Open for debate: RV or Rig and trailer?

[Ashton]

Really like the idea of renting different types of rigs.
Another thing to consider is your first rig doesn't have to be the penultimate rig. Maybe it is a great used rig that gets you out there, without taking a big loss on resale if you don't like it.
Nothing beats experience, especially personal experience.
...

The lessons learned are priceless.

Here's to your new adventure! :beer:

YUS!!! Great advice. I'm all over it.

 

[upcruiser]

Just an opposing thought to consider on slides. They do increase living space dramatically but we chose to seek out a trailer without one. They add a bunch of weight for the given length of the camper, they add a bunch of complexity and issues as they get older, they are less efficient to heat, and when you are pulled off somewhere along your route and wanting to cook up a meal or rest, some designs when folded in make the trailer unuseable. Just things to keep in mind. Even without slides ours is pretty spacious for a family of 4 and 4,200 lbs dry weight at 23 feet. It tows super easy. Once you reach 6-7k it's a whole different animal towing and for tow rig needs. Definitely research a bunch and check out as many in person as you can. Photos don't depict interior space well. And for living in for extended periods, the R value rating is important or your heater is going to be running non stop in cold weather. If you are going to be in sub freezing temps much look for something with an insulated underside to help protect stuff from freezing.

 

[Ashton]

Just an opposing thought to consider on slides. They do increase living space dramatically but we chose to seek out a trailer without one. They add a bunch of weight for the given length of the camper, they add a bunch of complexity and issues as they get older, they are less efficient to heat, and when you are pulled off somewhere along your route and wanting to cook up a meal or rest, some designs when folded in make the trailer unuseable. Just things to keep in mind. Even without slides ours is pretty spacious for a family of 4 and 4,200 lbs dry weight at 23 feet. It tows super easy. Once you reach 6-7k it's a whole different animal towing and for tow rig needs. Definitely research a bunch and check out as many in person as you can. Photos don't depict interior space well. And for living in for extended periods, the R value rating is important or your heater is going to be running non stop in cold weather. If you are going to be in sub freezing temps much look for something with an insulated underside to help protect stuff from freezing.

R value... check. We will be in all sorts of weather, so i'll be sure to check that. I also read somewhere on here about aluminum frames because we like to go off road. That's a good point about slide outs, i had noticed that when they are 'in' they really limit useable space and I wondered about seals and weather protections on the seems. I'll definitely have to keep that in mind.

 

[vintageracer]

Are you looking for a "Home on the road" or do you want to go camping???

So many of the RV's today are built to have all amenities that you have at your stick built house/home. Which begs the question: Do you really need all that crap for life on the road? Is a full size house refrigerator really that important? How about the fake fireplace? The 65 inch flat screen? Large Dishwasher? King size bed? (Ya I'll give you that one)!

With a motorhome you have the problems that can happen with truck/RV chassis compounded by the problems of house mounted on top of that truck/RV chassis. With a trailer you divorce those 2 problem areas into potentially 2 separate problems area's. Which is easier to deal with? I know my preference!

All you have to do is look at the current RV industry recall list and see all the problems associated with ALL TYPES OF RV'S today given the fact that the industry just reported this week for the FIRST TIME EVER 2017 sales surpassed 500,000 units and quality is at an all time low! Way to go guys/gals!

With a Motorhome or a truck/5th wheel trailer all you are doing is taking your "Home on the road" do to the expense, size and complexity associated with both of those units. With a smaller tow vehicle (you choose what it is) and a smaller RV trailer or "Expedition" type trailer you are giving up many of the comfort amenities of that "Home on the Road" for a much simpler existence/lifestyle. Only YOU can decide which "Style" fits your plans for the future.

The older "I" get the smaller "I" want things. I almost bought a Featherlite Vantare Prevost Bus once. Now I not even sure I would even want a motorized RV at all. When my youngest leaves the nest here in a few years that BIG HOUSE that was so important when I was in my late 30's is outta here along with a lot of other crap that is no longer important in life.

I suggest you RENT a Motorhome, 5th wheel, bus or whatever it is you "think" you want to see if that really IS what you want. After a lot of sole searching you might be surprised what really fits your needs, wants and desires!

 

[arveetek]

Are you looking for a "Home on the road" or do you want to go camping???

So many of the RV's today are built to have all amenities that you have at your stick built house/home. Which begs the question: Do you really need all that crap for life on the road? Is a full size house refrigerator really that important? How about the fake fireplace? The 65 inch flat screen? Large Dishwasher? King size bed? (Ya I'll give you that one)!

With a motorhome you have the problems that can happen with truck/RV chassis compounded by the problems of house mounted on top of that truck/RV chassis. With a trailer you divorce those 2 problem areas into potentially 2 separate problems area's. Which is easier to deal with? I know my preference!

All you have to do is look at the current RV industry recall list and see all the problems associated with ALL TYPES OF RV'S today given the fact that the industry just reported this week for the FIRST TIME EVER 2017 sales surpassed 500,000 units and quality is at an all time low! Way to go guys/gals!

With a Motorhome or a truck/5th wheel trailer all you are doing is taking your "Home on the road" do to the expense, size and complexity associated with both of those units. With a smaller tow vehicle (you choose what it is) and a smaller RV trailer or "Expedition" type trailer you are giving up many of the comfort amenities of that "Home on the Road" for a much simpler existence/lifestyle. Only YOU can decide which "Style" fits your plans for the future.

The older "I" get the smaller "I" want things. I almost bought a Featherlite Vantare Prevost Bus once. Now I not even sure I would even want a motorized RV at all. When my youngest leaves the nest here in a few years that BIG HOUSE that was so important when I was in my late 30's is outta here along with a lot of other crap that is no longer important in life.

I suggest you RENT a Motorhome, 5th wheel, bus or whatever it is you "think" you want to see if that really IS what you want. After a lot of sole searching you might be surprised what really fits your needs, wants and desires!

Excellent advice given here!

This is just a bit of semantics, but since I have been in the RV business for 23 years now, I just wanted to point out that "RV" means Recreation Vehicle: this includes everything from the smallest pop-ups to the largest diesel pushers and everything in between. You can then divide them into the two main categories of "Motorized" (Class A, Class C, Class B) and "Towables" (conventional travel trailers, 5th wheels, etc). There are also "Specialty" and "Park Models," according to Go Rving:

https://gorving.com/compare-rvs

Renting and trying out what you like is a great idea. It all really boils down to personal preference. Going to RV shows to see all the different types available is also helpful. Figure out where you want to go and what you want to do while there and then work backwards to find the rig that fits you best.

If you want to go off road, realize that a typical RV will not handle the stress. A purpose-built vehicle such as a Global Expedition Vehicle will be much better, but more expensive. If simply going off grid away from folks, then a standard RV will work just fine, once properly outfitted.

Casey

 

[Joe917]

We wanted a self contained vehicle that we could live full time in and go most places. We wanted to be able to explore and not worry about going back to "base camp" each evening. That ruled out a trailer and a toad. That left a self contained 4X4 truck. We went 9 tonne Mercedes and have no regrets.

 

[TwinStick]

Lots of opinions & experience on this topic. Here's mine: We have a 2008 Dodge Power Wagon w/G-56 6-speed manual & an 18' Starcraft AR One Extreme (which is really not extreme at all). The "Extreme Pkg" got us a 5" lift & 15" wheels & LT235/75/15 tires, & enclosed & insulated underbelly & better insulation throughout. We also opted for the 13,500 btu roof top A/C vs the 8000 btu side mounted unit. Camper weighs 3500 lbs. We were able to re-use our 12,000 lb rated WD hitch w/anti-sway bars (from our old 30' Toy Hauler). Tows straight, no sway, even with passing semi-trucks. Truck doesn't even know it's back there. Because it is geared so low (4.56), I keep it around 65 mph & diffs stay around 170-175*F. More than that & diff temps go up dramatically......even with Amsoil. We did not want any slides. Father-in-Law had 3 different campers with slides & they ALL leaked, when camped at Lake Ontario & bad storms with sideways rain rolled in. We also had a Coleman tent camper with a slide & it also leaked with sideways rain. I just wanted to open & close 2 doors & be in bed. Our set up does that. We have seen many campers & a few RV's that are pretty much useless with all the slides in. Can't access bedroom, bathroom, fridge, kitchen. We are retired & want to do some traveling, so inevitably, will end up doing the W-Mart night every now & again & they are getting more & more strict---as are truck stops. NO slide outs are the norm in some of those places in different states. We also like the idea of being able to explore with the truck. Our camper is NOT an off-road camper but we can get well off the beaten path with our set up. Ground clearance is king for that & so is minimal overhang. Money was an object for us & also played into our set up as well. Make the best with what you got to work with. Have fun.

It is sad that more Manufacturer's do not offer a lifted version of their product, to get off the beaten path. Airstream would sell a ton of them but they "have no plans to offer one at this time". I was sad when they e-mailed me that response. 18-19' with a dedicated queen bed that is accessible from both sides (like the camper we have now) would be perfect, on 17" wheels & 31-33" tires.

I have seen many a camper get it's plumbing ripped off & broken from not enough ground clearance. Every year when we camp, people are always asking me about ours, because it sits up higher than most small single axle campers.

 

[ChuckB]

Lots of opinions & experience on this topic. Here's mine: We have a 2008 Dodge Power Wagon w/G-56 6-speed manual & an 18' Starcraft AR One Extreme (which is really not extreme at all). The "Extreme Pkg" got us a 5" lift & 15" wheels & LT235/75/15 tires, & enclosed & insulated underbelly & better insulation throughout. We also opted for the 13,500 btu roof top A/C vs the 8000 btu side mounted unit. Camper weighs 3500 lbs. We were able to re-use our 12,000 lb rated WD hitch w/anti-sway bars (from our old 30' Toy Hauler). Tows straight, no sway, even with passing semi-trucks. Truck doesn't even know it's back there. Because it is geared so low (4.56), I keep it around 65 mph & diffs stay around 170-175*F. More than that & diff temps go up dramatically......even with Amsoil. We did not want any slides. Father-in-Law had 3 different campers with slides & they ALL leaked, when camped at Lake Ontario & bad storms with sideways rain rolled in. We also had a Coleman tent camper with a slide & it also leaked with sideways rain. I just wanted to open & close 2 doors & be in bed. Our set up does that. We have seen many campers & a few RV's that are pretty much useless with all the slides in. Can't access bedroom, bathroom, fridge, kitchen. We are retired & want to do some traveling, so inevitably, will end up doing the W-Mart night every now & again & they are getting more & more strict---as are truck stops. NO slide outs are the norm in some of those places in different states. We also like the idea of being able to explore with the truck. Our camper is NOT an off-road camper but we can get well off the beaten path with our set up. Ground clearance is king for that & so is minimal overhang. Money was an object for us & also played into our set up as well. Make the best with what you got to work with. Have fun.

It is sad that more Manufacturer's do not offer a lifted version of their product, to get off the beaten path. Airstream would sell a ton of them but they "have no plans to offer one at this time". I was sad when they e-mailed me that response. 18-19' with a dedicated queen bed that is accessible from both sides (like the camper we have now) would be perfect, on 17" wheels & 31-33" tires.

I have seen many a camper get it's plumbing ripped off & broken from not enough ground clearance. Every year when we camp, people are always asking me about ours, because it sits up higher than most small single axle campers.

Could you post a pic of your rig or direct us to a build thread if you have one? Would love to see it! A PW is high on my list.

 

[Clutch]

Are you looking for a "Home on the road" or do you want to go camping???

So many of the RV's today are built to have all amenities that you have at your stick built house/home. Which begs the question: Do you really need all that crap for life on the road? Is a full size house refrigerator really that important? How about the fake fireplace? The 65 inch flat screen? Large Dishwasher? King size bed? (Ya I'll give you that one)!

With a motorhome you have the problems that can happen with truck/RV chassis compounded by the problems of house mounted on top of that truck/RV chassis. With a trailer you divorce those 2 problem areas into potentially 2 separate problems area's. Which is easier to deal with? I know my preference!

All you have to do is look at the current RV industry recall list and see all the problems associated with ALL TYPES OF RV'S today given the fact that the industry just reported this week for the FIRST TIME EVER 2017 sales surpassed 500,000 units and quality is at an all time low! Way to go guys/gals!

With a Motorhome or a truck/5th wheel trailer all you are doing is taking your "Home on the road" do to the expense, size and complexity associated with both of those units. With a smaller tow vehicle (you choose what it is) and a smaller RV trailer or "Expedition" type trailer you are giving up many of the comfort amenities of that "Home on the Road" for a much simpler existence/lifestyle. Only YOU can decide which "Style" fits your plans for the future.

The older "I" get the smaller "I" want things. I almost bought a Featherlite Vantare Prevost Bus once. Now I not even sure I would even want a motorized RV at all. When my youngest leaves the nest here in a few years that BIG HOUSE that was so important when I was in my late 30's is outta here along with a lot of other crap that is no longer important in life.

I suggest you RENT a Motorhome, 5th wheel, bus or whatever it is you "think" you want to see if that really IS what you want. After a lot of sole searching you might be surprised what really fits your needs, wants and desires!

Great advice!

I keep on looking at camper vans, but then you are stuck with it if something goes wrong. With a truck/camper/trailer...you separate them if needed.

Hear you on keeping it simple...bigger and more complex the rig the more to go wrong. Couple of my friends have done simple build-outs on enclosed contractor trailers to haul dirt bikes and to camp out of...seems like the way to go, as those trailers are built a lot better than any of the TT's or RV's I have seen. Mang, they just seem like they are slapped together using the cheapest materials, even the super spendy ones. Hell, saw holes on interior doors on brand new ones on the lot.

 

[Ashton]

Are you looking for a "Home on the road" or do you want to go camping???

So many of the RV's today are built to have all amenities that you have at your stick built house/home. Which begs the question: Do you really need all that crap for life on the road? Is a full size house refrigerator really that important? How about the fake fireplace? The 65 inch flat screen? Large Dishwasher? King size bed? (Ya I'll give you that one)!

With a motorhome you have the problems that can happen with truck/RV chassis compounded by the problems of house mounted on top of that truck/RV chassis. With a trailer you divorce those 2 problem areas into potentially 2 separate problems area's. Which is easier to deal with? I know my preference!

All you have to do is look at the current RV industry recall list and see all the problems associated with ALL TYPES OF RV'S today given the fact that the industry just reported this week for the FIRST TIME EVER 2017 sales surpassed 500,000 units and quality is at an all time low! Way to go guys/gals!

With a Motorhome or a truck/5th wheel trailer all you are doing is taking your "Home on the road" do to the expense, size and complexity associated with both of those units. With a smaller tow vehicle (you choose what it is) and a smaller RV trailer or "Expedition" type trailer you are giving up many of the comfort amenities of that "Home on the Road" for a much simpler existence/lifestyle. Only YOU can decide which "Style" fits your plans for the future.

The older "I" get the smaller "I" want things. I almost bought a Featherlite Vantare Prevost Bus once. Now I not even sure I would even want a motorized RV at all. When my youngest leaves the nest here in a few years that BIG HOUSE that was so important when I was in my late 30's is outta here along with a lot of other crap that is no longer important in life.

I suggest you RENT a Motorhome, 5th wheel, bus or whatever it is you "think" you want to see if that really IS what you want. After a lot of sole searching you might be surprised what really fits your needs, wants and desires!

I get the main advice here is rent some options to get a feel for what we want. We expect to downsize, but I think we got a little spoiled looking at the fancy RV's. We are minimalists when we go camping in the truck but we know we want to occupy some middle ground in terms of comfort and space and amenities. I think that is part of the experience, finding out what you can and cannot live with. We know we need a big bed (dogs sleep on it with us and I'm large) and we want a good shower and we recognize we need a bit of separation in space so we can take 'me' time when needed. We need a spot that can serve as an office (a dinette would work). We want insulation and cooling for the weather extremes.

More and more we lean towards a towable trailer and a rig.

Lots of opinions & experience on this topic. Here's mine: We have a 2008 Dodge Power Wagon w/G-56 6-speed manual & an 18' Starcraft AR One Extreme (which is really not extreme at all). The "Extreme Pkg" got us a 5" lift & 15" wheels & LT235/75/15 tires, & enclosed & insulated underbelly & better insulation throughout. We also opted for the 13,500 btu roof top A/C vs the 8000 btu side mounted unit. Camper weighs 3500 lbs. We were able to re-use our 12,000 lb rated WD hitch w/anti-sway bars (from our old 30' Toy Hauler). Tows straight, no sway, even with passing semi-trucks. Truck doesn't even know it's back there. Because it is geared so low (4.56), I keep it around 65 mph & diffs stay around 170-175*F. More than that & diff temps go up dramatically......even with Amsoil. We did not want any slides. Father-in-Law had 3 different campers with slides & they ALL leaked, when camped at Lake Ontario & bad storms with sideways rain rolled in. We also had a Coleman tent camper with a slide & it also leaked with sideways rain. I just wanted to open & close 2 doors & be in bed. Our set up does that. We have seen many campers & a few RV's that are pretty much useless with all the slides in. Can't access bedroom, bathroom, fridge, kitchen. We are retired & want to do some traveling, so inevitably, will end up doing the W-Mart night every now & again & they are getting more & more strict---as are truck stops. NO slide outs are the norm in some of those places in different states. We also like the idea of being able to explore with the truck. Our camper is NOT an off-road camper but we can get well off the beaten path with our set up. Ground clearance is king for that & so is minimal overhang. Money was an object for us & also played into our set up as well. Make the best with what you got to work with. Have fun....

This sounds the most like what the woman and I are leaning towards. We love our dodge 2500 and I am not looking forward to giving it up. We have a car, so we could tow it behind an RV... but then we loose out on one of our favorite activities, Overlanding. Good info here. Thanks.

 

[LovinPSDs]

I think a smaller trailer and rig will fit your needs nicely. Honestly if I was living and working from one location there is a level of comfort I would want, so I understand what your saying there. I don't think you realize what you can have for such a "reasonable" price when you are considering a rig the size and cost of a DynaMax. I mean you can have a nice interior setup with plenty of room and still be completely mobile for 1/10th (OR LESS) the cost and you already have the truck you like for adventures and to pull it. One other thing to consider is it's not terribly difficult to get any normal sized trailer lifted up a bit. Either a spring over or small lift block + larger diameter tires could get you all you need.

Final question... Why would you have to get rid of your truck? Or is that only if you end up in a motorhome?

Also... Consider how much sooner you could get on the move if you spent 15K instead of 150K on your mobile home of choice.

 

[TexomaPowerboater]

I vote for trailer and truck. Hate the idea of having to pack up camp every time you need something from the store and can't really go to many stores with a 30ft class C RV.

 

[Ashton]

All the responses and all the thoughts, it seems that a trailer and rig to tow it fit the needs most. Thanks all who opinionated, the input is needed and appreciated. Updates and debates to come.

 

[STREGA]

I'am in the truck, camper and bumper pull trailer camp myself. After 5 years of full timing in RV's I have learned a lot about what works and what doesn't work, at least for our needs anyway. First and foremost you will find that there is no perfect RV there is just to many compromises that have to be made and everybody needs or circumstances will dictate what those compromises will be. Chances are you will end up going through a couple rigs before finding the one that fills your needs the best, don't feel bad just about everyone does that. If possible rent a class A,B,C motorhome, pull trailer and if available a 5th wheel just to get a feel for the positive and negative's of each class of Rv's. While out in the RV talk to as many people as possible about their particular RV, find out what they like or dislike about it, most people will be more than happy to talk to you. Also get on forums like RVnet, iRV2 or any of the many brand oriented forums and ask all the question you can think of you will get answers.

We almost bought a class A diesel pusher a few years ago glad we didn't now. It was very nice inside and had some great features to boot but maintenace costs are huge with those. Motorhomes are best if you move around a lot, like less than 2 week stays in one place, being able to use the bathroom while going down the road etc. Big downside with them is that your home is connected to the drivetrain/truck and if you grenade a engine or transmission you will lose said home for the duration of the time repairs are being done can easily be 2 weeks or more.

Just sold our 5th wheel recently and purchased a bumper pull trailer since we now have a truck with a flatbed popup camper and could no longer tow the 5er. There are some great benefits of a 5er like OTR towing and they generally have better storage spaces which is a huge thing when you full time. They also have some downsides, the biggest for me was they eat up a lot of truck bed real estate and eliminated the ability to have a slide in camper (at least easily). I have a thread in the domestic truck section here under STREGA adventure truck build, last time I checked it's back on page 7 or so, it talks about why I chose the set up I did in more detail, might be helpful to you.

 

[Buliwyf]

I'm sorry, but that rig can't even make it over a set of railroad tracks. Even on perfectly flat ground, Ohio snow would waste the front lower edge of the camper. I don't understand why they even bother to offer a 4wd version. I'm sure that's a great RV, but it can only take me to places I've already been. It lacks the clearance, and is far too big for impromptu adventures.

Towing a car or jeep behind a motor home pretty much stinks. I'd recommend a nice higher quality travel trailer around 23-26' and the shortest truck you can deal with. I chose a CCSB Ford for that. Get a 12' ramp so that it's easy getting the bike into the bed of the truck, most people hate ramps because they use el cheapo 6' ramps.

A nice truck drives great everywhere in the north America, you don't need to tow a minivan just because the trucks kinda big. Just get better at driving trucks. In my case, a CCLB was just too long, the CCSB is all I could deal with. I tow a 23' travel trailer now. I stay short trailers, because if you look hard enough, you'll find one with plenty of features, but they are very easy to tow. Anything over 26', I won't take anywhere I'm not sure about.

When you can just drop the trailer in 2 minutes, it's very nice having a real 4wd truck to adventure around town with.

5th wheel is out, unless you get a toy hauler. 5th wheels are all about 5th wheel camping only. Tossing bikes, and off road stuff at them can be frustrating. I like having 6-8' of bed space. Note that when I tow with a SB and a TT, I can't close my tailgate with the bike in the back, so I remove the tailgate and leave it at home. My ramps and bike are secured with HD ratchet straps anyways. I can slide my bike sideways a bit if I really want to haul the bike with the gate on and up. Without the TT, I just travel with the gate down.

(Suzuki DRZ400S or Ducati 1199s)

Generally, the people that do it best for months at a time, AND still work like you're talking about, have a nice truck and trailer setup. And the wife follows driving another car. That's also nice, because the car can zip along at 20 over the speed limit and get you a nicer campground. Driving the car is no more expansive than towing it (who cares anyways in this case). It also opens up another possibility, now you only need a regular cab LB truck. More room in the bed for bikes, shorter for off roadin' and such. Fords still seat 3.

Many people that used to tow cars or jeeps, are just driving them now.

As for the separate shower/bathroom bit: We just used the shower and avoid camper toilets like the plague. Campgrounds have shower houses, I use the toilets there and the shower in my trailer. If I'm sharing my trailer with too many people, than I throw on some Crocs and use the shower house showers. Some are perfectly clean. And if we camp off road on the beach, we have an outdoor shower. There's also the woods, and you can use the ocean for both! LOL. Last time I was in Key West, I didn't shower for a week. Just jumped in the Ocean in the morning and afternoon. A little salty, but I think that's actually good for us. (people pay extra at spas for that salt)

Ya'll have to figure out a routine. It's easy. Easier than towing an entire house at least.

Traveling by RV, is figuring out how to not to carry everything with you, but still have comfort and a good time. The people that really want to see things, often downsize as their skill level increases. And some other types of people, prefer camp grounds that are just simple giant grass parking lots. So they can tow as huge as the want to.

For people far richer than I:

I've seen those and the little F550 based ones tow tiny little expanded metal utility trailers with dirtbikes on them, quite well. Another option, if you don't mind someone just driving the car, or doing without it. Those all cost more than my house.