Eating crow....2018 Ram Power Wagon build

[ttengineer]

Yeah. Cozy is one way to put it.


We sold my Lance Hard Side when we had our second child. It all is awesome when the weather is sunny and you spend the days and evenings outside. Spend a couple of days in a truck camper with a family of 4 when it's raining and a 20-25ft long travel trailer with bunks for the kids to hole up in becomes a necessity.

Completely understand, but if your towing a 25’ TT or anything similar, you’re severely limited on where and what you can do.

As it’s been pointed out a million times, American RV style trailers are junk to begin with that are glued and stapled balsa wood at best. They just can’t handle anything more than a paved road.


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[Copperhead14]

We ended up with a 34" toy hauler and used 4 seat RZR that we got a great deal on. The kids had a great time this season

 

[Todd780]

. Spend a couple of days in a truck camper with a family of 4 when it's raining and a 20-25ft long travel trailer with bunks for the kids to hole up in becomes a necessity.

Agreed. That's kind of what we're looking at. Except moving from a tent trailer to a hard wall.

Completely understand, but if your towing a 25’ TT or anything similar, you’re severely limited on where and what you can do.
As it’s been pointed out a million times, American RV style trailers are junk to begin with that are glued and stapled balsa wood at best. They just can’t handle anything more than a paved road.

This is true. There are trade offs. Just need to review the pros and cons. And they will vary from person to person.

 

[Bayou Boy]

Completely understand, but if your towing a 25’ TT or anything similar, you’re severely limited on where and what you can do.

As it’s been pointed out a million times, American RV style trailers are junk to begin with that are glued and stapled balsa wood at best. They just can’t handle anything more than a paved road.


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I've been extremely surprised many times at the way back places I've turned the corner on and seen TT's and 5th wheels while traveling in the Rockys. What I've realized is that running around doing day trips from a base camped more comfortable camper set up in a remote spot wins over uncomfortable cramped conditions every time for us.

 

[SoTxAg06]

I've been extremely surprised many times at the way back places I've turned the corner on and seen TT's and 5th wheels while traveling in the Rockys. What I've realized is that running around doing day trips from a base camped more comfortable camper set up in a remote spot wins over uncomfortable cramped conditions every time for us.

I was surprised when we went elk hunting this fall at the places people pulled travel trailers and 5th wheels into.


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[Bayou Boy]

I was surprised when we went elk hunting this fall at the places people pulled travel trailers and 5th wheels into.


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Yea. There's this image that you need a lifted truck on 37s with a super light rugged camper to get to any cool place to camp. That's so far from the truth. The reality is that the VAST majority of places your family will want to go can be driven to with a stock truck with good tires and at some time some local guy drug a travel trailer or 5th wheel with flipped axles there.

 

[plainjaneFJC]

Yeah we were on some switchbacks in the rockies, gravel but real primitive and tight, we turned a corner and was surprised to see a 5th wheel campers parked up there.

 

[ttengineer]

Sure you can get them there, but they won’t last long doing that often.


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[Bayou Boy]

Sure you can get them there, but they won’t last long doing that often.


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It's always guys from the east coast that say this. These aren't brand new campers you find out there and these guys look like they do it all the time. Traveling the FS roads, you see enough campers sitting in crazy places to eventually realize that it's a normal thing and once you sort them out, they are tougher than you'd think.

 

[ttengineer]

It's always guys from the east coast that say this. These aren't brand new campers you find out there and these guys look like they do it all the time. Traveling the FS roads, you see enough campers sitting in crazy places to eventually realize that it's a normal thing and once you sort them out, they are tougher than you'd think.

I owned a nice 35’ cougar TT for 3 years. They’re junk. All of them. Complete waste of money if you do anything other than drive on the highway.

It’s not a matter of if something will break or leak, it’s a matter of how long till something breaks or leaks again. Mine was 5 days old and the water pump wouldn’t stop spewing water until I removed replaced it.

The roof leaked in under a year.

The awning broke in zero wind.

The compressor in the fridge broke in year 2.

The awning over the slide out ripped in year 2.

The propane furnace would stop working at 20deg.

They are just junk. It’s honestly a racket of a business and I’m amazed people still spend money on them.

Airstreams are about the only ones worth anyone’s time. At least those are built correctly, but they still have crap appliances.

I’m completely ashamed of the garbage RV style trailers barring the Made in America logo.

They need to be made like boats. Not popsicle stick cabins.



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[plumber mike]

I don’t mind towing my 26’ bunkhouse model to out of the way places, but it does suck to back it down when you realize you can’t make it. The worst was having to disconnect when the whole package was stuck in the mud. Got the truck out then dragged the trailer to a firmer spot to reconnect.
Honestly the kids beat it up worse than the roads....or lack of.

 

[Bayou Boy]

I owned a nice 35’ cougar TT for 3 years. They’re junk. All of them. Complete waste of money if you do anything other than drive on the highway.

It’s not a matter of if something will break or leak, it’s a matter of how long till something breaks or leaks again. Mine was 5 days old and the water pump wouldn’t stop spewing water until I removed replaced it.

The roof leaked in under a year.

The awning broke in zero wind.

The compressor in the fridge broke in year 2.

The awning over the slide out ripped in year 2.

The propane furnace would stop working at 20deg.

They are just junk. It’s honestly a racket of a business and I’m amazed people still spend money on them.

Airstreams are about the only ones worth anyone’s time. At least those are built correctly, but they still have crap appliances.

I’m completely ashamed of the garbage RV style trailers barring the Made in America logo.

They need to be made like boats. Not popsicle stick cabins.



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My experience with my Lance truck camper and my Rockwood popup were totally different. But then the Lance was an aluminum frame and the Rockwood used screws everywhere rather than staples.

Let's continue this over here rather than keep cluttering up Tex's thread.
https://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/offroad-capable-mainstream-trailer.194518/

 

[Todd780]

I owned a nice 35’ cougar TT for 3 years. They’re junk. All of them. Complete waste of money if you do anything other than drive on the highway.

It’s not a matter of if something will break or leak, it’s a matter of how long till something breaks or leaks again. Mine was 5 days old and the water pump wouldn’t stop spewing water until I removed replaced it.

The roof leaked in under a year.

The awning broke in zero wind.

The compressor in the fridge broke in year 2.

The awning over the slide out ripped in year 2.

The propane furnace would stop working at 20deg.

They are just junk. It’s honestly a racket of a business and I’m amazed people still spend money on them.

Airstreams are about the only ones worth anyone’s time. At least those are built correctly, but they still have crap appliances.

I’m completely ashamed of the garbage RV style trailers barring the Made in America logo.

They need to be made like boats. Not popsicle stick cabins.



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Huh, we've owned a Fleetwood Coleman Utah for a few year now with out issue. Power lift, manual slide, everything seems to function as it should.

 

[Tex68w]

Truck is back at the dealer again today. Took it in last week for its 15,000 mile service and they did a reflash of the computer for an apparent outstanding airbag recall. Well the refresh software update was either crap or their internet there at the dealer was, I can't be sure (they claim they've had internet issues) but my truck and three others were in for the same issue after the update last week. The truck is an electronic dumpster fire at the moment. Full christmas tree on the dash gauges, service electronic brake system, transmission shift fault, traction control lights, no steering wheel controls, cruise control is out, it's a hot mess. They claim they will have it all sorted and back to me by the end of today but considering that they only have one Ram tech at the moment and there are others in shop along with mine I have little faith that I'll be driving it home this evening.

 

[SoTxAg06]

Truck is back at the dealer again today. Took it in last week for its 15,000 mile service and they did a reflash of the computer for an apparent outstanding airbag recall. Well the refresh software update was either crap or their internet there at the dealer was, I can't be sure (they claim they've had internet issues) but my truck and three others were in for the same issue after the update last week. The truck is an electronic dumpster fire at the moment. Full christmas tree on the dash gauges, service electronic brake system, transmission shift fault, traction control lights, no steering wheel controls, cruise control is out, it's a hot mess. They claim they will have it all sorted and back to me by the end of today but considering that they only have one Ram tech at the moment and there are others in shop along with mine I have little faith that I'll be driving it home this evening.

That sucks. I had mine reflashed at 8000 miles, and haven’t had any issues.


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