Does size REALLY matter when full-timing?

[Msmoto]

Yikes, I cannot believe I made a mistake… of course, the 30 Bunkhouse has the closets at the side of the queen bed…. Well, old age is better than the alternative…. LOL

[JimGolden]

Wolfhound and Cory,

It is just a matter of practice. I was originally scared to death (My Ram is a 4-door long bed, and is 22' long, the trailer is 35'-11" long, and the hitch sticks out the back of the truck about 1.5' or so....so my rig is just over 58' long bumper to bumper) and would only go to truck stops.

But, you get used to it. Once you're used to it, it doesn't seem any harder than pulling a 20' trailer. It's really not a big deal.

Of course, there are places that you physically cannot get in to. But for the most part, I can get into about any gas station I want and access the diesel pump.

Be VERY careful when pulling out and beware of tail swing. It's really easy to hit one of the pumps with your tail swing. But as long as your cognizant of it, you'll be fine.

Again, I was scared to death at first. But you overcome that quickly. Thousands, if not Millions, have mastered this before you. You can too. No problema amigo!

See ya on the road, with my 36' Triple Axle Tiki Shack

[cory_can]

Thanks Jim, I guess like everything, as long as it's physically possible you can get in with enough practice. How often have you pulled into a station and found it impossible?

[JimGolden]

Cory,

In eight years of towing, maybe three times total did i find it impossible. And, I would say that 2 out of 3 of them were due to the way other people parked (and I wasn't willing to wait for them to leave) vs. actually physically impossible.

[dkottum]

You would pull into the older gas stations parallel with the road, not so with the current style. Now you pull more/less straight toward the store with cars parked in front, along the side. Can be a challenge getting out if they're busy, and they usually are.

[slowmover]

Fresh water capacity matters more than layout, as does propane tank size.

Disc brakes matter more than layout.

Weight centered over the axles matters most of all.

As trailer design and construction (aero, all-aluminum and independent suspension) are already givens the final thing to understand is that electricity is barely important at all. It is pretty much a luxury, a want versus being a need.

Starting with layout is the rookie mistake. Or, why boxes sell better. For when it really matters which is while on the road and cut off from city infrastructure the basics are everything.

Security from weather, the ability to heat the living space, to refrigerate and cook plus plenty of clean water. Parked.

Moving, the correct loading of the TT with best brakes (antilock preferred) even with this design to avoid loss-of-control accidents . . which is not about "skill" (another rookie mistake).

Minimizing risk, parked or moving, is the real world, Dad.

-------

Go ahead and order up a PRO PRIDE hitch from Sean, now, as you already have the TV.

switz has gone with an aftermarket disc brake upgrade on his new TT as well as a first rate solar install and is more than competent with tech questions. Work done in Texas IIRC. Tire/wheel upgrade, too.

Pharmgeek went through quite a few of the same Q's on layout with kids with new TV and TT.

TTT does fine work on A/S TT's, but so does Top if albeit on a smaller scale . . and just down the road.

------------------

It's a good thread, so keep on. But start from where things matter.

.


.

[Msmoto]

Like anything else, driving a lengthy rig requires practice. When it comes to fuel, if one uses diesel, looking for a truck stop seems to work best. Always easy to pull through. But, here is a link to some thoughts from DMV

http://www.dmv.org/how-to-guides/pulling-trailer.php


Ms Tommie Lauer
Greensboro, NC
2015 Serenity 30 RB / 2008 Dodge Cummins 4 X 4
WBCCI #4165 AIR #31871

[wolfhound]

Hey slowmover, thank you for the info and different perspective. I appreciate that and will research more. I'm curious, who or what is Top as an alternative to TTT that's just down the road? I'm not having Much luck with TTT calling me back or returning email

I want to look into the pro pride hitch a bit more. I don't really know what it offers (I know there's a healthy PP fan base here) but I don't have a good handle yet on how they differ and why it's worth so much money.


Sent from the æther

[dkottum]

One drive down the interstate with gusting side winds and a semi blasting by and you'll know why the Hensley/ProPride is worth the money.

Rather than leveraging the side and side-to-side (sway) forces at the hitch ball to the truck's front axle, the geometry of the Hensley/ProPride design projects those forces to the truck's rear axle. These forces are not present or felt in the truck's steering axle.

The comfort and safety of this style hitch is remarkable, easily the best money we have spent and a small part of our overall towing combination expense.

[wolf146]

Originally Posted by wolfhound

I want to look into the pro pride hitch a bit more. I don't really know what it offers (I know there's a healthy PP fan base here) but I don't have a good handle yet on how they differ and why it's worth so much money.


Sent from the æther

I spoke with a camper who had a Hensley Hitch. He told me he had trouble with it after a year. It's guaranteed for life, the "hitch" is ( pardon my pun) you have to pay the shipping for them to "diagnose" the problem!! It was too expensive to do that so he now has it in the garage and bought a good weight distribution/anti sway hitch and is very happy with it. ( that is what I have had for 40 years of trailering).

I looked into the Hensley and Pro-Pride and found that they are very expensive and very heavy and more trouble to hook up ( from what I have been told by this other camper). There are plenty of threads about hitches on this forum. Check them out- you will get plenty of opinions!! wolf146

[dkottum]

Well, talk to someone who actually uses one.

[switz]

Used a Hensley on our 2013 25FB International Serenity and upgraded to the ProPride when our upgrade to a 31' Classic occurred. ProPride is several hundred dollars less expensive and was also designed by Jim Hensley. The ProPride is version 2 of the design and in my experience, much easier to use and no holes need to be drilled into the frame.

[m.hony]

ProPride gets my vote-

[wolfhound]

ProPride hitches seem to get the most endorsements on this forum, at least as far as I can tell over the time I've been lurking here. I will definitely do my research.

We went over to Vogt this weekend and spent some time comparing a 27FB, 30FB (Bunk) and 30 with lounge. So far, we are leaning toward the 30 with the L-shaped lounge. It's easier for us to imagine weathering out a few rainy days in there than it was the other models, for our needs. I might like to see a 30 with the fold out table as another option, but I've never set foot in one of those yet.

I noticed that Airstream.com seems to finally have updated their website for the 2015 models, and I didn't see a 30 with lounge as an available Flying Cloud floorplan, but I know they exist because I was just in one. Can you get either as an option, regardless of queen or twin selection? For example, can one order a 30 with twins and the L-shape lounge, or must you get the queen to get the lounge? This might be a question for the dealer... I didn't get a chance to ask them. They are quite used to waving at me as I walk straight by to the trailers outside.

Thanks!

[ghaynes755]

Were the ones you saw at Vogt 2014 or 2015's? They do change stuff year to year so that may be why you are seeing the difference.

[wolfhound]

Originally Posted by ghaynes755

Were the ones you saw at Vogt 2014 or 2015's? They do change stuff year to year so that may be why you are seeing the difference.

Some of both. The 27FB was a '14, and the 30 models were both '15s. One was plugged and rockin' the ducted A/C - that's how I am certain of the year, because I sat on the L-lounge for a good long while and enjoyed the cool breeze of the A/C.

As a side note, I was surprised how hot the cupboards were. I suppose 100+ degrees and closed cabinets isn't the best recipe for breezy cupboards. I was slightly disappointed in the insulation qualities of the walls, but they are awfully thin. And I wouldn't make a habit of camping out in 100+ anyway.

[mefly2]

Originally Posted by cory_can

Slightly OT with regard to "full timing", but how is everyone's experience with pulling into fuel stations with 25-30+ long AS's? Do you ever have difficulty?

Yes, be especially aware (depending on where you live) of the road crown and gutter dip as you pull into fuel stops. Most travel trailers are quite a bit lower to the ground than long haul trucks and often the overhang would "grind" as we either entered or left a fuel stop. YMMV


Do you ever have to leave a station and search for an easier option? Also, diesel pumps are usually limited in most stations, is getting access to those especially difficult while towing longish trailers?

Be very aware of the end of your trailer's swing ... especially difficult in crowded areas. I can't tell you how many times we simply left one fuel stop and hoped for enough fuel to easily make it to the next stop that might be easier to negotiate (at least around here) ... now I am not a newcomer - some 40+ years of towing experience, however. YMMV


Where do you park while stopping to shop? In my small hybrid SOB it was easy to take two spots and stay inside the lane ways in most parking lots but I'm concerned with what I'm going to do with another 10+ feet.

Our experience as well with a 28" sailboat / trailer ...even when empty! YMMV, but that is why we chose the shorter length for our fun tin can!

......

[ghaynes755]

Wolf maybe the difference in layouts was the model. Flying Cloud 30 doesn't have the L shape seating and I looked at the last two years of brochures. No L in the FC 30. However the International series does have the L for the 30? If you were looking at a Flying Cloud maybe Vogt did some type of special order? It's fun shopping and very confusing isn't it

[wolfhound]

Originally Posted by ghaynes755

Wolf maybe the difference in layouts was the model. Flying Cloud 30 doesn't have the L shape seating and I looked at the last two years of brochures. No L in the FC 30. However the International series does have the L for the 30? If you were looking at a Flying Cloud maybe Vogt did some type of special order? It's fun shopping and very confusing isn't it

Oh yeah, I've been staring at photos of trailers for hours these days I'm certain it was an FC 30 with L - both Vogt and Colonial have one in stock at the moment. Here's a photo and linky...



You can tell it's a 30 based on the side the galley is on (curb in 30, street in 28). Here's the trailer's full info at Colonial.

So, I'm wondering if these are indeed a special order, and there just happen to be a couple out there right now?

[ghaynes755]

Looking at the Colonial link it shows the L couch in the options list. Looks nice.