Hey Guys......My family and I ( me, my wife, my two daughters, two dogs and two cats) had to evacuate for Gustov this weekend.........we were lucky that it didn't hit us. My thoughts and prayers go out to the ones who weren't so lucky....

I've decided that before next time we have to evacuate that I'm getting a travel trailer to stay in......cause 2 days in a small hotel room with all of us was just too cramped and crazy......

I've found a 29' Jayco it weighs appox 4,445lb empty, so figure 7,000lb loaded down.....I have a 07 F-150 2wd w/3.55 gears and 5.4 engine......First of all I know that my truck will pull it, but would I need to re-gear to say 3.73 or lower to reduce wear on transmission? Any other suggestions would be helpful!

 

Glad to hear you and your family are OK.

You'll be fine with that setup. Just get a break controller and it'll do great. I tow about the same weight with mine, but I have 3.73 gears. I also have 4x4, so the trade-offs are probably about the same. If the tranny starts hunting for the right gear, just take it out of overdrive and you'll be set.

Enjoy!

 

don't bother regearing if you are going to get 3.73's. The difference isn't enough to justify the expense.

now a 4.10 or 4.30 gearset would be well worth it IMO. Would give you more towing power and make the truck alot more fun around town (and better city MPG)...trade-off being a little bit worse highway MPG

 

Thanks for the advice.......I'll probably go ahead and get it this week. We have awhile until hurricane season is over......I'll see how it does with stock gears and if I need to re-gear to 4.10 before next hurricane season......

Spending any amount of time in a cramped hotel room with all of us just was too much for me......but you gotta do what you have to do.

I know Mississippi and Louisiana got hit pretty hard, I hope our members who where affected made it out OK.........here in TX, we got lucky this time. But there are two more out there heading toward the US, next time we may not be so lucky....

Thanks again - Andy

 

I camp and have had several travel trailers over many years. If you were cramped in a motel room, you might be really cramped in a travel trailer. The travel trailer you are considering has around 200 SF of space before you deduct for the kitchen, bathroom, etc. Two people and a 9 pound dog makes our 25' travel trailer full. If you are not going to use it a lot, you're wasting your money. Refrigerators, furnaces, water heaters, etc go bad in campers because of lack of use and they are expensive to fix or replace.

 

I agree my parents had one that went down the crapper because of a lack of use, sold it for $500.....

 

Yeah, I see what you mean, but main problem with hotel is 1. having to find one that isn't full, 2. finding one that takes pets, 3. having everyone look at you funny when you bring in that many pets and all our crap!!!

I know it isn't any bigger than a hotel, but at least with a trailer, the dogs would be in outside in the kennels and we could be outdoors until time to go in......plus wouldn't have to worry about everyone else in the hotel.

I would use it more during deer season than anything really, it would get put to good use......

 

But once you get the trailer and head out, you need to find a campground with full hookups. You can usually find water and electricity but there are a limited number with sewer hook-ups. If you don't have that, crap builds up fast.

I would have a camper for the reason you state but I wouldn't get one if I didn't go camping all the time anyway.

 

is dealing with the sewage pipes (draining mainly) a messy process? I've been looking at some 27-29 footers, I'd really like a Rockwood those seem to be the most luxurious.

 

My family is trying to find one just to have a 5th wheel. And my dad stays on job sites for weeks at a time so it would be his mobile office. We have been looking into them and we found that for 5 people to be comfortable you need ~35ft. Much smaller and it gets cramped.

Also, do you want to camper for living, or sleeping. There are 2 diff setups that you want to take into account. One has less living space, but a bigger bedroom(s). However, the ones with olny one bed and a pull out, make it easier for people to sit comfortably inside.

 

Emptying the holding tanks at a dump station is not hard or very dirty. Our black water holding tank (toilet sewage) will go for a long time but our gray water (kitchen sink, shower, etc) tank fills up quickly but draining it while on the campsite is not difficult or messy if you have the proper container. If you're going to be camping for a period of time in one spot, you may need to empty the holding tank, you generally get it done by someone with the equipment to do it. It is generally the same people who empty portable toilets.

I have a Flagstaff which is the same trailer as a Rockwood. They are ultralites for easier towing. One thing that makes them lighter is the tanks for fresh water, black water and gray water have a smaller capacity than traditional heavy trailers. I have had mine over 5 years and it has been an excellent trailer and I would buy it again.

 

I considered a 5th. wheel but decided on a travel trailer for several reasons. A 5th wheel is far more expensive and heavier than the same size travel trailer. You have to have a much heavier duty truck to pull it with (at least a 3/4 ton but usually a ton). The 5th wheel and hitch keeps you from being able to use the bed when you are pulling the trailer and you have to remove the hitch to use the bed effectively. If you have a breakdown with your tow vehicle, you can tow a travel trailer with almost any vehicle with a tow package and a brake controller where the 5th wheel needs a truck with a hitch. However, the reason my wife wouldn't let me get one is that the bed it upstairs and she was afraid of a fire where she couldn't get out (she made me buy the optional door in the bedroom of out travel trailer).

I also agree that a larger trailer is needed for several people. Many smaller trailers claim they can sleep 6 or 8. They can but it is not comfortable and you sacrifice the utility for fewer people. Our little 25' travel trailer works great for 2 people and will sleep 6 or 7 but it is miserable with more than 2 and a small grandchild.