Evolution E1 Feedback...

[mph]

Thinking about purchasing a fleetwood evolution e1 tent trailer. Looks like it could handle some dirt roads and light four wheeling. I will be pulling it with a 2007 4 runner with a v6.

Anyone have some thoughts and/or experience with this trailer that they could share? Just trying to get some insights and more information on the pros/cons with this tent trailer option.

Thanks much, Mike

 

[Haggis]

Hi Mile, welcome to the Expo!

Here's my thread on our Evolution E1 expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5977

We've had our '05 E1 for about a year now and used it about 8 times last year for extended weekends and a couple of week long trips. The trailer tows real nice behind my Ram, its stable and tracks true. It handles dirt backroads and two tracks well. It's as wide as my Dodge and like most pop'ups the build materials are on the cheap side so don't expect it to hold up to severe jouncing and trail bumps. The heater works real well though abit noisy and the fridge also preforms well. We've yet to run a propane tank out yet even though we ran the fridge on propane exclusively and the heater on chilly mornings. The matteresses are really comfortable and there is plenty of storage inside. We usually only have just our firewood in the truck bed while every thing is in the trailer. It sets up easy, my two kids (13 & 10) can set it up in ten minutes by themselves. Tear down takes about the same amount of time. All in all we're pretty happy with it and since we got a smoking deal on it it's served us well. Can't wait for the weather to break so we can get it behind the truck again. Hope that helps.

Oh by the way, if you get one be prepared to have everyone and their neighbor checking it out and pestering you. At a improved campground these things attract other campers like flies to honey.

 

[Honu]

I dont have one ? but like you was searching for info and at least my thoughts for my use I decided it wont work

I read forgot where now on a few forums they did not hold up to offroad stuff at all
maybe dirt roads slow for short distance ? but from my days of research not very much 4 wheeling without having issues

the post I read somewhere a guy took it up a 20 mile road or something like that not that bad he thought and stuff was coming apart rivets had popped etc...

I went and looked at them localy and they are cool and if I was mostly wanting to do park stuff and graded dirt roads and no expedition stuff I would get one

but from looking at them in person they are nothing more than a raised trailer with a bit dif interior look than the others

I am going to end up getting a adventure trailer or a campa

I think it depends on what one calls offroading ? me I consider that when I have to be in 4x4 mode
my thoughts might be anywhere you can go in 2 wheel mode the trailer seems like it would make it but if you were in 4x4 ? I dont know and I decided that will be quite a bit of our offroad style

 

[FlyNdrive]

I can't speak for the E-1, but I have an E-2. It is a nice trailer, but is considerably larger than the E-1. It's off-road ability is limited to it's size and is nothing compared to some of the adventure trailers that are made for the trial. The only problem is that that it is a larger size and does not fit down the trail as well. It is probably limited to dirt roads.

A friend in out FJ Club who has a Fleetwood Yuma (same as the E-1) and towed my E-2 said the larger trailer was easier to tow because it was "better balanced". There is a lot of space for the family.

I wanted an E-1 for the smaller size, but the wife wanted a shower......I at least got the camper.

-Ben

 

[Bergger]

If you plan on staying at established campgrounds or just towing on dirt roads you will be fine and will probably love the camper. We had a Coleman Santa Fe for 6 years and got a lot of great use out of it. However over the past two years we have started to dislike the mainstream campgrounds and wanted to get away more. I did an axle flip and got 4" of extra clearance but they just are not built for even slightly moderate off roading. Like mentioned above its the inside that will come apart. Rivets pop and screws get pulled out as the cabinets and other "guts" of the trailer shift around. So if you plan on using it as it is built for you will love it. If you think you will want something to truely go off road then get an Adventure Trailer, Campa or King Kamper. All three of those will go anywhere. The Adventure Trailer and Campa are very close in price but the King Kamper is a bit more pricey. We opted for an Adventure Trailer Chaser this past January. Good luck with your decision.