Camper trailer purchase advise.

[NWSharpshooter]

Also, slide outs in general add room for more RV grade furniture. RV grade furniture is garbage and expensive to repair/replace.

We went with the toy hauler because we were able to remove the table, couches, etc and open the whole thing up. I have more room in my toy hauler even though it is 10 feet shorter and doesn’t have a slide out.

The chairs we use are a hell of a lot more comfortable than what came with the camper or what was in our previous camper and if we break one we run down to academy and buy a new one for 50 bucks.


Plus we can use them on the party deck or out by the fire.

 

[Flying gammahooch]

Fiberglass delaminates, aluminum does not. Slide outs leak, get out of alignment, require maintenance and upkeep. No slide out of course does not.


A simple tear in a slide seal caused my slide out to leak and because it required the whole slide out to be removed to repair it was expensive as hell to repair on a 2 year old camper.

Slide outs also add weight.

Good point, i had an aluminum sided years ago and thought the newer fiberglass were better. Thats good to know

 

[NWSharpshooter]

This is the floor plan of our toy hauler. The dinette and fold down sofas are what we removed so the whole back is wide open.

 

[Flying gammahooch]

This is the floor plan of our toy hauler. The dinette and fold down sofas are what we removed so the whole back is wide open.


View attachment 2211762

Does the ramp have to go all the way down or can u keep it level and use it as a deck?

 

[NWSharpshooter]

Does the ramp have to go all the way down or can u keep it level and use it as a deck?

It’s a party deck too.


Honestly we have never had it all the way down.

 

[Trailrider]

anything over #3000 would over due it. Not sure where other member said #6000

That's misinformation. Modern half ton trucks are more than capable of handling that. Compare specs of today's F150/1500's vs a 90's or even early 2000's 3/4 ton or 1 ton truck. The technology is so much better. Everything from braking, handling, electronic trailer brake controls, sway bars, power, etc.

What do you think people were hauling their campers with in the 70's and 80's? A modern Dodge 1500 would run circles around those trucks in all aspects.

I think it's hilarious when people will go out and buy a $70k Dodge 3500 dually to pull a 6k# trailer.

My 2016 F150 pulls my 6k# loaded landscaping trailer effortlessly. I don't even feel it behind me pulling or stopping.

 

[KrisD]

Fiberglass is fine if you maintain your camper and insulates better.

As with any camper or boat. If you don't maintain it its gonna fall apart.

 

[NWSharpshooter]

That's misinformation. Modern half ton trucks are more than capable of handling that. Compare specs of today's F150/1500's vs a 90's or even early 2000's 3/4 ton or 1 ton truck. The technology is so much better. Everything from braking, handling, electronic trailer brake controls, sway bars, power, etc.

What do you think people were hauling their campers with in the 70's and 80's? A modern Dodge 1500 would run circles around those trucks in all aspects.

I think it's hilarious when people will go out and buy a $70k Dodge 3500 dually to pull a 6k# trailer.

My 2016 F150 pulls my 6k# loaded landscaping trailer effortlessly. I don't even feel it behind me pulling or stopping.

Yep. My 2016 F150 is rated to 10,200 lb. Not much less than my old 2001 F350. The new 3.5 eco boost with max tow is 14k lbs which is more than my old F350.


That said, my truck is made out of aluminum and doesn’t weigh ****. I get pretty uncomfortable above 6k lbs. I can pull it fine, but getting it slowed down in a hurry is tricky.

I pulled my old camper which was about 8k lb and 35 ft long down to the dealership to trade in on the new one which is 4200 lb and 24ft. It was a bit white knuckle on the interstate.

 

[gregar]

GREAT thread ODT’rs.
Love all the input and dialogue.
Thanks OP and replies!

 

[tb018]

If you buy used in Ga make sure the current owner has kept tag and ad valorm tax up to date . I bought a used one and turns out the person i got it from had not bought a tag in a couple of years. I got stuck with all back taxes and penalties . Expensive lesson.