Upgrading from Tent trailer to TT. Input on brands

I believe Keystone is using Lippert frames, I think the Creekside uses the same frame as Northwood. I run RV tours down into Mexico, the land of Topes (speed bumps) I have seen more than one cracked Lippert frame. Enough to think they have an issue. Crawl under both choices and compare. What is under there is more important than the layout.

When choosing the floorplan of an RV we use a couple of tests:

1. If on a trip and we have to hunker down inside the RV due to bad weather for a week to 3 weeks which floorplan would lessen the possibility of cabin fever. For example our current RV allows her to be in one area doing what she wants to do and I can be in another area doing what I want to do.

2. Avoid bottle neck areas. Our first RV had a spot in the kitchen where two people could not pass each other. So if one of us was cooking at the stove and the other had to use the bathroom in the rear of the TT, the cook had to move out of the way.

3. Storage- is there plenty of room for all the stuff she will want to bring...

The Lippert frame is a concern....other than that choose the RV that best fits your needs but don't go small. Get the biggest you can afford and your tow vehicle will handle. You've outgrown your tent trailer, the same thing will happen if you go for a small TT. We went from a 10ft Camper, to a 23ft TT to a 25ft MH to our current 38ft 5th wheel. Now we are looking at 40 to 42 footers.

Comfortable seating in bad weather is extremely important along with a bathroom you can bathe and do your business in without being a contortionist.

Thanks for the input. Our tent trailer isn't so much outgrown as we've realized that living on the wet side of WA state, that it has serious limitations as to weather. We don't have a covered area large enough to set it up in to dry if we have to put it away wet due to rain. I love some of the features it has, mostly moving the stove and table outside to cook and the 360 degree air flow it gets.

Thanks for the input on the frames. The Creekside does seem to have better constuction and feels more solid. Of course, that also means more weight, but we have a Dodge Ram 2500 with a 6 speed Cummins Diesel engine and my husband says it can handle anything that we'll be able to back into the back yard.

There might be previous posts on either one. Search this Forum for one or the other and read on.
Can the refer, sink and toilet be used at a Rest Stop without opening a slide, ie. can the water be turned on?

Need a bit more information as to what campsites do you like. For example, Sites on the perimeter of State Park campgrounds, Sites in the center of State Park campgrounds, or RV parks/Amusement Park campsites as KOA or Jelly Stone which cater to larger RVs with few trees and larger level pads.

I like Jayco Jay Flight Stick and Tin models, I wouldn't recommend any model with laminated Fiberglass.

I love our camper and find it the perfect model for our small family. Very roomy and tons of storage.

With a 3/4 ton truck, you can get the 26BHS model but it doesn't have a large sofa which is a downside IMO, and not sure if the TV has a swing arm to face the sofa or dinette, which can be bad with LED TVs limited viewing angle. Since the foot of the bed is right on the wall, make sure you can sleep comfortably as well. My feet overhang on our 26BH so the 26BHS bed wouldn't work for me. Plus slides are known to get leaks and can have mechanical issue with alignment and extending and retracting. It's also been recommended to get a slide cover/awning to keep sticks and debris off of the top of the slide, so that the rubber seal doesn't get torn when retracting back in.

Our 26BH has turned out to be some trouble getting into the outside perimeter tree covered State Park Campsites that we love. At some of the older campgrounds, we had to settle on crappy open, center sites since we couldn't fit into our 'reserved' campsites due to tree overhangs, ditches, or narrow service roads not wide enough to get our longer truck/trailer rig angled to get into the spot.

I really loved the pop up for the better sites we love. Once in awhile we get a good spot but we don't know how overgrown the site is or the limited ways to back in, until we get there. Pictures and dimensions of the pad/site have proven to fail us when we actually get there and see what the site is 'that day'.

Good luck.

fla-gypsy wrote:
Comfortable seating in bad weather is extremely important along with a bathroom you can bathe and do your business in without being a contortionist.

Totally agree. Consider what would being inside for a couple of days of bad weather be like? What would make you comfortable?

mommo76 wrote:
Thanks for the input. Our tent trailer isn't so much outgrown as we've realized that living on the wet side of WA state, that it has serious limitations as to weather. We don't have a covered area large enough to set it up in to dry if we have to put it away wet due to rain. I love some of the features it has, mostly moving the stove and table outside to cook and the 360 degree air flow it gets.

Thanks for the input on the frames. The Creekside does seem to have better constuction and feels more solid. Of course, that also means more weight, but we have a Dodge Ram 2500 with a 6 speed Cummins Diesel engine and my husband says it can handle anything that we'll be able to back into the back yard.

It will handle it, I just bought a Dodge diesel. Mine is the 5.9 which ended in mid 2007 and it seems to have about the same power as my former 2003 Dmax, It had no issues towing up over a pass this weekend which was the first time. If you have a later model it has a larger engine, but is hampered by more pollution crap. I strongly suggest you get it fitted with Torklift stable loads, they make a difference with towing and a lot of folks with Dodge say the steering box brace like the one sold by BD diesel is well worth it. It fixes the infamous death wobble, but apparently makes the front end feel a lot more stable. It's my next mod. About $300 incl labor.

see http://www.dieselperformance.com/index.php/product/index/151P

IF you are in western WA, BD diesel is headquartered in Abbotsford opposite Sumas, they quoted me $350 Canadian installed. See the article on death wobble, it is more likely to show up when you load down your truck more as you will be doing. http://www.trucktrend.com/how-to/chassis-suspension/0807dp-db-diesel-performance-steering-box-stabilizer/ (article form 2008, price is a bit higher now)

Torklift is in Sumner. I will send you a PM.

thanks for that info Tequila. Ours is an 02. Went back to the lot in Sumner and realized they had a used Outback on the lot. Just did a quick walk through (it was a '12) and just walking in felt two soft spots in the floor. Definitely not as well made as the Creek Side.

I would be tempted to go with a Northwood product. The fact you are a days drive from the the factory is a plus. Northwood owns Outdoors RV. Presumably quality is the same. It used to be a Fleetwood operation and Fleetwood was not known for quality. Post 2009 units should be OK.