travel trailer

[Kosmo]

Hi:

Thanks for the Livin' Light photos and info. How long can you camp off grid and still have power with the solar panels? Fairly big battery bank?

I guess you would like the second axle for easier towing?
What are you towing with?

I have looked at them before, and looked closer after seeing your info. Looks like a very solid construction, somewhat similar to the Adak, would likely stand up to towing on non-paved roads quite well.

Checking in with the S.O. I think we would be looking at the 21 BHS. Did you order your custom requirements via the dealer? Seems they could put a tipout in quite easily as they put them in quite a few of their trailers.

 

[BPD53]

I can camp quit a while with my solar setup. I have never ran out of power, just water. The Livin Lite trailer I have has a pretty small water tank compared to some I have seen on this site. I have a 200 amp hour battery bank and have never gone below 70%. I had to over build my solar because WV is not very solar friendly with all the trees and poor weather.

The second axle on the 14 footer is nice because it would tow great. That being said, mine tows great. I like only having to worry about one set of tires and brakes instead of two. I tow mine with a 2010 Chevy Colorado V8. I like the extra power and it does great on the hills we have here. I would not hesitate to tow it with a modern V6. I am around 2500 lbs ready to roll. The tongue weight is 185 lbs. I had them build a battery box inside the cabin to keep tongue weight down as well as theft.

I take mine on gravel roads alot and have no issues. I think the ADAK trailer is better suited for trails, but I have never seen one. I like them though.

I would call Livinlite and ask what they will do. If you got the money they will probably do it. I have to say that I think the prices on the trailers have goon up since I bought mine. I think one set up like mine would cost about $8000 more than I paid in 2012. If you get the 21 footer I would want a V8 at least. Mine catches alot of wind around 70 mph. I stay under 65 mph to save fuel. Forget trying to save fuel with a light trailer. The wind is everything to these things. I gain 2 mpg by going 65 and under. I like the idea that it is all aluminum. The interior is utilitarian and I like it. I have a family of three and it works great. The bathroom is small, but no way around it.

I like Livinlite because I think it will last a long time. I may be wrong, but it has suited us great for years. I have had some issues (minor) and the customer service was great. I had a mini blind break for some reason and they sent me two of them to be safe. I like the color choices too. I get tired of seeing white travel trailers.

If I have any advice it is look at everything. Take your time. I looked for over a year before I made my mind up. I do not think the perfect trailer exists. I am sure that you will have to make a compromise on something before it is over. Take the time to talk to everyone about any type of trailer.

If you have any questions shoot me a PM and we can talk. Good luck with the hunt.

 

[DonBeasley]

I saw the Adak at overland expo. Really nice but expensive and too heavy for me. I have a Tacoma to pull with. I too keep looking at the Livin lite

 

[Doc Foster]

I would recommend a Casita
http://casitatraveltrailers.com/

 

[Pathwacker]

Here is my starcraft travelstar sport 21rbh.
It is a bunkbed equipped hybrid with tents on front and side. The bunks go across the rear. Rare model produced in 2007 and 2008 before the economy tanked. Similar fancier model is the starcraft starstream 22rbh. A foot wider, taller, and longer. Same layout though

Mine is 5000 gvw and I tow it with a k2500 suburban.

Sleeps six adults easily and I have a full array of extras for year round severe weather usage.

 

[Pathwacker]

I take down gravel and two track roads. Watch out for backwoods pinstripes and overhead roof destroyers
The same applies to any camper or pup. You can find used toy hauler pups but watch the capacities of your tow vehicle. Mine has 2305 pounds of payload, 4 bucket seats, and 7600 lb towing

 

[Pathwacker]

Winter camping, lows in the teens and wearing shorts in the trailer

You can see super hi wind gizmo bunk covers and reflectix in the screens. Average interior temps were 68f with the furnace barely cycling. Off grid run a generator, 1500w heater and battery charging. I have a Yamaha 2000w inverter gen set.

 

[Kosmo]

I would recommend a Casita
http://casitatraveltrailers.com/

Doc:

Thanks a lot. I have heard good things about the Casita. Any experience with them on dirt, gravel, twin track roads?

I think for our purposes, a family of four, on a long trip 2-3 years non stop. (We are selling the house) we need as much space as possible. At the moment it is a toss up between a max length 28' Passport Livin' Light, 23-25 Hybrid. Personally I am leaning towards the hybrid, likely with a slide-out for extra space in the central living area width-wise.

Again the dream is to be able to get to places like Aqua Verde with a trailer. I firmly believe there is no way this will happen with a 28' passport, but am somewhat optimistic about a 24' hybrid weighing less than 5000 lbs fully loaded. Well, as I type those numbers, less so, however, the dream is to get to somewhat off the beaten track places, and spend as much time off interstate, and off main roads as possible when there is something worth seeing.

http://expeditionportal.com/download-a-complimentary-digital-copy-of-overland-journal/

Having never been there, and not gotten that far ahead in research, I am not sure if that actual beach is camp-able, but again, the idea is to have a trailer that I can get down and up a trail like that with my Jeep QD II. CRD.

Guessing a Casita would definitely fit the bill.
Thanks

Kosmo

Kodiak Expandable
Forest River Roo/Shamrock

 

[Kosmo]

I take down gravel and two track roads. Watch out for backwoods pinstripes and overhead roof destroyers
The same applies to any camper or pup. You can find used toy hauler pups but watch the capacities of your tow vehicle. Mine has 2305 pounds of payload, 4 bucket seats, and 7600 lb towing

PW:

Thanks for the details and the great photos. Weight is really an issue to me, both for legal compliance, and trail ability. My Jeep is 7200 lbs towing, and SFA (Sweet F%@#* All) for payload. (1050 lbs), so tongue weight is certainly an issue.

I accounting for every pound, and thinking of ways to save weight that make sense. Dropping all the OEM seats for aftermarket, more supportive, roomier (Cab) comfortable seats is on top of list. I have an aluminum alloy spare tire, so that saves me 10 pounds. Also looking at wheels with a different offset so I can forego the spacers depending on what tire setup I go with. (width dependant)

Anyway, point being, weight is an issue, and a hybrid is likely our best option for space, weight savings.

Regards

K

 

[Pathwacker]

Best options for such low payload is a pup Kosmo.
I had a 3400lb low wall with slide out and front storage box. Tongue weight was 500lbs and towed it with a 1200lb payload 300hp trailblazer 5.3 V8. It was 2 adults, one year old child and 80lb black lab.

We were at gcwr and had to carry gear in the tb (the bane of popups especially slide out floor plans).

 

[Pathwacker]

If you look at single axle hybrids take special attention to CCC of trailer. Some only
300 pounds of payload. Average families bring 1000 to 1500 lbs if gear.

Mine is 3400 empty 5000 gvw. 36/30/30 tanks.
The pup had 26 gallon fresh, 6 gallon cassette tank and no gray water capacity. The gray water was plumbed to 25 gallon towable tank.

 

[Kosmo]

PW:

I think we are going to be using a weight distribution for highway driving and scales no matter what. The truck is about to have a new OME Heavy Duty suspension put in it, so it is not the rear sag I am worried about, just the scales and the people that like to give tickets and take money. Moreover I want to be legally compliant for any scale I may be asked to pull over on, and not end up getting nailed because we forgot to put something in the back of the trailer, instead of the back of the Jeep. From my understanding I think they are required for trailers above 3500 lbs in some states provinces? Still researching.

Power-wise should not be an issue. Popup is not in the game plan, hybrid is likely the answer. We can keep the Jeep pretty lightly loaded, or put the bulky lighter stuff in the Jeep. Does this make sense, or am I totally missing something? I admit to being ignorant to highway towing and rv towing; however I do have a lot of offroad heavy rig heavy loaded trailer experience. Not necessarily transferable I guess, which is why I am here.

I think if we ended up with a 5000-6000 lb loaded trailer with 10% on the hitch and a WDH for highway we would be fine. Being a hybrid it would not be longer than 25' so should not be an issue with sway. For off pavement I would need to disconnect the WDH and sway bars and let it run on on the Jeep suspension. If weight is an issue, it could mean re-balancing the load, or using an air support for the rear suspension, but again I don't see it as an issue, especially with the new HD springs.

This is my outlook at the moment, but I was wrong once before, and I am prone to learning.

Going to see a few trailers over the next week and should know then what the S.O. is comfortable with. Will be comparing Passport hard wall to Kodiak and Jayco Hybrids. Hope it does not mean I need a new tow vehicle.

Cheers

 

[calicamper]

Go for middle ground find a Rpod with slide. Its sorta in that zone between Airstream and cheap rv box on wheels. They also look cool. And are lightish so the fancy VW should be ok ;-)

 

[Pathwacker]

Power is not the issue. Payload rules all ratings. Nothing alters payload and any attempts at improving ratings actually deducts tow rating and payload.

 

[Kosmo]

Including weight distribution hitch?