OK, looks like I sold the house in TX, so now we can afford a TT (even with the beating we took on the house ). What are some of the things to look for, what brands should we avoid, what brands should we favor, etc etc.

Thanks!

 

Do yourself a favour and buy a fifth wheel or gooseneck trailer,stay away from bumper pulls if you plan on a lot of travelling across the country.The 5th wl tr. is so much safer to pull esspecially at Interstate speeds.This configueration puts the weight of the tr slightly in front of the rear axle instead of the bumper which is well behind the rear axle.If you look at the accident rates comparing the 2 types of trailers (5th wl,bumper pull) the bumper pull tr is much higher.

 

go with a 5th wheel much quicker to hook to tows so much better and i can still put a boat or another bumper pull behind it get your rail clearance right and make sure it is level pulls like a dream

 

OK... I thought about adding this, but didn't. Guess I should have. We've decided on a TT pretty much for other reasons, so please don't say "get a 5ver". This will be a weekender kind of thing for now. If we were to go full time or had more time to be on the road, I'd opt for the 5th wheel and probably go with a 2WD truck.

So, thanks for the thoughts on the 5th wheel, but what I'm looking for is brands to avoid, brands that have good reputations, features to definately get, what can I live without and what don't I want (because they cause more problems than they're worth)? That kind of stuff.

Thanks again!

 

just curios why are you so set on getting a tt i currently have a moterhome and a 5th wheel and have had a tt but for me the 5th wheel can not be beat. Just trying to see your side of the fence.

 

I like a TT since I have a cap on the back of the truck for all my goodies and the dog.
I don't have a large TT and I've never had any issues on the road. Been all over with it including a cross country tow when I moved from SoCal to Michigan. Just make sure you have a sway bar or 2 if the TT has any size to it.

 

Because I use the bed quite a bit. Yes, I know, the hitch doesn't take up THAT much room, but throwing bike equipment, a bed load of mulch, plywood, whatever in the back means I prefer an empty bed for now. I also have a bike rack mounted OVER the bed which would have to go away anytime we took the trailer out. Bottom line, having an empty bed full time suits my needs more right now than the pluses offered by a 5ver, that's all.

 

I have an artic fox and it is by far the best i've had...it is well insulated and just plain built stronger. it is the same company that builds nash trailers... are you looking for a new or used trailer. personaly I would look for used. most people by thier trailer then never use them.. anyway good luck
mark

 

I have a Thor Tahoe now and I have had no problems with it. I had a sportsmen tt before the Thor. I liked it best. A hurricane took it from us. Both were, are 25' I like having 2 doors. My wife and daughter like to sleep late. (I can go out the other door and not wake them.) Alot of tt come with 2 year warranties. Look for a good warranty, and make sure you can live with the restroom size it comes with. (some are tiny) Look in my gallery for pix of both tt,s. the Sportsmen is on its side though.

 

Agree with Runningbird. Had experience with a fair number of trailers, and Nash/Arctic Fox have been the best.

btw, been pulling TT's for years, 18 to 31 feet long. As long as you set it up right, trailer shocks, good tires, weight distribution hitch, a good sway control system like a dual cam, etc., with a truck like a Dodge CTD, you'll do as well as with a 5th wheel.

 

Joel,

Things to look for...

1. construction of the cabinets (are they stapled, screwed or just glued together). I think you can figure out which one is best for the long run.

2. Kitchen sink - is it plastic, stainless or enamel? We skipped on quite a few because they used plastic sinks - just could not see the long term in those.

3. How do the cabinets stay closed ie is the latch on the outside or is it on the inside hidden from view (this is more of a personal preference type thing but it was my experience that when you seen the latch then it was normally followed by cheap cabinets).

4. If looking at a slideout is it flush floor or not? Reason I bring this up is we did not look for this feature and you'd be surprised how many times I have tripped over that 2 inch rise at the end of the slide when getting up from the couch to get another cold one from the fridge - next time it's flush floor all the way.

5. Outside storage - oh I would kill to have outside storage. We have NONE - NADDA - Not even one spot and I learned my lesson there. Never again will I have a unit with no outside accessable storage. Yes I have storage under the bed but it's a pain in the but when you want a hot dog stick and have to go in the unit and lift the bed to get it.

6. Make sure you can get to the bathroom with the slide in so that it makes potty breaks along side the road easier. there is nothing more frustrating than having to take the slide bars down and run the slide out 4 inches so I can get into the bathroom. Yes the slides are power but still it's a pain in the rear end gear...

7. Make sure that you can open all the windows with the awning rolled up - you would not believe how many units I have seen like this in campgrounds where they can't open say one of the bed room windows unless the awning is deployed - Started looking for them because our was that way - notice I said was - New awning fixed that (longer).

8. If your going to be doing winter camping (cold weather) then look for a unit that has enclosed holding tanks - this way you don't have to worry about them freezing. Really it's not that much of a problem we winter camp in ours just have to remember to put some anti-freeze in there first to keep it working good.

one thing that you will find is that most trailers (no matter what brand) are pretty close in they are all cheaply built compared to homes (has to be light they are designed to run down the highway) but there are small differences that you need to look for. Another thing to keep in mind is that all of them use the same brand of appliances so really it comes down to the construction and the floor plan. We settled on our unit because of floor plan, I wanted 5er but we wanted bunks for the kids and when we bought we could not find a used 5er with bunks but we have not been unhappy yet, I think that the floor plan will either make or break a unit.

Our's is a Hornet 31ft with slide made by Damon corp (1998) she tips the scales at 9200~9500lbs loaded for vacation (wife takes everything including the kitchen sink) yes it shoves the back of our 2500 SRW around pretty good when the wind hits but it's not so bad that I won't tow it - the sway control does a pretty good job - would like to see it do a better job but I'm not complaining much... Just take it easy and enjoy the ride.

Remember looking for an RV is half the fun. Take a note pad with ya and write down things you'll be amazed at the differences you find and then they tend to get cobbled up in your head by the time you get home, I found it quite nice to write things down that we liked and disliked about the units so we could cuss/discuss them back at the house.

 

Note pads a good idea. Also take a video camera with you when shopping. We did that years ago when shopping for a home in S. Louisiana. It's amazing how much the insides of homes can be confused at the end of the day or week. We always took a shot of the front of the house, inside, etc. I think this would really work good while RV shopping as well. I can't offer you advice on a camper because I no longer own one. I owned a popup years ago when the kids were ll little. Really good times. If doing again, I would not get a Popup again. It was OK, but I'm past that stage now. When I buy my next one it will either be a gooseneck with livestock and living quarters, or a TT that I can pull behind my truck or the Wife's Expedition. Enjoy yourself while looking.

 

Are you planning on doing lots of dry camping? Or will most of your camping be in full hookup sites?

I do most of my camping with no hookups, and most standard TT does not have enough capacity in fresh water, grey/black tanks. Also standard TT lack lots of nice features like out side shower, high pressure pump, external tables and stands. This is the reason I went with a Toyhauler TT...(I got a fifth wheel but same concept).

Even when I don’t carry my toys, and go with a bunch of friends and family (2 queen beds, and 2 single beds) we have enough room to sleep, enough water for 2-3 days. We also use the outside shower to clean up after a good fishing day etc.....

Take a look at the Weekend Warrior TT. They come super loaded with features, are built tough for off-road use and have tons of room.

Just my 2cp

 

I got a 32 ft TT with a slide and it pulls pretty good,not quite as good as a 5er but close,just got to make sure it is set up correctly..
We have 2 dogs so a topper is a must,so a TT is our only choice..

 

JOEL,
I have a Nash 22' TT and I think it is great. When I bought the trailer I had been shoping for about a year and a half. From what I saw every time Nash had the quality and options I was looking for. I could not find another brand of trailer for the price that compaired to the Nash. I have had the trailer for 3 years now and it has not had one problem. It has been drug down 30 miles of dirt roads on hunting trips - and not a loose fixture yet. I really, really wanted a toy hauler but could not afford it. So I went with a new Nash. It pulls behind the truck great even on the freeway in the wind. As stated above QUALITY is most important. Take your time and look at your options. There are alot of good trailers then theres crap believe me I learned the hard way. Buy what suits you not someone else.