# Travel trailer, what to look for?



## ChasingReds

Recently retired and looking at getting a TT. Will be just my wife and I so not looking at units with bunks, would like a couple of slide outs as we'd be on the road for an extended period. Would intend to use a Ram1500 with a 5.7 hemi as the tow vehicle.

What should I be looking for in a unit and what should I avoid? I've got experience with class A's but not TT's

Thx

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk


----------



## dbarham

Call MG in Clute they are top notch


----------



## Tuff

Important things:
1) make sure you can safely tow your trailer with your truck-don't believe what the camper dealer tells you, find out from your owner's manual or your truck dealer-all trucks can "pull" the biggest of trailers, but doe's it have the suspension and brakes to do so safely? (you may decide to upgrade your tow vehicle-most 1/2 ton trucks are limited to 8500-10000 GVWR) you will be at the weight limit for your truck before you put "stuff" inside your trailer or water in the tanks
2) make sure you fit in the shower
3) unless it is a small trailer, you will need 2 AC units in Texas
4) because of #3, get a 50 AMP unit
5) pay attention to the mattress side - conventional sizes are easier to buy sheets for compared to an "RV" sized mattress
6) "auto-level" with hydraulic legs is worth the price
7) get the larger refrigerator
8) get an enclosed bottom 
9) spend at least $150 on your brake controller

Without more info on what you will be doing, it's hard to get more specific. If you plan to spend a lot of time in your trailer, I would strongly recommend that you consider a bigger truck and a fifth wheel.


----------



## ChasingReds

Thx for the response, may end up upgrading the truck as am concerned on the GVWR. Units I've looked at are like 5800 - 7500 lbs so would be near the limits of my exisiting vehicle on the high side. Likely be travelling more west than east, so mountain roads would be involved. Not familiar with #8, what is an enclosed bottom?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk


----------



## Geordican

If it's used

Jump around in the floor feeling for soft spots. 
Get on the roof and check the condition of the rubber roof cap - especially at the front where it transitions into the front cap. 

Weight is not the only issue. It's the wind resistance. I have a F150 ecoboost. With 420 ft lbs of torque my trailer weight is not an issue. The the 10' height, it's like a sail in the wind. My trailer is 31' and right at 7000lbs. My truck is rated to toe 11000lbs. I would not want to tow 11000lbs. 

From my knowledge you need to level the camper first, then drop the jacks otherwise the door and other items buckle. I have the manual jacks and bought a 10.00 drill attachment. I can lower all jacks in 2 minutes. My dad has electric jacks - he doesn't like them. 

I agree - get a big bathroom - we have kids, had to get bunk house. 

We have 1 a/c - it does fine in summer months, but we do have a couple of small fans to push the air around (I don't like stagnant air)

Exterior Storage compartments with large access doors are nice. 

If you are going to upgrade you TV get one with brake controller built in. So much nicer than screwing something to the dash. 

Rear bumper storage racks are great - I use mine every trip. 

Roof sky lights are great until the summer and you want to keep the light and heat out. Some trailers have thin roofs which makes a shallow sky light and the sky light pillows don't fit in them.


----------



## ChasingReds

more great info, thx. Plan to start looking this weekend. Was considering new, but not opposed to used if it's in good shape and fit to purpose.


----------



## Geordican

When I bought mine I found used ones to be only 1500-2000 cheaper than new. For that little savings I decided to buy new. That way I know exactly what has happened to it, how it has been taken care of, and only my **** has been in the black tank.


----------



## salty redneck

*Beware of DEALER*

My two cents......steer clear of Camping World......promise you the world till you buy.....service sucks.......and I spent $80K+ and still get crappy service. Shoulda stuck to mom & pop small dealer.


----------



## ChasingReds

Thx for the heads up, although camping world and holiday world closest dealers to me, have not had good experiences with either in the past

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk


----------



## rglide09

Some great tips have been given. Go to PPL and look there, no sales pressure and sometimes you can save big bucks on a hardly used unit. If the unit has a ladder go on the roof and look for damage, tree limbs are lower than you think sometimes! You are smart to think about weight and tow vehicle, true, camper dealers will tell you anything to get you to buy. 
I would look for one that fits your needs, used may be better if you are not sure if you and your wife are going to enjoy it, take a beating money wise on new ones if you don't like it and decide to sell quickly. 
We bought our current one from PPL, very easy to deal with those folks. 
Good Luck!


----------



## ChasingReds

Thx for the PPL recommendation, will check them out and appreciate all the feedback!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk


----------



## Tuff

The enclosed bottom (#8) refers to not having plumbing, wiring, etc. exposed on the bottom of the trailer. A material called coroplast is used as the "skin." This helps (but not 100%) with cold weather, water during towing, insects, etc.

RV dealers are funny people. I have had to beg them to take my money. I would stay away from Camping World as previously suggested. My current fifth wheel was purchased from Genuine RV in Nacogdoches. But I also had issues with them on a prior purchase and ended up going to Arkansas to get my RV. 

Know what you want and what a reasonable cost is before you even leave your house. The dealer will do everything to upsell you or overcharge you.

If you can afford it, buy new instead of used. There is a reason someone is selling their RV.


----------



## uncle dave

Look at the space around the bed, some have little space and it is difficult to change bedding. Also if you are a big guy go for a king bed. a good sized pantry is also a plus. The 5th wheels have a lot more storage space then a bumper pull, the down side is the steps to the bedroom.


----------



## ChasingReds

Tuff said:


> The enclosed bottom (#8) refers to not having plumbing, wiring, etc. exposed on the bottom of the trailer. A material called coroplast is used as the "skin." This helps (but not 100%) with cold weather, water during towing, insects, etc.
> 
> RV dealers are funny people. I have had to beg them to take my money. I would stay away from Camping World as previously suggested. My current fifth wheel was purchased from Genuine RV in Nacogdoches. But I also had issues with them on a prior purchase and ended up going to Arkansas to get my RV.
> 
> Know what you want and what a reasonable cost is before you even leave your house. The dealer will do everything to upsell you or overcharge you.
> 
> If you can afford it, buy new instead of used. There is a reason someone is selling their RV.


Thx, that makes sense, have no problem burning the time of a sales dude while we figure out what we want and agree that I need to do some research to make sure the must have items (like 2 a/c units, and towing limits) are considered

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk


----------



## ChasingReds

uncle dave said:


> Look at the space around the bed, some have little space and it is difficult to change bedding. Also if you are a big guy go for a king bed. a good sized pantry is also a plus. The 5th wheels have a lot more storage space then a bumper pull, the down side is the steps to the bedroom.


Thx. yeah, kinda on the big side so will look try out the beds for size. The more I look at the sites a 5th wheel and upgraded tow vehicle may have to be considered. Are the hitches in the vehicle a permanent install or can the hardware be unlocked and removed when not in use?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk


----------



## Bayoutalker

ChasingReds said:


> Thx. yeah, kinda on the big side so will look try out the beds for size. The more I look at the sites a 5th wheel and upgraded tow vehicle may have to be considered. Are the hitches in the vehicle a permanent install or can the hardware be unlocked and removed when not in use?
> 
> Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk


If you have a choice 5th wheel is the way to go. They pull better, easier to hook up and have a lot more storage for chairs, grills, etc. If you can leave all that stuff in the trailer it sure makes getting ready for a trip a lot easier and quicker.

As for the hitch, they are generally mounted on rails in the bed. To remove it just pull 4 pins and lift it out. All that is left in the bed are 2 flat rails about 1 inch thick.

Cliff


----------



## FLAT FISHY

all the above and look into AZDEL construction I have it and like it a lot


----------



## ChasingReds

Bayoutalker said:


> If you have a choice 5th wheel is the way to go. They pull better, easier to hook up and have a lot more storage for chairs, grills, etc. If you can leave all that stuff in the trailer it sure makes getting ready for a trip a lot easier and quicker.
> 
> As for the hitch, they are generally mounted on rails in the bed. To remove it just pull 4 pins and lift it out. All that is left in the bed are 2 flat rails about 1 inch thick.
> 
> Cliff


Thx, will start looking this weekend, all this information has helped a lot

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk


----------



## limey

5'ers are available for 1/2 ton PU's. Never checked them out, don't know anything about them. I have a RAM 1500/HEMI/4x4 & it pulls my 34' Rockwood Signature Ultra Light with no problems.


ChasingReds said:


> Thx. yeah, kinda on the big side so will look try out the beds for size. The more I look at the sites a 5th wheel and upgraded tow vehicle may have to be considered. Are the hitches in the vehicle a permanent install or can the hardware be unlocked and removed when not in use?
> 
> Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk


----------



## ChasingReds

limey said:


> 5'ers are available for 1/2 ton PU's. Never checked them out, don't know anything about them. I have a RAM 1500/HEMI/4x4 & it pulls my 34' Rockwood Signature Ultra Light with no problems.


Interesting! Will have to check them out. Saw some ultra lite trailers at the weekend, all were around 6,000 lbs, but as stated had limited storage. All nice units though. Just no room for too much stuff

Question that occurred to me later. When I used class A units, there was a generator to keep the fridge going on the road, forgot to ask the sales dude how that's handled on TT's.

Can't imagine that they are 12v, do they run off propane? Will ask the question next time I'm at the dealer, but thought I'd ask y'all as well

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk


----------



## Geordican

For traveling on the road - pre cool the fridge, put cold food in it, and switch it to propane.


----------



## Bayoutalker

They will run off of propane or 12v as well as the normal electric. Be careful as not all have all the different options.

One more thing to look at is the water heater. Some run only on propane and some are electric/propane. If you have good power at the campground use the electric and save propane.

Cliff


----------



## peckerwood

You sure got some good suggestions.Not one that I don't agree with.


----------



## captMike

*travel trailer, what to look for?*

We just bought another nice used one this fall, 28' and love it, and saved 10000 against new one this one is 2 years old and was used 3 times, guy got transferred and wouldn't have time to use it.
1st set on pot, see if door closes, and you can have room.
2nd make sure you can exit bed on both sides, no crawling over each other during the night.
There are several places to rent them for the weekend to get a feel of what you want and will use.
It takes 3 to get them about right for you.
Good luck


----------



## DCW

salty ******* said:


> My two cents......steer clear of Camping World......promise you the world till you buy.....service sucks.......and I spent $80K+ and still get crappy service. Shoulda stuck to mom & pop small dealer.


Camping world has been a real pain to deal with. My rig has been in their shop twice already. Still going to have to go back again when parts come in. Their service dept really sux! I bought my trailer from the one in New Braunfels last october. PPL is a great place to window shop to get ideas on what you may want in a rig.


----------



## Bayoutalker

I love Camping World for the store, but not their sales and service. My friends and I have tried them for both and the results have not been good at several locations. It seems their business plan needs a little tweaking.

Cliff


----------



## Hueyfisher

*Advice given to me....*

I have a good friend that has been RV'ing for 30+yrs that gave me some advice that has already been said on here, but I want to reiterate it.
This goes to the point of view that you will indeed be using it, and not parking it for 1-2x a year use. Not full time, but close.

A TT is fine, but you would need to stick to a top tier RV and they are just as expensive as a 5th.

His advice to me was:
50amp
2-ac's
Minimum of 3 slides (two opposing in living dining area, bedroom (king).
Large Fridge 
Pantry
Hydraulic Stab/Leveling
Keep weight reasonable, no sense in maxing out your vehicle, especially if going at Altitude and steep grades.
Stick with a highly rated brand, Open Range is a brand I see mentioned all the time on forums about being a good company, there are many that are great though.

Again, I know all of these have been mentioned. PPL is great for used, for new you have to play the negotiating game, unless they have an Advertised Price.

I own a TT despite my friends advice, it has been fine as I keep it at the Coast and the Deer lease. . It is a Jayco Eagle, which is a great little TT, solid built. Having said that I wish I had a 5th wheel.

Crestview in Buda had an Open Range 337 5th wheel for $39,995 at the Austin RV show, not sure if they sold all they had or not, but it is a very reasonably weighted 5th wheel, not 1/2 ton towable, but if you get a long bed diesel or a slider on a short bed, you would be fine. They are still selling 2014's and 2015's for that price!!!

If I would have been prepared I would have tried to sell mine through PPL before hand and bought one!!!!


----------



## Bayoutalker

My last 5er was a Cruiser by Crossroads. It was a 32' with 4 slides and a lot of storage. You might look at those too. That was the second Cruiser we owned and will look at another one.

Cliff


----------



## sea hunt 202

Geordican said:


> For traveling on the road - pre cool the fridge, put cold food in it, and switch it to propane.


I did not know you could do that, it dosen't cause issues I always heard that a fridge had to be level. If that is right then we will do it


----------



## Geordican

I guess if you were to travel up a steep hill the entire way it may not be good :rotfl:

Buuuttt, for the most part the roads are fairly level and it works fine. We try to use our camper once a month, I have been as far as Garner SP and I run propane on the roads every trip and I have not had an issue yet. My bag of ice, and tub of ice cream in the freezer stay frozen. Pop up fridges are small, we used to do the same with our popup and run it on 12V off the truck to keep it cool. We are headed to Oklahoma for Spring break, it will take about 7 hours, I will be running propane the entire way.



sea hunt 202 said:


> I did not know you could do that, it dosen't cause issues I always heard that a fridge had to be level. If that is right then we will do it


----------



## Bayoutalker

Remember, the fridge does not run constantly. It kicks on when it is needed and is off most of the time especially since you are not opening the door.

Cliff


----------



## PassingThru

Plenty of great advice here. One more thought. When we bought or RV last April, we would sit in the RV and think through our normal routines to see if the RV had sufficient room and features for us. Also, give consideration to inside and outside useable storage space. Whatever you buy, use it and enjoy it.


----------



## BobBobber

New Rvs will have formaldehyde and other toxic odors. Look for one at least 8 years old which will have most of those odors gone. Plywood floors also come in older RVs. Much better. Particle board floors when very wet mean scrapping your trailer, not repairing. Also your truck is not heavy enough for an RV with slides. We tow ours with a V-10 F-350. We bought a 38' Carriage LS, which also has real wooden cabinetry, not particle board covered with vinyl paper grain. Wood cabinetry is desirable.

Pay attention to roof and side walls. Any ripple in side walls means delamination. Stay away. Cannot be fixed.


----------



## sea hunt 202

I am not familiar with all that the last two RV we had stayed on a lot we had, this RV dosent get used much we only bought it to make the 2 cool campout. Just dont want to burn out the mini fridge


----------



## Drewtk

Great advice above. I will echo a few of the bigger points:

* Definitely get 2 A/C's. If you're anywhere warm, 1 A/C will struggle, and you'll have a backup if 1 fails. The other consideration for 2 A/Cs is noise control. RV A/C's are pretty loud. At night, we only run the A/C in the living room to keep the noise down in the bedroom. In the evening, if we're watching TV, we'll often only run the unit in the bedroom to keep the noise down in the living room. You'll need an RV with ducts to make this work well (the ducts will send air from any AC unit to the entire RV).

* Get a 3/4 or 1 ton truck and be done with it. Diesel also preferably. Heading west, it's constantly windy and hilly. It's really tiring to drive for hours on end with an RV that's being blown around or hard to manage going up/down mountains.

* I don't recommend towing any 5th wheel with a 1/2 ton. Yeah, it can be done with a really small 5th wheel and a max spec'd 1/2 ton, but you're really fitting a square peg into a round hole IMO.

We have an Open Range travel trailer that's been good to us. We bought it from Terry Vaughn RV in Alvin, and their service dept was excellent the one time we had ours in for a minor warranty issue. Also, Open Range and Jayco are the only brands that have 2 year warranties, that I've heard of.

If I were buying today, I'd take a hard look at Grand Design. Really nice units and I've heard their customer service is excellent.


----------



## BobBobber

Tinted double thermopane windows are important in Texas. We survive with one AC in our 38' 5'er thanks to our windows and insulation.

Not saying that we can get it down to 74 when outside temps are more than 100. Most if not all RV AC units specs state they can keep 20 degrees cooler than outside.

RVs sold for year-round camping usually have better insulation and enclosed insulated underbelly.


----------



## peckerwood

My wifes main requirement was a large back window with 2 chairs instead of the normal couch,and in a 27'-er,it was almost impossible to make happen,but we did and now I have to agree with her.With that window open,we can watch deer and the birds at the feeder,plus it makes the camper seem so much bigger.With a slide-out dining and couch,large shower,and the picture window on back,it's all we need for the 2 of us.


----------



## redexpress

ChasingReds said:


> Thx for the heads up, although camping world and holiday world closest dealers to me, have not had good experiences with either in the past
> 
> Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk


I don't know how Camping World could be any worse than Holiday World. That is taking bad to whole new low level. However....you can get a decent price at HW, and the one in League City seems much better for repairs.
**Be aware if you are on the road and have problems, the first thing most dealers ask is: "Did you buy it here?". If the problem is one of the components like A/C, refrigerator, stove, etc., any shop that is an authorized repair shop for that's components brand can repair it under warranty. All that said, I suppose buying at CW gives you the advantage of the "buying it there" issue. Some CW dealers are franchised, some independently owned, and some owned by CW. Which are which, I don't know. Be looking for an independent RV repair shop that has good reviews and reputation. The dealers are happy to sell you the RV and install accessories, but have a challenge actually repairing anything.


----------



## sea hunt 202

We do miss the Big back window on our last tt, it was like a big screen tv to the world. You should not buy one of those camper bbq pits as they are weak and take too much time to do the job


----------



## BobBobber

In most RV parks, your view out the back window is the back end of another RV behind you. Now we are in a location where we look at a canal to Lake Conroe and an uninhabited peninsula on the other side. First time ever that we had a decent view from the back window.


----------



## peckerwood

BobBobber said:


> In most RV parks, your view out the back window is the back end of another RV behind you. Now we are in a location where we look at a canal to Lake Conroe and an uninhabited peninsula on the other side. First time ever that we had a decent view from the back window.


Those are the parks we try to avoid.


----------



## ChasingReds

All great advice guys, seen about 15 units so far and all have their plus/minuses. Concentrating on units around 7000 lbs or less which does limit the "nice to have" options. Previous poster mentioned a rental option which I may explore to make sure this is the route we want to go

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk


----------



## sea hunt 202

If you have sky lights you can remove the bezel from below and add a solar screen to mute the sun in the morning.


----------

