn't have to read it if you didn't want to. If I posted it incorrectly, I apologize. It was my first experience with RV.net.

[aftermath]

profdant139 wrote:
Whatever trailer you get, make sure that your vehicle can safely stop the trailer without overheating the brakes, especially in hilly country. A van will have no trouble pulling a trailer. But the braking is a different issue.

A good quality trailer has good quality brakes that when set up properly will stop the trailer. Your TV does not have to stop everything. If you are depending on the TV's brakes doing all the work then you really need to have someone look at your trailer.

[CampingForever]

Go with a http://casitatraveltrailers.com/

[djsamuel]

Camplite 14db