Travel trailers

JoeyBoy718

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I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with travel trailers. I don't know if that's the official term, but basically a full RV that you pull from your truck. I have a big SUV that should be able to pull a big one. I have a family of four, with my wife and two daughters. I don't know much about them. Wondering if anyone has used one, pros and cons, price range, etc.
 

Turk

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You can rent them. Do that first. Now no matter how big your SUV you are not going to be able to pull one that is going to hold all four of you comfortably.

How old are your daughters? if they are small maybe. Biggest SUV can pull maybe a 25 footer. When you are looking big RV's you have to have a 3/4 to 1 ton truck; preferably diesel.

I have a 36 foot Keystone Outback and pulled it with a RAM 3500 Diesel.

Remember just because the specs on a vehicle say it can tow this much does not mean you should. The heavier the tow vehicle the heavier you need the vehicle you are towing with to be. Its not just about braking or making it up steep grades; its about controlling it on the highway.
 

Reality

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I am not an expert by any means but I did extensive research on this a couple of years ago and I can pass along some tips ..

First, the size of your pull vehicle is irrelevant. Your engine and transmission are the important parts. Find out what your tow capacity is for your vehicle (the specific one with the specific engine and drive train you have).

Keep in mind the weight of the the trailer is before you add anything to it, even water as well as your black (waste) and grey (drain) tanks, are not included in that weight. Be sure to factor in full tanks for each.

If possible, get a trailer with at least two wheels on both sides. Side-by-side or front-to-back is not as important as having two wheels in case one blows while you are driving. If you are a pulling a travel trailer at 60+ mph and and a tire blows, it could flip your trailer and possibly your tow vehicle as well.

Try to get one with a slight concave roof so water does not collect on it or else you will be dealing with leaks at some point.

If you plan to boondock a lot, I would recommend making sure you have enough open space on the roof of the trailer to install solar panels, which have gotten a lot more affordable in recent years.

Lastly, I agree with the other posters in that you should rent first because you may find out very quickly that you need a different size trailer than you are thinking initially.
 

HungryLion

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I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with travel trailers. I don't know if that's the official term, but basically a full RV that you pull from your truck. I have a big SUV that should be able to pull a big one. I have a family of four, with my wife and two daughters. I don't know much about them. Wondering if anyone has used one, pros and cons, price range, etc.


All throughout my childhood my family went camping and my parents always
Has a trailer. We used to vacation places up
And down the East coast.

it’s fun times and great for family vacations. There are a ton of nice campgrounds all over the place you can stay at.

we used to go to the RV shows pretty regularly. They are a great place to go if you want to check out different models available, things you would need and to get a ton of information to compare trailers.


https://www.___GET_REAL_URL___/s/rvmiles.com/upcoming-rv-shows/amp/


As far as size, etc. ya know it really depends. Growing up as a kid. My parents initially had a pop up trailer, then a 22 footer. Eventually they went to a 27 footer with a slideout.

Obviously a major factor is how much your vehicle can tow.

I would also factor in what kind of places you plan to stay at? Do you plan to stay at national parks or places without much amenities? Do you plan to stay at campgrounds that have more amenities?

If you’re staying places that don’t have any amenities. Obvious trailer size, and features will be more important.


If you’re going to stay at some campgrounds. You don’t need a trailer with as much space necessarily because a lot of the campgrounds have bath houses, sewer hook up or dumping stations, water hook up, electric hook up, etc.


so if you plan on staying places like that. Shoot you’re only in your trailer to sleep and bath, or a place for shelter if it rains.

If you’re looking for a starter trailer to see what your family is into. My family started out with a pop up trailer. They make pretty sizeable ones nowadays, plus they are lightweight and easy to tow compared to a larger trailer.

obviously they are not built for a long stay out in the middle of nowhere where you need to survive off their water tanks and battery and propane.

but if you’re staying at a campground with electric hook up/dump station and water hook up. They are great as having a place to sleep.


A nice pop up might be a good starter trailer. See how much you and your family enjoy it. Ease of towing.

then if you like the lifestyle, one day get a larger vehicle or truck, and larger trailer.

I think you said you live in NYC too. So storage will be a factor to consider also. When you aren’t using the trailer.

coachmen makes some nice campers.


https://coachmenrv.com/camping-trailers/clipper


but yeah. If you can make one of the RV shows in the area man. They are GREAT for seeing everything out there and comparing what’s available. You can pretty much see every type of camper and what they have to offer. Go inside check them out top to bottom.

honestly the shows themselves are a lot of fun.
 
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Crazed Liotta Eyes

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I've been thinking about buying one and living in it part time on my property rather than traveling with it much. I live near a popular lake and snow skiing area in Southern California and could rent my house out for crazy money pretty much year round. I could fit at least a 30 footer and still leave room for 4-5 guest to park and rent my 3-2 house. I still work full time so I'm not sure I want to deal with the hassle but man is it tempting. Could probably more than pay my mortgage. Also tempting to just rent out the travel trailer because those go for stupid money up here in the mountains as well.
 

Crazed Liotta Eyes

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My brother in law bought one. Total junk and can't get warranty repairs done in a timely manner. They're all cheaply made these days.
I wondered about that. I looked at a few in the 25-30K range and they had cool layouts with the pop outs but the quality of materials didn't seem great. I question how one parked up here in the snow would do, let alone day to day living.
 

Tabascocat

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I agree with some others, in no way can any SUV pull one of those safely. A big truck is best, being a 250/2500 variety in the least. The vehicle needs to be built for that kind of load.
 

CyberB0b

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I wondered about that. I looked at a few in the 25-30K range and they had cool layouts with the pop outs but the quality of materials didn't seem great. I question how one parked up here in the snow would do, let alone day to day living.

My brother in law said a lot of the issues are from towing it. It's tough on the cheap construction materials they use. If it's parked, it will probably hold up better.
 

Crazed Liotta Eyes

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My brother in law said a lot of the issues are from towing it. It's tough on the cheap construction materials they use. If it's parked, it will probably hold up better.
Cool, good to know. Do you happen to know what brand he bought and the approximate cost? I haven't done enough research to know the difference yet in the various ones out there. As with almost anything, you get what you pay for. I just don't know where that line is between it works and something that you really like.
 

JoeyBoy718

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Thanks for all the answers. I have a Subaru Ascent which says it has 5,000 pound towing capacity. It looks like that should safely pull 20 footers and even some 26 footers. It's also all wheel drive, if that helps.
 

Rockport

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I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with travel trailers. I don't know if that's the official term, but basically a full RV that you pull from your truck. I have a big SUV that should be able to pull a big one. I have a family of four, with my wife and two daughters. I don't know much about them. Wondering if anyone has used one, pros and cons, price range, etc.
I’ve got an RV although it’s a small one. I did a lot of research before buying. What I’ve found out is that most RV’s are very cheaply made. You have to be careful in choosing a manufacturer. When looking at them, open and close all the doors and drawers, cabinets, closets, etc. The cheaply made ones eventually have issues with those. Laminate instead of real wood. You also need to look at how you’re going to use it, I.e. just at state or RV parks that have power or will you go boondocking, I.e. off grid. If the later, you’ll need to research off grid power like Solar or a generator. The tow vehicle is very important. You said you have a big SUV, but I would check it’s tow rating before you buy and don’t go over that rating. They are a lot of fun especially with family. You’ll meet a lot of friendly folks along the way. Just do your research first so you can make the right choice in an RV.
 

Rockport

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I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with travel trailers. I don't know if that's the official term, but basically a full RV that you pull from your truck. I have a big SUV that should be able to pull a big one. I have a family of four, with my wife and two daughters. I don't know much about them. Wondering if anyone has used one, pros and cons, price range, etc.
Another thing, the pandemic has triggered a run on RV’s. Demand is extremely high. Not sure how that effects the price.
 

Vtwin

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Thanks for all the answers. I have a Subaru Ascent which says it has 5,000 pound towing capacity. It looks like that should safely pull 20 footers and even some 26 footers. It's also all wheel drive, if that helps.

Before you throw down on an RV, do some more research on tow ratings and capacities. The manufacturer's tow ratings are pure marketing, and are based on absolute best case scenario.

Most often, you will surpass the GVWR of the vehicle, before you reach that tow capacity rating. By the time you load your car up with cargo and passengers, that 5k tow rating has dropped considerably. Your trailer is also going to weigh more than the mfg's listed weight, once you get it ready to roll.

Personally, there is no way I would I would rely on an SUV in that class, to tow a 3000+ pound, trailer for any serious distance, on a regular basis.

There is NO way I'd consider buying a used SUV in that class, that has been used to regularly tow a travel trailer.
 

HungryLion

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Before you throw down on an RV, do some more research on tow ratings and capacities. The manufacturer's tow ratings are pure marketing, and are based on absolute best case scenario.

Most often, you will surpass the GVWR of the vehicle, before you reach that tow capacity rating. By the time you load your car up with cargo and passengers, that 5k tow rating has dropped considerably. Your trailer is also going to weigh more than the mfg's listed weight, once you get it ready to roll.

Personally, there is no way I would I would rely on an SUV in that class, to tow a 3000+ pound, trailer for any serious distance, on a regular basis.

There is NO way I'd consider buying a used SUV in that class, that has been used to regularly tow a travel trailer.


He is very right.


Another reason I would check out some nice pop ups.

they are light, and your SUV should really be able to handle one. Plus since they fold down, they are more aerodynamic, less drag, easier for your vehicle to tow.

plus they are cheaper. You can use it and see how much you enjoy camping and using the trailer. And if you really love it...... upgrade your vehicle to something with more towing capacity and get a larger trailer.

that’s the route my parents went and it worked well for them.


Plus nowadays, they make some
Decent sized pop ups. Big enough for a family of 4
 

Vtwin

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He is very right.


Another reason I would check out some nice pop ups.

they are light, and your SUV should really be able to handle one. Plus since they fold down, they are more aerodynamic, less drag, easier for your vehicle to tow.

plus they are cheaper. You can use it and see how much you enjoy camping and using the trailer. And if you really love it...... upgrade your vehicle to something with more towing capacity and get a larger trailer.

that’s the route my parents went and it worked well for them.


Plus nowadays, they make some
Decent sized pop ups. Big enough for a family of 4
I would go with a pop up, myself.

As kids, our family of four spent countless weekends in a pop up. Usually towed by Plymouth station wagon.

Great memories.
 

HungryLion

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I would go with a pop up, myself.

As kids, our family of four spent countless weekends in a pop up. Usually towed by Plymouth station wagon.

Great memories.


Agreed man.
Plus you’re camping.

90% of the time is spent outside anyway. Just need the trailer for sleeping and some amenities. Or incase of rain. Lol
 

Rockport

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He is very right.


Another reason I would check out some nice pop ups.

they are light, and your SUV should really be able to handle one. Plus since they fold down, they are more aerodynamic, less drag, easier for your vehicle to tow.

plus they are cheaper. You can use it and see how much you enjoy camping and using the trailer. And if you really love it...... upgrade your vehicle to something with more towing capacity and get a larger trailer.

that’s the route my parents went and it worked well for them.


Plus nowadays, they make some
Decent sized pop ups. Big enough for a family of 4
Pop-ups don't work well in Texas for year around camping.
 

Rockport

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Thanks for all the answers. I have a Subaru Ascent which says it has 5,000 pound towing capacity. It looks like that should safely pull 20 footers and even some 26 footers. It's also all wheel drive, if that helps.
Does your SUV have the towing package? That makes a huge difference. Extra transmission cooling, stronger tow array.
 
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